Page 91 of Verses and Blooms
“Ares?” I asked, panic rising.
“Breathe for me, wilding. Ares is fine. You can feel it,” Ledger murmured in my ear.
“I’m going to be blunt with you, Audrey. I feel like we’ve got that kind of working friendship now, right?” the chief said.
His face was red, his expression tight.
“What is it?” I asked.
“The girls, they’re terrified,” he said. “They’re compliant but clamming up on us.”
“You need me to talk to them,” I realized before he could say it.
He sighed, but nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. I know we’re asking a lot of you. Again. But we need to make sure there aren’t more facilities nearby. If there are more girls we don’t know about, or hidden rooms…. Well, with your help, there might be fewer casualties.”
“Okay,” I said, ignoring the guys’ protests. “On one condition.”
“Name it.” The chief didn’t hesitate.
“If the man who captured me is there, I want a chance to speak to him. Restrain him. Hell, hold five guns to his head, I don’t care. But Ineedto talk to him.”
“Ares isn’t going to like that,” he warned.
I shrugged. “I deserve answers, and Ares isn’t my keeper. Besides, this better get us out of here.”
Another way to prove our ability to function outside of these walls.
“Come on. We’ll get you fitted,” he said.
“This is crazy, Audrey,” Ansel rushed out.
“We have to all go. To protect her,” Caspian said. “She’s not going in alone.”
“I’m going to get my ass kicked for even thinking about takingoneof you out of this facility. I can’t take everyone,” he muttered, scanning my pack before settling on Rydell.
“I’ll go,” Rydell said before he could ask. “I’ll keep her safe.”
“Alright, son,” the chief agreed. “Let’s go.”
“I don’t like this,” Caspian argued, but he didn’t try to stop me. He just pulled me into a hug, squeezing tight before Kane did the same. Ledger was silently fuming. I could tell he wanted to go, but he wasn’t going to fight Rydell being by my side.
I walked up to Ledger, my hand resting on his cheek. He locked his blue eyes on mine and sighed.
“Ledger, I need you to stay with the others. Don’t let anything happen to them, especially if there’s retaliation for this,” I said.
My alpha exhaled slowly, running a hand over his buzzed hair before nodding. “No taking stupid chances, wilding. You hear me?”
“Yes, alpha,” I teased softly.
Then his gaze shifted to Rydell. “You better kill that motherfucker for me.”
“The plan is to get your asses out of here, not put him in jail for murder,” the chief huffed, ushering Rydell and me toward the exit.
A few of his men were waiting outside.
“Get them outfitted,” Chief ordered.
They suited us up in kevlar armor, a helmet, and boots. Rydell, of course, looked perfect while I looked like a kid playing dress-up.
