7. Levi
Chapter seven
Levi
N ot even Magnus can get through to Zayden as our Omega regresses back to angst mode, and we're all at the end of our tethers.
We just don’t know what to do.
Honestly, I am relieved. Not because my Omega is sulking, but I am relieved that Opal is back in our lives.
Not exactly in the same circumstances, but she’s here, and we can all rejoice.
She’s a criminal. She tried to kill our governor, and I thank the stars that Gryphon got the best of her.
His death would have thrown our whole world into chaos.
And then the warden would have attacked when we were at our weakest and taken over, which was his plan from the entire start.
I just wish there is more I could do.
I feel so hopeless.
Reed has even taken to camping in the kitchen.
If Opal tries to escape, he will know.
I don’t blame Opal one bit. I know she was the victim here, but she is still dangerous.
She is a wild card, and we must be on our best guard.
Magnus bangs on the door of Zayden’s nest once again. “Zayden, come on. You can’t go on like this. Look on the bright side. She’s alive…”
She is, but barely.
I hardly recognized the Omega when she stepped into the house.
A shell of her former self. It hurt to watch her being dragged away and bound.
“Just leave me alone,” Zayden responds.
Magnus groans, running his hand through his hair. “Come on!”
I place a hand on Magnus’s shoulder before he knocks again. “Maybe it’s best we leave him. It’s a lot to process, after all.”
It is. I still feel like I am in a dream.
No, a nightmare.
Magnus blows a sigh. “Fine. I just can’t stand to look at Reed right now. Did you see how smug he was?”
I did. But he is just looking out for us.
We really should have listened to him before, but who would have suspected that Opal was Rogue?
She certainly had me fooled.
All I saw was the beautiful porcelain skin with its perfect smattering of freckles, and I was gone.
The warden really knew what he was doing when he sent her our way.
Just as Magnus and I leave, the door to the nest opens, and Zayden appears.
He doesn’t speak. He just opens the door wider and allows us inside the nest.
Now we all make ourselves comfortable as he lies in his blanket fort. I even fluff up his pillows.
But the Omega is a ghost. He just stares up at the ceiling, lost in his own thoughts.
Magnus and I share a worried glance.
We hope he pulls through. We have never seen him down like this.
Then he takes us by surprise when he says, “I don’t care what he says… he can’t keep her away from me…”
There he is again—the defiant Omega. The one who was prepared to go to the capital and murder all who kept him away from Opal.
“But for now, I just need a moment to process all this. I… I can’t stand her being alone down there…”
He's talking about Opal and the basement. I suppose it beats a cold cell at the prison.
But it’s a far cry from her room and nest. Both of which remain untouched since she left to kill the governor.
“Mark my word, guys. I will have her again. And I will bring her back to us."
I’m not so sure about that. She’s really not the same Opal.
The Omega that walked through our door with her arms bound was a complete stranger.
I sigh, fluffing up his pillow behind him. “You just rest now. You’ve had a stressful couple of days.”
Haven’t we all?
Zayden closes his eyes, and Magnus and I purr for him as we lull him to sleep.
He's going to need all the rest he can get.
It's just a shame Opal won’t receive the same tenderness or comfort.
Reed will ensure her life here from now on will be miserable. And we will have no choice but to respect his authority.
Gryphon tasked him with imprisoning her.
But if he hurts her… then I can’t vouch for his safety.
The future really is uncertain.
I just hope we can all survive the fallout.
"So," Magnus says, lying back on a few cushions as he smirks up at the ceiling. "Which of us is going to try and knock out Reed. You or me?"
I shake my head. "None of us will. Reed is only acting on Gryphon's order."
Magnus stares at me in horror. "You're not seriously going to let him keep her down there?"
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. "What other choice is there? My hands are tied. Gryphon gave him the order."
The Alpha bares his teeth, jumping to his feet as he moves for the door.
"Magnus…"
"Just leave it."
"Don't you dare try anything. Reed is in charge of Opal here. That is an order."
The Alpha freezes, hand gripping the door as he tries to ignore my order.
As pack lead, I have the authority. He will not challenge Reed on this.
"Do I make myself clear, Magnus? You make peace with Reed."
Magnus turns around, and the look he gives me next could burn me to a flame. His nostrils flare, but my gaze falls on our resting Omega.
Just when we finally got him to sleep.
The Alpha exhales, yanking the door open at last. "Yes, sir."
To my relief, he goes straight to his room and locks himself away, and that's when I peer down at our Omega.
Magnus is angry with me, and I don't blame him.
I hate myself right now.
But it's all for the best. In the end, my superior officer gave the order.
To challenge Reed now would be to challenge Gryphon, and we have enough on our plate already.
Still, a small smile comes over my face.
She's alive, and I have hope then that we can bring her back to us.
Opal will be ours once again.
We just have to wait it out.