His whole face shifts with it, his honey-brown eyes crinkling at the corners. It's so different from the quiet, guarded person who gave me a house tour this morning.
Cliff laughs and rounds the island, one hand finding Adam's and the other landing on the back of Perrin's neck. "Come on, boys," he says, walking them both toward the living room. "I need some time with my betas."
Perrin says something that makes Cliff laugh again, as Adam’s fingers lace through the alpha’s.
They all look so…sweet.
I lift the plates a little higher, then move quickly, cutting around the kitchen island. I'm setting the dishes in the sink when Raff appears at my elbow. He slides his watch off and sets it on the counter, then reaches past me to turn on the hot water.
And just like that we're doing dishes together.
I pick up the first plate. "You don't have to help," I say.
"I know." He takes the plate from me and rinses it off before putting it into the dishwasher. "But I have something I want to tell you." He glances back toward the living room.
From here, I can see Cliff settle onto the big sectional. Adam collapses into one side of the alpha, his legs tucking up and his head finding the space between Cliff's shoulder and jaw like it was made for him. Perrin drops onto Cliff's other side, already reaching for the remote, saying something that makes Cliff's chest shake with a quiet laugh.
It’s been so long since I had a family, I forgot what one looked like.
“What do you want to tell me?” I ask as I force myself toturn back to the sink. Raff looks down at me, and I go still for a second.
His eyes are very intense.
“Thank you,” he finally says in a whisper.
“For what?” I ask, matching his hushed tone.
"For what you said at dinner. To Adam."
“Oh.” I look up at the alpha, suddenly realizing how tall he is. "Well, I meant it."
"I know you did." He takes the next plate from the stack. "That's why I'm thanking you." He pauses to smile at me, and it’s shockingly charming. "This is all a little hard on him, but it’s only because he’s not good with change.”
"Who is?" I snort. "I've been buying the same shitty body wash for ten years out of sheer habit." I hand him the plate. "Trust me. I get it."
"Don't worry." Raff pauses for a moment, like he wants to make sure I hear him. "Adam will get there."
"I hope so," I say as I turn back to the running water, and something shifts as I reach for a glass.
All the warm, fuzzy feelings in my chest quietly die at once.
And I just—stand there.
Water runs over my hands, warm and steady, but I can't really feel it anymore. It's like the signal between my body and my brain has gone dim.
Plates clink somewhere next to me and the TV hums. Someone laughs in the distance.
I know I'm standing in a kitchen, but it suddenly feels like I'm watching it all from somewhere slightly outside of myself.
I'm so tired.
The sheer weight of the last few days hits me all at once, and I don't know where to put it. There's too much to feel, andit has nowhere to go in this warm kitchen. The normal sounds. The people on the couch who are already starting to feel familiar. Somehow all of it is making it worse instead of better.
"So how about you?" Raff says as he starts rinsing off the silverware. "The last few days have to be weighing pretty heavy on you too."
"What?" I look up at him, not sure how to answer that.
He smiles down at me like he finds my reaction endearing. "How are you, Elle?"
