Page 9 of Shackled to the World
Mason escorted Annora to her class, her presence calming his troll, who wanted to rage against the world that hurt her. He surveyed the students around them, seeing everyone as a threat. Since the rescue, her role in the whole mess has gotten out. While some people blamed her for taking away their drugs, the majority of the packs were grateful to her for saving them—despite a few who vehemently disliked being in her debt.
One thing was clear…everyone now knew who she was.
Annora ignored everyone around her, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t aware of everything. If anyone came too close and stepped into her personal bubble of ten feet around her, looked at her too long, or even whispered her name, she would tense. It wasn’t even a conscious thing on her part, more like an extra sense.
It would only take a snarl from Mason to send them scattering, but he knew it wouldn’t last for long.
They would get braver.
She was powerful, and they were drawn to her because of it.
“We could leave here, go into hiding.” Mason would do anything to keep her safe. He wanted to take her away but knew she would never allow it. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. “We could train you without being watched, your every move reported.”
“And where would we go?” Amusement sparkled in her dark eyes, lighting up her whole face.
“My family.” He cleared his throat, running a distracted hand down his shirt. “We could live with them for as long as you need. They vowed to protect you.”
She cocked her head, her pace slowing as she studied him with narrowed eyes, like she was hearing everything he wasn’t saying. “At what price?”
An ache burned in his chest where his heart stopped beating for a second. “My return. I would never be able to leave again.”
“No.” Her face shut down, and she stormed away, her short legs working so hard he actually had to skip a step to catch up to her. Wisps of black smoke rose from her skin, snapping around her like snakes in her agitation. “Not acceptable.”
“The hell it isn’t!” he growled, and he wanted to shake her for refusing to understand how important she was to him. “Your safety is worth more than my freedom.”
“You’d be nothing more than a slave.” She whirled and faced him so quickly he almost trampled over her. Instead of being intimidated, she popped her hands on her hips and glared up at him. “You’d give up being my mate?”
Her voice didn’t wobble, but the vulnerability in her eyes slayed him, and he ruthlessly squashed his feelings. “In a heartbeat, if it meant that you would live.”
His heart turned over in his chest, determination hardening inside him. “You will always be my mate, but I couldn’t go on living if anything happened to you.”
Her brows rose, her anger faded, and she placed a hand on his chest. “You can better protect me by remaining at my side.”
As if she hadn’t just taken him out at the knees, she calmly turned and walked away.
When they approached her building, her stride automatically slowed, like she wanted to prolong their time together. Though he might not have known her long, he missed her when she wasn’t near. If she wasn’t in school, she was training. Without Logan, it was like a part of her was missing.
He very much feared things were going to get much worse before they got better. The only thing he could do for her was be there when she needed him and catch her when she stumbled. He quickened his steps, reaching over her shoulder to open the door for her, already aching at the coming separation.
* * *
Annora ignored the open door and paused in front of Mason, her insides melting when a smile spread across his face. His lavender eyes brightened, his pink hair swaying toward her, giving away his pleasure at just being near her.
Her breath caught at having anyone look at her that way—like she was the only thing that mattered.
Though it might be selfish, she couldn’t give him up.
It would break something in her.
“I ran from my uncle last time instead of dealing with my problems, and it cost me Logan. I won’t lose you or anyone else. I need to stay and fight.”
When he looked ready to protest, she backed toward the door, wishing she had more time, but students were now hurrying past them to get to class. “If I remain in the public eye, they can’t take any action outright. While people might report my activities and whereabouts, he can’t attack without repercussions. But if I leave and go into hiding…if I disappear…no one would ever know what happened to me.”
Instead of letting her go, Mason followed her step for step, a menacing expression on his already forbidding face. Then he crushed her to his chest, the frantic pounding of his heart thudding under her ear. “I would know. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
She wrapped her arms around him as far as possible, doing her best to calm him. When the halls began to clear, she reluctantly pulled away and grabbed her bag. “I have to go or I’m going to be late for class.”
His grip tightened, squeezing the breath out of her, before he reluctantly released her. He sighed so heavily his shoulders heaved. “Go while you can.” He gave her a sharp look as he began to pace the hallway. “One of us will be here to take you to your next class.”
