Chapter 46 Delilah
FORTY-SIX
Delilah
THREE WEEKS LATER
It’s been a few weeks since Jagger announced his pack status, and we filed all of our bonding paperwork.
It’s been a whirlwind. While we’ve been shying away from any publicity, we did grant The Valley Voice an exclusive interview with us—the only interview we’re going to be doing—which has exploded their views and put the college paper firmly on the map.
I try to avoid going online, since I know that the reaction to our news has been mixed.
Initially, many fans blamed me for Pack Fire splitting.
However, after a few scandals came out about how Brad and Drew have been using their fame to exploit omega groupies, many now believe that Jagger made the right choice to leave them behind.
Even Valerie’s name has been dragged through the dirt after evidence came to light that she helped cover up some of their less favorable escapades, leading to her losing her job.
Humming, I open the lovingly wrapped care package my mom sent me. While my family was shocked when they first heard I’d found a pack, and more than a little skeptical when they discovered a rockstar was part of it, they came for a visit and quickly fell in love with the guys.
I grin down at the contents in the hamper to see that Mom added gifts for the guys too—some special motor oil for Nash, coffee beans for Tae, a resin guitar pick for Jagger, and a jar of her homemade jam, which the guys go feral for.
Looking out at the warm sun slanting across the yard, I check whether the vanilla cupcakes on the cooling rack near the window are ready for frosting. Almost, but not quite. Hopefully, I’ll be able to finish them before the Stellas arrive.
I’ve only been back to Stella House—just to collect a few things—one time since the day the photograph was released of me and Jagger. I’ll be returning this weekend to pack up the rest of my belongings and officially move into the guys’ place in Forestville.
Despite it probably being easier to skip town completely, Jagger insisted that we’ll stay as long as I want to.
He’s adamant, but I’m still torn about what I want to do.
Since the article in TVV came out, I’m constantly being stared at.
Wherever I am around campus, I garner so much attention that it makes me uneasy.
However, I’m not ready to leave my friends just yet.
With our news causing chaos on campus, Jagger decided that it was best he drop out of SVU. Plus, he’s been so inspired and lost in his writing lately that Dean Rivers probably would’ve expelled him for bad attendance eventually anyway.
His quitting school has freed Nash up, so he’s taken on the role of being my personal bodyguard. He can’t ward off all of the attention, but I do feel safer with him by my side. For now, I plan on finishing out the rest of this semester at SVU, then I’ll decide if I want to return again next year.
As much as I enjoy my studies, I’m finding a lot more inspiration from being at home and experimenting in the kitchen.
On my weekends and spare evenings, I’ve also been helping Dora out at Delilah’s.
News that Jagger bought the bakery increased foot traffic ten-fold—Fireflies are traveling from all over the country to visit—so even with my extra help, she’s been struggling to keep up with the demand.
I’m happy to pitch in, though. Plus, she’s been giving me helpful pointers on how to make artisan sourdough, and she even shared her family pecan pie recipe with me, which I can’t wait to prepare for Thanksgiving.
Heavy footsteps approach before Tae barrels into the kitchen, almost tripping over his own feet in excitement. “These look so good.” His hand hovers above the cooling rack. “Can I…?”
“Just one.” I smile. “But don’t tell Nash or he’ll—”
“Don’t tell Nash what?” My giant alpha follows behind him, holding something in his arms.
“Nothing!” Tae pops the cupcake into his mouth.
“Is that…?” My eyes are drawn to the mixer Nash’s carrying.
“Yep.” Nash grins proudly. “I finally got it working again.”
“Oh my gosh!” I squeal in excitement, racing across the room and throwing my arms around him—well, as best as I can with the mixer between us. “I can’t believe you did it.”
“It took some tinkering.” Nash chuckles. “But replacing the motor and greasing some of the old parts was really all it needed.”
“Thank you so much,” I gush as he places it down. As amazing as the mixer I’ve been using has been, nothing compares to my old one that feels like part of the family. “I can’t wait to use it again.”
The ringing doorbell echoes through the house before I hear Jagger call from the other room, “I’ll get it!”
A few moments later, he joins us in the kitchen with Kady and Faye.
“Good writing session, huh?” I ask Jagger, nodding at his ink-stained fingers.
His lips tilt up bashfully, then he kisses me on the head. “I’m lucky to be living with my muse.”
“You two are adorable,” Faye comments. She’s looking extra cute today with a flower garland resting on her golden tresses, holding a basket filled with fresh herbs. “I thought you could make use of these. I grew them myself.”
“Thank you.” I take them from her. “That cilantro smells incredible.”
“Are those your vanilla cupcakes?” Kady peers at the spread of food all over the island, rolling up the sleeves of her gray blazer. “I’ve missed those, and eating all the buttercream when you’re making them.”
