Page 98 of Our Deceptive Heat

She flinches hard and reaches for her top, pulling it on and getting to her feet without looking at me.

“I can’t do this. We’re friends, and that’s all we can be. It’s all we should be. I don’t want to hurt my pack with this betrayal.” The rushed words are the only thing I can give her.

Her eyes fill with tears, but she nods and obediently follows me.

I escort her back up to the room. Digs grabs her and pulls her down to the floor between him and Tyr. Neither of them wake up to see the tears that slide down her cheeks or hear the muffled sobs she tries so hard to hide.

But I stay in the shadows and watch all night long.

I watch as she sleeps, and I see her wake up. I’m witness to the devastation on her face as she remembers what happened, and then I see her flee.

I almost stop her. I almost reach out, but the betrayal to my pack holds me frozen, regret and yearning might be tearing me in two, but shame and guilt are the shackles that hold me still and silent.

I gasp, sucking in air that doesn’t fill my lungs. I did this. If I’d have just waited. If I’d have told her then or any time since then.

My whole body trembles.

Digs slams into me, pushing me off the stage, his arms wrapping around me tight enough that it finally breaks past the panic.

I look up at him. With one hand, he swipes my tears away.

“We all missed the chance to tell her. We all betrayed her, but we will fix it Envy, we’re going to fix it.”

I sniffle, but Cadee is there with tissues. She quickly helps me fix myself and hands me a bottle of water.

We’re almost at the end. The song is coming up. I know we have no choice, and I know what she’s going to do. I know it.

She’s going to run. Digs was right. This is a mistake, but what other options do we have? At least she will have a chance.

I walk back on stage, composed once again. My acoustic guitar in my hands.

“I’ll find you. Wherever you are. I promise I will make this right.” It’s the only way I can live with this. The only way I can singthis fucking song.

I’d rather rip out my own heart than hurt her.

But I’d give up my own life to protect her.

Right now, she needs time. I can buy her time.

Tyr looks back at me, checking. I give him a short nod. Mako and Digs start the song. Tyr turns back, but tonight is going to be different from our usual gigs. Tonight we’re playing to save the omega we love.

We’re doing this as a pack.

I feel one last desperate bolt of panic through the bonds from my Digs, but then it hardens to resolve.

So be it.

I open my mouth and sing.

Chapter thirty-one

Ryn

Sour notes scream intohallowed halls- Ryn Raines

I stand in the shadows, watching them play. The crowd shifts and roars around me, a veritable mass of screaming fans, not one single person, but a swarm. I want so badly to be the one on stage, belting out my songs. It’s so close I can taste it. I elbow my way through the crowd, pushing to the front.

I want to be down here so he can see me when he plays my song.

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