Page 93 of Aine

“We both know you’re going to do some more puking tonight, and Olivia’s already taken up residence in the hallway bathroom,” he explains, setting me in front of Damien’s toilet.

I’m glad to see it’s been cleaned, the chemical bottle still sitting on the floor. Did Damien expect me to be in his bathroom tonight? Did he tell Alex to bring me here?

I move to stand, wanting to leave, but Alex places his hands on my shoulder and forces me to remain seated. My lips purse as I struggle, wanting to go, but Alex refuses to relent. When I finally slump, he moves to Damien’s bedroom and drags in all his bedsheets so he can make a pile for me in the bathroom corner.

“You will sleep here, and puke in there,” he orders, pointing from the makeshift bed to the toilet I lean over.

I nod, watching his eyes soften as mine fill with tears that refuse to stop.

“I don’t understand why he couldn’t just call it off,” I cry out. “I hate him.”

Alex crouches and runs a hand down my back, his lips pulled into a frown.

“I’m assuming you know what Freya did to him?” he asks, clearing his throat when his own eyes start to water. “I don’t imagine you could’ve gone on that trip with them and not figure it out.”

I blink, struggling to wrap my mind around what he’s saying. He knows? I was under the impression Damien didn’t tell anybody.

“You know?” I whisper.

Alex laughs, but the sound lacks humor.

“I know my brother. Damien can’t keep things from me, despite how hard he may try.” Alex pauses to clear his throat. “Damien abolished the hunt when he first took the Alpha position. Many of the elders were angry, but he had enough support that there wasn’t much they could do.”

I sit up, eager to hear more. I don’t know anything about Damien’s past.

“The pack hated him after everything with Freya,” Alex explains, his voice hoarse. “They thought he was unworthy to lead after sleeping with his brother’s mate. He didn’t want to tell them the truth, scared they’d think even less of him, so he reinstated the hunt to keep them happy.”

He distracts himself by pulling my hair back and starting a loose braid.

“I don’t agree with the hunt—many don’t—but enough do. Damien thinks it’s the only way to keep their respect, which is pretty stupid, but I won’t hate him for it.”

I remain silent as Alex steals an elastic from my wrist and ties up the end of my hair. His body is tense as he hesitates, but eventually, he decides to continue.

“I understand why you’re furious—I really do—but I hope you’ll give him a chance to earn your forgiveness.” Alex stands and fills the cup on the sink with water.

I accept it with a watery smile, not having anything to say right now. This isn’t something I have the mental capability of processing right now. I’m so fucking angry, but a small part of me does understand that Damien is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Alex nods, jerking his head toward the door. “I’m going to go check on Olivia. Try to get some sleep.”

My thoughts race as I crawl to the makeshift bed and sink into Damien’s sheets. They smell like him, and I breathe them in before thinking better of it and turning away.

It takes a while until I can close my eyes without the room spinning around me, but after only a few hours, I’m waking to a commotion downstairs. I lift myself with a groan, searching through the sheets for my pants.I must have gotten hot and slipped them off, and I fumble to get them back on before crawling out of the room.

As much as I didn’t want it at first, I’m glad Alex put me in Damien’s room to access his bathroom. Despite my anger, I have to admit his sheets are softer than mine and being close to the toilet came in handy more than a few times.

Rising to my feet, I cry out as my shoulder slams into the doorframe. I can’t see anything in the darkness of his room, and I grow frustrated as my toe slams into his dresser.

Something shatters downstairs seconds before Olivia screams, the noise prompting me to ignore my injuries and move faster. My shoulder continues to hit the wall as I fumble around, but I manage to find the stairs and make my way down them in record time.

“What’s going on?” I sigh as I reach the bottom. “Did you drop something?”

There aren’t any lights on, making me blind as I navigate to the kitchen. Usually, Damien leaves little nightlights plugged in so we can see, but Alex must have forgotten to turn them on before leaving.

Olivia doesn’t respond, and I groan as a wave of nausea washes over me. I’m never drinking again. With another step, my foot’s slamming into something soft and warm, and I hold my breath as I bend to feel what it is.

“Olivia?” I whisper, frantic as I grab her unmoving frame and try to shake her awake.

My hands are wet when I pull them back to my body, and I hurriedly spin and rush in the direction of the kitchen. The only sound heard is my panting as I search frantically for a light switch. I know it’s on the wall to my left.

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