bite back the scream that wants to escape, but it comes out like a gurgled screech.
Rook freezes. “I’m going to rip her apart,” he threatens as he moves to cradle my dirt-smudged face in his hands.
I huff out a laugh and then wince, because I’m pretty sure I have a broken rib or two. Damn, she really did a number on me. I know I’ll be fine with no permanent damage, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.
I look down at my chest and see gouges through the tatters of my shirt. “Dammit, I really liked this shirt. It hugged me in all the right places,” I whine.
“Come here so I can hug you in all the right places,” Rook growls as he gets his hands under me and picks me up. He holds me close, and I can feel his heart pounding hard in his chest.
“I’m fine,” I reassure him, lifting my hand to his face. He’s got this sexy scruff thing going on—now that he doesn’t have to pretend he’s a clean cut prison guard. I’m torn about liking it though, because it hides his lickable dimples.
He levels me with a look. “You are not fine. I can smell the blood, Sinclair, and you wince every time you take a breath.”
“I’m fine-ish,” I amend.
He huffs and then starts walking over toward my pat. “Put me down,” I whisper, not wanting to be carried like a baby in front of the lounges.
“Not a chance in hell,” he replies, his arms continuing to cradle me.
We walk up to my pat—wait, no. He’s not a patriarch anymore. He just stepped down from that role. My father bows his head. “If you wish to issue a challenge, I will bear the responsibility of my mate’s behavior.”
My eyes fly up to Rook. He might be my mate...but this is new between us. And he’s a strong, incredibly proud alpha. He could very well demand that my parents face him in a challenge for my mother’s disrespect today. No one would judge him for it. I couldn’t even judge him for it, even though it’s my parents and the thought of him hurting my father makes me a little sick.
Rook studies them, sending a low growling noise at my mother who’s standing behind my father with her head lowered. My mate’s eyes shift from her to me, his expression immediately softening. I feel his fingers lightly circle my skin where he’s holding me. “No,” he says, answering my father. “I won’t issue a challenge. You controlled your mate and made her submit, and you stepped down as alpha leaders of your lounge. I’m satisfied with that if Sinclair is.”
Pride swells in my chest at his words. Not just because he’s choosing to let it go, but because he’s including me in his decision. I give a nod. “I’m cool as long as I never have to see her again.”
My father accepts my words with a tilt of his head. I wriggle in Rook’s arms until he puts me down, but the stubborn cockatrice keeps a hand around my waist, even as I lean in to hug my father. “Thank you,” I whisper.
“I’m sorry,” he replies before pulling away, his eyes misty and filled with so much regret it makes my breath catch in my throat. He addresses his former, now leaderless lounge. “I’m sorry to all of you. We are not the leaders you deserve. But maybe...they are,” he says, motioning toward Rook and me. Then he turns to leave, pulling my mother along with him.
I watch them walk away, but I don’t feel even a twinge of disappointment that I’ll probably never see her again. I’m pretty cheerful about it, actually. I’ll try to keep in touch with my father, but she just became nothing to me the moment she shifted and attacked.
Rook turns, his arm still steadying around my waist. “If any of you wish to join our lounge, we will welcome you,” he says, and my heart squeezes at his generosity.
There’s an awkward pause as my old lounge sizes up my new one, probably wondering how well they’ll mesh together, but my purple-haired friend lets out an obnoxiously loud whistle, her face beaming. “Woo! That’s what I’m talking about!” Dinah says with an excited clap. “Baby!” she shouts over to her mate. “Go get our daughter. We’re moving in!”
I laugh, shaking my head, but the pain steals my smile away and replaces it with a grimace. “See? Not fucking fine,”