I shook my head, my breathing picking up. A fog was descending in my mind again, as if, now the fight was over, I was ready to be claimed by that old darkness.
I wanted to stay.Neededto. I didn’t want to be mindless. Useless.
Not when they were still in trouble…
And what if, this time when I left, I never came back?
It had happened before…
I wiped my fingers on my shirt and dug in my pocket, adrenaline still making my hands tremble.
The madness felt heavier than it had done in such a long time.
Was a night of terror, of having my omegas ripped from me, enough to undo all the progress I’d made?
I tugged my hand out of my pocket, holding folded pieces of paper. It took me too long to open them, my mind sometimes drifting like it didn’t know what I was doing, or why.
No. No, Ineededthis.
Finally…I lifted the unfolded papers, trying to focus, but my fingers shook so much that I couldn’t. A faint rumble of a growl sounded in my chest—I was fading so fast I couldn’t even… even see them.
Then Phantom’s fist closed around my arm, steadying it so I could see the pictures.
Two of them.
Rough sketches, but they managed to capture what was important. The one of Sin was old. I’d drawn it so long ago that the graphite was smudged here and there. Crescent’s was fresh, her beauty radiating from the paper in her shy smile, curious eyes, and cascade of snow-white, wavy hair.
I took a breath.
Desert eclipse and roses and cocoa.
“We’re getting out.” Phantom couldn’t know that, but our pack had always been afraid to speak our dreams, as if it might curse them.
And so the dare he made of fate held weight to me.
I managed to nod, staring at the drawings, begging my mind to settle like it would as if they were here.
They were my reasons to stay.
48
SIN
My own fear wasn't as strong as I had expected as I saw Holden walk through the cell door. Instead, it was washed away by the sharpest stab of relief I'd ever experienced.
I'd been right.
I'd been right, and Crescent was protected.
The rest of my pack, though… They were fighting. Not dead, but I didn’t know how long that would last.
Holden leaned against the bed nearest the door, watching me where I sat. I was on the bed closest to the far corner, not right next to the rut cage, my gun in my lap.
“We were told there were two omegas.” That was Wyatt, another in Holden’s pack. He drew up like Holden had, not getting too close when he caught sight of me.
“We didn't trust Sterling,” I said, clenching my jaw. “Went to get help herself.”
Holden grinned. “Don't get your hopes up. I’m sure she’ll be returned to us. Everyone will know who she’ll belong to by morning.”