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“I’m sorry,” I said, my fingers running through her blonde hair and tucking it behind her ear. Her eyes closed but she continued her story in that soft, melodic voice of hers.
“I was shocked when my grandfather came to check on me. I realized that I’d been the one holding back. He was so happy when I let him in and we started talking. He told me stories about when he was a kid and how he’d hide away in his closet. My room was his room growing up.”
“So, it wasn’t even your father’s house.” What an asshole.
“It was. My grandparents left it to him. That was the last summer I had with my grandpa, actually. After he told me the story of hiding away in the secret attic above my room, I couldn’t let it go. I searched every corner, every panel in the wall, and then finally I found it. It wasn’t in the ceiling of my closet, but behind all the clothes. I yanked everything out of the way until I could find the door. There was a small notch in the wood and when I tugged I found a staircase.”
She was so beautiful when she spoke. The smile on her face was wistful, and she looked truly at peace as she relived one of her few happy memories. I had a feeling she felt that same calm that I did when I thought about the forest.
“It was dusty and dirty up there, but there were pictures on the walls. Old toys and books lined the dusty shelves. It was full of history and I spent weeks exploring it.”
“I love that,” I told her. “Did you not have a nest in that house?”
“No,” she admitted. “He said it made omegas weak, and we’d get that privilege if we found a good pack.”
“Do you have one here?” I asked. These apartments were fairly small, if she did it was likely tiny.
“Kind of,” she said with a shrug like it didn’t matter. “I just keep cozy things everywhere in my apartment. I’ve never wanted alphas around for a heat, so I’ve never really ridden one out. I take suppressors.” The way her cheeks heated had me wondering if she did have one and had just never finished it.
“After all you’ve told us, I can’t blame you. I can’t get your words out of my head. I just want to hunt this bastard down and end him for ever messing with you.”
“My dad? Or William, my supposed fiancé?” she questioned with a quick, dark laugh. It was lacking humor and warmth, and it felt wrong falling from her lips.
“William,” I said. “Your dad, too, for not protecting you. But that alpha should have known better than to break into your place. He did it on purpose. He knew that it was your safe space, and he wanted to shatter that to make sure you understood that he gave you whatever he wanted and nothing more, nothing less.”
“I’d rather die than marry him,” Tori admitted in a quiet voice.
“He’ll never get close to you again, I promise.”
“What happens when these thirty days are up?” she asked instead.
“Easton may leave, he may stay, but I won’t be going anywhere, Tori.”
Chapter
Eighteen
Tori
Things were different today. As I was sitting there talking to Theo about my safe space as a kid and watching him draw his own, I realized we weren’t holding back from each other anymore.
Maybe they hadn’t spilled everything about their past like I had, but I knew it would come in time.
At least I knew the bulk of their issues, just not all of the little details.
What I did know broke my heart.
Warren had come from a similar situation. He’d mentioned being in foster care and now I knew it was Felix’s family that took him in.
Just the thought of Warren had my stomach churning. I realized that I wanted him here, too.
Something in me had broken last night, but today, I was ready to mend it
Last night, I’d called Felix, desperate to have someone here with me. Even when I didn’t want an alpha around, Warren hadshown up without hesitation. Not just that, but he respected my boundary. He didn’t love it, but he still left because he knew that’s what I needed.
That was huge.
Then Jordan came over, and everything unfolded between him and Felix.
