Page 61 of Drown My Sorrow

The two guys are now unconscious lumps on the side of the road, but the islanders have their eyes firmly averted. They aren’t choosing sides or getting involved. They never do, not anymore. To go against me is to go against the Daane, and they don’t play fair. But they also won’t go against themselves either. So, they do nothing.

I try to get up but can’t quite do it. Shale appears and instantly pulls me up. He holds out one hand in silent command.

Ezy passes him my cane, and I grip it like it’s my lifeline.

“Can we go home?” I murmur under my breath. It’s a soft, distressed whine that every one of my scent matches responds to, even if just to flinch.

Shale shrugs. Today, he’s in a white shirt and shorts, and he looks entirely too much like an islander. I don’t like it.

“Where are your jeans?” I mutter.

“I was trying something new.”

“Don’t be like them.”

Shale pulls me into a one-armed hug. “I’ll never be like them. All right, let’s get you home before Keagan and Beau decide to set fire to the street.” He lets out a shrill whistle, and Beau and Keagan turn instantly.

Beau trots over and cups my face. “Are you hurt, Cher?”

“No, I just want to go home. I need to sort-” A sob escapes me, and I fight hard to get my emotions under control, hyperaware of the six alphas watching me like a hawk. “I need to sort everything again.”

Keagan curses and whirls on a tourist who is staring all goggle-eyed.

“What you fucking looking at?”

The guy almost trips over his friend as he tries to speed away, but that leaves Keagan without a target.

He whirls on Kelly, but I hold up my hand and grab his shirt when he steps past. Keagan could easily snap my arm, but he won’t. He would never, ever hurt me.

Slowly, his head swivels so that we’re facing each other.

“Please, Alpha, can you take me home?”

Keagan snarls. It’s a feral sound and echoes with something that has everyone but Shale, Beau, and myself stiffening.

He picks me up and walks off with me without waiting for the others.

“Grab a basket, we have to sort the gemstones,” Shale says.

I don’t hear anymore.

Keagan ignores my demands and protests and takes me straight back to his house.

“I want to go home.”

“No.” He sets me down on the couch and stalks away.

“Keagan. It’s my house.”

“It’s not functional,” he snaps and stalks back to me.

“It’s still my home.”

“This is your home. I am your home, Aspyn! When are you going to stop denying us?”

To my surprise, Keagan drops to his knees in front of me and stares with so much emotion it makes a lump rise up in my throat.

I have no words to give him.

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