Page 140 of Rhythm Of Our Souls
“Because,” she sighs. “It’s just been creating all sorts of buzz on the internet. There have been three articles on who your mystery pack is.”
We’ve started going out in public together, holding hands, kissing, nothing too crazy, but with paparazzi up our asses now, we’ve gone back to wearing hats and sunglasses.
I know she’s the one who wanted to stop hiding, but Lulu hates the spotlight. I've been terrified that it’s going to become too much for her and she’s going to regret her decision. And the way she looks right now, I think I might be right.
I really hope I’m not.
I’m about to ask her if she’s upset with me, or because of me, when Nate walks back into the room
My stomach sinks at the grim look on his face. “What’s wrong?” I ask, scrambling to sit up.
He licks his lips, hesitant to tell me.
“Nate,” Liam’s voice is filled with urgency, like he, too, does not like the look on Nate’s face.
“That was your lawyer,” Nate states.
Shit. This can’t be good.
I’m waiting for him to tell me a fan is trying to sue me, or somehow I’m in breach of some sort of contract, although I don’t think I am.
But what he says next is not at all something I expected to hear come from his mouth.
“It’s about Julia."
Dread sinks to the bottom of my stomach, heart pounding painfully in my chest. Just her name alone makes my skin crawl.
“What the fuck about that evil bitch?” Liam growls, getting to his feet.
Nate looks between Liam and me nervously. “She has a parole hearing in a few days.”
“What?!” I croak, not sure if I believe what I just heard. My eyes go wide as terror fills my bones.
“You have got to be kidding me?” Lulu says in outrage. “How is that bitch even eligible?”
“I don’t know,” Nate replies, looking as sick as I feel. “They wouldn’t tell me much. Just that if you are concerned about her getting out, you are allowed to go to the hearing and speak against her to make sure she isn’t granted parole.”
“This can not be happening right now,” I whisper to myself, feeling my body start to visibly shake. Julia is a monster. Letting her out on parole shouldn’t even be an option for her, let alone making it as far as her getting a hearing to be given a chance to be heard.
She ruined so many lives. Abused her powers. Left people, like me, with scars from our trauma.
Mine may not present in many ways, but I still fear an Alpha using their bark on me. I’ve just been lucky to be around good Alphas who would never dream of it.
Still, that doesn’t mean that in the back of my mind, I don’t fear what they might do during every interaction with an Alpha I’m not familiar with. If I piss them off, will they take it out on me? Force me to do something I don’t want to?
The only Alphas in my life are my bandmates, packmates, and fathers. Everyone else on my team is either an Omega or a Beta. Anyone else who would have close access to me is a Beta, like Nate.
“You don’t have to,” Brady reassures, pulling me into his lap.
The moment his arms wrap around me, his scent fills my nose, and I feel a million times better. But it doesn’t take away the fear that the person who used and abused me for years could be getting out early. She was sentenced to ten years, and it’s only been three. She should be in there for life if you ask me. Soletting her out before she’s even served half of her sentence is fucked up.
“I should,” I say, trying to clear my mind long enough to think. “I wasn’t involved very much regarding the trial. I gave my statement, told the investigators what happened, but I didn’t do everything I should have. Other victims of hers fought, but I was too afraid of the attention that it would bring to my career. I cared too much about what everyone would think about me, my friends, my family, my fans. I shouldn’t have. And I wish I had done things differently. This is my chance to fix that.” Even though the idea of seeing her again makes me want to claw at my skin.
“Are you sure?” Lulu asks, taking my hand in hers.
“Yeah.” I nod, feeling more sure of myself. I look up to Nate. “Make it happen. I don’t want that bitch out of prison. She can rot in hell for all I care. But if I can help keep her behind bars for at least her full sentence, then I’m going to do everything to play my part in that.”
“Only if you're sure.”
