Page 52 of Petals and Strings
All of them. I’ve seen everyone but Caspian join me. I had a feeling he would if he were able.
A loud roar echoed in the distance, startling me out of my head. It was soon followed by the sound of something slamming, then shattering, a soft rumble echoing through the building in the aftermath.
It was like an aftershock of an earthquake, but I knew damn well that was raw, feral-alpha fury.
Ledger and I sat there, his hand hovering over my arm, both of our heads turned, ears straining to hear what we knew was coming.
Screams of terror echoed out, some haunting, others seemed to be cheering for Rydell.
Apparently, we weren’t the only ones angry with Theo.
More crashes, as if someone were tearing the building apart stone by stone.
Ledger shifted closer, his voice a low hum in my ear. His scent was strong enough to keep me in place. Vanilla, bourbon, and pine rich and spiced, teasing my senses and keeping me from drowning in my worry.
“Rydell and I arrived around the same time. I’ve never seen him do anything like this. You’re shaking things up, wildling.”
“I didn’t mean to do anything. The last thing I want is him to get in trouble. That could be dangerous here.”
“Don’t feel guilty. He went willingly,” Ledger promised. “We all would do the same.”
“No one has ever protected me before.” At my words, Ledger finally gave in, pulling me into his lap. I buried my face into his neck as he stroked my hair and back, refusing to let me face this alone.
“We protect our own around here. That includes you now, wildling.”
Chapter Eighteen
Rydell
My alpha jolted me from sleep in a fresh wave of instinct and rage. We needed to protect our omega.
Now.
I tore out of the bed I was laying in, taking in the empty, white walls around me. A bed. Toilet. Nothing else but me.
Isolation.
It was a room I knew well. One they threw me in if they thought I was ‘acting out’ like I had no control over the beast dwelling within me.
Usually, I did.
But the moment they fucked with my omega, took things too far… well, my alpha was no longer just dominant, he was unstable and unstoppable.
He was still in control now, the deep rumble echoing out of my chest as he pushed us to the door, tugging on the knob even though I knew it was locked. Our fist slammed into the door, metal creaking and groaning under each hit.
Pain radiated through my hand, bloody imprints left behind with each blow. I didn’t tire, raining down punch after punch as I raged on.
My alpha finally roared one final time, the scream echoing out of me. It woke up the rational part of my brain with the deep rumbling force of it.
I slid to the floor as I fought to force him back into his enclosure in my mind.
He didn’t go willingly, fighting every step, the strain making sweat break out on my forehead and my limbs shaking.
Though, that could be from the adrenaline.
Breathing deep and slow, I took a moment to simply feel in control again. It came easier this time.
Strange. It was only growing steadily worse before this.
