Chapter 21
By the time I pulled into Colter's driveway, my heart was still thundering in my chest. I hadn’t stopped shaking since I’d left my old home, and I barely remembered most of the drive, as short as it might have been.
My hands were welded to the steering wheel, my fingers aching from how hard I’d been gripping it.
It was only when Daisy whined softly from the passenger seat that I realized I’d been sitting there with the engine still running.
I killed the ignition, forcing a deep breath that did nothing to calm the tremors running through me. The world outside looked normal on the quiet street, a kid’s bike tipped over in the neighbor’s yard, sunlight catching on frost.
Colter’s car wasn’t in the driveway. I’d known it wouldn’t be, but the empty space hit me like a punch anyway. I wanted him. Needed him. His calm voice, his solid arms. Someone to tell me it was over, that I was safe.
My legs carried me on autopilot up the path and through the door.
The moment I stepped inside, the house came alive.
I was overwhelmed by Murphy’s frantic yipping and Finch’s low meow as he twined between my legs.
Daisy pressed against me like she could hold me up with sheer willpower, her breath coming in hot pants from our mad dash from the car.
I shut the door, locked it, and pressed my back against it like I could hold the world out. Then the adrenaline cracked. My vision blurred, my chest caved in, and I slid down the door until I was sitting on the floor, shaking. The first sob tore out of me before I even realized I was crying.
I didn’t know how long I stayed like that. It might have been minutes, maybe even hours. The house was quiet except for the sound of Murphy pacing and Daisy’s soft huffs. I was vaguely aware of Finch curling up beside me, his tail flicking against my leg, grounding me in the smallest way.
Then my phone started ringing. The sound made me flinch so hard I almost dropped it. Colter’s name lit up the screen, and for one terrifying second, I thought it might be Oscar again, somehow calling from a different number. My breath came shallow and fast as I forced myself to swipe the screen.
“Hey, baby, I’m on my way home—” Colter’s voice cut off instantly when a broken sob escaped me.
“Jericho, what’s wrong, baby boy?”
I tried to answer, but all that came out was a choked sound, halfway between a breath and a whimper.
“Jericho.” His tone changed instantly. Gone was the easy warmth. Now his voice was all command and control, that deep, steady calm that managed to cut through the panic. “Talk to me, buddy. Are you hurt?”
I shook my head even though he couldn’t see me. “N-no. Not hurt,” I stammered. My throat burned from holding back tears. “Just… he was there, Colter. Oscar. At my apartment.”
The silence on the other end stretched for a beat too long. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. When Colter finally spoke, his voice was dangerously soft. It was the kind of quiet that made my stomach flip.
“Jericho, baby,” he said. “How do you know that?”
Shame and fear twisted together in my gut.
I should have been worried about how I’d gone there without him, without telling him.
I should have been bracing for the lecture I deserved.
But the thought of disappointing my Daddy was drowned out by the memory of Oscar’s wild eyes, the way he’d said my name. The way his fingers had bruised my arm.
“I... I went to get some of my stuff,” I admitted, the words tumbling out in a rush. “You were at work, and I didn’t want to bother you, and I thought it’d be fine. I just wanted my clothes, and my games, and some toys for the dogs—”
“Jericho.” The calm way he said my name stopped my ramble dead. “Breathe, baby. You’re safe now. Just tell me what happened slowly.”
I wiped my face with a shaking hand and tried to pull in a breath.
“He showed up, Colter. I was almost done, and then he was just there. He looked awful. His eyes—” I swallowed hard.
“He was saying all this crazy stuff about how I ruined everything. That I was supposed to give up the animals for him. That I didn’t understand how special he was. ”
The sound Colter made was low and dangerous. I could almost feel his jaw tightening through the phone.
“He grabbed me,” I whispered. “My arm. Tried to stop me from leaving.”
“What did you do?”
“Daisy—” my voice cracked on her name. “She came charging in and ran into him. Knocked him down, and I just ran. I didn’t look back.”
There was silence for a long moment before he spoke again. “You did exactly the right thing, baby. I’m proud of you, do you hear me? You got yourself safe.”
“I shouldn’t have gone,” I whispered.
“No,” he said softly, but the edge in his voice didn’t fade. “You shouldn’t have. But we’ll deal with that later. Right now, I want you to stay right where you are. Lock the doors and windows. I’m on my way home.”
“Colter—”
“I mean it, Jericho. Don’t argue with me. Just keep Daisy close. Five minutes, baby. I’ll be there in five.”
He hung up before I could say another word.
Those five minutes felt endless. Every sound outside had me jumping. My pulse was still racing when I heard a car door slam, then the heavy, quick steps up the porch.
“Jericho?”
I didn’t even answer, I just ran straight into his arms the moment he stepped through the door.
He caught me, wrapping me up tight, one hand on the back of my head, the other gripping my waist. His heart was pounding against mine.
“Fuck, little one,” he muttered against my hair. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled into his chest. “I just wanted to—”
“Shhh.” He pulled back just enough to cup my face, eyes searching mine. “You don’t have to explain right now. You’re safe. That’s all that matters.”
I nodded, even though my lip trembled. “He looked crazy, Colter. Not like before. I think something’s really wrong with him.”
“I’ll take care of it,” he said, voice flat and full of purpose. “I’m calling the police. He’s not getting near you again.”
He didn’t let go of me, even while he made the call — one arm wrapped around my shoulders, keeping me close, steadying me while he spoke to dispatch. His voice was calm, professional, but the fury underneath was there in every clipped word.
When he finally hung up, he tipped my chin up. “They’re sending a unit to your place. We’ll give a statement, and then you, me, and the pack are staying right here. Understand?”
“Yes, Daddy,” I whispered automatically, and the tension in his shoulders eased just a fraction.
“Good boy,” he said softly, pressing his lips to my forehead. “You did so damn well today, baby. You kept yourself safe. I’m proud of you.”
And somehow, even though the world still felt shaky and too loud, the weight of those words steadied me.