Page 136 of Sawyer

“Thea is alive.” There, I said it. I ripped the Band-Aid off.

Surprise flickers on his face for a moment, and his eyes widen. He bites his bottom lip, drawing it in as he nods. “Come on.”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” My voice rises slightly. “Your mate is here, on this floor, and you are trying to get me to get up and go with you?”

“Yes,” he says with a hardened voice. “I’m going to be in there the whole time, and if he does anything funny, I’ll speed up my timeline.” He smirks at me, and fuck, it breaks my heart.

I slap his hands away and slowly rise. My body sways, and Rumor grips my arms.

“We have five seconds, so let me talk.” He smiles at the camera in the corner of the room before ushering me to the door. “Fall.”

Easy. I let my legs give out. It almost feels good just to let it happen. I’m so damn tired.

Rumor bends over and grabs me. “There are three floors with women. I’ve planted C-4 throughout this entire complex.” He hefts me up. “I’m going to get everyone out of here tonight. Can you play along for one more night, baby girl? For me? For us?”

My eyes burn as the scent of bleach hits them in the hall. All I can do is nod because I’m going to lose these men. When he scents Thea, it’ll be over.

“I matched with Sin’s dad,” I whisper.

“I know, baby girl. I know,” he whispers. Nodding at the other guard, he carries me inside the lab, not saying another word.

I notice the mirror right away, the one looking into my room.

I am no longer capable of being surprised, so I just nod and turn to the doc, who’s grinning in the corner.

“Perfect. Bring her to the table.” He hops around like a psycho bunny. “There are some things the rooms just can’t monitor, which is a damn shame. I’ve tried, but the accuracy was always off.” There’s disappointment in his voice.

Good.

Rumor carries me over to the table, and although he makes sure the others don’t see it, he gently sets me on my feet. He’s trying to play this smart.

It isn’t even until now that I wonder how he ended up here. How did he get through the doors, and how did he get so close to Doc?

I climb onto the exam table, ignore Rumor, and focus on Doc. I hate how normal he looks. He just seems like an average man, an average beta.

“When was your last cycle?” Interest gives his eyes a crazy twinkle. He steps close, but not too close. Right before my eyes, he transforms into the scientist, which comforts me for some reason. He’s like a Jekyll and Hyde, and I do not know which version of him I will get.

“Five days ago.” I frown, not sure if that is entirely accurate. That day feels like it was so long ago.

“Before that?” he presses.

I shake my head and close my eyes, tired of his bullshit questioning. “I don’t know, a year ago.”

“And what was the difference? What changed from then until now?” he questions, grabbing a pen from his shirt pocket and beginning to take notes on a clipboard. “New sexual partner?” The question feels invasive, but he asks it from a scientific viewpoint.

I’m not even sure if I want to answer. My gaze strays to Rumor in the corner, who stands with his arms crossed and his face a mask of neutrality. “Yeah,” I tell Doc. I don’t have any energy to argue, and I’m sure he’d torture me for the answers.

I wouldn’t do well with torture. Or maybe I would, but these questions are easy, and honestly, he could find the answers just by pulling my files from the local healer.

“Intriguing,” he mutters to himself. “I wonder how close you are to a heat. Sal has agreed to let me observe you in his home. I’ll come by once a week to draw a blood sample.” He caps his pen and looks up at me. “Now, you won’t like this next part, but I’ll have to check your vagina to see if your slick gland is developed. It’s imperative we get it to grow. Without it, you won’t be able to ease your alpha’s ejaculation into the womb.”

I just sit there and blink at him.

He wants to what?

“Don’t worry. I can see the concern on your face. We won’t do that today because you aren’t near a heat this close to your last cycle.” He’s still in scientist mode, speaking with a monotone voice that borders on creepy.

He’ll be dead before he comes anywhere near my vagina.

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