Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
NOVA
At the top of the Buck Hill, I watch as Hollis and Felix race each other to the bottom in separate snow tubes. My cheeks hurt from how much I’m grinning, my face is frozen, but I’m having so much fun.
Tubing down the hill is showing me how much I’ve missed in my life.
My childhood didn’t have many bright spots, and I spent it alone outside of the many adults around me.
I’ve never been sledding before now, and it’s not something I’d think to do alone.
I can only ice skate because I went to a community event a few years ago on a lake in a small town in Ohio.
It was a lot of fun, so now I periodically go alone to an ice rink to clear my head.
Finding things that clear my head and bring me joy is a form of self care I’ve found. It’s not the same alone though. Today is reminding me how lonely I’ve been, and how that’s all changing now.
“Nova?” Caleb asks, drawing my attention. “Are you okay?”
“Just thinking about the last time I went ice skating, and how different today is from that,” I explain, getting into a snow tube.
“What exactly is different about it?” he asks, grabbing onto a handle of my tube so I won’t slide away yet.
“I’m not alone anymore,” I wink, surprising him into releasing me.
Squealing, I bounce and slide down the hill, my tube turning round and round until I get to the bottom and crash into the pile of snow that’s there to help tubers stop.
Climbing out of the snow, I laugh as I shake fresh powder out of my hair and pull my tube free.
“Ready for dinner?” Tyde asks, pulling me into a hug as the last of our group joins us as they slide down the hill.
My stomach growls at his question and I nod, leaning into his warmth.
“Nova!” Caleb yells, stalking over to me. My brow raises at his tone, and I find myself wrapping my arms around Tyde’s body.
Maybe I’m not completely over Caleb’s brutishness. Attention is drawn to us at his tone, and my sister’s brows draw down as he pulls me away from Tyde. Stumbling slightly, I gaze up at him as he fists my hair in his hand.
“I don’t think I was very clear when my brother and I said that we’d be barnacles on your ass,” he murmurs, making sure I’m almost up on my toes as he pulls on my hair.
“And what did you mean by it, Alpha?” I purr, surprising myself by leaning into his high-handedness.
I wonder if he’d throw you around while fucking you, Tyde murmurs in my head. Are you doing okay, baby?
It’s hot isn’t it? I tease back. I’m good, I promise. Just wondering what’s gotten into him.
Caleb’s other arm wraps around my waist to pull me closer, and I can feel his erection through his clothes.
“It means you’ll never be alone again unless you choose to be. No more taking yourself ice skating alone, or missing out on life because you don’t have someone to go with you,” he whispers against my lips.
Despite it being so cold out, his lips are soft and warm as he kisses me.
His tongue flicks along the seam of my lips, teasing me into opening them.
This is exploratory, sweet, and all-consuming.
It feels very unlike him, showing me there are many sides I don’t know yet.
When he lifts his head, I’m breathing hard and shocked, because I’m unused to this version of him.
Caleb is as much of a bull in a china shop as his brother, but the intensity in his gaze speaks of possession and protectiveness while not affecting my independence. It’s everything I’ve wanted from him.
“Are you done tongue fucking my sister?” Hollis teases Caleb.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be done,” he murmurs, tucking me against him as he smooths out my hair.
My sister glances at me and I give her my slightly unfocused attention, my legs unsteady from the unbridled arousal Caleb’s kiss brought on.
“I suppose I can be on board with that,” Hollis muses. “Where are we going to eat? I’m starving and cold.”
“Morgana’s is nearby,” Felix says. “They have a little of everything and killer hot cocoas.”
Lars pulls out his phone with a nod. “I’ll make sure they can accommodate our group.”
As he walks a couple of steps away to call them, Caleb chuckles. “He’s making sure that they can accommodate you, Nova,” he says. “Lars has become obsessed with calling ahead to ensure that you aren’t accidentally glutanized.”
“It’s not a bad thing,” I admit. “Sometimes there’s wheat in a restaurant’s seasonings and they don’t tell you or know. Having your insides riot is terrifying.”
Hollis’ eyes widen and she shakes her head. “Lars is pretty even keeled at restaurants until you fuck with dietary restrictions or customer service. He’ll flip a fucking table if they ever do that shit to you.”
“It’s a good thing he’s currently putting the fear of God into whoever he’s speaking to then,” Caleb chuckles, watching as Lars gets animated on the phone.
My alpha looks very smug when he walks back over to us, clearly finished with his call and pocketing his phone.
