Page 83 of Darling Diana

Rebecca hands me a black long-sleeve shirt from the front. “This was in the laundry. It’s one of Judge’s. You’ll want it until we get to the Witch Doctor. It will hurt to be far from our alphas when the tether is broken, but it won’t be for long, alright? Just don’t get rid of it because you’re mad at him. Trust me. It will make itveryhard to function.”

Smelling his scent in my lap hurts, and I shove it to the floor. My hands can’t seem to settle, at least, not until Selene reaches over and grabs one. “Hey, I’m right here, okay? Let’s just focus on getting to the train.”

I nod feverishly. A horrible, ferocious sensation rips through my sternum. “He’s so pissed,” I say, almost afraid of him now.

Selene squeezes my hand. “As he should be. He needs to feel what it’s like to not win for once.”

More than anything, I want him to chase me. To make me believe he’s worried and sorry. To beg for my forgiveness and promise me he will make it right.

But that’s hope talking, and we all know that hope is one deceiving bitch.

JUDGE

Full coherence returnsas I’m on the floor, my left lung burning. My body’s already trying to stitch itself together, a possible puncture in the lung. It hurts like hell, and it’s clear some kind of sedative was used, but pain means I’m still here.

Nothing about the lighting seems to have changed.

There’s still time.

The bond—our bond—is chaos. I canfeelit shredding through my chest like barbed wire being yanked loose. Betrayal coils in it, and I hate that I can tell she’s far. Too far.

“FUCK!” I slam my fist on the floor, a tile breaking, my knuckles bloodied. I pull out the comm, thumb shaking from adrenaline, scrolling through the lines until I hit Beast’s frequency. “Beast.”

A beat of static. “Sir?”

“Get down to the food cellar. Butcher’s hall.Now. It’s an emergency. Swan is gone. Alert no one.”

The air’s spinning, my head pounding with the reality that she’sgone. How the fuck did Diana get out? Was Jack involved, since his omega was with Diana? I fucking need to knowwheremy omega is!

Beast enters around a corner, filling the frame like a tank. His eyes sweep the room once, then lock on me.

“Mask,” I rasp, clutching my chest. “Lung injury. Small, but I need it.”

He doesn’t hesitate. Dropping to one knee, he pulls the mask off his face and hands it to me. It’s moist inside, and it smells like metal. There’s a red line around his face where the mask hugs all day, deep scars lining his chin. His hands are steady, the kind of soldier calm that only comes from too many near-deaths.

I suck in the medicated vapor, the sting of torchwater burning through my lungs. The world sharpens. “Diana’s gone.” I rip the mask off, voice low and lethal. “Rebecca took her. I want cages sent immediately on every road nearby. Jack is to be locked down before anything else. He’s the cunt that’s been leaking information to Titan.”

Beast’s head jerks up. “How do you know that?”

“Because Diana knew I gave her engagers. Only Jack was aware.” My voice is a snarl now. “I’ve been dropping different information to see what spreads. Only two knew about the scraps for the Scarlett Offering—Jack and you. And I know it’s not you. It’s fucking him. I need to understand if Rebeca is aware. If she is—” I breathe heavier, so fucking ready to kill “—then Diana is in great danger.”

No. This can’t be happening.

Diana.

Beast’s jaw flexes, scars shifting across his cheek like lightning marks. “How’d Diana get away?”

I stare at the floor, trying to find any semblance of calm. “I didn’t want to scare her,” I grind out. “I was afraid of what she would do, wondering what all she saw. And now she’s out there?—”

There’s blood in my mouth from where my teeth grind into my cheeks. I breathe in more of the torchwater mist.

Beast stands, towering over me, face unreadable. “What areyougoing to do?”

I push to my feet, mask hissing. “I want my bike ready, thrown onto a trailer. I’m going to find my omega before Titan does.”