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“Tori, let us in!”
At the sound of Micah’s voice, I was up and on my feet, racing across the apartment and throwing open the front door. Micah pulled me into his arms, and Riven barreled into the room.
“Why are there no cops here?” he demanded.
Riven wasn’t exactly a gentle soul, and I cowered into Micah, needing his caring side right about now.
“She panicked on the phone,” Micah explained, his face studying me. I didn’t even have to say it, my brother knew me too well.
“The door was locked when we got here,” Riven pointed out. “I’m going to go check the windows.”
“Hey, Tori, I need you to breathe,” Micah demanded. Look at me.” I turned my eyes toward his familiar green orbs. He did exaggerated hand motions with each breath, and I followed suit, trying to let it calm me.
“You can’t stay here alone anymore,” he finally said after I calmed a little. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”
“I’m not staying with you and your pack or Ellie and her pack,” I told him stubbornly. “I’m sorry I just freaked out. It’s stupid of me.”
Riven stomped back into the room, a scowl on his face as he tore past us.
“I’m not seeing any of the windows messed with. They’re all locked down tight. I’m going to go check outside, though.”
He was gone for maybe five minutes before coming back.
“Raccoons,” he chuckled. The sound half amused, half exasperated. “They knocked over one of the trash cans outside. There’s trash everywhere. That’s probably what you heard. There’s some broken glass, too.”
“Anyone would have panicked with that sound,” Micah reassured me. “Are you sure you won’t just come back with us? We’ve got plenty of room out at the camp.”
“No, thanks,” I said. “Thanks for being here for me, guys.”
“You need a security system,” Riven said.
“I’ll look into it.”
We said a quick goodbye before they were out the door. I knew by morning Ellie would know, and I’d be hearing a lecture from her as well.
For now, I was exhausted, but I knew I’d get no sleep. Instead of heading for my bed, I grabbed my favorite fuzzy blanket from the couch and curled up, sitting with just one side lamp on, casting the room in a warm light.
It should have been cozy, but right now, it felt lonely.
Moments like this were always the ones where I questioned if I was being stupid, if I should just give in to my mates and trust fate. Then I’d have a nightmare or a rabid thought, and all that would fall away.
At some point I must have given into my exhaustion. The next thing I knew, sun was streaming in on my face and my body hurt something fierce.
A pained whimper escaped me as I stretched out my body. Falling asleep at an odd angle was a terrible plan. Then again, I hadn’t planned to sleep here at all.
My phone was still in my room and I winced when I picked it up to find the entire screen full of notifications.
I wasn’t caffeinated enough to deal with my sister and her concerns.
It would be another round of questions about why I was so nervous and that I should come stay with her. The last thing I needed was to be surrounded by a pack. That kind of dynamic left me twitchy.
Today wasn’t the day for getting all dolled up to do a coffee run. Instead I threw on an oversized sweater and boots and brushed through my hair. I decided against makeup altogether.
Lockwood would just get me in my dark-circled glory. Lucky them.
The Raven’s Nest was busy when I got there and I groaned as I moved to the back of the stupidly long line.
“Shit,” someone cursed behind me as they stepped closer. I turned to commiserate with them until the scent hit me.
