15. Austin
Austin
H mmm. Zucchini bread? Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting?
Humming, I look through the pantry of the freshly stocked, state-of-the-art kitchen at the damn mansion Charlie bought.
I don't have any powdered sugar to make frosting, but I do spy some chopped walnuts and chocolate chips, and I distinctly remember saving three browning bananas from the wrath of Noah's trash bag earlier.
"Hannah is going to think we're disgusting if we have rotting bananas lying around!
" he had said, trying to hold them out of my reach.
Once I informed him that there were many uses for browning bananas in the kitchen, however, he relented.
Giving them to me, he had grumbled something about blaming me if the omega thought our house stank.
Piling the ingredients in my arms, I put them on the counter just in time to see Charlie in the doorway of the kitchen, grinning at me. "Settled in quickly?"
Wincing, I glance at the time on the stove as I go to pre-heat it. Eleven at night. "Couldn't sleep. I bake when I'm stressed—hope I didn't wake you."
"Nah, man, you're good." Charlie yawns as he walks over to one of the brand new bar stools for the kitchen island. "I couldn't sleep either. Keep thinking about Enzo and Hannah on their date."
My brow furrows as I start mixing all my dry ingredients into a bowl. "You think they're still out?"
"I don't know. And I hate that. I used to know so much about her. Now I wouldn't be able to tell you what time she goes to bed or if she's likely to invite our most experienced pack member in for a nightcap."
It's not like I have any insight either, so I give a noncommittal hum, continuing my process of mixing the flour, baking soda, chocolate chips, and walnuts in the bowl.
Charlie's eyes are trained on where I'm mixing the ingredients, but I don't really think he's looking at me.
It seems like he's in a daze, almost. Lost in his own thoughts.
It is rather strange being in the same kitchen as Charlie Williams. I don't really follow basketball, but I know enough to realize what a big deal he is.
Apparently his teammates seem to agree, as they all showed up at mine and Noah's apartment this morning, helped us load everything into a truck they rented and drove it here.
"So you…you'd met her before?" Charlie asks, his question snapping me out of my own daze.
"Yeah, once," I admit, turning to open the fridge and grab the eggs. "The night pack Sheffield went after Cady, I had been working security at the club. Ladies' night."
"And you guys didn't hit it off? What about her scent?" He shakes his head like he can't get the questions out fast enough. "What about yours ?"
"Well, as an unbonded omega, Hannah'd gone the smart route n' took scent blockers.
" I shrug. "And it's protocol for security as well, so we don't intimidate or scare any of the female patrons.
Especially on ladies' night. I stayed with her and her friend while Titus Mendez and their friend's alpha went after Cady.
" A shiver runs through me at the memory of the burly alpha pinning me against the wall, demanding to know what other exits were in the building.
Man was a scary motherfucker when his mate was in danger.
"And did you know that it was Noah's boss at the time?" he asks, curiosity lining his voice.
"Nah. I just saw a scary fucker who wanted to save his omega.
" I grin, shrugging as I whisk the eggs, and then start adding the rest of my wet ingredients.
"Didn't find out until I told the story to Noah and he recognized Cady's name.
He's the one who nailed the Sheffield pack on their harassment of her. "
"So what happened between you two?" Charlie asks, his eyes narrowing. "She didn't seem very warm towards you either."
I sigh, thinking back to the night we first met.
How I had been distinctly aware of her even then.
The way she looked, happy and carefree, dancing with her friends.
The way our stares had collided over the throng of people writhing on the dance floor.
She had looked at me with such hunger in her eyes, and then she had instinctively moved closer to me when I was with her and Wren.
Like she knew I'd protect her. Then I had insisted on driving her home, and I thought I'd get her number…
And it all went to shit.
"It don't matter now." I shake my head, giving Charlie a pointed look. "At least she doesn't hate me, so there's hope. You wanna tell me what happened with the two of you to make you think she'd resist joining the pack if she knew you were a match?"
"That's the thing," Charlie runs his hands over his face again, his eyes tired, "I don't know what happened."
That has me frowning and looking up from where I've started mashing bananas. "You have no idea? You gotta have some notion as to why she ran."
