Page 33

ROWAN

After the night wound down, I said my goodbyes to Skye, Halo and Charisma, grabbed a few appetizers for the road, and called a car to take me back to my apartment. The driver pulled up to my building, let me out, and drove away while I just stood there in the parking lot.

I didn’t want to go inside.

I couldn’t make myself go inside.

Instead, I just kept standing there, wavering slightly thanks to the champagne, and dreaded stepping foot in that big, dark, empty apartment.

It wasn’t until the familiar silhouette of my best friend peeked out from the bedroom window that I managed to shake myself out of it. High up on my floor, Tracker stared down at me with a tilted head, one ear perked with curiosity, or maybe worry.

I entered the complex and took the elevator to my floor. Unlocking and entering my apartment, Tracker came to greet me with a panting smile and a wagging tail.

“You stayed up for me, buddy?” I scratched his neck. “Did you get any sleep?”

The apartment still felt cold and wide. Not quite hostile but maybe unwelcoming.

In an effort to get comfortable, I showered off the party funk, staying under the spray until it ran cool.

I dressed, then, moving on auto-pilot, I grabbed my laptop, and earphones, and shoved them into my bag.

Then, I fetched Tracker’s travel bowls, the half-full bag of dog kibble, and his leash and harness.

“C’mon, boy.”

Even off leash, Tracker followed me without hesitation.

I took him all the way to my car, and opened the hatch back.

He jumped in, happy for an adventure, even at 4am.

I got in after him and climbed onto the mattress.

I dropped onto it, dragging the folded blankets over my body and pillowed my head on my arm.

The sun was rising, a greyish haze on the horizon heralding the encroaching summer day.

Tracker happily fell down next to me, leaning his back into mine and offering me his body heat.

I couldn’t stay in that apartment anymore. It was no longer my home, just an echo. When I woke up, I would start looking for someplace new, and talk with the landlord.

For now, Tracker and I would car-life it.

I wrapped the blankets tighter around my body.

They still held the faint scent of blueberries.

My phone buzzed at 9:45am with a message. Groggy, I fumbled for it, and squinted at the swimming letters in the pool of blue light. Gradually they came together and formed a coherent sentence.

Skye

Just making sure you got home safe.

I yawned and typed back.

Yeah. Thanks again for the invite. Thank Halo for me.

Skye

Want to get lunch somewhere?

Sounds great but I can’t. I have to go house hunting today.

“Crap.” I shouldn’t have told her that. I sent it without thinking. Skye was just so easy to talk to.

Skye

Something wrong with your apartment?

Just need a change.

Skye

Meet me for lunch at Bao Down. 12:30. I won’t take no for an answer.

Another yawn escaped me. A warm dumpling lunch sounded pretty good. I set my alarm on my phone for an hour and a half from now and immediately drifted back to sleep.

I arrived at the Bao Down truck just after 12:30, Tracker on his leash at my side. Skye stood from where she sat at a plastic table and retrieved her order as it was called. Dumplings in hand, she turned from the truck and smiled when she saw me.

She had two orders of dumplings, and two sodas.

“Afternoon,” she greeted me. “Sleep well?”

“As well as could be expected,” I said.

She handed me a pair of wooden chopsticks in a paper sleeve. “So, what’s wrong with your apartment?”

“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

“You’re not leaving Port Haven, are you?” Concern filled her eyes.

“No. It just…” I broke the chopsticks down the divide. A splinter the thickness of a human hair split off from it. “It doesn’t feel like home without her.”

Skye put a hand on my arm and squeezed. “Stay with us.”

“What?” I stared at her. “I can’t.”

“You can. We have an extra room, so it makes sense.”

“Skye, I can’t. Your alphas won’t let me. They won’t welcome me into their home.”

“Halo will. I do. Crux will come around and Severen…” That was where she paused. “Severen…”

“Will never accept another alpha in his territory who isn’t part of the pack,” I finished for her.

“Then, join the Heller pack.”

“Skye–”

“No. Listen,” she pushed on. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this. When an alpha loses his omega, it’s a scar in his aura. It won’t heal until the alpha finds another omega, or another pack.”

All that was true, I couldn’t argue with those facts. “Your pack is already settled.”

Skye stared at me, steel in her blue eyes. “It’s the right thing to do. Not even Severen can argue with that. Let’s eat, then, you’ll come over.”

“Skye…” I hesitated, moving dumplings around aimlessly with my chopsticks. “You haven’t even asked me what I want.”

The colour drained from her cheeks and her serious look faded from her eyes. Her lips seemed to lose some of their soft pink.

“O-oh.” She murmured. “I…” Her eyes turned down to her cardboard take-out box. “I suppose I haven’t. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I-it was stupid of me to think– Never mind. I won’t mention it again.”

“Skye, it’s not that I don’t want to.”

“I just– I could feel you were in pain. Not just emotionally, from a loss, but I could feel it in your aura. And I knew I co– I thought I could help.” She took a napkin and wiped her nose. “I shouldn’t have interfered.”

“Skye.” I reached across the table and took her hand firmly in mine. That made her look at my face. Tears welled in her eyes and her button nose was pink. “You’re an amazing person. You light up a room. Pack or no pack. I think I need you.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” My thumb ran across her soft knuckles.

“It’s just… It scares me that I’m moving so fast. Or…

maybe it’s fate. I always figured fated mates were the stuff of cheesy romances and something people told themselves to solidify their poor decisions or excuse abusive alphas or doormat omegas.

But I look at you and me and think… What were the chances that I was still able to follow my omega’s heart? ”

“That not even death could keep you away.” Skye let out a trembling breath.

She held my hands like if she were to let go, some mysterious force would whisk her away.

She chewed on her lower lip for a moment then sat up straighter.

“Rowan, do you want to join the Heller pack? Or, do you just want to remain friends?”

I didn’t have to think about it for more than a second. “I want to be part of the Heller pack. If that means being with you. I know it’s fast, and we barely know each other but–”

“I know,” Skye said. “I feel it too.”