Page 65 of Forsaken

My wolf scratches at her proverbial cage. She wants to show him a thing or two about how we can also be independent. I don’t know if we’ll ever get the chance, but just leaving will make him miserable. He’ll stay connected to me for the rest of his life, feeling this bond that he’s tried to suffocate. I can’t think of a more fitting punishment.

I really feel for his wolf, though. Trapped inside Sean’s body. I don’t know how he even managed that. I know he doesn’t have complete control because his wolf forced out once, but who knows what Sean has done since then to prevent it from happening again.

Before Kinsey and Jonah can make their way toward us, the lights dim for a few seconds. The strings stop playing, and when the lights turn on, Alpha Richard stands in front of the white podium. We’re so close to him I can feel his thrum of protectiveness over his pack. He’s the glue that keeps us all together. The one who sets the systems.

If Kinsey’s theories are correct, he might be lying to all of us. About mates. About bonds. Forcing us to act a certain way for who knows what reason.

His words settle over us all. With him in the room, it’s hard to think about escape. My mind chants wrong over and over again while he preaches. After he’s finished, he joins his table again, and the feeling goes away.

I breathe out, and Sean peers at me. “You felt that, too?”

“What?” I ask, avoiding his gaze.

“The mate pull linking us together when he spoke.”

“I felt no such thing,” I assure him. Leaning over, I give him a grin as I say, “I can now tell you with certainty that there’s nothing about you I want, Sean.” The wolf in his eyes flares to life, and my heart picks up the pace, but I don’t back down. We’re shifters. Our wolves don’t exist freely outside our bodies. If they did, I would feel bad about saying that. Come to think of it, if they did, I wouldn’t have to feel bad because his wolf wouldn’t be associated with him.

I peek behind me. Instead of finding Kinsey and Jonah making their way toward us, I see them zigzagging through the tables, making their way to Nathan.

Awareness trickles over me, and I scan ahead of them, finally meeting Nathan’s gaze. He doesn’t blink as we stare. The look on his face is complacent, neutral. I wish I could crack him open.

Worry and fear mix together in a toxic cocktail of doubt inside my head. When Kinsey moves into view, I’m almost relieved to have broken the staring contest between the two of us. Instead, I hold on to what he’s said to me in the past. He already broke the bond. His feelings for me did that. If what he said wasn’t just pretty words, then I should have no fears about what he’s doing over there.

Right now, Kinsey and Jonah are probably telling him we’re escaping tonight. He’ll be completely on board, mentally preparing himself to run.

I have to believe that.

Sean sighs. “This is all so boring, isn’t it? Can you imagine having to do this with each other for the rest of our lives?”

If I had a pen, I’d stab him in the eye. “What? Socialize with other people? Or just the socializing with me aspect?”

“Both. When I look out, all I see are people who are paired together by some cosmic joke. Your mom doesn’t even like your dad. You know that, right? Yet, they felt compelled to be together to make you,” he sneers.

“Fuck off.”

He gives me a malicious grin. “They’re all mind-controlled, but they can’t see it.”

“Careful, Sean. That sounds a lot like treason talk. You wouldn’t want to end up like Robbie.”

“Robbie’s an idiot,” Sean spits. “You can’t escape the pack. They’ll hunt you down. My idea is so much better than that.”

“You mean your idea of getting rid of me? How do you know it will work? Maybe you’ll mourn me for the rest of your life? Maybe you’ll feel so terrible for what you did that you’ll just kill yourself.”

Sean laughs. “I highly doubt that. You know that witch that was going to break the bond? She says she has a way to mute my wolf. I won’t care one iota about you being buried six feet underground.”

I blink at him, my heart fissuring in my chest. “Why would you do that to him? You won’t be able to shift. You won’t be able to do pack things. You don’t think anyone will notice?”

“No, I’ll still be able to do all of those things. I’ll just be in control all of the time.”

“You’re demented,” I growl. “You’re clearly a psychopath.” I thought only the human world had those types of people, but I guess it’s true that you never know who you’re dealing with. “I’m ashamed I was even paired with you.”

My stomach rolls with the knowledge. What does that say about me that fate was like, “Hey, I know the perfect pairing for her. This guy.”

“Aww, that’s probably the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

I open my mouth to retort, but Kinsey grabs my shoulder. “Bathroom break.”

“What?” Sean growls.

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