Page 46 of Thorns That Bloom (Venusverse #3)

“I…I’ll get all that information to you.

” I want to shout back, telling her that after the state Sam was in, after I barely managed to get him to sleep while holding his hand and humming a song, the last fucking thing I wanted was to wake him up and ask him for all those cold details and some stupid court documents.

“When?”

“I c-can’t make the choice for him, but I’ll give him your details today. He will tell you everything else if he feels comfortable.”

“Why isn’t he here with you right now?” Gail asks, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

This time, I don’t quite manage to hold back a bitter scoff.

The quiet implication that he isn’t here because I wouldn’t let him or didn’t want to or…

any other fucking reason that makes me the monster, is ridiculous, and she knows it.

“Are you even listening to me?” I raise my voice, teetering at the edge of my patience.

The image of those brown eyes filled with tears and his face twisted in terror is too much. I never want to see it again. I never want him to feel that way.

“He isn’t here because last night, one of his rapists turned up at his work, demanding that he’s the father of the child growing inside of him, and proclaiming he has any fucking right to anything.

That’s why he isn’t here. Because he’s terrified and needs help, and I needed to know you’d be willing to help him before making him go through this! ”

I try to settle down with a few shaky breaths, averting my gaze from them. I expect to get thrown out for shouting or something, but when I look back, Magnolia and Gail share some knowing look. Then, Gail shifts in her seat and sighs.

“You said he was wealthy? What exactly are we talking about here?”

“They all are, from what I understand. Good social standing and all that. Like I said, he…he’ll tell you everything, but from what I gathered, he agreed to some sort of settlement.

They transferred him to the company I work at.

I don’t think he had much help. He wouldn’t have been able to afford a good attorney.

Hence why none of them got a proper punishment. ”

I feel irrational anger at myself for not being there for him.

It’s so stupid—I didn’t even know Sam existed back then—but it still burns through me.

I should’ve been there to take care of him, to help him through it.

Instead, he had to go through all that pain alone.

Had to experience it in the first place.

Magnolia purses her full lips. “These types always get what they want,” she mutters to herself and, for once, I’m grateful for her obvious hatred of alphas, because it means she will go after them hard.

“He was…in heat, when it happened. Two of them were in rut. I think all the pheromones triggered some sort of reaction, and the rest either went into a rut too, or claimed to. I don’t know.”

The woman snarls. “Of course…”

“You can still work with that? Or is that why—”

“We can. We will. We always find a way. Their good standing and high status are beneficial to us, in a way. Even if we get stuck in court, there are other ways to get what we want. Social pressure. Don’t you worry; we can be quite resourceful when it comes to delivering justice.

One way or another,” Magnolia says, flashing me a devilish smirk.

Relief washes over me.

“So you’ll do it?”

“Of course.” She shifts on her feet and takes a small card out of her pocket before straightening out her blazer.

“Here. Gail’s number is on there. Have him call us as soon as possible to set up a meeting.

As-soon-as-possible,” she repeats, holding my gaze until I nod.

“If this bastard’s found him and is making demands, we should get on it.

Might be able to get a restraining order fairly easily if I push for some favors.

But tell him we will need all the files and information from any previous legal cases. Everything, pretty much.”

The way she talks, full of confidence and sharp focus, has me feeling good about coming here. She’ll beat that monster worse than I ever could. Legally.

I study the card in my hand. It has her name and credentials, with Gail’s underneath.

“Thank you. Really.”

Magnolia nods, already on her way out of the door. Clearly, she’s a busy woman. Gail starts squirming in her chair, itching to get out as well.

“We’re going to get him justice,” she says, and for the first time since I walked in, she looks at me.

Really just looks at me like she’s seeing her brother and not just an alpha.

And when she lowers her eyes, I sense a vulnerability that I never thought I would again.

Opening her mouth slowly, still staring at the floor in front of me, she whispers, “Are they…” Without hesitation, I know exactly what she’s trying to ask.

I can’t help but smile, my heart galloping with joy, even if it’s still overshadowed by the awkward hostility in the air. “Yeah, they’re doing okay. We’re all…fine.”

They’d love to see you. They miss you. We all miss you. I’m sorry. I want to say all that, but I know I can’t. It would be too much. And, like I expected, as soon as Gail acknowledges my answer with a nod, the stony mask is back on her face.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have to go. We have other people who need help. More than you could imagine.”

I narrow my brows and press my lips together at the subtle hint.

I don’t like remembering the last big fight we had.

The one where I told her that not every alpha is a monster, and every omega a victim.

Back then, it hurt me. I felt attacked and…

well, betrayed, as stupid as that is to the current me.

I wish I could take it back, but clearly, the damage is done.

Slowly, I stand, and even over the pain I feel, I flash her a grateful smile. All that matters is Sam. I tighten my grip on the card and leave.

On my way out, I make sure not to meet anyone’s eyes. I want to be invisible. Everything falls on me when the cool air outside hits me. The sounds and smells of the city swirl around me while my thoughts spiral deeper and deeper into a dark pit.

What would Gail have said if I told her I believe Sam is my fated mate? I chuckle to myself, knowing damn well what she would think of me.

That I’m just another possessive, obsessive alpha who wants to control and own.

And what if that’s all it is, really? Because the emotion I experienced when that man reached his hand out toward Sam last night, claiming the child in his belly was his…what was it if not possessiveness? What is this urge to protect him if not the nice, acceptable side of that very same coin?

It terrifies me.

I never thought myself capable of such a reaction, but here I am. So what if that feeling grows? What if it grows until it scares Sam? Hurts him?

And what if Sam finally slowly letting me in is nothing but the result of another innate characteristic of me as an alpha that I can’t deny? The need to conquer and to push for what I feel should be mine? Is this nothing more than him finally breaking after me pushing and pushing and pushing?

Those touches and kisses…were they really what Sam wanted?

I stop in the middle of the street. People bump into me.

Their curses fade away as I stare at the card in my hand, both my heart and stomach a mess.

If Gail truly understood the feverish, conditionless, unbreakable pull I’ve felt toward Sam since the moment I laid my eyes on him, she would think I am exactly the image of a toxic alpha she’s painted me to be.

Because there’s no helping my nature. No fighting my instincts. Not when it comes to him. It’s maddeningly glorious and awfully terrifying. Permanent. Unchangeable. He’s mine.

But what if I’m the only one to ever experience these feelings? What if I’m never his back?

What does that make me?