Page 89 of Petals and Strings
Then his gaze was on Ansel.
“I hear you don’t talk,” he said. “Fighting ring background?”
Ansel stared at him.
Ares stared back, not backing down, but also not being aggressive. Ansel’s leg pushed into mine, seeking out touch before he broke the silence.
“I do talk, but not to many people. Only since Audrey got here,” he admitted, voice quiet and raspy but Ares didn’t complain. “And yes, I have a potent scent, apparently. It was used as bait in an alpha fighting ring. Shot up with drugs to strengthen my scent and send them into a rutting fight. They underestimated how bad the alphas wanted to reach me.”
Ares closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them. “No one will touch you here. Including me.”
Ansel nodded. “My omega only lets them close now. And I won’t ever be with an alpha.”
Ares shook his head. “When they said you formed a beginning pack bond, I could barely believe it. I’m seeing they were right about that, at least, while everything else in this file is a mess.”
“No one really wanted to know our actual trauma or work toward us leaving,” Ledger said. “Before her, I never expected to get out of these walls. My dad pays to keep me locked up. I want out now. All of us do. We’ll comply if you show us respect, but we won’t bend down for any masters. Not anymore.”
Ares stared at each of us, taking in his words.
“Then we’re on the same page. I’m not here to run a boot camp. I may come on strong by nature, I’m not one to mess around. But I’m here for you. We’ll get you out.”
“Will they let us go or will you lose your job trying?” Ledger asked. It was a fair question. We all knew the corruption ran rampant through these halls.
“I guess we’ll have to find out,” was all he gave us before standing and stretching. “Get ready. You have breakfast and are wanted in the conservatory after. I’ve got some notes to make and therapy plans. I’ll be taking over one of these emptyrooms as mine and another as a therapy space. We’ll be in close quarters, but maybe that’s for the best.”
It wasn’t until I climbed off my bed, walking past him, that it hit me.
Cinnamon, though with a toasted edge like it was baked in something delicious. A hint of something sweet and earthy spices.
This wasn’t just a therapist. He was my mate.
From the look on his face, he was coming to the same realization.
Chapter Thirty
Ares
Audrey froze, her scent hitting me right in the chest. All these years of writing off having a mate and here she was.
Locked away. Abused. Broken before but finding her strength. Gorgeous in a haunting way.
Fuck.
The sweet, floral hints of rose, sandalwood, and rain hit me. Sweet and revitalizing. A soothing balm to a jagged soul.
She blinked for a few moments before letting the others drag her away.
I let her go, staying rooted in my chair until they were out of sight.
Fuck. This wasn’t just complicated, it was fucking disastrous.
Yet, I wasn’t upset. I’d found her. Finally. My omega.
And, apparently, a pack. I knew from that moment I’d be getting them out. No matter the cost.
Then I was moving. Making a beeline for Holden’s office. He startled when I moved in, slamming the door closed and lockingit behind me. I knew I looked insane, wild eyes and a flushed face.
“Aeron, what happened?” He was startled. I was, too.
