My jaw drops, but he just smiles ruefully at me. “Getting you a passport without it flagging with Silas was hard, but I did it. I was going to try to talk you into going to Singapore with me. They have really strong anti-Resistance measures there, lots of security and surveillance. While I didn’t love the idea of being monitored all of the time, I’m all about keeping you out of those fucking camps.”
Tears start up in my eyes again, but this time it’s because my heart is pounding in my chest like he’s just declared his undying love to me. Well, I guess he sort of has. Running away together? To a whole other country just to keep us both safe which, in turn, would have kept the other Bonds safe as well?
As much as I need them all, I sort of wish it had gone that way.
“Except then Shore and his TacTeam found you. I have no fucking clue how they managed it when Silas couldn’t, but they did. All of my planning went down the drain. I had to pivot to being here with you and hoping you’d want to run away with me. The GPS chip was in the way, and the sheer amount of security North has on you makes it really fucking hard, but I could’ve made it work… but then you started scenting and nesting. You Bonded with Shore thanks to that Davenport bitch. I knew we couldn’t run without taking everyone. That would have been impossible, so now I’m working on giving the Dravens as much information as I can to keep you safe. Dad and Silas haven’t figured out that I’m the one giving it to you all yet so, for now, it’s useful.”
I give him a look because this is all part of the story that has never made sense to me.
How did they not know that I was his Bond? They had all of the pieces and information and yet—they just didn’t know? It’s the one part that makes the story seem… like a story and not the complete truth.
Atlas nods slowly without me saying a word and answers the unasked question without hesitating, “My mom. That’s how. She knew that Silas and my dad would both sacrifice me for their goals without second thought. My mom might be a part of the Resistance, but she’s my mom first. She hates you, hates the Dravens, hates every part of this situation, but she loves me more than she hates. So, the day you escaped, the reason Silas finally left the camp? My mom. The reason you stayed a step ahead of them all the way? My mom. Every time something went your way that shouldn’t have, my mom was behind it. She manipulated security footage, organized holes for you to slip through, and used her own gift to take out lower Resistance members to keep an eye on you. Then, once you were captured by the Dravens, she had the coordinates for the GPS chip sent to her as well so that she could keep an eye on you easier. Before you ask, I didn’t know about it until Sawyer mentioned it. I knew it had to be her, and I called her to ream her about it. She just won’t give up.”
I blow out a breath and nod to him, looking away as I process that.
Well, it does neatly fix all of the holes in my story. Too neatly? Only time will tell, but when I think about it, I really did have too many close calls and lucky moments in my time on the run from them all. Holy shit. A reluctant and hateful guardian angel. Just my freaking luck.
I hum under my breath as I think, and he stands up from the bed, stretching out his back and stalking over to the closet, bringing back bottles of water for us both. I shoot him a look as I take the cold bottle and he grins. “I decided that if I’m going to be stuck in here, then I’m going to make the place more comfortable. I got a mini bar and some other shit so that I could stop calling the kitchens and dealing with the chef’s attitude.”
I drink some of the water and then put the bottle on the bedside table before I finally bridge the gap between us. I’m sure there’s more to talk about. I’m sure more shit will come up between us in the future, but for now, I’m satisfied. For now, I just want my goddamned Bond.
I lean forward to press my face back into his chest, and I can feel the instant relief in his as he pulls me into his arms. The buzzing feeling under my skin settles a little. It’s strange the different ways that my bond protests being separated from each of them. Gryphon and North are different now that we’ve Bonded, but my need for Nox is a slow itch, Gabe is an ache in my chest, and Atlas is this energy that won’t leave me, egging me on to find him and wrap myself around him.
He takes my hands as though he can read my mind as well and rubs his thumbs over my pulse points where my blood is thrumming with excess energy. “You Bonded with North.”
Just like Gabe, he’s not saying it as an accusation. He’s just putting it out there into the air, and I nod. “I did. It was my choice this time and… I don’t regret it.”