I clung to the Alpha and sobbed, strangled, broken sounds. Adam rubbed my back and gently rocked us back and forth, whispering, “It’s okay.”
But he was wrong. Nothing was okay. Nothing would ever be okay again.
13
FLETCHER
I heardthe wail of sound from down the hall. It sounded like a dying animal. Adam and I looked at each other for half a second, then bolted for the bedroom door.
Adam was faster. He got to Sky first, but when I reached the kitchen, I found Sky sobbing brokenly in my mate’s arms, like he’d just lost everything.
I had no idea what could’ve happened. Sky had been moody since therapy on Tuesday. He’d said they’d touched on some painful things, and that he didn’t want to talk about it, but it was obvious he’d been in his head about it. Not engaging in conversation with us, staying cooped up in his bedroom.
Was this because of whatever had happened in therapy?
I knelt down beside them, trying to comfort Sky with soft words, but the Omega kept crying and shaking his head, his lips pursed and wibbling together.
That’s when I noticed Sky’s phone on the floor, a few feet away. Frowning, I stood and walked over to it. When I picked it up, there was a large crack across the screen that hadn’t been there before, but weirder still was that the screen was still on.
It was a text message to his brother—and River had replied. Except when I read the brief exchange, everything fell into place.
My heart broke a little more for the poor little Omega.
Slipping the phone into the pocket of my PJs, I went to the cupboard to make Sky a cup of cocoa. He hated tea, but he needed something to soothe his nerves.
I found the freshly brewed mug of coffee and set it aside. He definitely didn’t need caffeine right now. Adam could drink that later.
Once I’d mixed the hot cocoa powder into the boiling hot water, I carried the mug into the living room and set it down on a coaster. Sky’s cries had softened to whimpers, so Adam carried him in here as well, and the three of us sat on the couch together.
Sky’s whimpers petered out after a little while. He sniffled and blinked tears from his lashes, but stared at a spot on the wall behind me. Dazed. Distant. Lost.
He looked so damned lost…
“Sky?” I murmured, carding my fingers through his hair. “You’re breaking my heart, sweetie.”
Sky closed his eyes, fresh tears slipping free. “It was all a lie,” he whispered, barely a sound. “He never loved me… Never w-wanted me.” He hiccuped on a sob. “I’m so fucking stupid!”
“Sky, baby, shh.” I leaned closer and framed his face with my hands. I pressed my forehead to his. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault, sweetheart. It’s no one’s fault but that monster who did terrible things to you both. You were just children, Sky. It wasn’t your choice, and it wasn’t River’s choice. I’m so sorry, baby.”
He burst into soft sobs once more, his voice cracking. “It’s not fair! Why couldn’t Mom just love us how we were? Why were we born broken? I don’t understand! Why us? Why me?”
“Shh…” I smoothed his sweaty hair back away from his face. “Listen to me, Sky. You’re not broken. You’re a survivor and you’re so very strong for making it this far. Now, I’m gonna godraw you a hot bath so you can wind down and relax a little, okay? Adam’s got you. I’ll be right back.”
I kissed his forehead, planted a kiss on Adam’s cheek, and retreated to the bathroom. I lit a couple of candles and used some bath salts from last year’s holiday gifts to create a calming, lavender-scented bath, then called for them.
Adam carried him in and set him down. Sky was unsteady on his feet, but caught himself on the doorframe, wiping his face with the back of his sleeve. I glanced at Adam, who nodded and strode off down the hall. Then I looked at Sky.
“Do you need any help?” I asked.
Sky’s already-flushed cheeks turned a little redder. “N-No…” Shaking his head, he fumbled with undressing, but I helped him get into the tub anyway, worried he might fall and hurt himself.
As he settled in, I straightened. “All good? Just lay back and relax. I’ll go fetch your cocoa?—”
Before I could leave, Sky’s hand snapped out and grabbed my arm, his expression suddenly frantic. “N-No! Don’t leave!” he pleaded. “I… I don’t wanna be alone right now.” He dropped his gaze and released his grip. “Sorry. I’m a mess.”
“It’s okay, Sky,” I assured him as gently as possible. “I can stay here with you. Let me go grab your drink and a cushion, so I’m not sitting on the hard tile. Give me two seconds.”
I nearly ran into Adam lurking in the hallway. Obviously, he was as concerned as I was about the situation. I took him by the hand and guided him into the living room.
