Spiral of Need

Anger and sadness rose up in Ally. “No one from your pack doubted the Seer?”

“If they did, they kept that to themselves.”

“Your parents accepted the Seer’s tale, just like that?”

“I think they didn’t want to believe it, but then Wayne said I’d confessed the crime to him. The girl had either convinced herself it was me or she was coached by the cops, because she said in court that she remembered my voice telling her to ‘shut up and take it.’” Derren had almost fucking lost it that day. Being accused of something so distasteful had made him feel sick and enraged.

“So, not only were you wrongly prosecuted, but the girl didn’t really get justice at all, did she?” Ally inhaled a calming breath, knowing Derren didn’t need her anger right now. “And Wayne got to walk free and rape more people.”

“I heard he killed himself a couple of months after I was sent to juvie.” It hadn’t particularly surprised Derren. Wayne had never been mentally strong.

“And that didn’t make people wonder if just maybe you were telling the truth?”

“If it did, nobody came to see me in juvie to say any such thing.”

“Assholes,” Ally bit out. Because she’d come to know Derren in ways she hadn’t anticipated, she knew something else. “You killed the Seer, didn’t you?” For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then he nodded, his eyes searching hers for condemnation. She sighed. “Good.”

Derren stared at her curiously. “You don’t have any doubts about my innocence at all, do you?”

Realization hit her. “You didn’t tell me before now because you worried I might suspect you raped her.”

Sensing she was offended, Derren said, “Let me ask you something: if someone were to ask you what happened with Rachelle, would you quite easily tell them?”

No, she’d think they would disbelieve her just like almost everyone else had. “Point taken.” Ally idly petted his chest. “I know this is going to sound shitty, but I’m surprised you’re even considering going to the funeral after what they did.”

“Part of me thinks ‘fuck them.’ But another part of me wants to pay my respects to the parents they were before the pack Seer fucked everything up.”

He was a better person than she was. “Does Nick think you should go?”

“He doesn’t know about it yet. I haven’t told anyone but you.”

That touched her. He’d needed something to fight the numbness, and he’d gone to her. Not his Alpha and best, most trusted friend, but her.

“He might insist I don’t leave our territory. It’s a dangerous time for our pack right now.”

“He knows you well enough to know you’ll do whatever it is you want to do. And if you’re going, I’m coming with you. I told you, I don’t want you being alone.”

Derren swallowed, more affected by her support than he would have expected. “Nick will probably send some of the enforcers with me.”

“That’s not the same as having support. It’s possible to be surrounded by people and still feel alone.”

She was right. And the truth was that Derren wanted her with him. She had a way of calming him, of restoring his balance. Like then. She’d melted that icy numbness, helped him face the situation and think it through. Moreover, she’d believed in him. She hadn’t doubted his innocence for even a second. She hadn’t pulled away or looked at him any differently. “I need you again.” He was coming to suspect he always would.

It was dark. Too dark.

Worse, she was cold and trapped. “We have to get out.” She shoved the wall of rocks as hard as she could, but they just wouldn’t move. Fear and panic whirled through her, making her shiver and claw at the rocks.

“It’s okay, Ally, we’re going to be okay.”

Not if she didn’t tell everyone what she’d seen. She clawed harder at the rocks, and Cain’s hand suddenly yanked her away.

“Ally, stop, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

“We have to get out! We have to warn them or they’ll die!”

“What do you mean, they’ll die?”

“Ally,” another voice interrupted. “Ally, wake up, baby.”

She shrugged free of his hand and again went at the rocks. Her claws snapped and her fingers bled as she tried to find a way out. The scent of blood filled the air.

“No, Ally, we can’t get out that way.”

“We have to!” Because the intruders were coming. They would kill them all.

“Ally, it’s just a nightmare, baby. Open your eyes.”

She froze as several loud, challenging howls split the air. “They’re here.”

“Ally, wake the fuck up!” That demanding, authoritative voice was too powerful to ignore.

Ally burst out of the dream, and found herself looking into familiar pools of dark velvet. Another damn nightmare, on schedule. It was like they waited for her.

Derren cupped her neck. “It’s okay, baby.” Her mouth crashed on his just as her arms locked around his neck, as if he could anchor her where she was. Like a cat, she rubbed her body against his, bringing his cock to life.

He didn’t usually sense when she was having a nightmare, but he’d been wide-awake—his mind latched on the news he’d received from his sister. Ally had done no more than squirm and scowl, but he’d instantly understood she was trapped in the dark again.