Page 122 of Scent of Home

Her hand runs up my back. Like a lover. I want to vomit.

I can’t let her hurt Erin.

With one last look at my alpha, a goodbye glance that would never be long enough. I turn so that I’m facing Delilah. “You have this all figured out,” I say in my most cutting tone.

“I do. It’s really best if you just give in.” She strokes her fingers down my cheek and smiles.

She has purple hair now. It makes her look ugly. She’s wearing too much makeup, and her clothes never cover her properly. I hate her. More than I’ve hated any person ever. She has been the source of my self-hatred, my self-disgust, that feeling of being trapped and vulnerable. She’s drugged me, hit me, raped me. Over and over. I remember waking up with no memory of fucking the naked women draped over me. Of being sore as strange alphas purred my name as I fought to escape them and rush to the bathroom to vomit. I remember the terror of seeing the bite mark on my shoulder.

I remember trying to end it all. How I stood on the roof of my mansion and contemplated a swan dive into freedom.

This woman is everything evil in this world.

I hate her.

I’ve never been so revolted in my life, but I’m a performer, so I keep my expression hidden. I hide my thoughts and my intentions.

I am, after all, the front man of the biggest rock band in the world.

“You didn’t count on one thing,” I say coldly.

“Oh, and what’s that?”

“I’d die first. Before you hurt her, before anyone hurts her, I’ll happily embrace my death,” I whisper, and then I wrap her in my arms, holding her tight so she can’t let go.

“Obey me,” I purr, using that skill I’ve mastered to slip beneath her guard once more and force her to do as I want. I used it to save myself. It hasn’t always worked. It’s not reliable, but in my most desperate moment, I discovered it. I can compel her to stop. I can compel her to leave me alone. And now…I can compel her not to fight me when I kill us both. It’s the only way to be sure.

I’m so sorry it has to be this way.

But I’m not letting her win.

I throw us sideways clear over the wall, and then we’re falling. She’s screaming in my face. Violently hitting me. I fling her away, uncaring of what happens to her.

In the eternity that comes before I hit the water, I see my pack in my mind’s eye. I hear them call my name.

I’m not going to let anyone hurt them. And maybe now…no one’s going to hurt me, either.

And then I hit the ice cold water, and I don’t think anything more.

Chapter thirty-seven

Erin

I’ve been running mostof my life.

When my mother and father died, I ran from the pain, drowning it in whatever I could so that I wouldn’t have to feel. I filled my days with study, working until I fell into a deep sleep. With a heart of stone, I’d smiled until the mask felt real. I chased the goal post, and I kept moving it, chasing it harder.

I ran from connections with others. I ran from meaningful relationships with people. I used to think that they were afraid of my designation, my job, and myself. I set myself up as different.

Until I came to Twin Rivers. Until an omega got on the bus and ripped my world out from under me.

Now, after finally slowing down, I’m running again.

The pavement is hard under my sandals, but I barely feel it. All I can do is watch as Locke turns in her arms. That snake. I’ve seen her around, I didn’t recognise her. No one would have. Purple hair, watching us for weeks, spying, right there in our midst. I’ll slaughter her.

Why is he turning? What is he doing?

But I’m focused on running, the dress of my skirt fanning out behind me. All I can see is forward. I refuse to look back.

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