Chapter 22: Wraith

Chapter

Twenty-Two

WRAITH

T he sharp scent of alcohol still burns my nose.

Reminds me of...

No.

Different here.

Their hands were gentle.

Not like them .

Touch my face through the scarf.

Feel the rough edges of scars.

Jagged places where acid ate through flesh.

Nurse said they could help with the pain.

Didn't know there was pain anymore.

Got used to it.

Like breathing.

But now that she mentioned it...

My face hurts.

Always aches.

Sometimes makes it hard to think.

Nurse said they could help.

Can't fix, but can help.

Scars could be less horrifying.

Ivy loves me anyway.

Loves the monster I am.

But maybe...

Maybe I could be less monstrous.

For her.

Even though she would hate that I did it for her.

My sweet fierce omega.

Deserves better than a scarred beast.

"They're probably having an orgy without us," Valek slurs.

His silver eyes are clearer now.

Less hazy.

The drugs leaving his system.

He looks more like himself now.

"I mean, did you see how they looked at each other?" He waves his hand vaguely. "The princess and the peasant and our little omega..."

"Not yours now," Thane reminds him.

Valek's eyes flash with hurt.

With pain.

Don't usually see Valek in pain.

He should know that's his fault.

A prison of his own making.

I should kill him for it, too.

But I won't.

Ivy wouldn't want that.

She will forgive him.

Of course she will.

She is everything good and pure in the world.

The only spot of light in a dark world.

But he is my brother.

Same lab.

Same blood.

Reach over.

Pat his white hair awkwardly.

Don't know why.

And don't know how to be gentle.

Might be too rough.

Just seems right.

He blinks up at me in surprise.

Then grins that knife-sharp grin.

But it's softer now.

More real.

"Are you... petting me?" he asks.

Shrug.

Keep doing it.

His hair is soft.

Like snow.

He leans into my hand.

Thane watches us from across the room.

Giving me a strange look.

Know why.

The cave.

He's been acting strange since.

Sign to him with my free hand.

Keep petting Valek with the other.

What do you think of this place?

"It's too perfect," Thane mutters. "Like a trap made of spun sugar."

Beautiful trap though.

His lips twitch.

Almost a smile.

"Yeah. Beautiful."

Don't know what to say to that.

Not good with words to begin with.

Keep petting Valek's hair.

He purrs.

Don't like that.

But I feel sorry for him.

Don't know why, but I do.

Maybe because I understand.

Think he was trying to save Ivy.

In his own way.

A bad way, but his own.

I'm a beast, not an animal.

I can put things together.

I can observe.

He was trying to set her free.

And he removed her collar.

That makes me happy.

I wouldn't have known how.

Not without hurting her.

Or I would have done it before myself.

He betrayed the pack, but not Ivy.

We are more alike than I thought.

After all, we are brothers.

Keep petting him.

Keep petting my new brother.

He leans on me, still groggy.

Drugs wearing off, but still there.

Watch my other brother's shoulders slowly relax.

He keeps looking over at me.

Looking at Valek.

Then looking at me again.

The silence stretches between us.

Not comfortable.

Not yet.

But getting there.

Maybe.

"You're thinking about it, aren't you?" Thane asks.

Meet his eyes.

What ? I sign.

"The treatment they offered," Thane says.

His dark eyes are serious.

I shrug.

Could make me look worse, I sign back.

"Maybe," Thane admits. "But it might make the scars less painful. That would be worth it, wouldn't it?"

Touch my face through the scarf again.

Not sure.

Don't think it would be.

"Ivy would think so," Thane continues, his voice dropping lower. Gentler. "Trust me, she'd rather you feel better. She doesn't care what you look like, and I think you know that, too."

I want to believe that.

Small part of me does.

I care, I sign pointedly.

"You could eat without it hurting so much," Thane adds.

My hand freezes in Valek's hair.

How does he know about that?

Have I been that obvious?

"I notice things," Thane continues. "I see how you flinch sometimes when you swallow. You won't eat around anyone else, but I'm sure that isn't any easier."

Valek growls at the loss of attention.

Like a demanding cat.

Keep petting him, my mind churning.

"Of course, nothing can be done about those impressive devil teeth of yours," Valek drawls. "Unless they could smooth them down. Though that might look worse. Like a crocodile with veneers…"

I frown.

What are veneers? I sign, having to spell out the word.

Have no idea what it even means.

But it sounds terrible.

"Rich people put them over their teeth to make them look perfectly smooth," Thane replies. Smirk tugs at his lips. "They were more common before the war."

I stare blankly at him.

That would look worse, I agree.

"Right," Thane replies.

He's awkward again.

Doesn't like to talk about my face.

It bothers him.

Makes him feel bad.

Valek laughs.

Sound is less sharp than usual.

Maybe because the drugs are wearing off.

Maybe because I'm still petting him.

Keep stroking Valek's hair.

Like petting a wild animal.

Have to be gentle.

Careful.

He reminds me of myself.

When I first escaped.

Before Ivy.

Before pack.

When everything was rage.

Pain.

Confusion.

We're both predators pretending to be tame.

Both monsters wearing masks.

His is just prettier than mine.

Thane shifts across from us.

Still won't quite meet my eyes.

The cave changed something between us.

Don't know what exactly.

Don't know how to fix it.

Don't know if it's a big deal.

Or if Thane is just being himself again.

Always in his own head.

Always overthinking.

I sign, keeping one hand in Valek's hair.

Do I scare you now?

Thane's head snaps up. "What?"

In the cave, I sign.

He stares at me.

I went crazy, I add.

Thane blinks. "What? No. Of course not."

Valek cackles. "Oh, that's not what's wrong."

Tilt my head at him, confused.

Thane goes rigid. "Valek?—"

“He’s just having trouble looking at you without picturing Ivy sucking your cock,” Valek says. “Not everyone is comfortable with that level of brotherly love.”

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

Didn't think of it that way.

Thane looks like he's going to kill Valek himself.

"Shut your mouth," Thane growls through his teeth.

Valek's head lolls so he can look over at Thane.

"Actually, aren't we brothers, too?" Valek asks innocently. "If Wraith and I are related, then that means…"

"It's already been a hell of a day, don't make it worse," Thane grits out.

Valek laughs.

A real laugh.

Not his usual cackle.

Not sharp.

Not mocking.

Real.

Strange how natural this feels.

How we do feel like brothers.

All three of us.

Valek's silver eyes drift closed as he relaxes.

Almost peaceful.

Never seen him like this before.

Always sharp edges and cruel smiles.

Now he's just... tired.

Like me.