We walked past the table on our way out and I knew I shouldn’t snag my finger on the key, and slide it from the table into my pocket.
But I couldn’t leave it behind.
So I held the cold metal in my palm, hidden in my pocket, and hummed to myself as we walked back to our cell.
Now I’d always have a memory, and something new to put in my nest.
26
SIN
“We… protected them,” Crescent whispered. It was late. Vandle and Phantom were down at the cafeteria grabbing some extra snacks, since we missed dinner and didn’t really want to show our faces right now. Karma was just outside, working on a mural with Bug and Finnian.
I was curled up in a mountain of pillows and blankets with my omega. I think I might have growled at anyone who’d come too close, which may explain why they were giving us space, but after this evening, I needed a little downtime.
“We did,” I replied.
I was obsessed with her—more than was healthy—so I was clocking every tell she had. I think that thing her pupils did, a small quiver from side to side, happened when she was nervous, or stressed. But by the end of our show it was gone, as if she’d forgotten everything else.
Now as she looked up at me, her pupils were completely steady, if a slight bit cross-eyed with fatigue.
She was so fucking beautiful, and she seemed so… proud of herself.
Not the reaction I expected after what we’d just done. But there was so much more to Crescent than met the eye.
“I know Vandle is a seer, so the dark bond is safe, but it still feels like I’m doing something wrong?”
“Why?” I asked. I could always feel it from her. Even when she was happy. It was a constant undercurrent of guilt. Of shame. I think she was so used to it—she might not even know it was there.
“I don’t know. I didn’t think I’d ever have a pack who takes care of me like this. I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”
“I wish you didn’t see the world like that, Firefly,” I murmured. “Youbelonghere with us.”
She considered me for a long moment, something yearning in those beautiful golden eyes, as if she wanted to reach out to cup my words and stuff them into her heart to keep her warm.
I brushed my fingers across her cheek. “Do you believe me?”
“I’m not sure…” She frowned, eyes darting to the side. “You know, even before I was gold pack… I was always different.”
“Why did you choose golden eyes?”
“I didn’t.” She shook her head. “No, no. My parents were… they weren’t good people, they were traitors. T-terrorists. Didn’t believe omegas should get the injection, so they kept me home until we were discovered. That’s how I ended up in the Convent. Which is good, of course—” she added. “They said otherwise I’d have never learned my place.”
I frowned. “There is nothing wrong with you, firefly. The others are obsessed with you. It’s been days, and I can’t imagine what it would be like without you.”
Her lip wobbled. “But what if I go into heat, and you realized you don’t want me?”
I raised an eyebrow. “We all want you now. Why would anything change?”
“Well… it took a few days after the bite before you wanted me…?”
I blinked, lips parting in shock for a second. “You are—were—a virgin, Firefly. Dropped into a prison of feral alphas.”
“Does that mean… I’m not as… desirable?”
“No,” I snorted. “It means we wanted to take it slow so you could adjust. Biting you doesn’t mean we need sex right away.”
“Sister Matilda said it would.”