...and now I'm in power. In control.
In love.
I'm just starting to wonder if she lied, if my dad is actually sending his forces this way right now. This was a risk, and it might have been a bad one that will get me and Hawk captured as well.
But then Rafe and Fallon appear, and my heart skips a beat.
They're battered and bruised, but they're alive.
I run to them, throwing my arms around their necks, and they hold me tightly, the three of us engulfed in each other.
"We're okay," Rafe whispers, kissing my forehead. "Thanks to your mother."
I pull back, looking at them both in disbelief. "What happened?"
"Your mom showed up," Fallon says. "Broke us the hell out of there."
"We'll explain everything," Rafe murmurs, and it's only then that I see his bloody lip. "We should get onboard and go back home to the Raft. It isn't safe here."
I nod, and I wince when he puts his arm around me.
"What happened?" Fallon asks in alarm, noticing how tender I am on my side.
"I uh...got shot, just a little bit," I say. "Don't freak out."
Fallon's eyes widen in horror. "What? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I say hastily. "Hawk has been taking care of it. Let's just go."
Once we're safely aboard, Rafe and Fallon help me to the crew quarters down below while Hawk starts up the boat. I'm glad that my injuries are minor, but I still feel sore and achy all over my body. Rafe is in bad shape too, and I reach up to touch his temple, where his face is bruised and swollen.
"You don't look so good yourself," I whisper.
"I can handle it," Rafe growls, disturbed more by how badly I'm hurt. Rafe carefully removes my shirt, his expression darkening when he sees the bruising on my side. "Who did this to you?"
I shake my head, not wanting to talk about it. "It doesn't matter now. The important thing is that we're all here together."
Rafe nods, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple. "You're right. We're safe now and that's all that matters."
Fallon comes in with a first aid kit, and I feel a sense of relief wash over me. It's good to have them back; I missed them, even though it was for a short time. I lean over and kiss him on the cheek.
"Thank you," I say.
Fallon smiles at me and then gets to work, cleaning and bandaging my injury. It hurts, but I'll be okay.
Once Fallon is finished, I slide into bed next to Rafe. Hawk is in the corner, keeping watch. I close my eyes, feeling the exhaustion set in. It's been a long day, but we're all safe now.
As I drift off to sleep, I can't help but think about my mother. I'll never know the full extent of what she did to get my men out of there, but I'm grateful. I hope one day we can reconcile, that she can see how much I've grown and changed. Until then, I'll just try to make her proud by doing what I can to help omegas everywhere.
The boat rocks gently as we sail away from the city, the hum of the engine lulling me to sleep. I'm in Rafe's arms, his warmth seeping into my bones. I feel safe and protected, knowing that he and Fallon are here with me. We've been through so much together, and yet I feel like we've only just begun.
As I drift off, I dream of a world where omegas aren't persecuted, where we're free to be with whoever we want without fear of punishment. It's a world where my mother and I can live together without fear, where my father isn't a monster. It's a world where Rafe, Fallon, Hawk, and I can live freely as a family.
But until that world becomes a reality, we'll keep fighting. We'll keep pushing to make things right. And in the meantime, we'll keep loving each other fiercely, no matter what happens.
30
Fallon