Page 111 of Mask and the Magnolia

Because I get it now.

“Maggie should have been really upset about having her nest destroyed. She doesn’t have a safe space anymore.”

Almost as soon as I say those words, the seriousness of them hits me like a ton of bricks.

Magnolia isn’t safe out here. Nothing is safe for her anymore.

Not her apartment, not the nest she had in it.

She doesn’t have anyone to protect her or anywhere to go. Maybe it’s not the same as being in heat but Maggie is vulnerable when she’s away from us.

Our omega needs to be with us all the time now, more than she did before, and I think I know exactly how to make that happen.

As quietly as I can,I close the emergency door and step into the rec hall, listening to make sure no one is coming.

It’s silent.

I blow out a breath and push my hair out of my eyes then smile.

I did it.

It was risky as hell leaving the institution during the day but I didn’t have a very big window of opportunity to work with.

Maggie told us last night that Evie was taking her to her uncle’s house, that the twins were picking them up around one o’clock so he could X-ray her shoulder again.

Apparently Dr. Ridgeway is the only person they can trust to help Maggie and knowing him from my years here, I can understand why.

He’s always been nice to me. Not overly nice, not like he’d go out of his way, but Evie’s uncle is a kind man and a good doctor, and he’s also the reason I was moved to Ward C.

Des and Korvin were leery when our omega told us about her secret appointment but once I vouched for the doctor, they were relieved.

That made me feel good.

It made me feel smart to be able to speak up like that and have them listen to me. I didn’t feel dumb, they don’t ever make me feel that way, and it gave my confidence a little boost. So, when I came up with my plan on our way back, I didn’t bother sharing it with them.

Korvin, Des, and Isaak want Maggie to be safe and protected just as much as I do, and when they find out what I did to make that happen, I think they’ll be happy and proud of me.

At least I hope so.

I take a step into the hall, still moving quietly to avoid drawing any attention to myself.

That would be bad.

Really bad since my clothes are singed and covered in ash, and I smell like smoke.

I like it but I don’t think anyone else would.

Especially since one of the things I’m working on in therapy is tryingnotto associate positive feelings with destructive behavior.

I’d say escaping from a mental hospital and burning down an entire complex of off campus housing in broad daylight ispretty destructive. And, unfortunately for my amazing doctors and their treatment plan, it brought me a shit ton of joy doing it.

Partially because it’s been almost nine months since my last pyro episode but mainly because it means Maggie is going to have to come live here now.

Most likely, anyway.

I don’t actually know that for sure but I know she doesn’t have anywhere else to go and since there are at least two empty apartments on the staff side of Ward C, it makes sense for her to come here.

Tiptoeing into the living room, I pause again, listening for any activity in the other halls, relieved to hear absolutely nothing.