Page 23 of Love & Violence

I hear Isabel shout and cry, but there’s nothing I can do to help her. I listen to my friend run out of the room, and I say a silent goodbye to her.

I have no idea how much time has passed when Isabel wakes me. I notice the pain is a dull throb, and it no longer feels like blood is seeping from my body. It was strange to feel myself bleeding, but there was no sign of it on my body.

“Aryanna. Your brother stopped hurting him. I’m not sure what’s happening, but he’s yelling at your father in his office.”

“You don’t know why?”

“No.”

“Do you know where my mate is?” I ask.

“Yes, but they won’t let us in there,” Isabel says.

“I have to try. Help me up.”

Isabel helps me to stand and then puts her shoulder under my arm. It seems to take forever to walk down a few flights of steps and then down a long hallway. Isabel stops at a thick wooden door.

“What should I do?” Isabel asks.

“Knock.”

My friend knocked, and within a minute, the door opens.

I see Nickolai’s eyes widen, and he looks both ways down the hallway and then back at me. “Aryanna, what the hell are you doing?”

“I want to see my mate one more time before we die.”

Isabel starts crying. “Let her in, Nic.”

“Fuck. You guys are going to get me killed.”

I shake my head. “No. I did this all on my own.”

“Why the hell can’t you walk?” Nickolai asks.

“Because I was just tortured, and my body feels like it’s lost half its blood.”

“Aryanna?”

I hear my mate call out to me and move around Nickolai. I fight through the pain and weakness, straightening my back and walking tall because I don’t want my mate to think I’m weak.

I nod at Isabel. “It’s okay. Just stand over by Nickolai.”

“Baby, what are you doing?” Draven asks, but his voice is weak.

I put my arms around his waist. I’m careful about pulling on him and hurting him worse, but if I don’t touch him, I feel like I’ll go mad.

Tears run down my face. “I’m so sorry.”

“This isn’t your fault, little mate,” Draven says.

“They found us because of me.”

“How?”

“My father planted a tracker in me somewhere when I was young. I just found out about it.”

“That motherfucker.”

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