Page 15

Chapter Twelve

I t’s been three days since Sebastian and I found the threat in the woods. Three days of unanswered questions and trying to pretend like things are fine.

I haven’t told Brogan about what happened between Sebastian and me.

Haven't told her about the texts, or the photo I found of my mom and me either. I haven’t told anyone anything outside of Sebastian, and every time I close my eyes, I replay it all in my head.

But every morning, when that heavy sense of dread makes me question even getting out of bed, I remind myself I have archery practice, classes, and a thousand other reasons to keep moving, so I do.

Pulling open the door to my room, I'm halted when I find Sebastian and Aidric both standing there like a goddamn SWAT team.

Aidric’s arms are crossed, jaw locked. Sebastian has that lazy grin that means he’s about to do something I’ll hate. I don’t even have time to mentally prepare myself for their bullshit, so when Sebastian speaks, it’s like a cold bucket of water being dumped over my head.

"Morning, Little Lamb," Sebastian says innocently when he's anything but. "Going somewhere?"

"Class," I say flatly, shoving my bag strap higher on my shoulder. "Get out of my way."

"Yeah, see, that’s not gonna happen," Aidric mutters, reaching past me to push the door open wider.

Before I can even process it, he’s inside my room, touching my shit.

"Excuse me?" I snap, spinning around after him. "What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

"Packing," Aidric says, already grabbing my duffel bag off the floor and opening drawers.

I lunge after him. "Put my stuff down!"

"Can't do that," Aidric says, shrugging me off like my grip means nothing to him. "You're coming to stay with us for a while."

"The hell I am!"

Sebastian leans in the doorway, arms braced wide like a wall. "It’s not up for debate."

"Oh, it’s not?" I hiss. "You don’t get to decide where I live, Sebastian."

"Actually," he begins, "we do. Because whoever’s playing this game with us is watching you. They’re targeting you and it’s only gonna get worse. You're not safe here. Not to mention, you put Brogan in danger by being here too. What if this person comes in here to hurt you and they get her instead?"

I pause for a moment, not having thought of it that way. I figured that having a roommate would keep me safer, give this stalker a reason not to get too close. But the arrow in my bed should have proven to me otherwise.

Aidric tosses a stack of folded clothes onto my bed. "You’re moving into the house. End of story."

I tear my bag off my shoulder and toss it down as I attempt to put my clothes back in my drawer to no avail. Aidric just yanks them right back out.

As much as they have a point, I’m not someone who handles big changes well, hence why I struggle so much with everything falling apart around me. While I want to keep my best friend safe, I also don’t want to be any closer to these guys than I have to be.

"You two are unbelievable." My breaths are heavy as I run around after Aidric, trying to grab things before he can. But he just takes them from my grasp like I’m a toddler.

"Maybe," Sebastian says, following me around my room, "but we’re also right."

"No," I say, pointing a shaking finger at him. "You don’t get to bulldoze my life just because you suddenly decided I’m worth protecting."

"You’ve been worth protecting since the second shit got dangerous," Sebastian fires back, taking me by surprise.

"Do you think it’s normal for our society to allow anyone to know their secrets? Do you think we're trying to get you to fall in line for funsies?" He's nearly yelling now, more worked up than I've ever seen him.

"I think you like control and you saw the perfect opportunity to exercise it over me."

Sebastian throws his head back, laughing like that’s the funniest thing he's heard all year.

"Avery, every inch of you screams defiance. Why would we seek to hold someone under our thumb that we know will fight us every step of the way?"

I cross my arms over my chest. "Because you like a challenge."

He shakes his head, blowing out a long breath. "Think what you want, but Callan will be pissed if we don’t keep you safe and he suddenly remembers your little relationship."

I scoff. "So this is about Callan now?"

"Whether you like it or not, you’re in this with us. And if you keep trying to handle it alone, it’s going to eat you alive."

Aidric looks at me from where he’s zipping my bag. "Unless you want to end up like your mom."

My blood turns to ice and I turn to look at Sebastian.

Sebastian’s jaw ticks. "Too far."

My heart sinks to my stomach. "You told him?"

"He already knew. Found out when I did."

Aidric doesn’t flinch. "But am I wrong?"

Did Sebastian tell him about my fears of turning out like my mom? About my dad walking out on her? Or that he’s playing house with some woman barely out of college while my mom withers away in a care facility?

The thought makes my stomach twist.

