Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Shayne
Thank God it’s Friday. Those are the first words that pop into my head when I wake up, and they repeat themselves over and over again as the day stretches on.
I spend the morning going over my investment portfolio, drinking coffee until I’ve maxed out my caffeine intake and then some. While Falcon paces around like a caged tiger, watching the clock as if he literally can’t think of a single other thing to do.
Jay and Harper sleep in a bit, only getting up and ready when it’s almost time for them to head out to the Symphony Hall in Silver City.
It’s obvious Falcon doesn’t want them to leave.
His mood goes from silently impatient to vaguely irritable the moment they’re gone.
We both know Jay is as capable of protecting Harper as we are.
There’s no reason to hamper our Omega’s freedom.
He’s safe with our Beta.
Unfortunately, this whole week has been a strange kind of torture for Falcon, and he’s tense enough now that a minor inconvenience could completely shatter the facade he’s been holding together for what feels like months.
In reality it’s been weeks.
Three, four, tops.
It seems crazy to believe that he could be back to normal after tonight but finally getting to see that the girl he rescued is fine is bound to ease the tension. Whether or not that’s the real issue remains to be seen.
I’m not sure it’s quite that simple.
He’s been simmering in rage this whole time.
There’s something I’m missing, a piece of the puzzle that I don’t have.
Maybe tonight will help me to figure it out, or maybe this is only the start to unravelling a much bigger issue.
I don’t want to wallow in my thoughts, so when midday hits, I go out for a run.
Falcon declines the offer to join me.
He stays home, and he’s still pacing around when I eventually get back.
Please let tonight change things.
Let Falcon find what he needs.
Those are the thoughts I focus on while I shower and slowly start to get ready for our big night at Goldcrest Academy’s first social event of the year.
I’m dressed by the time Falcon enters the room, wrapped in a towel from the shower.
He frowns as he goes through our shared closet until he finds the suit he’s looking for.
His expression doesn’t change as he pulls the suit out of the closet.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
He turns toward me and shakes his head.
The few seconds of silence that follow make me more than a little nervous.
Then, he shrugs as his gaze fixes on my face.
His brow smooths out. “Everything’s fine.”
As assurances go, it’s a weak one, but at least he’s trying, I guess.
He dumps the suit on his side of the bed and moves toward the dresser.
I watch as he grabs underwear out of the top drawer, letting my gaze move down over his body as he drops the towel to the floor. I should be bugging him to pick up the damn towel, but all I can think about is how long it’s been since we shared an intimate moment.
I know it’s normal for things to cool down once a pack is past the honeymoon phase, but nothing about what’s happening with Falcon is normal.
It’s killing me to know that we’ve been pushed away because of something none of us fully understand, our lead Alpha included.
It’s beyond frustrating.
“I wish I could do more,” I mumble as Falcon starts to get dressed.
He glances up at me, and I see a flicker of guilt in his eyes.
“To help you, I mean,” I add, clearing my throat.
“You do plenty,” he assures me, his smile tight. “I’m just …”
He trails off, letting out a sigh as he tugs his pants up.
He doesn’t even have the words to explain.
If he can’t work it out, what chance do I have?
I clear my throat. “Falcon, you’re my mate. If there’s anything I can do to help you, all you need to do is ask.”
He moves toward me and takes my hand in his, his stare fixing on mine.
“After tonight, I’ll be better,” he promises, sounding like he means every word.
All I can do is believe him.
Please let it be true.