Page 36 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

“Please,” he whispers.

I shake my head, trying to dislodge the memories. My skin burns as the belt comes down on my back, wrapping around my shoulders. I scream.

“Aaron, get back!” an alpha commands.

Memories slam into me, so many I can’t stop them.

I back up, uncaring of where I’m going. With a shriek, I crash into someone and turn, clawing them as I cling to them. I can’t see anything but that night. The sirens, the blood, the bodies. He’s falling.

I scream and scream.

“Okay, Merle, easy now. We’re going to stop the nightmares. No more pain.”

A needle slides into my arm. I have a moment of terror, then relief, as I realise it’s all going away. I look up and find my arms wrapped around the omega.

My only safety.

His expression changes before he swings me up into his arms, right as the world goes dark, I hear him say, “I’ve got you.”

I wake up and find Blaze leaning over me. He fluffs my pillows and then tucks a blanket over me. I stare at him while he works until he finally looks at me, and I drop my gaze, unable to hold his.

“Pix brought you straight back to your room. Rolly has been sitting with you, holding a bottle of water all night. I sent him to bed a few minutes ago.”

I stare at him.

“It’s the middle of the night. You’ve slept almost thirty-five hours.”

I stare at him, sure I misheard him.

“You needed to sleep. Get some rest.”

I struggle up, and he helps me when I get stuck. I feel weak as a kitten.

“The drugs are almost gone, then you will have all your energy back. I’ve got a snack for you. It’s some of Sage’s midnight mash. He wanted you to have some for when you woke up.”

I suddenly remember how I ended up here and Roseland. Guilt tightens my chest, and I let out a whine.

Blaze’s head snaps in my direction. He watches me with an eerie intensity.

I go to the toilet, then get up and walk out of the room, ignoring Blaze.

It doesn’t take me long to find Roseland’s room. His scent pours out from under the door. I push it open. He’s sitting in the dark, just staring at the wall.

I touch the wall until I find the light switch and walk towards him. He blinks at me, but his reactions are slow, like he doesn’t believe I’m really here.

I can’t believe I’m really here.

My breath is locked in my lungs, but I take his hand and pull. My heart is thundering, and my vision is dotting in and out, but I hold the memories back until Roseland is on his feet staring down at me. I yank at his shirt, lifting it until I see the massive scar on his left side, near his hip. I reach out and touch it, ignoring the way he flinches.

It was real.

It happened.

He was dead. I saw him die. There was so much blood.

He survived, and I ran away. I left him, and I ran away. I hold the material tighter, shaking violently. My head gets weird and fuzzy. I feel like a kettle that’s boiled. Like I’m on the edge, and I’m teetering over. The shakes get worse, and my teeth chatter.

I drop his shirt and step back, but he grabs my wrists and yanks me back up against his chest.