Chapter Seven

Sutton

“You’re angry.” Raven’s statement struck me right in the chest.

“I’m not angry. I’m frustrated and concerned. That’s all.”

We walked toward the cabin on the outskirts of the team’s land. Raven kept his distance, the two of us no longer holding hands, but there were waves of need pouring off his jackal. He reached for my bear over and over.

Whatever the other alpha did to him must have been brutal.

“With me?”

Damnit. I should’ve pre-empted that question. “No. Of course not. Not with you. Why would I be frustrated with you? I just met you.”

“Because I’m clearly screwing this up. Screwing up your plans.”

King caught up with me and handed me both of my duffle bags and some to-go plates of food. Raven took the food from me, practically salivating.

The lion spared no glance at my omega.

“Let’s get to the cabin and talk.”

We finally arrived and, while the team intended this as some kind of punishment or confinement away from the others, I was happy. My bear was thrilled. A cozy cabin away from the others where I could get to know my omega and learn all his ways didn’t sound like retribution to me.

Once we were inside, I took stock of the place. A double bed, small bathroom. A kitchenette. Everything a person would need to stay for a while.

He shut the door behind us, and I abandoned my bags on the bed while he put the plates on the tiny table for two.

“Come here,” I said, opening my arms.

“Are you sure?” he asked even though his form swayed toward me.

“I’m sure. No matter what the others think, you are mine, little jackal. I’ll never hurt you.”

He let out a long sigh and then came over and accepted my hug. He pressed his nose into the center of my chest, taking in my scent. “How can something feel so wrong and so right at the same time?” He asked.

I pulled back, desperate to hear his story but also realizing he had immediate needs. “How about you eat, shower, and then we’ll talk.”

“I don’t have clothes,” Raven answered, shrugging. “All I have is what is on my back and they aren’t even mine.”

I thought they smelled like the laundry soap they used. “I’ll get you some things from the warehouse when I can, but I have clean clothes for you. They might swallow you, but they’ll work for now.”

He accepted the bundle I handed him along with my body wash and shampoo and stepped into the bathroom. I listened intently while he stepped under the spray and moaned a bit. Who knew how long it had been since he’d had a hot shower or clean clothes. Even the basics in life. Damnit, that other alpha had truly done a number on him. If he weren’t dead already, he would be on my list.

The water shut off, and I found myself waiting for him to get out. I wanted to see him eat and bridge this gap between us.

The broken bond wouldn’t be fixed overnight, but I wanted to hear it from his mouth.

“That was the best shower of my life,” he said, coming out of the bathroom. Billows of steam filled the space but quickly dissipated. The weather outside was turning cold, and it seeped into the thin walls of this cabin.

I would have to keep my omega warm. What an imposition. Not.

“Good.” I stood, intending on asking him to eat something, but I couldn’t get over the sight of him long enough to form a word in my mouth.

“What?” he asked, tugging at the hoodie that was clearly too big for him.

“You, um…” I said, scratching the back of my neck. “You look good in my clothes.”

“Oh,” I imagined the redness in his cheeks was from my compliment but it had been there. Probably caused by the hot water. “Thank you.”

“Why don’t you sit down and eat?” I asked.

“Sure. Thanks.”

We sat across from each other at the table. I wasn’t hungry at all and offered him my plate once he was done with his. He ate all of mine too.

“How did you know I was your mate?” I asked. “I mean, if you are bonded to another?”

The omega shrugged and pushed his hair out of his eyes. “I scented you. My jackal pushed me toward you.”

“But the other bond…”

Tears welled in his eyes, making me feel like a grade-A asshole for blurting it out like that. “The other bond was forced. I didn’t have a choice. The healer tried to break it, but instead he fractured it, making the pain worse than ever. It drains me. I don’t even remember the last day I had without excruciating pain. Sometimes I black out from it.”

My heart ached. The others had choice words for him, and I realized he’d done something very wrong to Ryan and the others in the process, but wasn’t that what we were all doing? The team did morally gray things for the greater good of all omegas but, in the end, we were murderers. Assassins. Hitmen.

I couldn’t help him if I didn’t know everything.

“I want you to start from the beginning, Raven. Tell me everything. The good. The bad. The ugly. The terrifying. The evil. It’s the only way we are going to figure this out.”