Page 96 of Verses and Blooms
“You want the lock off?” I clarified.
“Yes. I know what those dominant genes can do.” He stepped back, tugging Audrey with him.
My eyes narrowed the second his hand touched her, and I redirected that annoyance at the door. Her lack of reaction helped.
I gripped the base of the handle and pushed down, pouring everything into it. My muscles burned and protested, but I didn’t let up. It creaked, resisted, then clattered to the floor.
“Damn, that was kind of hot,” Audrey murmured, catching my hand and massaging the tight muscles, checking I hadn’t hurt myself. A crooked smile formed on my lips as I watched her fawn over me.
She met my strength with delicate touches. Something I never thought I’d have.
“Okay you two, this isn’t the place. Let’s see what’s inside,” Colt said, starting to push the door open.
“Don’t come in here! I’ll fight!”
Audrey’s eyes widened at the desperate scream from inside the room. She looked at me, then back at the door. “That’s her.”
“Who?” Colt asked.
“What’s the chief’s daughter’s name?” Audrey asked instead of answering. “I only knew her as the caretaker and can’t remember what the file said now.”
“Elizabeth,” Colt supplied.
“Elizabeth,” Audrey called toward the door, knocking, but not pushing the door open. “My name is Audrey. I’m friends with your father. He sent us to get you. It’s over. Seamus is in custody. Most of the guards are dead or detained, and the auction has been cleared.”
“My dad sent you?” came a shaky voice in response.
“He did,” I promised. “He’s been looking for you. It’s gone slower than he wanted, but he never gave up.”
A soft sob filtered through the door and Audrey nodded at me. I eased the door open and scanned the room.
It was a pompous office with dark wood furniture and a regal leather chair and matching couch. A cold, empty fireplace was surrounded by messy bookshelves. The art on the wall was some abstract piece that looked like angry paint splotches.
A small omega was tucked between a leather couch and the wall.
Audrey dropped to her knees in front of Elizabeth. She didn’t touch her, just leaned close.
“How?” Elizabeth asked, eyes flicking to Audrey’s chest where the marks were obscured. She knew exactly who Audrey was and what she’d survived. “How are you alive?”
“Spite and vengeance,” Audrey deadpanned. “We all survived in any way we could. All that matters is that you’re alive, so let’s keep it that way. Come on, your dad is waiting.”
“If he’s waiting, why didn’t he find me before now?”
“This place was well hidden. They didn’t dump her nearby. He had no way to find you,” I told her, as gently as I could. She was a skittish, cornered animal, and I didn’t want to spook her.
“Then how didyoufind me?” she demanded.
“Me,” Audrey admitted. “They let an alpha tear me apart then dumped me when they thought I was dead. I was left in a ditch to die. I wanted to watch this place burn, so I stayed alive long enough to do it. Finally remembered something that led us here.”
“What’s the point of all the resources the Alliance has if they couldn’t find me?”
“They tried, but like I said, these people were professionals. There was nothing he could have done differently. So… do you want to stay here angry and alone, or do you want to go see your dad?”
Elizabeth stared at Audrey for a long moment. “What’s he like now?” she whispered, tears slipping freely. “Is he… alone?”
“Sad,” Audrey said honestly. “He feels like he failed you. Sometimes, when you lose someone, people cope…badly.”
She hesitated but Elizabeth didn’t let it go. “Tell me.”
