Page 61 of Secrets and S'mores
Something strikes my head, and my vision swims, pain splintering me apart. Desperate to get back to Ember, I struggle against my captors. Their hold bruises as they jerk me back and down onto my knees.
My vision tunnels, black seeping in around the edges.
Another strike, and I lose consciousness.
14 Trespassing & Traitors
Ember
“Get your fucking hands off of him,” I snarl. A guard keeps his palm on my shoulder, pinching the muscle to let me know he will restrain me if needed. I’m being detained until Sienna and Orion can be roused.
Onyx lays across the ground, blood seeping from his hairline. I grit my teeth so hard it feels as if my jaw will crack. I won’t show them weakness, because then I will be truly powerless to help him.
My mother fills the doorway, her hair twisted into a bun on the top of her head and a crimson robe billowing over hershoulders.
“You’ve been back for mere hours and already you’re causing problems?” she drawls.
Her words sting, but I wonder if they’re more for the benefit of the pack. Things are more complicated than I realized. She strides to Onyx and nudges him with her black satin slippers.
“Do you know who this is? He looks familiar.” Her eyes barely glance my way.
“He’s my friend. He was worried about me leaving in the middle of the night, so he came to make sure I was safe.” My fists clench, aching to hit the men still holding me in place.
“I’ve been getting far too little sleep tonight. Someone one string him up and we can deal with this in the morning. Flint, you’re in charge of his guard. Keep him in one piece. I want to know what he was doing in detail.”
“Stop! He’s my guest,” I yell.
My mother pauses, looking me over. “Guests are announced and welcomed. They do not sneak into the Alpha’s house.”
My mother’s men grab Onyx’s upper arms and tug him out of the room, his legs dragging across the carpet. Jerking away, I slip from my captor’s hold and follow them.
Out front of our cold concrete training building, they handcuff him to a steel pole. His head lolls as he sags to the ground.
Sienna has already disappeared back to bed. I clutch my arms around my middle, feeling vulnerable as the pack members dissipate.
Flint, a thin man with greasy dark hair, sits on a bench and watches me with beady eyes. I bare my teeth at him. I’m ranked far above him, so he should look away, but he leers at me.
Anger heats my blood, making me sick with the cold fear churning my stomach. Hours ago I was lost in my own world with Onyx. He was safe, and I was trying to keep it that way. Why didn’t Slate and Hazel stop him?
My eyes burn, but crying will only make this worse. Glaring at Flint, I walk to where Onyx sags, his arms pulled back behind him. My knees sting as they hit the concrete and my fingers brush back his hair to see the wound underneath. Blood mattes his scalp and a single thin line of crimson runs down the side of his cheek to his jaw.
“Hey,” I say softly. His breathing is ragged, so I can tell he’s conscious, but his eyes are screwed shut in pain.
With a small groan, he opens his eyes and raises his face to mine. Pain flashes across his features.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.”
His voice cracks. “You could have warned a guy.”
I can’t bring myself to berate him, even if he deserves it. “I thought if I left like that, you'd be angry with me. Notfollowme. I didn’t want anyone to stop me. I have to help my mom.”
“I’d follow you anywhere,” he rasps, his eyes closing and lines creasing his forehead and cheeks.
“I’m going to get you out of here. But I need you to swear you’ll stay away until it’s safe.”
Running a hand down his stomach, I feel tactical gear under his hoodie. They didn’t even bother to check him. Moving around to his side hidden from Flint, I lift the edge of his hoodie and slide out a small dagger. Keeping my back to our guard, I inch around to his hands and start picking at the handcuffs.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Flint says, leaning forward in his seat.
