Chapter 57
FIFTY-SEVEN
LAUREL
Lars wasn’t in his office when I walked into the alpha cells, and my stomach twisted in concern. That meant the new guard had arrived, and Lars was no longer pretending to cover the empty position.
I opened the door, and Casey was sitting in the corner, next to a small guy. They started laughing at something as I neared.
“Hi, Casey,” I said hopefully. If Casey liked this new guard, maybe he wasn’t so bad.
“Hey, Miss Laurel,” Casey said, and I blinked as Jade looked up from beside him, shooting me a grin.
My mouth dropped open. The guard cap was askew over her short hair, and the uniform definitely wasn’t designed for a woman her size, but I’d recognize her no matter what disguise she wore.
“Surprise!” she said, standing up and showing off her new uniform. “After your ‘friend’ mentioned your secret plan, I decided to come and help out.”
“Oh, do you know Shaun?” Casey asked.
My eyebrows drew together in confusion. There was no way he actually thought Jade was a guy, right?
“Yeah, we go way back,” Jade said, tugging me toward the security doors.
“Don’t you dare tell him I’m a girl,” she hissed in my ear as Casey unlocked the first one. “I’ve had a hard enough time convincing him to back off and let me do this ‘dangerous’ job as it is. He’d probably have a heart attack if he found out.”
I shook my head in disbelief as Casey started on the portcullis. “He has a point,” I replied, not keeping my voice down. “What are you thinking? You could get hurt here.”
Jade rolled her eyes. “I’m fine, Laurel,” she said, bouncing from foot to foot with a grin and jabbing her fists in the air. “I got this.”
My mouth twitched up into a smile as I saw the sparkle in her eyes that I hadn’t seen in years. She’d always get this buzz whenever we’d pull off something particularly risky or difficult. Casey looked at her, his face soft, even as he raised his eyebrows at her.
“You seem pretty proud of yourself,” I teased, finally giving in to her infectious smile as we stepped through the second door and arrived by the cages. I glanced over at Ocean, who gave me a nod. He was sitting on his bed, and he looked tired.
“Hell yeah!” Jade scoffed, punching my arm and getting my full attention again. “I convinced those idiots upstairs I had the job as a security guard. I look like a fifteen-year-old, for fuck’s sake. Who’s the best, Laurel?”
“Jule,” I said, bursting into laughter as I gave her the traditional response.
Casey chuckled and Jade scoffed in mock outrage as she punched my arm harder this time. “You fucker!” she said. “He trained you well. He’s not even here, and he can’t let me win one.”
I stopped as Casey turned and I caught sight of his bruises. “God, what happened?” I asked, pointing at his face.
“Oh, Titan was a bit agitated this morning.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be there to help him from now on,” Jade cut in.
Casey and I exchanged a look that she, thankfully, missed.
“Is there any way to calm the feral alphas?” I asked, looking at them.
“I mean, they’re not aggressive most of the time,” Casey said. “Just not…there. But if you know how to approach them and not seem like a threat, they’re fine.”
“Is there a way to bring them back?” I asked, trying not to look at Ocean.
“No.” Hugo’s voice rang out from his cell on the other side of the bars. We all turned to him. “Once their mind is gone, I haven’t seen a single one come back.”
“But there must be a way,” I said. “It’s not like it’s the only time an alpha has ever gone feral.”
“What are you going to do, go to the hospital with one of ’em?” Hugo said with a snort. “Take them to a specialty clinic? If you get any of them out of here, you bet your dad will be watching for any record of a feral alpha in treatment.”
“Enough talking,” Jade said, pulling me toward Ocean. “Let’s get the two lovebirds together.”
I felt my face go hot. “We’re not like that,” I said as Ocean barked out a laugh.
I moved over to his cage, and my good mood vanished as I got a better look at him. Ocean looked rough, his eyes swollen and bruises decorating his body in a depressing mirror of mine.
“Hey,” he rasped, struggling to his feet, his expression softening.
I swallowed, hesitating as I felt his relief and joy as I got closer. He shouldn’t feel that happy to see me. I searched through the bond, trying to figure out the trick. The idea that it was genuine was too much, like trying to look directly at the sun. Instead, I wanted to avert my eyes and hide.
“You okay? Something happened yesterday that had you terrified,” he said, leaning against the bars.
“It was nothing,” I said, wrapping my arms around myself.
I walked closer and glanced at where Jade and Casey were hovering. Jade took the hint and dragged Casey back, giving us some space.
