Page 57 of The Forgotten

Everyone else climbs in, and Gareth raises his brow at Balthy.

“No begging for food,” he says. “We need to feed our omega.”

Balthy huffs out an agreement, and Aled hands a bone to Gareth.

“It looks like you left this in the car at some point,” he says. “The dog deserves it.”

“Yeah, he does,” Gareth says, giving the bone to Balthy. “Don’t drool on Olivia, please.”

Politely moving so that his head is on the floor, he begins to gnaw on his bone.

“Now that some of the crazy is behind us,” Gareth drawls. “How are you?”

“Physically?” I ask, my heart still racing. “Fine. Emotionally, kind of all over, honestly. What are you going to do with Dylan?”

“Torture him for his sins,” Gareth shrugs. “You don’t need to watch, Angel. I can’t just put a bullet in him and leave it. Cai heard Dylan confess to killing my mother.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

“I don’t remember anything about her because he took her from me,” he says. “I need him to leave this world screaming.”

“Then that’s what you’ll do,” I say, laying my head on his chest.

Gareth hugs me tightly, and I hear him sigh heavily.

“Are you sure this won’t change how you think of us?” Maddox asks. “I mean, other than despising us, will you have an issue with what Gareth is about to do?”

“I don’t hate you,” I grumble. “I do think you’re man-children who need to use your words though.”

“I love you too,” Maddox says as he drives. At my audible gasp, I can hear him grunt. “It doesn’t matter how long I’ve known you for, it’s the truth. I’ve never met anyone who can rally and fight the way that you can and still be as sweet as you are. You’re fucking beautiful, but it’s as if you have no idea. Up till very recently, I worried about status and saw beauty in terms of how someone dressed. You break the mold, Livy.”

“What my stunted brother is attempting to say,” Cai says, “is that you don’t have to try hard to be gorgeous. You simply are. The hoody you’re wearing right now makes me feel twelve feet tall because it’s mine.”

Aled chuckles as he glances over his shoulder at Gareth and me.

“I think we’re all emotionally stunted,” he admits. “We have a lot of mommy issues.”

“That’s an overshare,” Gareth mutters.

“I think life has a way of fucking us up,” I say. “I haven’t been the best person or mother.”

At the breath they all take to say differently, I shake my head. “No, it’s true. I know it. My daughter and I were homeless for a large part of her life. We stayed in hostels, she started working when she was way too young, and we were always moving. It was a terrible experience for an omega. Not to mention, I was plagued with voices, anxiety, and depression from my abusers.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Cai says softly, crawling from the front seat to gaze down at me. “How does our bond feel?”

“Different from theirs,” I say immediately. “It feels warm and right. I don’t even know when it happened.”

“You bit my dick like the little savage omega that you are,” he chuckles. “I thought you’d be upset with me.”

“I’m the one who bit you!” I squeal, rolling my eyes as I laugh. “I promise I’m not completely irrational when I’m not in heat or in fight or flight mode. I think I’m still really hurt.”

“I know,” he sighs. “I think you can expect foot rubs, a new nest, breakfast in bed, and whatever else I can think of.”

“You’re a suck up,” Aled accuses, winking at me.

“We’re at the drive-thru, what does everyone want?” Maddox calls out.

Glancing out the back window, I see where we are and moan.