Chapter 14
SKY
I woke up alone.
It took me a moment to realize where I was, but Adam’s smooth cedar-and-citrus scent mixed with Fletcher’s much sweeter elderberry blended together in the sheets, reminding me I’d slept in here last night. With them.
I wrapped myself up in the blankets, surrounding myself with their scent and letting it calm my skipping-a-beat heart as memories of yesterday flooded my mind anew.
Pain tore through my chest, fresh, raw, and red. All of those stories, the ones I painstakingly written in my notebooks, the tales I told myself to justify the horrible truths that had happened to me—they were all a lie.
River never loved me. River never wanted me, or cared for me the way I believed he did. Of course, now it made sense that he’d move on and take a mate and have a pup of his own, one that wasn’t tainted by incest and memories of a terrible past.
I should’ve just been thankful that he got me out of there, instead of ditching me when he had the chance and leaving me to rot in that hellhole.
Fresh tears spilled hot. I hugged Fletcher’s pillow to my chest, burying my face in it.
What happened next? Did I really just keep going to therapy and learn to cope with the truth?
Try to move on with my life? Stay with Adam and Fletcher until I met my future-Alpha, the one who would calm the wild in my soul.
The one to whom I’d get married and start a family with, but even then, would I even be a suitable parent?
Or would the past always come back to haunt me?
I shoved the thoughts away with more force than necessary, growling under my breath. No. I couldn’t think like that. I needed to hold on to the belief that things would change, that I could get better.
Rolling out of the large bed, I got up and went searching for my pack. The thought tripped me up. Pack? Since when did Adam and Fletcher become my pack?
I found them in the kitchen, along with the savory scent of sausage and the sweet maple hints of pancakes. My stomach gave a little grumble, because despite the mac and cheese being delicious, I’d only been able to stomach a few bites of the too-rich meal. I was just too heartbroken.
“Hey, Sky,” Fletcher called out, chipper as always. “Good morning. How are you feeling?”
“Like shit.” I was bluntly honest, because after the shit-show they’d seen yesterday? How could I not be? “Like my life’s been hit by a tornado. But hey, I’m here.”
“That’s all that matters,” Fletcher said with a smile.
“Want some breakfast?” Adam asked, rising from his seat and gathering his and Fletcher’s empty dishes. He walked them over to the sink and began running water. “We didn’t want to wake you, but I made plenty.”
“It smells pretty good,” I agreed.
“Sit down, I’ll fix you a plate.” It wasn’t a command, despite sounding like one, but a suggestion cloaked in assertion.
Shrugging, I sat across the table from Fletcher and rested my elbows on the table. A few minutes later, the microwave beeped, and Adam slid a plate of steaming flapjacks and sausage in front of me.
He finished with some silverware and a glass of milk. He offered a smile, too, one that was warm and gentle and knowing, and my heart gave a brief flutter of its own accord.
Fletcher pushed the glass bottle of maple syrup a little closer, a knowing twinkle in his eye. I found my lip curving, returning the gesture, but my attention locked onto the pile of food in front of me.
It was delicious, even reheated. Fluffy blueberry pancakes, probably not made from a box or a package, knowing Adam, and maple-glazed sausage links.
I finished half the plate before pushing it away, and that’s when I realized— “Hey, have you seen my phone?”
“It’s on the counter, fully charged,” Fletcher murmured. “The screen is cracked, though.”
My heart sank. I stood and went over to unplug it and inspect the damage. It wasn’t too bad, not a lot of spider-webbing, but damn. It was the one nice thing I owned…
“Probably when I dropped it,” I said around a sigh. “It’s okay. It’s just a thing.”
I navigated back to River’s texts, to see if maybe my twin had added anything, but that one text line was the only thing he sent: Every. Damn. Time.
Emotion clogged my throat. I quickly turned off the screen and stuffed my phone into the recesses of my pocket, biting the inside of my cheek hard to keep from crying. I needed to pull myself together.
Shit. Wait. Didn’t I work tonight? I groaned softly and rubbed my temple. “Hey, Adam? Do you mind if I take the night off work?”
Before Adam could answer, Fletcher offered a sympathetic smile. “We’ve already taken you off the schedule for the next couple of days. Don’t worry, Sky. We’ve got it under control. Just worry about feeling better, alright?”
I nodded, reaching up to wipe the tears away.
“Do you need a hug?” Fletcher asked.
I found myself nodding again before I could even question it. Fletcher moved to stand up, but Adam was quicker. He came up behind me and wrapped his strong arms around me in an impossibly-gentle hug.
I twisted around in his grasp and buried my face in the Alpha’s chest, breathing him in. Letting his scent calm my fretful heart.
“Thank you,” I mumbled into his shirt, but Adam just hummed a low tone and gave me a little squeeze before letting me go.
I couldn’t help but feel this strange feeling.
Not quite jealousy, but…almost a sorrowful feeling, that Fletcher had found someone so wonderful, someone so caring and doting.
Someone who obviously loved him so much that he’d willingly take me on in my time of need, despite the fact that Adam didn’t trust me at all in the beginning.
Fletcher was a lucky man. Maybe one day I’d be lucky too.
Maybe.