Page 9 of Celestial Alphas

“We are well aware of the situation, and we’ll make our decision soon regarding your request.” Alpha Paavo rises to his feet. “This is over.”

Finn jumps into the barrier like it’s not there. “She is not fucking staying in there all alone!”

Onyx jumps over to grab him as rangers flood the room through hidden doors. Walls of glowing blue barriers literally slide around Onyx and Finn, leading in a path right to me. Finn is held in place by a barrier on every side of him, but Onyx, he comes right my way. A casual walk like he doesn’t give a shit that they’re all trying to fight their way through him with element powers. It’s a storm of fire, water, air and earth, but it doesn’t get through Onyx’s barrier. I step back the minute he gets close. Finn is losing it and roaring at everyone. “Let me out!”

Onyx steps closer to me anyway. “We can go. I’ll get you out.”

“What makes you think I want to go with you?” I snarl. “How could I ever trust you? You put me in here. All of you put me here. What makes you think my Nexus won’t come after you for betraying us?”

“Gwen, we didn’t betray you. Please, just listen,” he asks, holding out his hand. “Listen, we?—”

“I rejected you and then you forced me to come back here. You forced all this to happen. You forced yourself into my life,got close to me, what, only to betray me? I hope it was worth it. You’re all as bad as each other, and this shitty show of revenge or whatever this is…well, it’s pointless. I can’t die. Ask how I know that, how I’m certain of that,” I demand. Onyx frowns in confusion before realisation seems to dawn on him, and he blanches in shock. I turn around and walk away. The barriers fall apart in front of me, and Beta Guili is waiting at the door.

Finn and Alek are surrounded by rangers, but I hear Finn shout over them. “Sun, I’ll be with you soon!”

I don’t know whether that’s a threat or a promise.

But I don’t care. I don’t care. Maybe if I keep repeating that over and over in my mind, one day, it might finally be true.

Chapter

Five

Ibreak up the pathetic example of bread into tiny pieces, and seeing blue inside, I’d say that’s definitely mouldy and making this cold room stink. I throw one piece at a time across the room to pass the time. I admitted too much of my past today, and they heard everything. What the hell was I thinking? I prepared for years for this, for being captured and taken to trial; I was meant to be smart, and the only thing I did was successfully make sure they think of me as nothing more than a monster who has been killing since I was a kid. I told Onyx too much too. He doesn’t care; why did I do that?

I throw another piece at the wall, and it bounces onto the floor. There are cracks in the stone wall that weren’t there earlier, and my Nexus is suspiciously quiet. If I can’t get us out of this, I know she will, and there will be a line of blood in her wake. I throw one more piece. I’m not one for wasting food. There were too many times I went hungry, but eating mould, that’s definitely where I draw a line. I’m not that hungry. I ate yesterday. Or maybe the day before. I can’t remember, but my stomach growls anyway. It’s not like I can die from hunger.

The runes on the door glow brightly right before it slams open. I frown, sitting up and dropping the rest of the bread ontothe floor. It’s only been a few hours since the trial, and I don’t think it’s night yet. I feel an echo down the bond. One of my mates is here.

Finn strolls in and my eyes widen as I look at him. He’s covered in blood. The red is drenching his white shirt. His tie is half ripped, his jacket is tied around his waist, and his trousers have holes in them. One smell of the blood tells me it’s not his, and he isn’t injured. My shoulders drop in relief, even when in fact it smells like a lot of people’s blood on him. Finn runs his eyes over me once before turning to a ranger standing uncomfortably in the doorframe. “Thanks.”

The ranger, young and blond, runs his hand through his hair. “You’re so going to get me fucking fired!”

“But your girlfriend will be safe. Remember, that’s all that really matters in life, isn’t it?” Finnegan’s voice is dripping with sarcasm. “Bye, shut the door. You’re meant to lock us in here.”

“Crazy!” the ranger snaps. “For fuck’s sake, you’re going to hell! The Gods will forsake the both of you!”

I’ve heard that one before. The door slams shut, leaving me alone with the Starlight Assassin. The most dangerous man in the city…and I’m his reflection in every sense. “How did you?”

“Oh, I kidnapped his girlfriend. Left her with a friend of mine to extort his cooperation. One threat of making her disappear if he doesn’t lock me in here, and, well…” He looks so proud, it’s concerning.

I rub my arm. “I was actually asking about the blood all over you.”

“That.” He yawns. “I’ve been arrested for crimes against the Nexus State.”

“Why do you look so proud?” I ask. “And what crimes? Wasn’t it bad enough I’m locked up, now you are too?”

“Where else would I be?” He walks to the bed, and I purposely stand up off it. The bed feels too vulnerable when weare alone and he is looking at me the same way my Nexus looks at him. Like a fucking snack. My Nexus is perking up in my chest at him nearby. She may be just as mad as I am, but Finn has always been her favourite, and she doesn’t bother hiding it. Now he’s covered in blood, which is also one of her favourite things. In fact, she’s pretty much envisioning us taking our clothes off, which isn’t happening. Even if the visual is interesting. “I promised I would see you soon, and I can’t get you out, so the next best thing is coming in here and sharing a room with you. Although it’s a shit room, and that one bed is tiny.”

“What did you do?” I grit my teeth. This isn’t romantic, it’s insanity. “And it’s my bed, and you’re not invited to sleep in it.”

“Really?” he asks with a smirk that could charm the pants off anyone, female or male.

“Really?” I repeat and wave at his clothes. “Again, back to the blood.”

He sighs. “I murdered a few people to get in here. Nothing big.”

“That’s psychotic, Finn!” I snap.

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