“I found out I’m engaged to the Lucas pack, and it took me by surprise.” Ocean’s face darkened. “Don’t worry, we’ll still get you out of here, no problem,” I said, but he shook his head.
“Did no one see how Madison treated you in the suite?” he asked. “Wasn’t your father there?”
“My father doesn’t care,” I said, shrugging.
Ocean raked a hand through his lank hair. “Well, don’t worry,” he said finally. “You won’t be here much longer, anyway.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
He looked at me incredulously. “I mean, when I get out of here. Because you’re coming with us, right?”
We stared at each other, the silence hanging heavy between us.
“Oh.” I squeezed my hands together awkwardly. “Um, no, Finch and Kaos have made it pretty clear they don’t want me. They actually kind of hate me.”
“Then they’re being idiots,” Ocean said.
“Ocean. This whole mess is my fault. I’m not good for any of you.”
Ocean tipped his head to the side, and his hand slid through the bars, touching my arm and sliding down so my hand was in his. His voice became gentle. “Whatever reason you put me down here, I know it wasn’t your fault.”
I shook my head, a lump appearing in my throat. “No,” I said. “No, you can’t think that. It was my fault.”
“Tell me why you did it,” he pressed gently.
My eyes were stinging as he held my gaze. I swallowed. “My father… he’d have killed you,” I whispered. “It was the only way I could of think to save you.”
“See?” he said.
“But it was my fault. I provoked Madison. You only stepped in to try and help me…”
“Don’t believe that,” he said. “I can feel you, Laurel, and I can see you’re trapped here as much as I am. They’ve hurt you and tried to make you small, but they failed. You still shine so brightly, despite everything. I can’t believe they don’t see that.”
My vision swam as tears welled in my eyes.
“What do you want after all this is done?” he asked.
“I want to come with you,” I admitted. “And after I found out that Kaos was Demon, it made sense why you were all here. Why Finch bonded me.”
Ocean shook his head, his face darkening. “Finch never should have done that. Trust me, I’m going to do everything I can to make that up to you. And I understand if you never want to see Finch again.”
I shrugged. “I was going to be owned by a pack, no matter what. It’s actually kind of funny that I’m now bonded to someone my father didn’t choose. And I’m glad I’m bonded to you.”
Ocean shook his head, his blue eyes wide with concern.
“Silver lining, right?” I said, squeezing his hand through the bars.
He barked out a laugh, but his face softened. “I wish we could have done it properly, though. Offered you a proper bond. A princess bond.” He frowned at the flash of fear that coursed through me at his suggestion.
“Sorry,” I said, and he squeezed my hand. “My first mates… my dad made me match them through scent samples. I’m pretty sure he got them from the criminal division at the Institute. I was sixteen, and he offered them money to make me a duchess, but he shot them after.”
“No wonder you ran,” he said softly, pulling me closer until he could thread his arms through the bars and around my shoulders.
I looked up at his face, and he leaned down through the bars, pressing his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. He was like sunshine again, so bright and warm, and it hurt to be near it.
I pulled away, but his arms tightened, stopping me from fleeing.
I stared at the ground. “Please let me go,” I said with a sniff, a tear dripping from my chin to the ground.
“Laurel,” he said, and I shook my head, wrenching away.
“I’ll come back,” I said, walking away before I could change my mind. My stomach felt a little wobbly, but I couldn’t shake the warmth he’d left me with.
Hugo beckoned me over before I could leave. I tried for a small smile at him, but it wavered and fell away at his flat look.
“Your alpha doesn’t have much longer,” he told me grimly, “before he starts losing his mind. Three, maybe four more fights, at most.”
“What?” I asked, panic grabbing hold of me. That wasn’t long enough. “I thought it took longer than that!”
Hugo shook his head. “I’ve seen this happen enough.”
“Then, help him,” I urged. “Can’t you teach him how to hang on? How to stay sane?”
Hugo looked at me, his eyes softening. “Sorry, Laurel. That’s not something I can teach.”
“Why not?” I demanded.
He chewed on his cheek, considering, before he answered.
“Ocean isn’t built like me. I used to go into ruts all the time.
It was easy to fight it out, and so I’m used to what the rut rage does.
I’ve been doing it my whole life. But Ocean…
I’d guess he hasn’t rutted more than twice before he came in here.
I wouldn’t even be shocked to find out he’d never rutted before. His brain isn’t coping well.”
I felt frozen, the words echoing in my ears.
“I see,” I said, my voice sounding distant. “Thanks for warning me.”
Hugo gave me a tight nod.