“See?” Delilah squeezes my shoulder. “He doesn’t regret it. If he did, he wouldn’t have raced all the way over here to find you.”
I eyeball my friends. “Do I really have to go?”
“As much as I hate having to hand you over to a hockey player we barely know,” Kady grimaces, “you don’t have a choice, Sabs. Adler can’t stay in Omega Village, and he was rightwhen he said you need to find a way to make this work. For both your sakes.”
She doesn’t say the alternative or remind me what happens when bonding sickness progresses. The longer newly bonded mates are parted, the more severe the side effects get. Scientists say the bond adjustment phase is a process that binds DNA together, creating a joint entity that feeds on the other. While this fusion is happening, if one half of the pairing vanishes, the body starts attacking itself. Omegas usually fare even worse than alphas. If they’re never reunited, many can spiral into the pits of insanity. Even with medication and special hospitals dedicated to providing support, it’s a cruel and torturous fate. Those who are able to “recover” enough to function usually end up so miserable that it begs the question as to whether they really have much of a life at all.
“If we don’t go soon, he’s going to break down the door.” Faye’s brown eyes widen. While she’s reduced her wariness of alphas since bonding with the Silverwood Pack, she’s still cautious around alphas she doesn’t know. Her parents dying at the hands of a rogue pack has left behind trauma that will take her a long time to heal from. “How did he get past Margie?”
Seeing her fear gives me the courage I need. I take a deep, grounding breath, imagining I’m about to head into a volleyball set.
“He’s not alone either,” Kady says from her vantage point. “I don’t recognize the guy who is with him. He looks older.”
“Maybe it’s one of his packmates,” I speculate under my breath.
“His pack?” Kady gasps sharply. “How many of them are there? You didn’t mention anyone else.”
“Two, I think?” I shrug. “Honestly, I can’t remember. All the details are a little fuzzy.”
“You’ll find out more about them all soon.” Faye winces as the thumping on the door continues.
“Are you ready, Sabs?” Delilah asks, rising to her feet.
How can I be? Just yesterday, my biggest worry was acing my assignment on steel structural integrity and winning my next volleyball game. Since then, my whole life has changed on a dime.
“No,” I confess as I feign a smile. “But I guess I’ve got to show this hockey player what a Stella is made of.”
“You’ve got this.” Delilah encourages as I extract myself from the blanket heap. “We’re right here with you.”
“If you want one of us to stay with you, we can make sure someone is with you around the clock,” Kady offers. “I can readjust our schedules, plan out a whole rotation. You don’t have to be alone with him or his pack, if you’re not comfortable.”
This is Kady all over. A fixer and planner.
“Thank you. But…” I suck in a deep inhale. “I think this is probably something I’m going to have to face alone.”
“That doesn’t mean we won’t be here for you every step of the way.” Delilah helps me out of the bed. The air feels bitterly cold after leaving my comforting pillow fort. I want to retreat to its coziness again, but there’s no going back now.
As we trudge up the stairs, I have to stop every few steps, swaying a little. My balance is completely off.
“It’s okay.” Faye takes my arm. “As soon as you’re close to Adler again, you’ll feel better.”
I can feel him. As we climb higher, my skin practically buzzes with anticipation at knowing he’s close. I sense his panic and urgency, his need to be close to me. With each step, it’s like I’m passing through a storm, the rain finally clearing as we reach the hallway.
Kady is first to the door, throwing it open. “You must be Adler,” she greets him. “I’m glad you’re here.”
When I catch sight of him over her shoulder, he doesn’t look like the same carefree guy from the beach. Heavy circles ring his eyes, and his golden, sun-kissed skin looks almost gray. I struggle to breathe through the guilt clamping around my lungs, knowing it’s my fault.
“Sabs!” His blue eyes light up. “You’re here.”
For once in my life, I’m at a loss for words. Although my body feels compelled to go to him, to lose myself in his muscular embrace, my feet stay frozen to the mat.
“It’s good you came when you did,” Kady says. “She’s not in a good way.”
“We came as quickly as we could,” the older guy, whom I only just now take in at Adler’s side, replies. His tone is brisk, business-like. “They need to be together.”
I’d guess he’s in his late twenties, even though his dark, wavy hair has sprinkles of silver dotted throughout, giving him a hot Italian vibe and making him look older. He’s sharply dressed in a button-down and slacks, directly contrasting Adler’s loose tee and sweatpants. However, the way his defined muscles cling to his silky shirt and the way a faded scar creeps up from under his collar gives him a rugged edge. He also smells… fucking incredible. An intoxicating mix of spiced rum, a hint of cinnamon, and something clean, like shaving cream.
“Who are you?” Kady plants her hands on her hips, looking the alpha up and down. “You don’t look like a student, and Margie doesn’t let just any alpha through the gates.”