"Trust me, man I don't." He looks dejected, his eyes shining with remorse.
"One night, she snuck out of her room to come hang out with me in my car for a little bit.
We had a conversation where I told her no matter how she presented, we'd be together.
Then the next day, she was just…gone. Nobody would tell me where she went, and whatever happened, she didn't tell Kieran.
Cady wouldn't say two words to me about it.
I have a sneaking suspicion that her step-sisters had something to do with it, but it's not like I have proof.
We were happy. In fucking love. Like, the purest form of love. She wouldn't have just…left."
"Hmmm." I think on it for a moment, wondering if Cady would tell us.
But…no. Hannah needs to be the one to tell us what happened.
Would she though? If it was so bad that she just up and left without an explanation, would she want to relive it when she probably thinks Charlie knows what happened?
There's only one way to find out. "I don't mean to make a molehill outta a mountain, now.
But, we could…" I trail off, whisking all my ingredients together, "ask her? "
"You think I haven't tried?" Charlie scoffs, but there's no malice behind it.
Just defeat. "You think I didn't call and text repeatedly after she left, trying to figure out what the hell happened?
She blocked my number." He pulls his phone out of his pocket, opening it and tapping the screen a few times before sliding it across the island to me.
Frowning, I put the whisk in the bowl and pick up the phone, scrolling. Texts to Hannah. All left unread.
Charlie
Hannah? Where are you? Kieran says you left???
Did I do something? Talk to me, mags. How can I fix it if I don't know what happened?
I keep scrolling, my heart dropping into my stomach. It's more the same "please talk to me" and "I miss you" texts, before the texts shift tone. They're more like updates on his life. Annual happy birthday texts.
Charlie
Happy birthday. I miss you.
Charlie
Getting drafted to the Phoenix Coyotes. ABL. They still call me 'Golden Boy', you know.
The texts turn to once or twice a year, always on her birthday. And then, most recently:
Charlie
I'm coming for you mags. We're going to sort this out. I just got confirmation of my trade. I'll be in Starbrook City next week
"Well, I'll be." I shake my head and pass him the phone. "You really never stopped lovin' her, did you?"
"I told you," he says as I pour my mixture into one of my bread loaf pans and smooth it out, sprinkling some extra chocolate chips and walnuts on top. "I'm pathetic. Lost without her. And that was before I even knew about the scent match."
"I could hack into her phone and unblock your number.
" Noah's voice sounds from the doorway and we both look at him incredulously.
I note the imprint of his wrinkled pillow case and his rumpled hair.
I'd feel guilty about having woken him up if he didn't just suggest violating Hannah's privacy more than he already had.
"What?" he asks defensively, stifling a yawn.
"You guys planning on chatting like a couple of teenagers at a sleepover, or do you want to actually do something about it? "
Rolling my eyes, I turn to open the oven and place the bread pan inside, and set a timer for fifty minutes.
"Oooh. Is that banana bread?" Noah asks, perching on the stool next to Charlie.
Charlie runs a hand over his face again, looking exasperated as hell. "Okay, putting aside the fact that would be a major breach of trust, what would we do if she found out? Then she'd be pissed at you too. And…we're going to have a talk about boundaries at some point, but I'm too tired right now."
Boundaries. From the guy who uprooted his life when he wasn't sure if she'd be here.
Noah snorts. "Yeah, good luck with that. Stalker-boy."
Charlie gives him a strange look before chuckling and shaking his head. Noah only gives him a half-hearted scowl before propping his head on his hand and looking over at me. "Oh. Are we done with the sleepover talk?"
My lip twitches as I brace my hands on the counter. "Do you have anything to add that doesn't suggest we break Hannah's potentially-already-nonexistent trust?"
"I don't know." He shrugs before glancing at the time. "Do we think they're still on their date?"
Then, as if summoned by his words, all of our phones go off in the pack group chat.
Noah grumbles, grabbing his phone out of his pajama pants pockets. "Probably bragging about—" His words cut off, causing me to pull out my own phone to look.
Enzo
Leaving Hannah's. She's a bit stressed. We came back from our date and there was a beta by her door. Apparently, her step-sisters are suing her.