Chapter 33

HEMLOCK

W e leave Ordell for the night. He’ll remain shackled until tomorrow, until after the full moon just to be safe. And we’ll keep him shackled every full moon to prevent the risk of him trying to kill his mate, but I’m certain that he’s safe now, that consummating has put Ordell back in the driver’s seat, but Orina…

Orina is a different story.

I underestimated her feelings for my brother. Underestimated the true goodness in her. The self-sacrifice.

She’s given up a part of herself today, and it shows as an emptiness behind her smile and a dull sheen in her eyes.

She’s lost her blessing, and she’s mourning even though she’s gained a mate.

“How do you think Ezekiel will feel about this?” she asks as we head back to the main castle.

“He’ll understand. He’ll have no choice but to.”

“Do you think it will stop him…” Her voice cracks. “Stop him loving me?”

“If it does, then he’s not the man I thought him to be.” I draw her to a halt. “You care for Ordell, right? I mean…we didn’t force you into being his mate…did we?”

“I care for Ordell a great deal, in fact…I’m a little in love with him, but if I had a choice, I would have preferred to love him without a mate bond. To love him and keep my blessing.” She exhales. “But it’s done. I’m certain I made the right choice. I’ll be fine.”

Guilt rakes its claws across my scalp, but I can’t allow it to gain purchase. My family will always come first.

“Well,” she says as we reach her door, “I’m going to shower. Again. And I think I’ll take some me time.”

She wants to be alone. I understand that. “I’ll meet you in the safe room at sunset, then?”

She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “At sunset.”

She slips into her room and closes the door. I should go now, but something holds me in place for long seconds, and then I hear it—the sounds of her heart-breaking sobs. I can’t help but hate us for what we’ve done to this poor soul.

It’s difficult not to check on Orina during the day. Daisy leaves meals outside her door, but they remain untouched, and I’m beginning to doubt the wisdom of pushing her to help Ordell.

Maybe we should have waited a little longer.

But how long does it take for love to bloom once it’s taken root? I wouldn’t know; I’ve never experienced it.

I made the best choice. The safest choice for us as a family. Saving Ordell is paramount just in case?—

I shut down that train of thought. There’ll be only positivity going forward.

Sunset comes too quickly and yet not fast enough, and I’m the first to the safe room. I linger outside waiting for Orina. Ezekiel will waken soon; in fact, he may already be awake and waiting. I could go in and speak with him, but I owe it to Orina to let her be the first to speak with him.

It won’t make up for what she’s lost, but it’ll be a start.

Her bootfalls echo down the stairs, and then she’s with me, staring up at me fresh-faced and smelling sweet. Her hair is pinned up off her face, tendrils caressing her cheeks, and her eyes are pools filled with sadness and hope in equal measure. Maybe together, Ordell, Ezekiel, and I…Maybe we can tip that balance to hope, leaving sadness in the shadows.

“Are you ready?” I ask her.

“Yeah. I’m ready.”

I open the door and step back to let her pass first.

In the room beyond, Ezekiel is awake and waiting patiently on his cot. He stands at the sight of Orina, his golden eyes brightening, but they darken with a frown and then widen in shock before I hear it.

A feral, ominous growl.

It’s coming from Orina.

“You bastard,” she snarls. “I’m going to kill you.”

She lunges at the cage, but I hook my arm around her waist and drag her away, out of the room, but fuck, she’s strong when like this. The darkness lends her limbs power. I succeed in getting her outside, into the corridor, and slam the safe room door closed.

She thrashes and twists, attempting to get free, her burning gaze on the door. I shove her against the stone wall and grip her chin. “Look at me, kitten.” She growls and attempts to pull from my grip. But I press her harder to the stone, my grip punishingly hard. “Look. At. Me.”

Her gaze flicks to mine, pupils dark and blown, and for a moment I have her, I see her, but then she pulls free with a snarl. I grab her again and do the only thing I can.

I kiss her.

Crushing my mouth to hers, my hand splayed on the back of her head to hold her still, I claim her. She stiffens, her chest reverberating on a growl, but then her lips part, and I take her mouth fully in a brutal kiss that’s filled with the taste of blood and her ragged groan. I sink into her, our bodies meeting at the hips, grinding together as I angle her head to take her deeper, deeper, pulling her to me.

She claws at my shoulders, pushing against me now, her tongue tangling with mine as she breathes me in.

I feel it, the instant when she returns to me fully. Feel it in the softening of her body against mine, in the way her clawed fingers become a caress, and her mouth, oh, her sweet fucking mouth moans into mine. A plea, a wish that injects ice into my fiery veins, reminding me of the distance that must be kept. Reminding me of my true purpose.

I break the kiss, and she looks up at me, dazed, swollen lips parted in awe. There’s blood on her bottom lip where I nipped her, and her tongue flicks out to lap at it. The urge to pin her again, to taste her once more rushes through my blood, but I breathe through it, fighting it.

“Hemlock…what…” Her eyelids flutter closed, and she goes limp in my arms. But I’m expecting this reaction to the first surge of darkness.

I gather her into my arms and carry her away.

Away from danger.

Away from Ezekiel.