“They can accommodate us,” he says simply, making Brice smirk.
“You are every restaurant’s nightmare, aren’t you?” Brice asks.
“I’m very polite about my scariness,” Lars shrugs. “How they react to that is on them.”
Hollis snags my hand, shaking her head. “Walk with me while Lars bangs on his chest proudly,” she says. “If we don’t start walking to the parking lot now, we’ll never get dinner.”
Smiling, I walk with her as the guys tease each other.
“This has been the best day,” I say happily.
“Emilia got fired, I got to stab the bitch, and I’m on a double date with my sister. Sounds like it is,” she says.
Hollis told us about her experience with Emilia and what happened at ROWS earlier. I would be a wreck if I got into a fight with that wretched woman, but my sister? Cool as a cucumber and twice as smug.
“The only downside is your missing knife,” I murmur.
“It gives me a reason to shop for a new one,” she shrugs. “I’ll probably steal two of your alphas away. They have a way of scaring people into giving me the best prices without having to be the scary one.”
Hollis’ blood lust issues are clearly the culprit as to why, so I can understand her not wanting to put herself in a situation where she’ll have to deal with the frustration of a shady arms dealer.
The fact that I’m as understanding about this really does legitimize Caleb and Lars’ insistence that I’m a mafia daughter.
“Steal away,” I agree. “I, ah, have a weird question that is related to my body rejecting my bond bite.”
Hollis takes a deep breath as she nods, waiting. We haven’t really had a chance to talk about it, but I know she knows it’s being rejected because Lars told her about the end result of the doctor appointment.
“Tyde thinks that while the bond is being rejected because of a mixture of things like my fucked up heat, the way the four of us began, and my lack of trust in alphas. He mentioned too that my past and trauma may have something to do with it as well,” I rush out quickly.
He admitted that he called a therapist earlier today while I was at work and that it may be helpful.
Tyde also mentioned that Hollis may have a better idea if the therapist is any good because she tends to hear things through the grapevine.
The therapist admitted that she works with local organizations pro bono, and that her practice is aligned with helping clients of all designations work through personal struggles, but refused to say which organizations.
I want to know if it’s Omega’s Haven, however I understand that the therapist is protecting her clients. My sister doesn’t have any such restrictions with me.
“Did he,” she growls under her breath. “Please tell me that he didn’t make this out to be your fault. I also haven’t heard a question yet, Nova.”
The two of us are far enough ahead that the guys can’t hear us, so I blow out a breath.
“No, he’s been pretty adamant about none of this being my fault,” I say.
“Nova?” Tyde jogs to catch up to us, looking confused when Hollis turns her frigid gaze on him.
“I think you need to be looped into this conversation, Tyde,” she says. “I understand that you have a theory about Nova’s body rejecting your bond bite?”
“Yes, but I have a feeling you’re feeling some kind of way about it,” he says.
“Nova has developed a lot of coping mechanisms that have been working to help her handle intense situations. The trauma of her past has left her vulnerable and mistrusting of alphas, Hollis. I mentioned seeing a therapist that I found, but wanted to know if you’ve heard anything about her.
The last thing I want to do is put my trust into a medical professional who’s an ethical dirtbag. ”
“Good answer,” Hollis breathes, stretching her neck muscles to release some pressure. I have a feeling my sister is spoiling for a fight, but she’s self aware enough to know when to chill out. “What’s the therapist’s name?”
“Dr. Alys Edwards,” Tyde replies.
“Oh her ,” she says. “I’ve heard really good things about the way she processes trauma with her clients. She works with Omega’s Haven and also has a private practice. As a therapist overall and for omegas, I think she’s a good choice.”
“Oh good,” Tyde says. “It’s completely up to Nova. I get a little fixated when I’m presented with something and it’s important to me.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” she says. “In fact…Felix?”
Hollis twists around to find the alpha, and he lengthens his steps to catch up to us.
“What’s up?” he asks. “Why do things feel intense here?”
“I misunderstood something, but I’m fine now,” Hollis explains.
“Good,” he says. “Your brain feels busy for some reason. What are you thinking about?”
Hollis glances at me as if to ask me if she can tell him about our conversation, to which I nod easily. Her pack knows that I have panic attacks. Malcolm has seen them.
“That’s a little freaky,” Felix mutters as Hollis looks back at him. “It’s like how I talk to Remy without words. I’ve just never actually seen it with other people.”