27. Runaway
Runaway
Cassius
Dain is keeping his distance, and he will keep doing so if he wants to avoid getting punched again. It was one thing when both he and Browen had concerns, but he’s on his own now, and he knows he can’t keep it up unless he wants the whole family getting on his case.
“Hey, can we talk?”
For the first time in weeks, Browen and I stand face to face.
We’ve somewhat made up, though I still hold a grudge for the week apart from my mate he caused.
But he’s trying. He might not admit it, but Omega Anna sure as fuck will for him.
This party is for her. A way for Browen to show the family he accepts Omega Evangeline.
I’m thankful, but I’ll still knock him the fuck out if he steps out of line again.
“Sure.”
We leave and head for his office. This house, if you can call it that, is too fucking big. The walk alone makes the silence stretch.
He closes the door behind us, and I take a seat, forcing myself to drag on the quiet. I am not going to be the first to speak. He’s the one who needs to apologise.
I sound like a child.
Internally, I roll my eyes. Am I really going to sit here and wait for my brother to speak just so I can.
“Look. I appreciate the party. It’s been nice for everyone to meet Omega Evangeline.”
“Please don’t thank me. I was a dick. Fuck you must hate me.
” He groans, running his hand over his face.
“I—I don’t know what I was thinking. Anna tore into me.
She listed a thousand different reasons why an Omega would kill someone.
They were horrific. But I realised that I don’t need to know the reason.
It doesn’t matter because no matter what Anna could do, I would still love her.
Nothing would keep me away from my pack.
You were right. I feel sick when I look at myself.
I mean, I love Henri and Reuben, and look at what they did.
Unintentionally or not, they hurt an Omega, my Omega, and I still found it in me to forgive them. ”
He pauses, looking everywhere in the room but at me.
“I’m sorry. I’ll do anything I can to make this easier for you both.”
“You’re forgiven.”
His head shoots up and his stupid mouth flaps open.
“I’m not going to drag this out. I’m going to forgive you, eventually. It might as well be now. Plus, I know what Omega Anna has planned for you.”
Nothing. She hasn’t planned anything, but the fear alone of what she can get up to should be enough of a punishment.
“She better not. She’s on her last warning.” He grumbles. “I managed to talk to Mum. She’s good now, you know what she’s like. She was scared, but I talked her down. Dain, on the other hand, has dug his heels in harder now that I’ve changed my mind.”
My fists clench, and I have to stop myself from finding him, because if I do, I might actually kill him.
“He’s worried. As someone who was just there, I get it. He will get over it, but I understand where he’s coming from.”
“Really? And you don’t think this has anything to do with his self-loathing, or him feeling abandoned? You actually think he is concerned about my safety?” I say.
“I think he thinks it’s about you,” he winces. “I’m not defending him. We’ve made what is supposed to be an amazing moment for you a lot harder. But if we shut him out, it will only make things worse.”
He’s right. Dain hates surprises, and if he thinks I’m keeping things from him, he will justify it to himself that he had a reason to worry.
“Can I ask how things are going?”
“It’s perfect, she’s perfect. The more time I spend with her and the more I learn about her, the more I want to know. I keep watching her and learning about her, but it’s not enough. I want to climb into her skin and live there. I sound deranged. I know I do, but—”
“You don’t have to justify yourself to me.
I get it. When I was with Anna, everything made sense, and when we were apart, everything felt amiss.
Food tasted different. Even the air felt wrong.
But it was nothing compared to becoming a pack.
I was meant for this. For them,” he nods. “Is she enjoying the party?”
“Well, Omega Anna and Omega Daisy dragged her away…”
“So we can expect an explosion any moment now.”
We laugh.
I missed this.
Having a brother, being able to share my life.
“I’m glad you got the stick out of your arse, man. You’re much more fun to be around when you’re not trying to sabotage my mating.”
