She sighs, folding her hands protectively over her belly. “My due date is three months away, and this whole process ofbecoming a mom brings up so many painful memories. I just wish things were different.”
I need to be careful with my words. I never thought I’d find myself in a situation this delicate.
“Maybe it’s time for the two of you to sit down and share what you’ve both been carrying for so long. You might find something you’ve been searching for.”
She swallows hard, holding back more tears.
“Yeah, I’d like that. Could you…could you ask if he’s willing to meet after dinner? Here? I just want to get it over with before I lose my nerve.”
“Of course. Right here works. It’s quiet and peaceful. Besides, by then everyone will probably be too drunk to notice we’re gone. I’ve never seen a group of people empty a bottle of whiskey—”
“Scotch,” she interrupts, correcting me. “Whisky without the e.”
I laugh. “Alright. A bottle of Scotch that fast.”
She laughs too, the tension fading.
“So, Tom. Has he really changed? Joan says he has.”
“That’s for you to decide, but I think he’s come a long way.”
A glimmer of hope appears in her blue eyes.
“And to answer your earlier question, yes. I do love Tom, and I’ll look after him the best I can. I hope that’s okay to hear.”
She rolls her eyes. “You must love him a hell of a lot to follow him to Heatherfell. You’ve got my respect for not running for the gates already.”
“I have to admit, I almost did. But I would’ve taken Tom with me, because I’m protecting the peace he’s trying to build.”
Her hand lands on my wrist. “I’ll try to keep Dad off your back, though he’s not going to make it easy on you this weekend. But listen, Yosh. Even if it doesn’t feel right, try to look at this place from a different perspective. I know our lifestyle seemsquestionable. It might not be what you’d choose, and maybe not what it looks like at first glance, but if you’re really with Tom for the long haul, don’t fight it and don’t run. Ever.”
My eyes narrow. “Because the ones who run get chased down, and the ones who fight get torn apart?”
“And the ones who strengthen the pack become part of it. I like you—I really do. I see potential for all of us. The pack will test you, and I’m sorry for that. Maybe one day you’ll understand why.”
In Effy’s eyes, I see the same rebellion and stubborn hope that keeps Tom standing on his hardest days. They look so much alike, maybe more than they realize. And because of that, I can’t help but love her already. It scares me how instinctively that feeling roots itself in my chest.
We finish our tea, and Effy tells me she’s heading to the South House to meet Luca and Alex before dinner. That leaves me alone in the West House. I decide to freshen up before going back to the North House, the den.
The shower feels heavenly. The warm blow of the hairdryer even better. I pull my hair into a sleek bun, my mind circling back to the way our conversation ended.
Strengthen the pack. The pack will test you.
Her words echo through me, driving me half mad.
I don’t know what they mean, and maybe I never will.
The truth, however, is simple. I came here for the man I love. And now, without even meaning to, I’ve come to love Effy too.
Fucking Jay. I hate him to the bone. He stole Effy, twisted everything that happened, and left Tom carrying the guilt for years. From everything I’ve seen, I know that’s the truth.
I’m going to put an end to it.
Hopefully after tonight, Tom and Effy can start finding their way back to each other. And whatever tests the pack throws atme, I’ll find a way through. Tom and his daughter deserve to be free.
Chaos greets me when I step back into the North House. The youngsters, most of them in their early twenties, have taken over the living area with what looks like a drunken game of truth or dare.
Loudly drunk, except for Effy, who’s seated between Finn and Joan. They’re yelling at each other for cheating.
