When the crowd dispersed and Ollie was dragged away from where he stood, the others who were still lucid decided to convene back in the dungeon-linked space.
Because this was an emergency.
Only then did the blonde, who had been frozen for a good minute, finally thaw. Ollie practically collapsed onto his butt, hands flying up to cover his face, which now looked as if it were about to combust.
He couldn't believe what had just happened. Couldn't believe what he had just said.
"He's mine."
The words echoed in his head like a fever dream.
"No, no, no, no," Ollie muttered, squeezing his face harder. "I said that. I really said that. Out loud. In public. In front of everyone."
Then softer, barely above a whisper, "He's mine…"
He tested it. Rolled it around in his brain. Again. And again.
It didn't feel weird.
It didn't feel wrong.
It felt…right.
And that was the problem.
