Page 13 of Impossible

“What?’ She asks.

“You’ve just been stampeded, forcefully relocated, given a boatload of bad news, and you’re going to ask aboutme?”

She shrugs. “I’m curious.” She’s also breathing hard, and we’ve walked maybe fifty yards total. I subtly slow my pace down so she won’t be self-conscious.

“What if I was just born without one?” I counter.

“You think you still have the hand. You keep reaching for things and then having to swap.”

I sigh. “I’m not ready to talk about it.” I try to be honest. “It was recent.”

“How recent?”

“Six weeks as of yesterday.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh. Shit. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.”

We walk in silence.

The cafeteria is loud. Lunch has started, and I don’t want Indie to get overwhelmed by the masses of show-off alphas and over-eager omegas, so I take us around back instead. Her spike is fading quickly, but she’s still strong enough that she might cause a stir if she went in. I leave her standing outside for a moment, running into the kitchen and scraping together a bag of snacks. Fruit, protein bars, apple sauce, crackers. Simple, small things. I put them in a bag so Indigo won’t be able to see what they are, then re-emerge. She’s leaning against the wall outside, like she couldn’t manage to stay upright without support.

I breathe in her scent, taking as much as I can while I can. She’s still pungent and addictive.

We don’t speak, heading all the way to the omega dorms in silence. Her breathing gets heavier and her scent stronger as she starts to sweat. By the time we make it to the squat brick building that comprises the omega dorm, I’m moving so slowly I feel like I’m practically standing still, and Indie is gasping for air, making a valiant effort to hide her exertion from me. I want to pick her up and carry her. I want to make her rest. I open the metal door instead. The dorm minder is expecting us and waves me by, so I take her down the hall to the first blank door—all the girls have nametags on theirs, so it’s obvious which rooms are available.

I make sure to choose a forest-side room. One side of the building looks out on the manicured center of campus, the other on the woods. Somehow, I just know that my little bird will crave the woods.

The room is cozy, with the typical bed, desk, and dresser. Large windows with a deep-set sill show the verdant dark trees. The sill is wide enough that Indie might just be able to sit up there. I imagine what she would look like in profile, her head turned away from me, taking in the peaceful view in quiet wonder.

“A queen-sized bed?” Indigo asks.

“For nesting,” I offer, leaving my fantasy behind to turn back to her.

“Nesting…”

“Yeah,” I hesitate, realizing she has no idea what that is. Whatanyof this is. She must be so confused, and I have no idea where to start explaining it all to her. “We’ll get you linens, and your stuff will be brought down for you from Adams.”

“So, thisisn’tAdams. And Iambeing kidnapped.”

I grin wryly. “Not exactly. Your parents actually agreed for you to come here. A long time ago.”

Her brow furrows. “Ok. Explain. SO much explanation required.”

“Where should I start?” I ask.

“How about what the fuck happened just now? The hill? That asshole?”

I bite back my smile. At least her read on Wilder matches mine.

“What happened on the hill is called a spike. And the beginnings of a rut.”

She looks at me, confused.

“Ok, let me go further back,” I start again. “When did you first come to Adams?”

“When I was eleven.”

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