Page 182 of Drown My Sorrow

“Shit!”

Gael turns back, and I notice the group slowly turning our way, becoming aware of us.

I grip Gaels’ hand tight, but he pulls free and puts himself between us and the group that’s coming towards us.

“Who are they?” Gael asks.

“Thugs, people the Daane have kept in line. People who hate me.”

Basil Ore jumps forward, bumping chests with Gael and trying to intimidate him into surrender.

I hold my breath, glaring as more and more join us. Everyone is someone I know. No one is a stranger. That’s the worst part. But I don’t recognise them. I don’t know where the rage and blood lust has come from.

Gael holds my hand, refusing to let go, even to defend himself.

I grip the back of his shirt, waiting to see what they are going to do. Basil turns it into something vicious when he pulls a knife out of his pocket and brandishes it in our direction.

“You fuckers think you can own the whole island?”

I pull Gael back and look around. No one seems worried. In fact, they all seem excited by the appearance of the knife.

“Who the fuck do you people think you are?” Basil snarls. In the dark, his features look demonic.

“We are the Daane,” Gael says flatly.

Basil barks a laugh. “You aren’t part of the Daane.”

Gael smiles widely. “Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure. Those assholes hate everyone except each other.”

“And us,” I spit out. “If you so much as look at us the wrong way, Basil, the Daane will take care of it in a way that you won’t like.”

His gaze slides from Gael to me and turns to something else. He reaches down and squeezes his junk suggestively.

“You’ll look good on your knees.”

Gael stiffens, but I spit out a laugh.

“I’ll never get on my knees for you.”

He laughs. “I’ll just make you.”

I laugh, but there’s a hysterical and enraged sound to it. I cannot believe I’m hearing this.

Gael stands there, watching the group encircle us. He’s bracing to fight, but he knows he’s going to lose. He can’t win against this many.

I pray to everything I’ve ever believed in and open my mouth and let loose the sound I’ve been practicing night and day since we got back to the island.

The group freezes.

Through a rough purr, I tell them to go home. I don’t ask, I command. The sheer strength of my purr has every single one of them leaving us.

This is what Locke told Erin to tell me. This is the hidden secret of omegas. Our strength. We aren’t as vulnerable as everyone says we are.

Gael grips my hips and pulls me into him. “You are incredible.”

“I am Daane,” I say breathlessly and then laugh.

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