Chapter 7

seven

. . .

ALIL

I ran as fast as I could even though I didn't know where I was, or where I was going.

On all sides was open desert and nothing but complete panic.

The sun was almost above the horizon. I had been gone for hours. Kidnapped by the person I had trusted.

Footsteps hitting the ground behind me alerted me to his arrival. I assumed that it was Addy. I couldn't look back to be sure, but it didn't matter. I would run from him now as easily as I would from any of them.

His panting breaths drew closer, nearly as loud as mine as I tried futilely to go faster.

"No," I gasped as his shadow reached me.

"Alil, wait! Please!"

It was Addy and the sound of his voice. The fact that he had betrayed me so completely nearly made me cry out in anguish.

Suddenly, his hand closed around my wrist.

"No!" I shouted and without thinking. Without meaning to, I bent and using his momentum, I flipped him over my back.

His back hit the ground with a heavy thump and for a moment, he looked up at me with an expression as shocked as I felt.

Apparently, those self-defense classes hadn't been completely useless, I thought.

Then, I turned and ran.

"Alil!" Addy shouted after me.

I could barely push myself any further—and I realized that I was now going back the way we had come.

Finally, I slowed in defeat. Wheezing, I looked back.

Addy was standing back where I had left him.

He made no move to come after me so I stopped completely and simply looked at him while I tried to catch my breath.

My entire chest ached. Yes, my lungs were overused, but my heart hurt more.

"I trusted you!" I shouted.

The anguish was clear in my voice and Addy bowed his head, looking utterly pathetic and ridiculous.

"I know!" he shouted back after a moment. "I'm sorry!"

I swallowed, trying to make sense of it.

"Why, Addy?" I asked.

He held out his hands on either side as though he was helpless.

"I just wanted to talk to you!"

Suddenly, I remembered being jumped by his friend, how he had seemed just as surprised as I had felt and the pain eased ever so slightly. It still wasn't okay. I was still furious.

But I wanted answers.

Shutting my eyes, I took another deep breath and then as calmly as I could, I went to him.

He stayed where he was, waiting, as though giving me the power to close the distance between us would fix any of this.

I stopped, keeping enough space between us that he couldn't reach me if he suddenly tried.

"Explain."

He winced at my icy tone and shut his eyes.

"I thought—they told me that we were only going to speak with you all."

I stared for a moment, unsure.

"What was so important that we needed to be stolen for?" I demanded.

His frown deepened.

"I didn't know the plan was to take you against your will," he insisted. "I knew we would go to that spot to talk but I thought you were all to come willingly… I had not been informed that we were leaving Diwan."

His explanation sounded so earnest that I had to believe him.

"So they convinced you."

"Yes," he said, looking ashamed. "After you were asleep they said none of you would come willingly. That was why—but I was still under the impression that it was only meant to be temporary."

A chill travelled my entire body, all the way to the tip of my tail.

"Was it not?" I asked.

He shut his head.

"No."

I shut my eyes, a headache starting.

"Addy," I groaned. "What have you done, you big fool?!"

He bit his lips, looking like a child being thoroughly chastised.

"I'm sorry," he said, weakly. "I only wanted to talk to you."

"Yes, but about what? What could be so important?"

"Our way of life," he said quietly, his almond eyes boring into me. "Don't you see how much things have changed? How alphas and omegas are no longer following our traditional ways of life? Don't you want it to be how it was before?"

I was trying to remain calm, but this was the last straw.

My hands started to shake, and my voice trembled when I finally found words.

"Latif told me that you hated him. That you hate omegas with any autonomy or free will, but I did not believe him."

He shook his head.

"No, that's not right. I just want our culture to be respected," he argued. "Please, try to understand?—"

"You are in no position to ask me to do anything," I said, cutting him off.

I looked around, trying to clear my mind.

There was nothing in my line of sight in any direction. Wherever the others were, I could no longer see them.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"South of Diwan somewhere," he said, coming to hesitantly stand beside me. "Supposedly there is an oasis east of here. That's where we were headed."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I wasn't convinced I should trust anything from his ridiculous mouth.

"We followed the jungle this far and Kazm had just turned to go this way," he said in answer. "He said we were near... our other option is to walk back to the jungle and begin to walk north until we can see the city."

I shook my head.

"If we are near the oasis that would be the smarter place to stay... especially if your friends plan to meet us here with their vehicle."

He nodded and gestured in the direction we should walk.

I didn't say a word as we began, and Addy was equally silent, but as the sun rose and the heat of the day intensified, my anger began to grow. Every step drove in my frustration and irritation that I was even in this situation to begin with.

"Let us hope your friendsdidn't lie about an oasis too," I muttered after an hour.

"Why would they have lied about that?" Addy asked. "Where else would they have been taking us?"

"Into the middle of the desert to kill us, perhaps?"

His brows lowered.