I scowl, turning away because if I look at him another second, I might actually scream. Just when I thought things were smoothing out and maybe I could catch a damn break, they pull this shit.

And the worst part is, I know staying with them makes sense.

Brogan spends more time at Hayes’ place than our dorm, and I do let my thoughts spiral when I’m alone. I’ve felt the slow slip into obsession, the hunger for answers I can’t find. Just last night, I sat on my bed making a list of all the evidence we've found.

I know I’ll be safer there, but I’ll be damned if I admit it out loud.

I glower at both of them. "You know this is kidnapping, right?"

Sebastian shrugs. "Let’s just call it protective custody."

Sebastian must read the war on my face because his voice shifts, softer now. "Hey," he says, but I don’t look at him. "You wanted to help with the masked event, right? This'll give you a chance to plan, prep, and work out the details. We could use your brain on this."

My eyes flick to him, hesitant. "So now I’m a charity case with a clipboard?"

He smirks faintly. "Nah. You’re our chaotic little event coordinator."

I roll my eyes, but a stupid part of me relaxes a little. It’s not much, but it'll be a distraction and a reason to stay that people will believe.

My retort to his comment dies in my throat when my phone buzzes in my bag. I hurry to it, pulling it out of the side pocket.

Brogan's name flashes across the screen and I swipe open the message.

B: Callan’s been moved out of the ICU. No change with his memory yet, but thought you’d want to know.

I stare at the message, reading it twice like the words might change. He’s still the same, but he’s out of the ICU and that has to count for something, right?

Sebastian must see the shift in my mood. "What is it?"

My mouth goes dry. "It's Brogan. They moved Callan out of the ICU."

Aidric halts mid-pack of my shit, his sharp gaze on me.

Sebastian’s jaw flexes, his mouth parting slightly. "Did she say anything else? Like if he’s remembering?"

I shake my head. "Still nothing. But this is good. It means he’s stronger, which also means it's only a matter of time before he remembers." I stuff my phone back in my bag and sling it over my shoulder. "I have to go there."

Sebastian steps toward me. "Avery, don’t. Just wait. Give him time. You showing up there might confuse the hell out of him all over again. Or worse, it could bring up memories he isn’t ready to face, not of you, but everything else."

"I don’t care." My voice cracks. "I need to see him."

"Avery—"

"Don’t," I cut him off. "I’m not asking for permission."

Aidric snorts, shoving a hoodie into the half-packed duffle bag he tossed on my bed. "Told you she’d bolt the second you tried to lock her down."

"I’m not bolting , " I snap. "I’m going to check on someone I care about. Unlike the rest of you, I don’t treat people like pawns."

Sebastian steps into my path, jaw tight. "I’m just trying to protect you."

"Well stop." I push past him and yank the door open. "Because I’m not the one who needs protecting right now."

And just like that, I run. But it’s not how Aidric said, I’m not fleeing from Sebastian; I'm going to Callan, the one who calms the storm of emotions in my chest, even if he can’t remember.

We had a plan before all of this; we were figuring it out.

If he can just remember, then maybe I can have him back and the safety that comes with knowing we have each other's back.

People say I’m the one that saved him in the car accident, but what they don’t know is that Callan saved me all those years ago before I broke his break his heart.

His room is quiet when I step inside. A dim light spills from a lamp in the corner and the rhythmic beeping of machines has been replaced by the steady sound of his breathing.

It's a beautiful sound, him breathing on his own.

He's all alone, asleep, so I quietly close the door behind me and watch him for a moment.

The difference in the way he looks is mind-blowing. The color has returned to his skin. His lips aren’t blue anymore, and there’s less tension around his eyes. He’s not hooked up to a tangle of wires and tubes, just a simple IV and a heart monitor.

God, he looks so much better.

I inch closer, each step stealing a little bit of the air from my lungs. I sit beside him, carefully, afraid to wake him, but also desperate to at the same time.

Callan's mind may not remember what we had, but maybe his body will.

I reach out and brush a knuckle along his jaw, His skin is soft and warm. I lean in, heart pounding and press a soft kiss to his lips without expectation because I need to feel him this way; I need one last kiss if this is all I’ll ever get of him.

His eyes flutter open mid-kiss, flicking from me to the ceiling to the machines and back to me again.

"Avery?"

My breath catches. "Hey," I whisper. "You’re okay."

His brow furrows. "Why...what are you doing?"