AllFreeNovel
Share Us
What was he doing?
“She’s gone,” I said, not even trying to keep my terror from my voice.
He was on his feet in a moment, brows furrowed. “What?”
“I j-just woke up, and she wasn’t there,” I said. “What if… what if she—?”
“No. She didn’t leave,” Love said. “I was here the whole time.”
Looking at him closer, I realised he looked more exhausted than ever.
Had he still not slept?
Perhaps he’d been afraid of the same thing as I was right now—of a repeat of that moment. Of finding her room empty and our mate gone.
It was the first reprieve I’d felt from my terror. If he’d been here the whole time, maybe I’d missed something. Love was already through Vex’s door, though, and I followed.
He scanned the room just as I had, peering behind the couches. He rubbed his face, blinking viciously as if it might shake him awake. No, he definitely hadn’t slept. His braid was loose and coming apart, and his face was downright gaunt.
“She didn’t leave.” He was so sure, and I believed him.
Then he frowned, eyes catching on something. I followed his gaze, trying to figure out what he’d seen. He was staring at the three huge moving boxes of her stuff.
He crossed toward them in a moment, examining the tops, which were halfway open. Then he froze, something pained in his expression.
He clenched his jaw, gaze finding mine, confirming what I was wondering.
I stepped toward them, peering into the box that was full of her clothes. Sure enough I caught a glimpse of silver-brown hair with a wisp of peach, and from what I could see, she was curled up tight. My heart broke.
Love was stepping away, expression pained. “I think you should…” He swallowed, clapping me on the shoulder. “She’s not… uh… she’s not ready to see me, yet.”
I stopped him. “She is,” I said. “She told me.”
“I don’t think it’s right that I—”
“You’re pack lead, Love. That’s your mate. She needs you.”
LOVE
Vex looked so small and fragile, curled up in the box of her old clothing, clutching it against herself, along with a large, pink dog’s collar.
“Vex,” I whispered gently, in case she was sleeping. I heard the door click shut as Drake left me with her.
I was met with one brilliant, golden eye blinking open and peering out at me. She looked so afraid. For a long moment, we just stared at each other, and I realised I had no idea what to do, so I reached out and took her hand.
Her grip was like a vice in mine. She was trembling. I could see her black nail polish that was almost chipped off completely, the peach streak in her beautiful hair that was tucked behind her ear. Everything that I remembered, yet so much more broken.
It was almost impossible to keep it together. But she needed me.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered thickly. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
I shook my head. “You don’t owe me an apology.”
Quite the opposite.
How many times had I gone over this conversation in my head while I sat outside her room. I couldn’t apologise either, not yet. Not like this.
She deserved better than this.
