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“I called Dawson, one of Charlotte’s bondmates. It sounds like she’s heading over as soon as she can, but I hear from Officer Carleton you want to get started now?”

“Y—yes.”

“Alright then, let’s get started so we can get you out of here and more comfortable as soon as possible,” he says, pulling a notepad and pen out from his jacket. “Where are you from?”

I take a deep breath. This is it. “I’m from the Southside.”

The interview is long.A lot longer than I thought it would be.

Officer Stone is good at his job. He’s extremely thorough with his questions, making sure they have all the information they need. I don’t even make it past talking about my childhood with my parents before I start crying, but both he and Jess make sure that I have space to catch my breath.

After what feels like a numb eternity, they finally know everything I have to say about what I know about Alpha Niall, my parents, and the betas that I was sold to.

I sniffle, wiping my nose with a tissue from the box Jess got me when I first started crying. I glance up at Jess, and wince at her expression.

She’s shocked. It’s plainly written across her face. I guess maybe she hasn’t heard about backgrounds like mine.

She also pities me. I can see it in her eyes.

I don’t know if I like that.

The look in Officer Stone’s eyes is different. He’s still putting in effort to try and not scare me, but as the interview has continued, his thick black pepper scent has gotten sharper with his anger.

Something about a complete stranger, an alpha, especially, being angry on my behalf… it gives me a sense of relief. Like it’s a form of validation that this whole mess isn’t my fault.

“What happens now?” I whisper, my voice hoarse from talking so much.

Officer Stone pulls out his phone after he tucks away his notebook. His jaw ticking with frustration is the only physical sign that matches the intensity of his scent.

“It looks like Dawson is here with Charlotte.”

“Charlotte’s been waiting for me?” I think about how pregnant she is and wince. I never meant to inconvenience her.

“Do you want to take a bit of time for yourself before I go and get them?” Officer Stone asks, standing from his seat slowly. The chair creaks as he gets up.

“No, please send them in.” I don’t want her to wait any longer than necessary. And selfishly, as kind as the two of them have been, I want to see a familiar face.

Jess reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “You did a good job, Luna. It takes a lot of guts to share with me everything you’ve been through. I just want you to know that we’re going to do our best to fix things for you, okay?”

I just nod.

Jess stands and moves with Officer Stone to the door. “We’ll be right back.”

The room is silent except for the buzz of the bright fluorescent lights in the ceiling. I fidget with the tissue in my hand, tearingit apart until there’s a pile of tissue fluff on the table in front of me that I crumple into a ball.

The door opens and I see a blur of pink.

“Oh my god!” Charlotte, clad in a hot pink fleece jacket, throws her arms around me, squeezing me tight.

The pit in my stomach that hasn’t left since I was taken from the pack house starts to ease a bit as I’m surrounded by her warm apple pie perfume.

I didn’t know how alone I’d been feeling—and how much I feared being alone again, like I felt everyday growing up—until she wrapped her arms tightly around me.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Charlotte says.

“It’s good to see you, Charlotte,” I say quietly, rubbing my fingertips over the soft fabric of her jacket. It contrasts against the cold, colorless, hardness of the police station around us.

Charlotte pulls back from the embrace, waving forward one of her mates who’s carrying a large plastic bag. “This is Dawson, one of my mates. Here’re some clothes for you that’re a bit warmer than that sundress you’re wearing.”