“Yeah, well, it wasn’t just Anna who was pissed. Henri beat the shit out of me, which is his way of saying I fucked up. Malachi helped. Which is an average day for him, but I got the message. Reuben even gave me the silent treatment. That hurt more than the punches.”
Alphas. Nothing says bonding like beating each other up.
“Good to know next time you act like a dick I just need to punch you harder.” I laugh.
* * *
“Cas, dear?”
I turn my attention away from baby Alpha Knight. My mum wrings her hands together, a guilty, rusty metal scent surrounding her.
“Have you seen your mate?”
My heart freezes in my chest. I scan the room, cataloguing everyone. She’s not here.
And neither is Dain.
My muscles strain, and heat pours down my spine.
“She was with me. We were having a lovely chat. Things got a little emotional. She said she was going to the bathroom, but I think she was crying.”
Crying.
“That was ten minutes ago.”
Ten. Minutes.
“Where is Dain.” I shout.
The room drops silent.
Putrid anger and outrage seep out of me. I growl.
Henri steps forward and nods his head towards the hall leading to the back of the house. I don’t wait for further explanations.
I scent it before I see him. Sweaty fear. Sour stress. Spice. My mate. But he’s all alone.
“What did you do.”
A hot, simmering disgust surrounds us.
“Nothing.”
My fists clench, but dead men can’t speak and I need answers.
“Then where is my mate.”
I keep asking questions, but he knows as well as I do that they’re not questions.
“Alpha Cassius.”
A small, cautious voice breaks through my rage. But I refuse to take my eyes off my brother while he has the information I need.
“Speak, Reuben.”
“Right. I checked the cameras. She came out of the bathroom, bumped into Dain, they talked for a minute, and she ran away. She left through the back door. The cameras haven’t clocked her going past the edge of the property yet. You could still catch her.”
I want to kill him. Whatever he said to her, I don’t care. He made her run from me. But she is more important.
“This isn’t over,” I growl.
Adrenaline courses through my limbs, and I move.
The trees speed past me in a blur of orange and brown.
Twigs crunch beneath my feet, but I’m not trying to remain quiet.
I want her to know I’m coming for her. My nose locks onto her scent.
Spice and fear become one, and every instinct I have is telling me to go to her.
To catch her and make everything good again.
I see her. Black hair blowing in the wind. Her legs never stop running. She doesn’t even notice me behind her.
I don’t know what happened, but fuck she can run.
And run.
And run.
The light darkens around us. The sun sets. Night settles over the trees. And she keeps running.
My lungs burn and my legs ache, but I refuse to leave her alone like this. This is more than fear. She’s running from something, or to something, and I intend on finding out which.
Hours pass. She doesn’t slow or stop. I have no idea where we are, but she does. Instinct drives her direction, and the further we go, the calmer she smells.
I will get to the bottom of why she left, why she ran from me, but first I need to know where she is running to.
She slows when it comes into view, but never stops.
The door creaks when she opens it, pulling at the old, decaying wood.
Dirt is layered on the singular window. The stone path is cracked.
But little purple flowers are painted on the door, a pot with herbs grows under the window, and newer wood slats on the roof.
Someone has been taking care of this place.
I slowly creep up and slide through the door.
She doesn’t notice.
The inside is bright colours, blankets, pillows, and fabric layered everywhere. Draped across the ceiling, mountains on the floor. The entire room is a nest.
Her nest really is a shed.
My heart is in my throat.
She’s curled in on herself, wrapped in blankets, calm, happy and way too beautiful after running for hours. It smells of her in here. It’s everywhere.
I lower myself into the blankets. Not caring that I wasn’t invited into her nest. She needs me. I slide my arms around her and lift her onto my lap, cuddling her into my chest.
“Angel?”
“Cas,” she sighs.
The sound of my name on her lips wrecks me. I don’t care that she didn’t call me Alpha. I am hers. Completely and entirely.
Her spicy scent wraps around me. Heat licks at my skin, and she trembles in my arms. She looks up at me, pupils blown wide.
She’s in heat.