Page 78 of Petals and Strings
It wasn’t just him. Rydell was already likely going mad in these isolation rooms.
Ledger, as usual, kept his composure. I knew him well enough to know he wasn’t unscathed. He’d been waiting, watching. As he always did.
“We get to be together again, wildling. It looks like our boy Rydell broke some chains and made it happen,” Ledger whispered. He sounded so relieved, his body sagging into the touch as I clung to him.
“Enough. You’re to report to your wing,” the nurse bit out. “I’m not standing here listening to this shit.”
“You’re a joy, aren’t you?” Ledger asked, putting himself between me and her. His glare was enough to make any alpha cower.
This beta was too cocky to care, it seemed.
She scoffed, though she didn’t argue or lash out like she had done to me. His name really did hold weight here.
“Let’s go home, wildling,” Ledger said as he tucked me into his side. I’d never been so happy to leave a room in my fucking life.
It just made me more angry for Rydell who’d been stuck here for far longer.
At least I was going to see him soon.
The atrium was lined in guards. Director Cross was at the start of our wing but I ignored him much like I did last time, refusing to even acknowledge him when he spoke. I pushed my way past to get to our wing, desperate to see who was there.
There he was.
My stoic, watchful alpha.
His arms were crossed as he stood, eyes locked on the hallway, so he spotted me right away. His face was chiseled in stone, giving nothing away.
Then he smiled and opened his arms. There was a question in his gaze. Even now he was leaving it up to me. He didn’t need to worry. I was already moving, rushing toward him and throwing myself into his arms.
"Audrey.” My name was said with so much longing and relief it had the ache in my chest flaring to life all over again. I’d felt it from the moment they turned our lives upside down but it had dulled the moment I was back in Ledger’s arms.
Now, the cord binding us together flared to life. It was strong, despite not having a bite on my skin. I couldn’t feel his emotions but I could feelhim. That was enough.
“What did they do to you?” I asked as he put me back on my feet, though he made no move to step away from me this time.
I ran my hands over every inch of him, clocking the dark circles and bruised knuckles. Reaching out, I took his hand inmine, ghosting my fingertips over the wounds like I could take the pain away.
“Clearly, I didn’t handle being thrown in isolation well. But you know, I think I gained some clarity,” he said. That gravel tone of his was like music to my ears. I was just so glad he was here with us and hadn’t gone missing.
“‘Clarity?’” I asked, not letting go as I looked up at his gorgeous face. His green eyes were burning with a fire I knew was reflected back in my eyes as well. It wasn’t just attraction, but the need to be close. To know the other is safe.
To acknowledge what we truly were.
“Later. Let’s get the others,” he said gently.
“Kane? Ansel? Caspian? Do we know where they are?” I asked, turning to direct the question at Ledger. If anyone was keeping tabs, it was him.
“I sent for you first, so I’m not sure,” Rydell admitted. “Though, it seems Ledger beat me to it.”
“I know where everyone but Caspian is,” Ledger admitted. Something in his voice had me narrowing my eyes.
“What’s wrong? What did they do? Is Caspian truly missing? I swear to god I’ll tear this world apart,” I ground out.
His face turned murderous as he answered me. “Ansel was put with some of the biggest alphas here. As for Caspian, I heard talk about the infirmary, but we’ll have to ask Cross to know for sure.”
“Take me to Ansel, we’ll start with him,” I demanded, stalking down the hall so they were forced to keep up. I felt like a badass with my two big alphas flanking me and vengeance in my soul. If anyone stood in my way, I knew they’d be cast aside easily with a single command.
How fucking dare they play with us like little chess pieces. Moving us, shifting us, then tossing us aside when we didn’t get them the win they expected.
