Zoe wipes her hands together, scrunching up her nose in disgust. She nods at Stapleton, and they both move to the edges of the room.
Aran snickers. “Oh no, how clumsy of them. Here, let me help you to your knees. There, is that better? How rude of them to treat a star like you in that way.”
Devin rolls his eyes at his brother’s faked concern, as Aran helps the man shakily to his knees.
Then the Idol raises his head.
Finally, I realize what the men who are standing too still on both sides of me worked out the moment that the Beta was dragged into the studio.
The impossibly beautiful Idol is Immortal.
Zero.
Immortal’s black hair hangs to his ass. His lavender eyes are startlingly large and pretty. His sharp cheekbone is bruised so badly that I fear it may be fractured.
Dried blood drips down from his temple. His right eye is swollen shut.
This is the gorgeous English singer with pale skin and lavender eyes, whose signature look is long white coats and star-shaped diamonds...?
The rock star who Piper has crushed on for as long as I have adored Jin…? Who I’ve watched in vlogs along with Piper, while my brother has sighed over his seductive voice and slinky hips…?
The man whose performance was canceled in the Betas of Rock arena tour as punishment because of Jin’s actions with Cricket and me?
Who has been punished by the twins in this camp ever since…
I draw in a sharp breath.
Torin’s eyes are blazing, when he sees what has been done to his friend.
I release soothing pheromones to comfort myself as much as my men.
Aran straightens, and his brother exchanges a mocking glance with him.
Then they start to circle the swaying Beta like predators around a felled prey.
Philomena watches approvingly.
“Who is responsible for Jin’s good behavior?” Devin barks.
“I am, sir.” Immortal’s voice has a mild London accent and rasps like either he hasn’t had a drink for a long time or has been screaming recently.
“You admit that you deserve to be punished then?” Aran presses. “After all, Jin was bad.”
“Yes, sir.” Immortal’s hands wrinkle his joggers on his lap.
“No matter what that punishment is?” Devin kicks Immortal hard enough to knock him over onto his side.
Jin wraps his arms around himself. He’s shaking apart.
How hard must it be to watch this happen to his friend?
Every instinct is screaming at me to find a way through into that room and wrench those assholes away from Immortal.
Except, that would ruin our plan, when we’re so close to saving everybody.
A longer hesitation this time, while Immortal pushes himself back to his knees with a labored breath. “Yes, sir.”
“Did you get that?” Philomena points at Zoe and then Stapleton. “You’re two witnesses. He willingly accepts responsibility and the consequences.”