Page 69 of Impossible

“They dragged us from the vehicle. They came from the back, she was between us, I didn’t want to risk hitting her, so I didn’t attempt a shot until she was pulled free. By then it was too late.

“They smashed the radio. They forced me to my knees. They had already ripped her shirt. They were rutting. The ones who… who hurt my packmates, they weren’t. They were in control. But the ones who had Margaret and me. They… got her onto the ground. I tried to fight, but they held me down. They made me watch. Said they’d cut off my eyelids if I didn’t keep them open.

“She fought them. As much as she could. But when it was clear there was no hope, she…”

His eyes open, utterly empty. He isn’t here with us, not anymore. He’s watching. My stomach flips as I relive the sensation of it with him. This was the memory that made me close the bond. Beyond even Leon’s and Risk’s agony, beyond the decimation of our pack. The one that I knew we couldn’t take, not when it played on loop in Joshua’s head, over and over again in the aftermath.

I can tell Marcus is itching to prompt Joshua on. He’s leaning across the table, knuckles white on the mahogany. But he waits, feeling Lucas’s coiled rage next to him.

“She stabbed herself,” Joshua finally says.

The words are underwhelming compared to the torment flaring in the bond.

“How did she manage that?” Marcus asks. Lucas glares at him, but Marcus is intent. Disgust is soured milk in my mouth.

“They let go of her arm to rip her pants off. She had the knife hidden in her sleeve. They ripped her shirt down the middle, so the sleeve was still on. As soon as her arm was free, she… did it.”

“And are you sure that she succeeded in ending her own life?”

“Enough,” Lucas’s voice flares with anger. “He’s said enough.”

“Without a body recovered, we have no way of knowing. Knight pack deserves to know.”

“She was dead,” Joshua chokes. “They joked… they joked about having her anyway.”

The room falls silent.

Joshua’s hand is deadly still in my own. It would be better if he were squeezing the life out of me. But he’s just empty.

“Are we done here?” I ask. I’m surprised by how calm I sound.

“What happened after that?” Marcus asks.

“They knocked me out. When I woke, they were gone.”

“So, you expect us to believe thatover fiftyferal alphas attacked you? All for a single omega?”

“Believe what you want. Can I go?” Joshua’s voice is tight.

“Not quite—” Marcus looks poised to attack again, but Lucas cuts him off.

“Yes, you may go. We’ll reach out if there are any other questions. And Joshua?”

Joshua doesn’t move. He’s holding on by a thread.

“I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine—” Lucas shakes his head. “I’m just sorry.”

Joshua’s nod is barely perceptible. He stands abruptly. I’m quick behind him.

“Send me a copy of the file when it’s closed,” I say to Marcus. The order has more dominance in it than would ever be considered polite, but I think of it as a kindness, considering what I really want to do to him right now. I give Lucas a curt nod. The door slams behind us.

Wilder is gone. I almost wish he wasn’t. My fists are craving the crunch of cartilage on bone.

Leon is leaning against the car when we make it out to the parking lot.

He smells strongly of Indigo, so strongly that Joshua staggers when he gets in range. Leon rushes forward and catches him before he goes to his knees. Joshua gasps, a sob ripping from his chest. It’s too much—I let the bond slip away. I can’t be eaten by his grief, not like this. He shudders with the loss.

It hurts me too. I sink to my knees next to them on the hard asphalt. I’m about to shush Joshua, to help him calm, but Leon speaks first: “Let it all out, it’s ok. Just go ahead and cry.”

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