Page 50 of Who We Were

I don't know what's going on in Emmett's head, but the bond sparks, then misfires like he's having trouble computing everything we just heard and saw. He growls low in his throat, the threat of the officer forcefully removing us from her property triggering his instincts to be near and protect his mate.

I don't know how to be what he needs right now, but I do know we aren't welcome. Not by the cops, not by Amaya, and definitely not by the alpha claiming to be her fourth mate.

"Em, we have to go," I say hesitantly, the words burning my throat like a fucking brand.Do we have to go?

My hand still grips his arm from when I stumbled into him in a fit of emotion. I use the contact to tug on him a little. I'm wary of his thunderous, pale expression, but behind his devastation, he's still my mated alpha.

When he doesn't bite my head off, my confidence grows. "Emmett," I warn, and pull him harder. With the move, I take a step toward the road, hating myself even more for walking away from my omega.

"I-I can't," he whimpers between growls, sounding so savagely broken.

Emmett looks over his shoulder where our mate resides, and my gaze follows his. The hold I have on Emmett strengthens as reality crashes into me like a fucking hurricane.

White shutters, white wooden porch, blue door, five bedrooms, a beautiful, modernized kitchen with warm tones to create a comfortable family vibe. We sold this house. Our new neighbor moved in weeks ago.

Amaya.

Amaya is Mr. Arison's daughter.

I wanted to meet her weeks ago.

But Sam...

"It's late,"Sam had said. It wasn't even seven that night.

"It's too soon. Let her settle in,"my brother reasoned, but it had been three days and it was a weekend night.

I was confused, thinking he just didn't want to socialize. I gave him an out and told him he didn't have to come.

Sam's response was unnecessarily cruel."I'm not fucking going there. Neither should you."

His behavior baffled Emmett."Okay, what the hell is your problem? Did something happen at the signing?"

Sam immediately denied it."Nothing happened."He even threw a little fit and slammed his hand on the counter."Nothing happened,"he repeated, quieter that time. His head hung like he was exhausted too.

I remember how worried I was about my big brother. Sure, I was also a little annoyed and definitely confused, but I was concerned for him above all else.

"Okay, well now I want to meet her even more," I teased, hoping to get a reaction from Sam that wasn't as depressing as his behavior.

I was so ready for a quick comeback that when he said we should go get drinks, I forgot all about the new neighbor. Blinded by my desperation to have my brother back, I breezed right over the fact that he manipulated me. I ignored how he seemed to have to force the damn words out of his mouth, like it pained him to hang out with me.

"Sam," I grunt, forcefully yanking Emmett to me so I can make sure he's fucking listening this time. "Sam! He knew! That asshole knew she was here!"

Gone goes my vulnerable alpha, and in his place is a raging man betrayed by his friend. One final tortured glance at the house, then we're both sprinting home to confront the asshole I once thought the world of.

How any of us will come back from this, I have no idea. We might just be lost for good.

35

SAMUEL

BOOM!

Like a damn horror film, I shoot upright in bed with no warning.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF FUCKING SHIT!"

How drunkamI?I ask myself as a hulking Emmitt breaks my door off its hinges and flies toward me.

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