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I pause, chewing on a dry cracker. I drag my legs up to my chest. “How do you forgive people when they say horrible things?”
Hazel tilts her head towards me. “I don’t know. I wish I did.”
“I think they were trying to protect me.” I say quietly.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, there was a thing, don’t worry about it. But they said some things, and I left. But if they really wanted me gone, why send all these gifts? They’re thoughtful and heartfelt. No one puts that energy into gifts for someone you want nothing to do with.”
“This is true. Maybe they thought they were protecting you.”
I scowl. “Maybe.”
“The real decision is whether or not you’re going to choose to give them another chance.” Hazel points out. “And I’m firmly on your side in this.”
I snort. “All Barren would need to do is offer you one of those chocolate drinks and you’d defect.”
A boom on the door scares us both, and I sneak to the door and pull it open.
There’s a newspaper on my doorstep. I bend and pick it up, gasping when I see the front page.
It’s Gold and I when I was sixteen. I look so happy, leaning into him. His arms are around me. We’re in June Haven, Gran must have taken the photo.
Hazel takes it from my hands. “I left thinking you’d be there waiting for me. I hated it. I fought them, arguing, physically fought them, but they dragged me off. I finished school as fast as I could and came straight back to find you.” She looks up at me. “This man has loved you forever.” Hazel says in awe.
I nod my head, my throat too tight to speak.
“It took me years to find you, but when I did, your pack wouldn’t let me see you, denied you were there. I was so angry. I thought you’d abandoned me. I started drinking. I didn’t care if I lived or died. Acton found me getting my ass handed to me and brought me home. It was the only place that felt like home that wasn’t with you.”
I sob and put my head in my hands. “Damn emotions.”
“Finding Barren was like being struck by lightning. I know you feel the same. But seeing you again was like coming back to life. You are my family, my pack, and my soulmate, you always will be.”
Hazel puts the paper down and looks at me. “Are you sure these alphas hate you? I think that those mean things they said might be lies.” Hazel snorts as she hands the newspaper article back.
“I don't know anymore.”
“If I was an omega, and I kinda am, I'd say, all this,” Hazel waves her arm around the room, “was courting gifts.”
I blink and twist in the chair, looking at everything. “No. No! They can’t!”
“Apparently, they can and, um, are.” Hazel fans her face. “I’m jealous. What are you going to do?”
I shake my head, helplessly.
An hour later, a basket of orange lollies and chocolates is delivered on the doorstep.
Hazel bounces over, looking inside, and smiles. “Boy’s got taste.”
“Barren.” I moan and cover my face again. The wave of longing that comes with just thinking about his name almost breaks me.
“Hey, there’s a note.”
I open my eyes and snatch it up, unfolding it quickly. “My alpha.”
“Oooh, he is so suave.”
I give Hazel the side eye.
