Chapter 21 #3
I ignore her, my nails digging deeper into the wood.
“I spent eight years of my life in hell. Because I thought it was love. He stole everything from me! My innocence—” I suck in a sharp breath as my words fail me.
“And at the end of the day, I was the one to blame! It’s always, what did you do to make him do that?
What did you say for him to react like that?
Oh, he strangled you and threw you in the ditch?
My fault! All those bruises and marks were all my fault.
” My teeth grind, my voice rising with the flames within.
No one moves; their faces sit in horror with the vomit of my confession.
“It’s my fault he went back to drugs over and over and over.
It’s my fault he disappeared after I refused to sign the marriage license!
All. My. Fault. I was left high and dry, raising Ellie and Todd with not a dime to my name!
” A sob shrieks through my shout. “So, Jasper. It is a big deal. Because I was broken, mentally and physically, for years by someone who claimed to love me. Claimed he would never hurt me! And although I held onto that Narcan to possibly save his life if he needed it, he certainly never cared about saving mine.”
I glare at each member of my team, daring them for any pitiful responses. Jasper erupts from his seat, stomping toward me. But Nyx is there, blocking his path. “No.” Something cold rumbles deep within his chest.
Jasper crushes the can in his fist, launching it to the ground. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
Nyx’s hands curl into tight fists. His jaw twitching in the rising smoke.
A snarl cracks behind the pines, drawing everyone’s attention to the shadows. Beady eyes glow from within, weaving through the trees.
“Everybody sit down and shut up.” I snap, wiping the snot dripping from my nose with the back of my sleeve.
Bear’s face pales as his eyes narrow in the distance, he tip-toes over slowly lowers himself next to me. Everyone follows the order, taking an immediate seat.
“You can shave me bald right now, Nina, I don’t care, I’m not stepping foot in there.” Bear whispers
“I said be quiet!” I bark as another growl rumbles through the trees. I know who it belongs to.
My head turns just as Torin slowly emerges from the darkness, only far enough for his massive head to slip between the pine branches.
Framed by the brush, the wolf looks almost like a lion’s head mounted above a fireplace—still, terrifying, and impossible to ignore.
His amber eyes settle on me. Something shifts there as his growl changes rhythm.
Recognition. Curiosity. Maybe even relief.
Then, his gaze drifts across the campfire to Jasper.
A low snarl erupts from deep within his throat and without another sound, Torin backs into the shadows until the forest swallows him whole.
Bear slowly lifts a hand, his fingers drift to his chest, then his shoulder, then his chin. Attempting to make the sign of the cross… entirely backwards. He pauses. “I don’t think that’s right. I don’t know the order.” He squints toward the woods like he’s trying to remember the rest.
A few minutes roll by, and the noises fade.
Bear shifts his knees beside me, spreading his arms wide as an eagle’s wings. “Permission to hug you general?” The corner of his mouth lifts innocently as he asks. I sigh, leaning into his open arms.
“Permission granted, you big lug.”
Jasper crushes another can, throwing it to the ground as he pushes off the log and strides to his tent.
“Don’t worry about him, sweetheart. He’s just had a few too many and wears his heart on his sleeve. You can’t blame the boy.” Bear pats my shoulder, squeezing me a bit tighter. “But while I’ve got you here… permission to escort Your Royal Alphaness to the Moon Ball?
Nyx quietly smiles from afar, returning his attention back to the fire.
“Sure.” I drunkenly agree.
The woods settle again just as the zipper of Cici’s tent rips open.
She stumbles out, covering a hiccup, a small black speaker and her phone in her hands.
Her eyes flicker across all of us, assessing casualties.
Without a word, she sets the speaker on the log beside me and taps her screen.
Static crackles. Then a slow, familiar fiddle spills into the dark.
My head lifts, peering over to her screen. You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive.
“No way,” I breathe, unable to hide my grin.
Bear groans. “Oh no.”
Cici points at me with her finger pistols as the first lyrics from Patty Loveless’s anthem float through the trees into my soul.
I push out of Bear’s arms and stand, boots crunching in the pine needles. My throat tightens, but not in a bad way. “Sing, warden,” Jett says.
I shake my head, biting my lip, and hold out my hand to Cici like a microphone.
Together, we belt. The mountains throw it back to us as the chorus hits, our voices shouting to the sky.
Nina holds out a lighter, swaying back and forth in Jett’s grasp as he shakes his head at us.
Nyx stands guard in the shadows of the smoke; his eyes locked on mine from across the flame.
My heart breathes, even through the smoke, involuntarily inhaling the fresh air that surrounds him.
Maybe everything fell apart tonight, and maybe tomorrow might be worse. But standing here with my people around me, I think, maybe we’re going to be okay. Maybe I’m going to be okay.