Chapter 43
I’d woken with my omega in my arms and my pack at my side.
For such a long time, she lay in my arms while I tried to ground myself. When I couldn’t speak, she led me to the shower.
Even as hot water streamed over my skin, her calming nightshade scent filling the air, and the gentle touch of a cloth washed away the blood crusted across my skin, I couldn’t settle.
My mind was far off, drifting and unable to find firm ground.
She didn’t complain once, my perfect omega. When I was dressed and she’d brushed my hair, she forced me to the couch so she could slide onto my lap and take my face in her hands.
At last, she came into focus.
More beautiful than I could compute, and I could feel her in the bond; my shooting star, as bright as a sun and bound to us by gold as brilliant as her eyes.
She had a princess bond.
Everything she deserved.
It was over…
She was my anchor, but I couldn’t… I squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn’t hold onto her properly. Not yet.
So I pressed my lips to her forehead and stood, setting her on her feet and making my way to the car.
I knew what I needed to do.
By the time I returned from my shopping trip, I was clearer in the head. Clear enough, anyway.
I set my bag down on the counter, glancing up to see Shatter quietly shutting the door of one of the spare bedrooms.
“She’s wiped.” Her voice hushed, a smile on her face as she looked from Dusk to Ransom who were waiting for her.
“No shit,” Ransom scoffed.
She?
I frowned, then clocked into the orange and fir tree scent which was light in the air. It didn’t bother me. Shatter was ours, and Roxy was hers, so she was welcome here.
The whole living room was decorated like it was Christmas. Lights sparkled across the walls and around a Christmas tree. A cute little glowing village with electronically animated ice skaters was scattered across side tables and TV stand. Tinsel hung from paintings and fixtures, while fake snow sat upon window ledges.
I nodded approvingly. Quite tasteful, actually. We’d never really been into Christmas as a pack. Decebal would come over with gifts, but it felt sort of… depressing, with just me and Dusk, and Ransom still sick, so we tried to pretend it wasn’t happening.
“You’re back,” Shatter said, hurrying over to me and peering at what I had in the bag. “What are you making?”
I found my voice at last, peace settling over me as I pulled out the ingredients.
Ice cream, chocolate and strawberry toppings, sprinkles, whipped cream, cherries, and four bananas.
“Banana splits.”
She looked up at me, eyes sparkling. “Sounds amazing.”
I prepared in a peaceful quiet as Dusk got the bowls lined up for me.
I’d spent a lot of time memorising banana split instructions. I could recite them in my sleep because banana splits were what you ate when a family was put back together. That’s what... Someone had said once.
I thought maybe it meant the payments were paid.
The debts were finally clear.
And I’d been waiting a long time for my Ransom banana split.
“Heh.”That sounded wrong. Shatter shot me a funny look as she drizzled an obscene amount of chocolate over one of them.
This was perfect. Better than perfect. I had a family to take care of. A pack that was mine.
So I settled down, passing one to Ransom, Dusk, Shatter, and I.
But I took my first bite only to realise I’d definitely never had a banana split before in my life.
Well… Shit.
That didn’t…
I frowned. That couldn’t be right.
Right?
I blinked, shadows lurking from distant memories. They were blurry and faceless. Always smaller. Always needing to be cared for.
My heart tripped, fist closing around my throat, and for a moment I reached out, trying to make them focus, but a chasm opened beneath me and I reeled back.
No… I think… I would break.
I already had once, for this.
And now I had Dusk, and Ransom, and Shatter—they had faces. And it also seemed right that when I died, I would see everyone’s face. And then… I swallowed…
And they would tell me,
They were happy I didn’t break
Over memories
When I was the one
With more to make.
I cocked my head, the faintest smile fighting my frown.
Yup…
I nodded slowly, squeezing Shatter’s hand that had somehow found its way into mine. That sounded good.
It was an absolute truth already lodging deep into everything I knew to be right in the world. I dug my spoon into my banana split and took another bite. (Turns out I didn’t like bananas either, which seemed like a stupid thing not to have figured out by now.)