Page 151 of Bonds of Pain
Charlotte doesn’t respond. The silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken truths and broken trust. Her hands fidget with the edge of her magazine, carefully avoiding both my question and my gaze.
And in that silence, I have my answer.
I turn away, moving toward the door with a strange sense of calm. I understand now. I was never meant to have a place where I belonged, never meant to have a family that truly loved me—not until an Alpha chose me for his own gratification. My entire existence was crafted around waiting for that moment, being shaped into the perfect prize.
As I step outside into the street, sirens wail in the distance. The sky has darkened with approaching storm clouds, mirroring the turmoil inside me. For the first time in my life, I feel utterly alone—yet strangely free.
With no home to return to and no pack to claim me, I finally belong only to myself.
But even that doesn’t feel like enough.
I could disappear into the city, maybe gather enough credits to buy passage to a more rural province and live the rest of my life hiding from the chaos.
A tyrant still sits on the throne. Thane might be dead, but others will carry on his research. There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of women just like Charlotte willing to perpetuate the cycle for their own gain.
And there is only one person who might have the power to stop it.
Ienter the autopilot coordinates Ares provided for the safehouse, letting the car’s navigation system take over. For the first time in months, I don’t have to answer to anyone else’s schedule or expectations.
The solitude should feel liberating, but instead, a hollow ache spreads through my chest as I drive farther from the city.
The car winds through back roads I’ve never seen before, gradually leaving behind the manicured landscapes of the capital for rougher terrain. Eventually, the car turns onto anunmarked gravel path that cuts through dense forest. The setting sun casts long shadows through the trees as the car finally slows before a modest farmhouse.
The structure is unassuming—weathered wooden siding, a metal roof that’s seen better days, and a wraparound porch with a swing. Nothing about it screams safehouse. It looks like the sort of place you go to visit your grandparents in the countryside. Perfect for hiding fugitives, I suppose.
I approach cautiously, hand hovering near the gun tucked into my waistband. The door isn’t locked, which immediately puts me on edge. I push it open with my foot, keeping my body angled to present a smaller target.
“Hello?” I call out, not really expecting an answer.
Instead of silence, I hear raised voices coming from deeper inside the house. My entire body tenses. I draw the gun, thumbing off the safety as I edge forward.
“—completely unacceptable!” That’s Ares, his voice booming with barely contained fury. “You let her walk away after what just happened!”
“I had a bullet in my shoulder,” Logan snaps back. “What would you have had me do? Tackle her?”
“You should never have claimed her in the first place!” Ares shouts, followed by the sound of something crashing against a wall. “None of this would have happened if you’d just controlled your fucking knot!”
I freeze, heart hammering in my chest.
“And what about you?” Logan’s voice drops dangerously low. “You knew she was drugged during the games. You took advantage of her while I was fighting for my life.”
“We all did things we shouldn’t have,” Poe’s quieter voice interjects. “But fighting among ourselves won’t help anything.”
“She shot me,” Logan says, voice tight with what sounds almost like admiration.
“You deserved it,” Cillian’s voice is droll. “One of us would have done it sooner if we had the balls.”
I edge closer to the half-closed door. Through the crack, I can see all four of them in what appears to be a rustic living room. Logan sits on a worn couch, his shoulder heavily bandaged. Ares paces like a caged animal, while Poe stands near the window, ever vigilant. Cillian looks pale but steady, perched on an armchair across from Logan.
“I should have protected her,” Cillian continues, voice breaking. “I failed her just like I’ve failed at everything else.”
“We all failed her,” Poe says quietly. “But she’s smart. She’ll stay hidden.”
“Unless she tries to leave the country,” Ares growls. “The king’s forces will be monitoring every border check point.”
“She won’t make it to the border on her own,” Logan says, wincing as he shifts. “Letting her go was a mistake. We need to go after her.”
I grip the doorframe, trying to decide whether or not to show myself. This isn’t what I expected at all. Where’s the rage at my betrayal? The wounded Alpha pride? Instead, they sound genuinely concerned about my safety.
