Page 17

The necklace. The coffee. The fact that they figured out what I liked, gave it to me without any strings attached and didn’t try to corner me with it. That they just… gave. Freely.

“What the hell am I supposed to do with this?” I asked, more to myself than to her.

Honey didn’t answer right away. Just sipped her coffee, watched me with those big, kind eyes that had always seen too much.

“I can tell you what I think,” she said at last.

I looked up, brow furrowing in question. Last night she’d been resolute in not sharing her thoughts or opinions with me.

“You should talk to them,” she said. “You don’t owe them your heart. Not after what you’ve been through. But you do oweyourselfa chance to see what could happen if you stop running.”

I looked down again, at the necklace resting in my palm. I couldn’t figure out if it felt like a lifelin or a noose.

“I’m scared,” I whispered. Scared didn't even begin to cover the terror building inside me, but it was a start.

“I know.” Honey reached over and squeezed my hand. “But you’re brave too. Brave enough to start over. Brave enough to love again, if that’s what you want.”

I didn’t know what I wanted.

But for the first time, I didn’t want to run.

I turned the necklace over in my fingers once more, then looked at Honey. My voice barely a whisper. "Would you... would you call them? Annerly and William?"

Honey didn't smile, didn't tease. As always she was the best of friends that read the room, and gave me what I needed. With a nod she pulled out her phone and stepped out of the room.

I stared at the necklace the whole time, willing my hands to stop shaking.

There was a soft knock at the door about twenty minutes later.

What? Were they waiting down the damn road or something?

Honey answered the door, and I soon heard murmured voices. Low, careful and restrained.

When she led them inside, I stood, fingers clenched around the necklace, the butterflies running rampant in my stomach.

William and Annerly stepped into the living room like they were entering a sacred space. Neither pushed forward. Neither said a word at first.

William's gaze locked onto mine, his sharp Alpha intensity somehow dulled by a gentler expression I wasn't used to seeing on someone of his designation. Annerly's eyes flicked down to the necklace around my neck before flicking back up, like he didn't want me to think he was staring at my cleavage for too long or something.

It drew a small smile from me.

"Thank you for the necklace," I said, voice tight. "You've no idea how much it meant to me."

William cleared his throat. "It's nothing, little Omega. It was yours to begin with so it was the easiest thing in the world to keep it safe for you."

Annerly added, "I saw your expression when it came loose. I'm sorry you haven't had it with you all this time. I hope one day you'll tell us why it's so special to you."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "It was my mother's."

William stepped forward, just a bit. "Oh, little one," he murmured, the strange pet name doing something to me. His hand reached out as if he wished to touch me, or hold me, and the Omega in me ached to move into his embrace.

I blinked fast, then sat down to avoid the urge.

I couldn't just give in. Not that easily.

Right?

"Can we sit, pretty girl?" Annerly asked me, indicating the other chairs in the living room.