He didn’t say anything but his hand patted the top of my head before he blinked and the glowing eyes were gone. Shane was back. He wrapped his arms around me tighter and I wrapped my arms around his waist.
“I’m sorry,” Shane whispered. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“You can’t protect me from him,” I said.
“I protected you last night.”
No, he didn’t. He only prolonged the inevitable.
“You can’t protect me forever, Shane. Last night was amazing. I’m thankful for this time we have here together in the dark but I can’t stay. The longer we stay here, the higher the chances are that we will be caught. We need to leave.”
I try to pull out of his embrace but he doesn’t let me go. If anything he holds me tighter, closer. His scent engulfs and warms me. I want to stay here, I want to get lost in the false sense of security I have here with him but I can’t. I won’t stay here, the longer I stay here, the harder it is for me to leave.
“Shane,” I start.
“Don’t. Not yet.”
“Shane. I have to go.”
“No, you don’t.”
“You have to go. It’s dinner time. They’ll start looking for you soon if you don’t get in there.”
To this, I was met with silence.
“Thank you for this. I needed it,” I whispered as I squeezed him.
I pulled away from him and this time, he didn’t resist. He let me go. My body was cold without his touch but I stood to my feet and turned from him. I was headed for the door when he caught my hand. He was trying to hold me back.
“Stay,” he said. “Stay with me.”
“Shane, I-”
“Stay with me and let me erase his touch from your body. Stay with me and I’ll make it go away. I’ll make it better. I’ll make it the way it’s supposed to be. I’ll do it the way it should have been done.”
I choke on my words and I’m glad he can’t see the fresh tears that run down my face. I hope he can’t.
“It’s okay,” I lie. “I’ll be alright. I need to go.”
He doesn’t say anything about this. He lets me leave. He won’t force me to stay. My hand is on the handle and I pull it open. I rush through the door and don’t look back. Luckily, there’s no one out in the hall. I run before I can change my mind. I head up the stairs and don’t stop running until my door is in front of me. My room, my safe haven, my escape.
I throw the door open and gasp. Sitting on my bed is Ava, my sister. I walk in cautiously and she glares at me as I walk past her and sit at the vanity. We look very much alike. We are so similar but we have very distinct differences. The sight of her reminds me of the betrayal I’d felt earlier in the Dining Hall.
“Where have you been?” She asked.
“I didn’t know that I needed to report where I come and go.”
“You do now,” she said smugly.
“I will do no such thing.”
“Father has put me in charge of you.”
“I’m the eldest. Why would the youngest have responsibility for the eldest?” I asked.
“Since she was caught running out of his party with a man,” Ava said pompously.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You can say that as much as you want to but we both know that it was you. Father is not pleased. It’s under Ethan’s orders. I volunteered for the task. Unless you would prefer a stranger watch over you?”
“I would prefer to watch over myself.”
“You’ve proven that you can’t and that you need surveillance,” Ava said.
I wanted to tell her where she could go but I bit my tongue.
“From now on you will be reporting to me. I will need to know where you are every moment of the day.”
“If you’re so close to him, why don’t you take my place?” I asked.
“I don’t question what is out of my control. I’m the daughter of the Alpha, not a man. I do as I’m told. It’s about time you started doing the same.”
“Don’t you want Ethan?” I asked.
This gave away that I was indeed there last night but I didn’t care. I needed to know. Why didn’t she just switch places with me? This would solve everything. Why did it matter which daughter it was?