Page 19 of Bound By Pain
Seconds pass as I try to brace against the onslaught of his fists, then the hits slow. A ragged growl vibrates his chest beforehe collapses fully on top of me. I wheeze out a breath, barely able to move my chest with his weight pinning me down.
Catalco and his team move in and slide him to the floor beside me. Shaking off the ache in my bruised ribs, I jump to my feet. Another agent is crossing the room, but I stop him with a sharp bark.
“She’s mine.”
Blood smears the table Bea is lying on, leaking from the open wounds on her thighs. Her golden skin is pale enough that my heart nearly stops. Shaky hands press against her pulse, silently begging Fate to save her. My breath whooshes from my lungs when I feel a weak pulse flutter beneath my fingertips. I scoop her into my arms, heart racing when her head lolls in my arms.
Everything is forgotten as I carry my Omega out of the room. A crowd of agents still lingers outside, watching as I press through them. “Lex,” Catalco calls from where he’s still crouched beside Creed’s unconscious body. “Porter has a medivac on standby. Take her to the field out front, and they’ll get you to the nearest hospital.”
Jerking my head in acknowledgment, I push the rest of the way through the crowd. The sooner I know my Omega is going to be okay, the better. If she doesn’t make it…
I’ll burn through every asshole connected to this breeding ring. Their blood will soak my hands, and I’ll have the revenge my mate deserves.
CHAPTER 12
Cheers surroundme as I grip the mic in my hand, eyes closed to bask in the momentum of this moment. Deep in my chest, I feel the pulses of love and joy my girl is sending me. With her support, I can accomplish anything.
My voice carries over the crowd as I sing, getting lost in the music. I grin at Havoc as I move past him on the stage. The thrill of performing, of hearing our fans sing along, this is a dream come true!
I slip the mic back into the stand and take several steadying breaths as the rest of the band finishes out the song. The grin on my face slips when the most brutal pain shatters through my chest and head. My breath turns ragged, my knees collapsing beneath me. I can’t hear the crowd or my bandmates, only static as I feel my beautiful girl’s bond rip from my chest.Agony fills my body, making every breath, every slight movement hurt worse than the last.
Tears soak my cheeks, blurring my vision as I claw at my chest. Desperation has my nails digging into my skin, trying to get my connection to Ren back. Nothing I do helps. She’s gone. The hollow part of my soul that belonged to her swells, crashing over me until I feel nothing at all.
Numb. That’s what I am. The world is passing me by, both out the window of Shiloh’s car and in a general sense. The sooner we get to Mia’s office, the better. I don’t know if I can pull myself out of this spiral alone.
Shiloh stops outside of a small house that belongs to Bea’s other mate’s friend. No one is home. He seems frustrated when he climbs back into the car, but I can’t bring myself to ask why.
Does it really matter?
Fifteen minutes later, the familiar sight of my therapist’s office looms before me. It’s late, nearly closing time, but Mia is staying for an emergency session with me. Shiloh follows me into the building, hovering as I sign in with the receptionist.
“You don’t have to stay,” I mumble as I take a seat in the lobby.
His head tilts, eyes questioning as they study me. “Call me if you need a ride home, or if you would feel better using my guest room for the night.”
I wave him off, having no intention of bringing my misery into his home. We may share a Fate-matched mate, but obviously, his relationship with her is not as all-consuming as what I feel.
Time ticks by, blurring from one moment to the next. Finally, the office door opens and Mia’s current patient leaves. He’s familiar somehow, though I can’t place where we’ve met before. He gives me a nod of greeting as he passes me on his way to the exit.
“Orion?” Mia calls my name, drawing my attention away from the other Alpha.
Pushing to my feet, I shuffle down the hall and collapse into a chair in her office. She follows, quietly closing the door before taking a seat across from me. Dark green eyes study me intensely for several moments before she sighs. “You’re repressing your emotions.”
Am I? Or do I just not feel anything at all?
“Let’s start there. I want you to close your eyes and really focus on how you feel. Name those emotions, then we can work on processing them.”
Doing as she asks, I try to look past the wall of numbness encapsulating my heart. Small cracks allow me to peek through, though I still cannot grasp anything inside fully.
“Fear,” I admit. “Bitterness. Regret.”
“Why are you afraid?”
Looking down at my feet, I thread my hands together and squeeze them tight. “Bea is missing and hurt. I felt her pain through our connection. It was… horrifying and intense. Then it stopped. Now, I can’t feel her at all.”
“And you don’t think that is a good thing?”
My head flies up, a frown on my lips. Mia just watches me with a curious expression. “No. Why would it be good? If she-” I cut myself off, panic clogging my throat as images of a blood-covered Bea flash through my mind, her blue eyes dull. “I need to know.”
