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TWENTY-FOUR
The next month was a blur.We spent most of our spare time with Rocco and the rest of the pack, doing extra-long dinners in which everyone tried hard to make things as normal as possible. Rocco was much quieter than his usual jokester self, and every time Ford and I tried to get him alone to tell him about the scent in the hallway thing, he made up an excuse and left before we could.
I didn’t blame him, of course; everyone dealt with trauma and loss differently. Eventually, he’d listen, and if he wanted to do something about it, he would.
Ford and I continued to attend my classes, though he was a little quieter too. Honestly, I think all of us were. What had happened to Rocco’s brother scared us, and it made life feel more fragile.
Me and Ford were both less horny, too. We fooled around a little, once or twice a week, but we were both trying to deal with what we’d seen.
And honestly, the longer we went without my wolf making a decision, the more scared I got that she wouldn’t choose Ford.
And if she didn’t choose Ford… well, I was pretty sure it would break me.
Things got easier during the second month after Oscar’s death. Rocco remained distant and quiet, but Ford and I started to talk more openly, and started going on dates once or twice a week again. He told me about his books every night, and even showed me a bunch of secret book covers he had stored on his computer for his next few releases.
My semester ended in the middle of the third month after Oscar’s death, and before heading back to Moon Ridge, I needed to swing by my old dorm room to pick up the few things I’d left there and leave my old dorm keys with Del.
Teagan and I had planned a pack barbecue to celebrate the end of the semester, since the snow had melted and it was nice enough to actually eat outside without coats on, but it wasn’t for a few hours.
“We should call him,” I warned Ford, as we walked back to his car after my last exam. My wolf had not been thrilled about being separated from Ford for long enough for me to take the exams, but thankfully, she’d allowed it. I was pretty sure I’d done well enough to keep my scholarship, but only time would tell.
“That would be a shitty way to find out your friends know where your mate lives,” Ford countered.
“We’ve been holding onto the information too long as it is. He’s avoiding us, which he’s allowed to do, but we can’t keep this a secret anymore. Call him, or I will.”
Ford grimaced, but grabbed his phone. He put it on speaker, and lifted his finger to his lips to tell me to keep quiet. I mimed zipping my lips and threw the invisible key at him while the phone rang. He pretended to catch it, holding it to his chest like it was a dagger in his heart.
I snorted, but cut myself off when the ringing stopped.
“Hello?” Rocco sounded exhausted.
My heart hurt for him.
“Hey, man.” Ford shot me a look that told me this was my fault. I was fine with taking the blame, though. “Do you remember that day a few months ago when you helped us move Ebony’s stuff to my place?”
“Sure. Did you lose something? I don’t remember what was in any of the boxes.”
As if Ford the Organizer could lose anything, ever.
“Nah, we didn’t lose anything. That day, in the hallway, you smelled something. Do you remember?”
“Yep. Air freshener. Smelled nice.” Now Rocco just sounded annoyed. “Can we do this later?”
“The first time I was in Tea and Ebony’s room, Ebb wasn’t there, and it smelled like an air freshener to me too. I was the only one who could smell it then, like you were that day.”
There was a long, drawn-out pause.
“And you’re just now telling me this?” Rocco’s voice was strained.
Ford leaned his head back against the seat. “It was the same day…” he trailed off, not wanting to finish that sentence. “I was going to tell you after we finished moving all of the boxes, but you got a call.”
More silence ensued.
A lot more.
Ford finally said, “Hello?”
“I’m here.” Rocco didn’t sound any happier. If anything, he only sounded worse. “I don’t want a mate right now. I’m sure you can understand. Maybe in a few years, I’ll feel better about things and change my mind. I’ll know where to start looking if that ever happens. But listen, I’ve got to go. Tell Tea and Ebony that I’m sorry I can’t make it to their barbecue.” He hung up the phone.
