Page 51 of His Forsaken Alpha

Cavanaugh forced the smile from his lips. “No. I’m not laughing at you.”

Wynter sat back down and glared at Cavanaugh. “I don’t like being made the butt of a joke.”

“I shouldn’t have pushed you and been so rude. Again, I apologize. I couldn’t stop myself for some reason.”

“You couldn’t stop yourself?Sure.”Had he felt almost the same though?

Cavanaugh met his stare, heat firing there, but he remained silent.

“Whycouldn’t you stop yourself?” Why did he care what the answer was?Just go… walk away before you get burned.

“You just look so damned cute when you’re angry.”

“Cretin,”Wynter muttered and tried to yank his hand away, failing.

“Wynter…”

Wynterhatedthe way Cavanaugh said his name—or rather the way it made him feel. He looked down where Cavanaugh gripped his wrist, his long fingers easily engulfing the narrow span, and shivered at the sensation of it. Slick dribbled from his puckered hole, his body priming itself to be claimed.

Cavanaugh met his gaze, fire there.

The alpha’s thumb traced over his wrist and one brow rose. He turned over Wynter’s wrist and spied the scar there, concern on his face.

“Let go of me,” Wynter demanded quietly. He pulled his arm back and tugged the edges of his long-sleeve top down over to cover them.

Silence, barring the clicking of the train’s wheels over the rails, fell between them.

“He makes youthatunhappy?”

Wynter met Cavanaugh’s gaze. “Things got dark and… this seemed the only way out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want your pity.”

“It’s not pity,” Cavanaugh murmured. “It’s sympathy. No one should be forced to live a life they don’t want. Not even bossy, little omegas who carry around too much luggage.”

Wynter lifted his gaze to argue but saw the soft little smile on Cavanaugh’s face—and for some reason, he erupted into laughter. “I’m not bossy.”

“But you do pack too much.”

“I do,” Wynter agreed.

Cavanaugh sat back. “Are you running away from home?”

“No!”Wynter howled, but then considered how much he’d packed. He’d spend much of his time at the spa naked, in bed. All he needed were a few outfits until his scheduled train home. “No. That wasn’t the plan.”

“Look, from the sounds of things, you’d have every right to run away.”

“And just where would I go?”

“Thereareprovinces where omegas are free, as I mentioned.”

Wynter considered that a moment. “They’d come looking for me.” If it wasn’t Warden, it would be his parents. They wouldn’t allow him any freedom, not when it could cause a scandal. “Think I could fake my death? You’re a writer… how would you do it? How would you escape and never be found?”

Cavanaugh chuckled. “I haven’t put much thought into it—those aren’t the kinds of books I write—but then I also have the freedom to go where I want.” His smile faded. “Maybe there’s a way. I’ll have to think about it and find you an escape plan.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t even know what to do once I made it to another province,ifI could make it there. I have no skills other than being taught to sew and embroider. I’d never survive on my own.”

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