"Jess, you are in danger everywhere you go, we can't leave you alo..." Tanner starts, reaching for him again.
Jess turns, calmly this time, though his eyes are still red and tears still streaming silently down his cheeks.
"Let go of me," he says, voice barely above a whisper. "Get your hands off me," he repeats, even lower now.
Tanner lets go reluctantly.
"Even you are a danger to me in every possible way," Jess says, his voice cracking as it rises. "So don't stand here and pretend like you're trying to help me!" His words spill out, thick with rage, desperation, and helplessness. "Why are you suddenly here pretending to be nice?! Didn't you sever your ties with me? Or are you after me just like every Alpha is—for reasons I don't even understand?! Or maybe you finally realized I was actually carrying your child?! Well, good news for you, I'm not carrying it anymore. And it's all your fault!"
Tanner flinches.
