Page 52

Chapter 25

Mine

I pushed away, and sadness flashed across Cy’s eyes before I pointed to her arm.

“Well, I guess that settles that question.” Her bright smile fell upon me, but I couldn’t return it.

Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at what was left of my right arm. We still needed to change out the bandages, and this was as good of a time as any.

“Mine, what’s—” I gripped the edge of the tape and tore it off my arm, revealing another piece of this nightmare.

It was raw and bloody still, but it would heal with time and the help of Odie’s blood—and Cy’s if she still wanted me after she realized what was going on.

“Mine! What the fuck!” Cy helped peel back the rest of the bandages and tape as I winced at the sensation.

Odie came rushing in at the sound of Cy yelling. “Is everything—” She paused and sighed. Without a word, she grabbed the medical supplies and placed it on the bed behind me.

Cy was still fussing over it when I slapped her away. How was she not getting it? Tears streamed down my face as I stared down at my stump. On the very edge, I could see small swirls peeking over, and the tears became sobs.

“What did you do?” Odie whispered over my head.

“Mine, what’s going on?” Cy cupped my face, but I batted her away again.

I frantically pointed at her arm, the one covered in our mate markings, then jabbed at my missing arm until realization crossed over her ice blue eyes. She looked down at her arm, then at my non-existent one in disbelief.

“Mine, I—” I cut her off, standing before she could get any words out. Her and Odie yelled after me as I sped down the hallway.

Odie said my arm was in a bag by the front door, and I was determined to find it.

“What’s going on?” Ellie asked from behind me, but I didn’t turn around.

I found the bag and started tearing at it, needing to rip it open and see it for myself. It was like I was in a dream now. All the calm I had felt before disappeared. Now only anger and sorrow remained. Fuck rational thought. I needed to punch something and rot in bed for a week.

“Mine, please, stop this.” Cy knelt beside me with her hand on my upper back.

I ignored her, but I wasn’t going to get this bag open by myself, so I shoved it at her, pleading with my eyes. I needed this.

“Do you really—” I nodded aggressively and shoved the bag harder.

Finally, she relented after glancing at Odie. Cy opened the bag enough for me to see into it, and if I could scream, the glass around the house would shatter. Not only was my arm beaten and bloody and wrapped up in a bag, but where there was once plain tan skin was now markings that would never reach my body.

No one would know who I belonged to. That was a stupid thought, and me from a few weeks ago would be insulted that I was thinking this way, but I hated failing. I was failing them from the start as a mate. I was a useless Omega who knew nothing about the world they lived in. I couldn’t speak, I could barely communicate, and now I couldn’t even openly show that I was mated.

Ellie shoved her way past Odie and dropped to her knees beside me before wrapping me in a hug. I knew she was speaking to me, but none of her words registered over the ringing in my ears.

Everything felt frozen in time besides her. I could feel her next to me, but the others vanished from my view as I stared down into the bag as more heartache set in.

After what felt like an eternity, Cy cupped my face again and made me look at her.

“Whatever you’re thinking, stop it, Mine. I don’t want you any less. Do you hear me?”

I wanted to scream at her and ask how she could when I was less than she deserved, but without a voice, I was stuck in limbo.

Cy shoved the bag from her lap and tugged me into it. Ellie let go and scooted back, watching us. Odie remained where she had been, a stoic statue leering over us.

Cy’s arms wrapped around my body, being careful to not place pressure on my wound.

“Please, believe me. I was already going to kill that fucker, but now I will torture him as long as I want. Gerard won’t get in the way, not after he hears about this.” Cy placed a kiss on the top of my head. “Markings or no markings, you’re mine. It doesn’t change anything.”