“Help yourself.” I motion to them. “Have you heard from Sabs?”
“She said she’d make her own way here when I spoke to her yesterday,” Faye replies. “She’s coming straight from practice.”
Kady frowns at her shiny, silver watch. “She’s not normally late.”
“Not when your baking is involved anyway,” Faye agrees. “Did you see her last night?”
“No, I stayed at the guys’ apartment. We had a…” A pink flush creeps across Kady’s pale cheeks. “Game night.”
“A game night, huh?” Tae wiggles his eyebrows. “Any Chutes and Ladders?”
Jagger groans and says, “Don’t ask,” before Kady can ask any questions. I swat Tae playfully on the shoulder.
Faye leans on the counter, head in hands, sighing wistfully. “I used to love playing Chutes and Ladders when I was a kid.”
“Tae has a way of making you never see childhood games in the same way again,” Nash snickers.
“What can I say?” Tae’s lips kick up on one side, busy loading his plate up high. “It’s a gift!”
“I’m sure Sabs won’t mind if we start without her,” I decide, grabbing a plate for her. “I’ll save her all of her favorites so she doesn’t miss out.”
“We know she’s going to be all over that cheesecake...” Kady eyes it hungrily before going straight for a slice. “I have to get a piece before she sets her sights on it; otherwise, I’ll never even get to try it.”
Faye giggles, helping herself to everything chocolatey. Her smile lights up when she spots a tree out the window, stepping over to get a closer look. “Is that a Silver Birch?”
“Uh…” Nash frowns. “Maybe?”
“I’ve got to send Ezra a photograph!” Faye excitedly takes out her cell phone. “They’re really rare in this region, you know. I’m guessing the last owners must have planted it.”
“Even when I’m away from Ezra, I can’t get away from plants.” Although she rolls her eyes, there’s no missing the fondness in Kady’s tone.
“Isn’t it weird that your professor is with one of your best friends?” Tae asks Faye.
“We’re used to it now,” she replies. “He’s never shown me any favoritism.”
“He doesn’t have to. You are his top student,” Kady scoffs. “He says that you know more about some of the plants in that greenhouse than he does.”
Faye twirls a hair around her finger. “Oh, I don’t know about that.”
When my cell phone starts vibrating, I peer over to see it’s a video call from Sabs. “It’s Sabs!” I declare to the others, who are now in deep conversation about classes and the upcoming break. “I’ll be right back.”
When I accept the call in the other room— away from all the noise—I expect to see Sabs in her usual post-gym haze: her wet hair scraped back into a ponytail, chatting excitedly about how her team crushed it. However, that’s not what I see when I answer.
“Delilah…” Her voice cracks. “I…”
Wherever she is, it’s dimly lit. I can barely make her out before the camera points to the ground.
“Sabs?” Worry stabs at my heart. “Where are you? What’s wrong?”
She pans the phone up so I can see her face, black mascara streaks covering her cheeks. I recognize the background as her bathroom in Stella House, so at least I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that she’s somewhere safe.
“I…” She lets out a small whimper. This is the first time I’ve ever seen Sabs cry, aside from the time I tried to teach her how to cut an onion. She’s always brimming with sunshine and upbeat energy, always looking on the positive side. “I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
Then that’s when I see it.
“Sabs?” My arm shakes. “Your neck! Is that a…?”
The unmistakable red indentations of where teeth have sunk into her neck stand out vividly among her cluster of freckles. I squint at the screen, bringing it closer to ensure I’m not imagining it.
It can’t be. Can it?
“A bond mark.” She nods, whimpering some more, her bottom lip trembling. “Yes.”
“You bonded!” My voice comes out a few octaves too high, a hush descending in the next room.
Jagger and Nash race in, presumably picking up on my heightened emotions through our connection.
“To who? What happened? I can call the police!” A number of terrible scenarios race through my head. “If someone forced themselves—”
“No!” she hastily interrupts me, wiping her eyes. “It was nothing like that.” Her expression softens. “He was…” She hiccups. “Nice, but it was an accident. We got… carried away.”
“Then where is he now?” I demand. “Why isn’t he with you? You shouldn’t be alone after bonding. You know what that can do to an omega. It’s dangerous!”
The adjustment period is such an important time for a fresh bond.
Some say being parted so soon feels akin to losing a limb, and the omega usually always feels the absence the strongest because they’re at their most vulnerable.
After bonding, omegas should be showered with love, reassurance, and cared for by their alpha.
Not left to cry alone on the bathroom floor.
“When he fell asleep…” She can’t even look at me when she whispers, “I ran.”
Thank you SO much for reading!