Page 12 of Impossible

“Look, just keep your cool, take her to her room, answer her questions, and keep your hands to yourself.”

“Unlike the alphas you’re going to fucking sell her off to?” I growl. I can’t help it.

“I can find someone else…”

“I’ll do it. And Wilder, by God, if you try to force-feed her or rush her into heat before she’s ready, I willruinyou.“ I have more dominance than him and we both know it. He’s gotten a bit big for his britches since the… whatever. He thinks he has something on me, but it isn’t true. Even down a hand, I’ll fucking piece him apart.

“What, did you think we’re going tosuppressher? We can’t risk her tossing her dinner, Leon, she doesn’t have the calories to spare. We’ll find a good pack for her; she’ll be fine.”

“No.”

I didn’t mean to say it out loud, but I’m out the door before he has a chance to argue, his startled face freeze-framed in my mind.

Indigo is still curled up in the chair in the waiting room.

“Are you ready, Indigo?” I ask, my voice softening at the sight of her. Wilder may be a jackass, but she doesn’t need to feel my rage right now. She needs softness, sweetness, slow movements and kind words.

“It’s just Indie,” she corrects me.

“Indie,” I say. I can’t stop my voice from caressing the word. Indie Midas. A chill goes through me. “You ready?” I fight to stay calm.Focus, Leon.

“For what?” she asks.

“We’re going to go to your new dorm. I’ll answer your questions on the way, I’m sure you have many.”

“Yeah, like what the fuck?”

Her sudden snark makes me crack a smile, and I can see that only pisses her off more. I do my best to bite it back and fail.

“I’d be pissed too,” I raise my hands in surrender. Hand. Fuck. Her eyes lock on the stump. I drop my arms. “Everything will make a lot more sense in a day or two. Give me a chance to explain?”

“You’ve made a mistake. All of you. And I’m going to miss rehearsal if I don’t get back to campus. Dr. Mason clearly got my blood mixed up or something, and that asshole is nottossingmy room. Take me back.”

She is still pretzeled into the chair when she makes the demand, her folded body in stark contrast to the order. Her scent has calmed now but is still a mainline of euphoria straight to my chest. Her anger turns the sweet pea almost peppery. Risk is going to fucking adore her.

“I’m sorry, Indie,” I say. “I can’t take you back. I can explain why as we walk.”

She glares at me for a moment, then at the door to Wilder’s office, as though remembering how comparatively horribly he treated her. Then she nods.

“Ok. This way then.”

She gets to her feet, clinging to the chair for a moment. She has a headrush, I can tell. I instinctively move to her, but one of her hands flies out to stop me.

“I’m fine,” she says through gritted teeth. “No need to carry me again.”

“I was just going to offer you my arm for balance,” I hold out my left arm without thinking, and she looks at the stump where my hand should be, then raises a brow. I move to swap arms, but before I can, her little hand darts out and rests on my forearm, a few inches above the stump. I have a long-sleeved t-shirt on, tucked in on itself to hide the scar tissue, but still. I don’t think anybody has touched me like that, not since the attack.

I realize when her frail hand rests on my arm just how painful the stump is. It throbs, every heartbeat pulsing with pain.

Today was technically supposed to be my first day cleared for duty. According to the Coalition assignment, Monday was supposed to be my first day on the job. I started two weeks ago anyway. Being around the house right now, watching Hollis mope and Joshua suffer and Risk self-destruct, I just couldn’t do it.

I’d been trying to be careful with the surgery site, but sprinting full-bore up that hill was more cardio than I’d done since everything went down.

Indie seems ok as I guide her outside, looking around us at the buildings and scenery and passing alphas.

“Ok,” she says once we’re out of the stuffy admin building, clearly more comfortable in the open air. “First question; what happened to your hand?”

I can’t help but laugh.

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