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“That’s weird. Let me just open this for you, man. I don’t know how it got in here, but I’ll check it out. You can wait here.”

A sliver of light slides in, and I don’t breathe.

“Hey, Mom.”

I don’t respond. I hardly ever do. Just hearing his voice and knowing he’s alive and well gets me through the day most of the time. I don’t need an interaction that’s going to end in my heart breaking again.

“You should have told somebody that Beckett left his phone here. He’s kind of frantic about it. You did good earlier; they had a good time. Right. Well, sleep well.”

He shuts the door but there’s a shuffle of some sort, and I’m mortified whenheshoves his way past Camden, seeking me out.

He falls to his knees outside my cage, and I look at him through my mostly closed eyelashes, glad I drew the hoodie tight around my face. Less to try and cover from him. “What the fuck is going on here? Why is she in here?”

“Not your business, man. Come on, you got your phone.”

“I’m not walking the fuck out of here while she’s in there. I don’t know what kind of fucked up indentured servitude you’ve got going on here, but this is fucked up. Pretty sure I can make you release her if you’re not going to do it willingly. Which you really fucking should. Camden, what the fuck?”

He sighs, and I can just imagine him rubbing his forehead the same way Ivan always does. “She chose this, okay? She signed up for this. She’s fine.”

“You want me to lock you in a fuckingdog cageand then tell me it’sfine?”

“Honestly, let it go. Please.”

He reaches for his phone and unlocks it.Beckett. Good, strong name.

“Woah, what are you doing?”

“Calling my fucking dad. You know, the alpha of the pack? You want to hear what he’s got to say about this shit? Get her out. Now.”

“She missed her ride to the shelter. This is where she stays when she can’t get there. The floor is softer than it looks; it’s got a mattress cut into the floor.”

I’m so humiliated, shaking, because no one is supposed to know what my life is really like. They see me dancing for men, smiling, and see the way the men tip me, and they think I’m good at my job and banking all this extra money, living a good life…but they’d pity me if they knew what actually goes on when the owners are on private time.

“Fuck. My dads are going to be pissed if I let her out, you know that, right?”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what the fuck your dads are going to do. And what do you mean shelter? She’s a rejected?”

I can still feel his eyes on me, can practically feel the ghost of his hands on me, soothing me, but I don’t get to experience that sort of care.

“I really wish you’d have let this just go. Yes, she’s rejected. I grew up at the shelter. This…this is my mom, Lark. Mom, you might as well come out and say hi. Tell him you don’t want to leave.”

The silence is louder than the words.

Then the meaty sound of a fist hitting flesh is louder, and then I have no choice but to get involved because he might hate me now, but he’s still my son, and I don’t want him to get hurt. “Stop! Stop! I’ll do whatever you guys want me to, just please, don’t fight. Don’t hurt him.”

Beckett drops Camden mid swing, darting to see me now that I’m no longer curled into a ball. “What are they doing to you, little wolf?”

“He’s right,” I say on an exhale. “I did sign up for this. I earned my night here, I disobeyed orders. I’m safe, I promise.”

“No. I want you out of that fucking cage. I’m taking you home.”

I laugh. “No, you aren’t. They’d fucking kill you.”

“Who? Your…oh my gods. His dads. The owners of the club. They’re your mates?”

“Not for a long time, but I don’t need help, okay? I’m sorry I took your phone; I should have given it to the front desk. I just…I don’t know what I was thinking. Please don’t be angry with me.” I drop my eyes, making sure I don’t come across as challenging him in any way. If he’s indeed the alpha’s son, he’s important. Powerful.

“I’m only asking one more time. Get. Her. Out.”