"They wouldn't do that. They just wanted?—"

"I don't care what they wanted!" I snapped.

He pursed his lips and didn't speak.

Another hour passed at least, although I couldn't be sure. I kept my head bowed against the heat of the sun, using my long hair as somewhat of a shield, but my eyes burned from the brightness of the sand.

"Can you see anything yet?" I asked, glancing up.

Addy's head was bowed too, but he lifted it, searching the horizon.

"Not yet," he said. "Let's keep walking."

I did as he said because I wasn't sure what the other option was. If we turned around, we would still walk for hours and hours... but at least we would eventually hit the trees and have shelter there.

"I'm thirsty," I informed him.

He looked genuinely guilty when I said it, so I didn't mention that the sand was starting to burn my tail too. I kept it lifted but every time the underside brushed it, it hurt a little bit more.

After another unmarked stretch of time, Addy stopped dead, let out a frustrated sigh and turned around, searching.

"Where are they?" he demanded, throwing his hands up. "Surely it couldn't take that long to catch them in that human contraption!"

Heaviness settled over me, barely suppressed fear making my chest tight.

At any moment now I thought I might stop breathing altogether andAddy's helplessness didn't give me much comfort.

I looked around, trying not to panic any more than I already was.

At first, I saw nothing, but then, something caught my eye.

"What is that?" I asked.

Addy squinted at where I pointed.

"I don't see anything," he said. "Wait..."

His eyes narrowed even more.

"Maybe that's it," he said, uncertainly.

I bit my lip, staring at what only looked like a dark smudge in the distance, distorted by the haze.

It was our best bet though, so we turned toward it, continuing to walk. As we did, the shape slowly became bigger and clearer.

"Thank the goddess," I sighed, finally making out a tree.

"Yes!" Addy agreed.

But the image seemed to be teasing us. The more we walked, the further it appeared to be.

Tensions rose, but we kept walking toward it.

By the time the trees finally stood over us, close enough to offer shade, the afternoon sun was well past noon, and we were too exhausted to properly rejoice.

Instead, I stepped into the cool shade of the nearest tree and collapsed, nearly passing out.

Addy came up behind me, falling onto his knees in the shade with a heavy groan.

"Thank all that is good in the world," he sighed. "It was really here."

I shook my head, not opening my eyes.

"I still cannot believe you didn't even know where they were taking us," I grumbled.

He made a noncommittal sound and left it at that.

For a long time, the feeling of a soft breeze felt like salvation and I simply lay there, enjoying it, trying not to think about what had happened and what would come next.

I felt sick and too tired to worry even though I knew I would once I had rested enough.

After some time, I heard Addy stand and walk away, but did not have the energy to open my eyes or ask him where he was going. Instead, I drifted into sleep for what felt like only a moment until something cold and wet touched my cheek.

Startled, I opened my eyes.

Addy was bent over me, gently touching me with what appeared to be the sash that he had been wearing.

I reached up, taking it in my tired hands, frowning at the cool wet feeling of water saturating it.

"There is a large pond," he said gently."Let me help you to it."

Just because he was looking at me like that—like I was precious and needed to be taken care of—was no reason for my heart to beat so hard.

He had done this. He had brought me here.

I could not forgive him, or even accept the hand that he offered.

Last night, giving him my hand was what had gotten me into this mess.

Instead, I used all the energy that I had left to push myself up and stand.

This small spot of heaven in the middle of the desert was larger than I'd realized it was. There were quite a few palm trees that stretched to what would be the size of a small park in Diwan. Plants grew aplenty and as Addy had said, there was even a pond.

It was larger than I'd expected, and the water was crystal clear.

I bent, put my hand into it and drank eagerly from my palm before splashing my face.

The water helped immensely. I wanted to throw myself into it, but Addy was still standing there, watching me.

"They'll be here soon, and I'll take you home then," he promised.

I shrugged, trying not to look at him.

"Is there anything I can do for you until then?" he asked.

He had no right to look so sad and dejected, so I straightened my shoulders and met his gaze.

"You can leave me alone," I said firmly.

I saw the hurt cross his features and then he nodded, turned with a swish of his tail and walked away.

For a moment, guilt chewed at my insides before I shook it away.

Addy had done this to himself.

For months everyone who loved him had told him his friends were trouble and he had stood by their sides anyway. He had allowed things to go this far all because he wanted omegas to stay hidden and alphas to stay in charge.

How was I supposed to accept that the person I had fostered feelingfor—inappropriate feelings at that—was the type who had probably judged me each time our eyes met.

He had wanted to take me away to convince me of his beliefs... beliefs that meant I never should have gone with him in the first place. Perhaps he had seen my kidnapping as some sort of punishment that I deserved for being a bad omega.

At the moment, I had to agree.

I should have stayed with my friends and family instead of chasing after an alpha.

I felt like such a fool.