Page 21 of Forget me Knot
I rub the bite scar on the inside of my wrist that he gave me to give me the means to escape and keep running. His temporary hold on me broke the bite bond the Trial organisers gave me because we were connected as friends, and more. I ran over five hundred miles, and I’d run another five hundred if I had to. They don’t take lightly to escapees, and I’ve seen what they do to those they recapture.
“Lily, why don’t you grab some blankets and pillows?” he asks eventually, and I gulp as I remember how he ran with me. Followed me away from our hometown and built a life here.
Without me.
But then, I built a life without him, so feeling sad and guilty about that now is pointless.
Without a word, I turn from him and head to my bedroom to rummage through the cupboard for spare bedding, my hands shaking involuntarily from the flood of memories I’d hoped would stay buried deep.
Chapter 11
Jack
Isee Lily walk away into the bedroom, and I start feeling all sorts of emotions that I thought I had buried a long time ago. But now isn’t the time for reminiscing. I take a deep breath to calm myself down and focus on Emily, who still looks like she might run away any second.
“Emily,” I say softly, trying to draw her out of her shell. “Do you have anything you need from where you came from?”
She shakes her head, eyes downcast. “No, I left everything behind.”
“Okay,” I nod slowly. “Well, you’re safe now. Lily and I won’t let anything happen to you. But can you tell me where your pack is? Is it far?”
Emily looks up at me with wide eyes, scared to tell me, and I don’t blame her. “Northolt,” she murmurs.
Inwardly, I wince. That’s only about ten miles from here. This entire situation is bad. Seriously bad for both Emily and Lily.
Lily returns with an armful of blankets and pillows, setting them down gently on the sofa. “Here you go,” she says warmly. “Make yourself comfortable.”
Emily takes the bedding with trembling hands and places it on the sofa. She doesn’t move a muscle other than to rock herself gently, trying to find comfort.
I clear my throat, trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere. “I’m going to make us some tea,” I announce abruptly. “Anyone else wants some?”
Lily gives me a grateful smile. “Tea sounds perfect.”
As I’m filling the kettle, I glance over at Lily every few seconds. She’s staring at Emily, her face betraying her fear. I want to tell her that I’ll watch out for her like I always have done, but I don’t even know how she will react to that right now. She rubs her wrist again over the scar from my bite, and I feel a pang of regret that I didn’t make it more permanent. But she was in no fit state to agree to that, and I couldn’t, wouldn’t, do it without her consent. I only managed to see her because the Trials thought I was an alpha interested in bidding on her. I convinced them I wanted to sample the goods, and they couldn’t have been more accommodating of my request. I feel sick just thinking about it.
“Lily,” I blurt out, almost desperately, needing her to look at me, smile at me, and let me know she isn’t falling into a black pit of despair. I need to see that she is okay and that she won’t let it drag her under.
“Yes, Jack?” she asks when I don’t say anything else.
Our gazes lock, and those green eyes are full of tears that she won’t spill. Not now, anyway. When she is alone and no one can hear her, that’s when she’ll break.
So there’s only one thing for it.
I can’t leave her alone.
“I’ll stay tonight,” I murmur. “Just in case that arsehole comes back.” I know he will come back. Emily is exactly the kind of omega that the Trials pants over. Her family would be quids in if they sold her. They won’t let her go easily.
Lily’s eyes widen, and for a moment, I see a flicker of relief before she quickly masks it. “Are you sure?” she asks hesitantly, glancing at Emily, who is still rocking quietly on the sofa.
“Positive,” I reply, my tone firm. “It’s safer if we stay together.”
She nods, clearly too emotionally exhausted to argue. She wraps a blanket around Emily, who flinches slightly but then settles down as Lily speaks to her in soothing tones.
I finish making the tea and bring three mugs over to the small coffee table. The steam curls up from the cups in comforting spirals. Lily hands one to Emily first, who takes it with a faint smile of thanks, then takes her own.
We sit there in strained silence for a few minutes, sipping our tea. It’s almost peaceful if it weren’t for the underlying tension crackling in the air like static electricity. I can see the thoughts racing behind Lily’s eyes; she’s plotting every possible escape route, every decision laced with fear and determination.
“So,” I start after a minute of awkward silence, “we need a plan.”
