I grabbed a book from our small shelf, but the high-stakes thriller didn’t have much appeal. Especially since I’d already read it six times. I stared at each page, seeing nothing before eventually flipping to see if maybe the next one was better.
Maybe soon I’d be able to buy books with money instead of trading for them with violence.
And there was something else that lifted my spirits. None of the anxiety trying to hold me down changed a fundamental reality before me: I was fine. Sin was sane. Karma was fifty-fifty—but that might change with Crescent, and something told me she might just balance him. But most of all: Vandle was whole for the first time.
He hadn’t given any of us a chance to trade places with him in the makeshift nest, his thumb absently stroking her shoulder as he held her in his arms.
I think hewasactually back.
Protecting her for a week might be the hardest task we’d ever face, but if we made it… We truly had a shot at freedom.
16
KARMA
Vandle was back with us.
That roiling storm we’d always felt in the bond had calmed, and he was happy to be curled up with our sweet omega in her brand new makeshift nest tonight.
A nest that she liked, and that I’d helped her make. I puffed up with pride at the thought, only to immediately push out a harsh breath.
His storm was gone, but mine…
It wasn’t so easily soothed.
When Crescent’s stomach let out a loud rumble, I volunteered to head out and grab food from the cafeteria before the hot food was gone for the night. Phantom tried to come along, but I’d shut it down. Sin still had a gun and a bullet, but we didn’t need to take more risks.
The more of us with Crescent, the better.
Bug and Rick, plus Finnian from the Wakefield pack, trailed behind me, chatting about stuff that didn’t matter. A bad gamble Justin had made last week; a fight that had ended in someone losing a finger.
Everything but the elephant in the room.
The only female omega in Anarchy.
And how she was bonded with an alpha who might not be stable enough to escape this hell.
If we failed our appeal, it would bemyfault.
Before, I’d been able to handily blame Vandle. He’d never even spoken a word, and his aura was always haywire.
We’d formed a pack with a guy we didn’t know a damn thing about, but when we’d all collided it had just been… right. Without us, Vandle would be dead, without Vandle, Sin would be dead, and without Sin… Well. I snorted, catching an odd look from Bug.
Without Sin, we’d all be dead.
Even with impressive auras, three-alpha packs didn’t last long—especially not ones with omegas. But Sin alliances served us well, as much as my instincts raged against watching him in thatfuckingcage. Still went to every single one, though. Couldn’t help myself.
But Phantom and Sin were the sticky glue that kept us all together, me and Vandle were the brawn. Crescent… I narrowed my eyes trying to figure out what she was.
My brain drew a blank, the metaphor falling apart. Whatever. The point was, we were a team, and we knew our roles. I wasn’t supposed to be themostunstable one.
Second most,dammit.
I wasn’t adjusting well to this.
This pack was more important to me than it was for anyone else.
Me and Phantom hadn’t found each other straight away. He’d managed to get by working with the kitchen crew between his rut episodes. But I hadn’t been so lucky…