Page 35 of Saved By The King's Gamma

“Yeah, until he tosses me aside when I can’t give him what he wants.” I know he will, I can’t be his mate, I can barely handle his touch, he’ll get bored of me, toss me away when he realizes I am useless to him.

“He wants to change you and mark you. He isn’t going anywhere. And even if he does, I am still right here,” Azalea tells me.

“You would change me?” I ask.

“Wouldn’t think twice about it! But we may have to ask how though, because I am not sure how to,” she chuckles, and so do I before my smile falls.

“Who would have thought freedom would be worse than the chains that restricted us,” I whisper. How I’ve longed for freedom in death, only to truly have freedom and still wish for the other kind.

“Freedom isn’t something given, Abbie. It’s a mindset. Only we can free ourselves,” Azalea tells me and my eyes meet hers.

“Do you feel free?” I ask her, and she sighs.

“I don’t know. I know we aren’t the orphan rogues anymore. I don’t know who I am, either, but I am determined to find out. And I prefer we find out together,” she replies.

“More than my life,” I whisper our old mantra.

“More than my life,” she replies without hesitation, and I know she means every word, she always has.

“More than my life,” Gannon’s deep voice says, making us both jump. Neither of us heard him come in, and Azalea swipes a hand down the glass to find him leaning against the sink basin.

“Gannon?” I sigh heavily, shaking my head. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough. Now hop out, we are leaving,” he says but I don’t move.

“I told you I am not going.”

“You are. You can’t stay in here, love. So please,” Gannon begs, crouching down in front of us when he opens the door. I shrink under his gaze trying to cover my nudity.

“Can you get out, please?” I whisper, my knees tucked close to my chest as I try to hide from his gaze.

“I have already seen you naked, Abbie,” Gannon states and my face flames with heat and my lips quiver. Why won’t he just leave? Why does he have to stare, I know what he sees and still he torments me knowing I can’t hide from him.

“I can’t go out there,” I whisper. Gannon sighs but gets to his feet and walks out, he looks angry, but I don’t want people to stare, they always stare they can’t help it.

“It’s just skin, Abbie,” Azzy whispers. Yet to me, they are memories of what they did to me.

“He mutilated me. It is one thing that everyone here knows, another having the world see,” I manage to choke out, unable to meet her gaze any longer. I stare at the wall hoping she leaves too but when she doesn’t I know I have to hop out. It’s inappropriate for her to be stuck in the shower with me and the last thing I need is for the king to rouse at her. Only when I look at Azalea her eyes are glazed over—a look I’ve seen on Gannon countless times so I know she is mindlinking someone.

I touch her arm and stand, the action making Azalea jump. I reach around her and grab a towel when Azalea suddenly starts stripping her clothes off. She drops them in a heap on the floor while I wonder what she is doing.

“I will get you some spare clothes,” I tell her, knowing we are the same size and will easily fit into some of my clothes.

“Don’t bother,” she tells me, and I glance at her wondering what she means. Azalea grabs a towel and dries herself, and I rush back into the room and grab the first things in my drawers for her. Only when I return and try to pass her the cami and shorts, she doesn’t take them. I set them on the basin and start getting dressed in my turtleneck and long pants. Once done, I try to give her the clothes again.

“Here,” I whisper, but she shakes her head. Is she really going to walk back to her room in just a towel? She drops the towel.

“Az?” I ask when she moves to step past me. Is she insane? I quickly block her path.

“Gannon is out there,” I remind her, gripping her arm when he suddenly opens the door standing completely naked. I have no idea where to look, neither does Azalea as she stares at the ceiling, and so does he. What is going on? Why is everyone suddenly getting naked?

“Gannon she is naked. Out,” I tell him but he doesn’t budge, and I glance at Azalea whose eyes glaze over again in the mindlink. “Hello, what is going on?” I demand when Azalea grabs my hand.

“Are we doing this?” Gannon asks Azalea while I am trying to figure out what is happening right now.

“Doing what?” I squeak looking between them.

“Oh good, I am not late,” Liam says, busting into the bathroom with only a floral apron on.

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