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“Thank you, everyone,” Emma said, waving over the random pack members peeking out of their houses and coming to see what the commotion was. Pretty soon the place was packed and music was pumping through speakers.
“I’m grabbing the fire pit, we need s’mores!” Waylen said, pulling Brent with him.
“We have an entire cake,” Emma protested, but they didn’t even pause. She turned to me and shook her head. “Thanks. It means as much to me as it does to them.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, giving her a quick hug before running inside to make Garren a cup of coffee. It was too cold for him to be out long but he was having a good time and I didn’t want to interrupt that.
When I walked back out, he was telling a story around the newly burning campfire. Not wanting to interrupt, I took my chair next to him and waited for a pause to hand it over. He gave me a small smile and a wink that warmed my heart before taking a sip and humming happily. Then he was right back in storyteller mode.
“There we were, standing off against a sleuth of bears, and—” his words cut off abruptly as a round of gunshots echoed through the night, cutting through the music. Brent cut it off and we all stayed silent, another round popping off right after, the sound unmistakable.
“Everyone inside,” Nyx hissed, ushering everyone into the kitchen. But I was frozen, panic tunneling my vision and my breath coming out in quick pants. It felt like the walls were closing in, even though I was outside. Like my skin was too tight and I could barely breathe or think. Flashes of my sister being taken and me bleeding out on the ground filled my brain. “Vanya!”
Someone tried to move me, but I couldn’t even see them, all I could see was the SUV pulling away with Meira inside, her screams echoing in the night. The last sounds I would ever hear from my sister.
I was picked up and taken somewhere. My lungs were on fire, desperate for a real breath but I couldn’t even give them that.
Something cold was poured over my head and I gasped, the panic subsiding enough I could see the room. Warm hands pressed against my cheeks.
“Vanya. Breathe. Wherever your head is, that’s not what’s happening here. You’re not your past. Breathe with me.” One of his hands disappeared and he put my hand to his chest, forcing me to breathe with him. Embarrassment flushed my cheeks and I glanced around, realizing I’d just made an ass out of myself. “No. Don’t do that. Not a single wolf here would judge you for PTSD or flashbacks, whatever was happening. We’ve got your back.”
“We do,” Emma agreed gently, pulling me away from Nyx and comforting me in a hug that felt like it mended all the jagged edges my past brought back.
“Just got word, they caught some hunters out near the walls. They got two rabbits before our guys shut them down. It’s safe,” Nyx announced.
“That’s enough excitement for this old man,” Garren said, “I’m heading home. Happy birthday, Emma.”
“Thanks,” she called out as others started saying the same.
“We’ll walk you home,” Nyx promised, offering me a hand. I took it without hesitation, needing the comfort. We followed Garren out into the night and I couldn’t shake the shame of breaking down like that, showing weakness.
“I’m sorry,” I said again but it was Garren this time who cut me off.
“Vanya, that’s not a sign of weakness or embarrassment, it’s a sign of a survivor. Let yourself be vulnerable with your pack once in a while, it’ll do you some good,” he said with conviction. I swallowed hard and nodded.
“I’ll try. I’m not sure I know how,” I admitted in a whisper. Nyx squeezed my hand in reassurance.
Nyx let out a sigh, like he was preparing for battle. “Before I found this pack, I was a lone wolf. I had a pack but it was taken over in a challenge by another pack. It left a few of us and we tried to pick up the pieces, but I eventually left and vowed to never be a part of a pack again. Now look at me. It’s okay to change your views, to trust again.”
This time it was my turn to squeeze his hand, silently giving him support. It’s never easy to bring up something so traumatic, no matter if you go into detail or not.
“Well this was an exciting day,” Garren chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m going to turn in early.”
“Are you staying here overnight?” I asked Nyx as we let ourselves in the mansion.
“Probably outside,” he admitted. “We’ve got night patrol out this evening too.”
“Stay with me? I don’t want to be alone,” I practically begged. “I promise I’m not asking you to fuck me, Nyx.”
“Good, because Leven and Callum would literally chop my balls off and feed them to the wolf pack.” He laughed humorlessly, but there was a softness in his eyes. “Sure, if we stay on the couch. I’m not trying to die.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not dating either of them.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “Now the real question is, if you had to choose action, horror, or comedy in a movie, which would it be?”
“I haven’t watched any movies in so long,” I admitted. His eyes widened.
“What the hell? Did you live in a wolf convent or something? Okay, that means I’m picking, you grab drinks,” he ordered.
