though. Right? You promised we’d stay here.” And for some reason, she trusted him to keep that promise. She was definitely losing her mind.
“Not yet,” he agreed and then leaned forward, dipped a thick chunk of bread into the soup, and then offered it to her. “Eat this. How’s your leg feeling?”
She took a tentative bite of the bread. Dipped in the broth, it was even better than the fruit. “I still can’t feel it.” In fact, she’d forgotten she was hurt at all. She’d gotten so used to ignoring her body’s various complaints over time. Pain, hunger, and cold were constants in her life. Or they had been.
He frowned, the expression tiny, but she caught it. “The painkillers should have worn off by now. Perhaps I used too much? You’re so tiny.”
She didn’t speak again until the bit of bread he’d given her was gone. Then, with reluctance, she made herself actually pay attention to her body. The pain was there. It was little more than a dull throb, though. Tentatively she moved the blanket aside and poked at the edge of the wound. The pain flared hot and bright again, and she pulled her hand away. “I guess I’m just good at ignoring things I can’t change. It does hurt, but I think it looks a little better.”
“Do not ignore the pain again. Tell me when you hurt and I will give you something for it. You will not suffer while in my care. Do you understand?”
The suppressed anger in his voice made her pull back a little, instinctively wanting to bury herself into the nest of blankets. But she straightened her back and looked him in the eye. “You’re bossy.”
He blinked, the surprise evident on his face. “Yes. I am. I am your alpha.”
“So, you’re all like this?”
“Yes. But you are not like other omegas. You are still...” he sketched his hands in the air. “Difficult.”
“Difficult?” She laughed. “You think I’m stubborn? You should meet my mother. She could teach a masterclass.” The mention of her mother brought with it a wave of sadness. She’d never see her again. Couldn’t. Even if Rath wanted to help find her, she wouldn’t do that... it would mean her mother would be caught, too.
“Your mother has been unclaimed all this time?” he queried lightly, almost absently as he kept feeding her, but she didn’t for a moment believe he wasn’t hyper-focused on her. She also didn’t miss the fact he had her bracketed with strong thighs, his hands strong yet gentle as he dipped chunks of bread in the soup to feed to her.
She should have felt caged in and threatened to have him so close to her, but she didn’t. In fact, she wanted to touch him, to put her hand on his thigh or touch his fingers. They were long, strong, and deft, every movement graceful and efficient at the same time.
“Yes. We were both free… until the raid. And before you ask, I don’t know where she is. I don’t even know where I am. Once I got away from those others...” she shuddered at the memory. “I kept running.”
“Those others will die. All of them,” he growled, the sound harsh. It should have scared her, but it didn’t. Instead, she leaned forward for the next bite, her teeth grazing against his fingertips. His growl softened, his eyes darkening, and she couldn’t help a small smile, her expression innocent as she looked up at him.
“Dangerous games, little one,” he warned. “You will tell me about the others. Now.”
“There isn’t much to tell. I went to find water. It was a calculated risk. I thought it would be alright.” She shrugged, enjoying the way the silken blanket moved over her skin. “It wasn’t. They came on those flying bikes you ride. We all ran. Some of them got away. I didn’t. They...”
Her mouth went dry and she reached for the glass of juice, drinking it down in big gulps until she choked.
“Gently,” Rath said as he took the glass from her hand. “You’re safe.”
She was injured and alone with an alpha. Safe was the last word she would have imagined applying to this scenario, but... it felt right.
“They took us somewhere. Caged us. I was still unconscious when they started on the others... their screams woke me up. I got away.”
His hand tightened on the glass until it shattered. He kept looking at her, ignoring the blood dripping from his cut fist. “How long did you run? Which