Page 11 of Conflicting Lyrics (Heartbreak Melody #1)

Maya knows all about my past now. But even after all these years, I’ve never been able to bring myself to tell her about Ally.

I don’t know why. Any time I tried to, the words would die on my tongue.

Maybe because I knew Maya. She would tell me to find Ally, to go to her, to explain everything.

And maybe I feared that I’d do just that.

She has her life. I have mine. Too much time has passed to open up that door to our past. One that could be the thread that unravels everything.

Plus, if Ally really felt the same way I have for all these years, wouldn’t she have come and found me?

My parents' case was all over the news. I highly doubt she wouldn’t have heard about it.

“I love you, too. So damn much. And I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you.” She sniffs, moving from our embrace to wipe at her nose. “I think this is cause for celebration.”

“Now that's something I can agree to!” My eyes light up with excitement. “I say we get drunk and have girls’ night—inside, of course.” Maya wasn’t much of a club girl.

Crowded places and drunk people make her anxious.

And while I do enjoy going out, letting loose, and having fun, I never pressure her into coming out with me.

I love the time that we get to have fun and just be in the comfort of each other's presence. Staying in is just as fun as going out when it comes to her.

“I like that idea.” She grabs her phone. “I’m ordering in.”

“Tonight we’re getting fucked up!” I cheer, making her laugh.

“Why do I feel like at least one of us, if not both of us, is going to regret this night?”

I grin. “Because we probably are.”

She was right. Fucking hell, she was right.

“Kill me,” I beg my best friend, groaning as I roll over, burying my face into her bed. “Please.”

“You're so dramatic.” She laughs, swatting me on my ass as she crawls out of bed.

“Says the sober bitch,” I grumble into the pillow.

“You know how this works, Lu. I don’t have more than a few. I know my limit, and you don’t.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I wave my hand blindly behind me.

Maya isn’t much of a drinker. When she gets drunk, she tends to worry, so we mostly stick to getting high. Why didn’t I do that? Why didn’t we just eat some edibles, then I wouldn’t be left with this gnarly hangover.

“Still, can you do a girl a solid and put me out of my misery?”

She laughs. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll make us some eggs while you take your rank ass to the shower and clean up.”

“Oh geez. Thanks, babe, love you too,” I roll over, squinting up at her as I give her the finger.

She just grins, blows me a kiss, and bounces her cheery ass over to the kitchen.

Sighing heavily, I push past the nausea swirling in my belly as my head spins while getting out of bed.

The shower helps a lot, but I still feel gross when I’m done. I keep a change of clothes here—often sleeping over when we work too late—so I get dressed, brush out my hair, and trudge back to the kitchen where Maya has a cup of coffee and a fried egg, just the whites, waiting for me.

“Fuck me,” I groan as I inhale the goodness that is caffeine.

“Sorry, babe. We’ve been over this; I don’t swing that way. But trust me, if I did, I’d totally take you up on that offer.” She smiles with a wink.

“Oh, I know you would.” I grin back and groan again when I take a drink.

“What're your plans for today?” she asks.

“School tomorrow,” I mutter. “Gotta head back and study.”

“Don’t look so sad. You love studying.”

“That is true. But my heat is coming in like a week, and I still don’t have a temp pack.”

She frowns. “What happened with the Colsons?”

“What always happens.” I rub at my eyes. “They want something more. Seriously, someone needs to have a talk with the Dean or Tia. Because packs are clicking the wrong box when signing up. It’s rare to find a pack that just wants to fuck. Why let emotions get involved?”

“Don’t you think maybe it’s time?” she asks.

I shoot her a glare. “Don’t you think it’s time for you, too?”

She bites her lips, shutting up fast.

“And yes. I do, okay? I’m graduating this year, and I want to start looking.” Her face lights up, but I hold out my hand. “But not with the pack program. Something more natural.”

“Okay. Fair. Like what?”

“Maybe go out a bit more, and not turn down hot guys who want to take me home at the end of the night.” I laugh.

“That would be a good start.” She grins.

As much fun as having temp packs for my heat has been, doing it for so many years has left me feeling like I’m missing a piece of myself.

It’s like I want the pack life now; I want to be held, loved, cared for, but not by any of the packs I’ve been with.

I’m not holding out and hoping for my scent match, but I do want to find a pack that fits. A pack that feels right.

I could have taken pack Colson up on their offer of a date, but I already knew well into the few heats they helped me out with that there wasn't anything more than sex between us.

I just… knew.

There's a part of me that truly believes when the right pack comes along, I’ll just know.

So while I’m not holding out for my scent match, I am holding out for that.

“I better get going,” I say before downing the rest of my coffee. “Don’t work too hard,” I warn her.

Her face lights up. “After the numbers you showed me last night, fat chance. I’m even more eager to work on my next book now than I was yesterday.”

“Of course.” I roll my eyes goodheartedly. “I should have known.”

After gathering my things and saying goodbye to Maya, I head down to my car, feeling a bit better than I did before.

Normally, Rick takes me where I want to go when I leave Calling Wood, but the past year I’ve been venturing outside the gates more and more on my own. Normally, just to and from Maya’s place.

When it involves big groups or crowded places, he insists on being with me.

Maya has been out of Calling Wood for a few months now, choosing to move into an apartment building not far from the school. So the commute isn’t far.

I missed living so close and seeing her every day, but she insisted on leaving Calling Wood, saying it wasn’t her home anymore.

She did her four years, and she knew what she wanted.

I have one left, and then I am planning on moving into the same building she’s in. That is, if we didn’t have our packs already.

Maya doesn’t have Lacy as her guard anymore, no longer needing one since she left Calling Wood, but Rick cares about Maya like he does for me and will offer his services anytime she needs.

He and Lacy are still together, finding a pack of their own. Honestly, I’m surprised he didn’t quit when he found his Omegas.

But he said that with me graduating this year, he couldn’t bring himself to leave me. Once I graduate, he is going to retire and live his happy little life.

His pack isn’t your typical one. Two betas, one male, one female. Two Omegas, the same way. And two male Alphas. It was big and chaotic and perfect for both him and Lacy. Their Omegas are the best, and I’m so happy for him.

That's another reason why I’ve been going out on my own more often. I don’t like asking Rick to work outside school hours. He has a life to live, and the least I could do is let him enjoy it as much as he can.

I’m halfway to Calling Wood, driving down the highway with the window down, breeze in my hair as I belt out the lyrics of Tattered Souls’ newest song. One of my favorite bands, and god, they are so sexy. Their Omega, Jade, is one lucky bitch.

That's why I don’t hear the weird sound coming from my engine until it’s too late.

My eyes widen in horror as I watch smoke billow out as the engine sputters. “Oh, fuck!” I shout, yanking the car to the side of the road. Quickly, I put the car in park, throwing on the emergency brake and grabbing my bag before scrambling out of the car.

If this thing was going to blow, I didn’t want to be anywhere near it.

“And I just got you fixed, too,” I whine, standing a safe distance as I watch my poor car fizzle out. The good thing is, the smoke seems to be going away. If it was going to blow, it would be worse, right?

Knowing that either way, my car isn’t drivable, I dig into my bag to grab my phone to call a tow, then Rick to see if he can come pick me up.

Clicking the button to the lock screen, I find it’s dead when it continues to stay black. I try again before pressing the power button. When the red battery light pops up saying it’s at zero percent, I toss my head back with a frustrated groan.

“Fuck me,” I curse to the sky. “You just want to see me suffer, don’t you, universe!?” I scream.

With a heavy sigh, I look around to see if there are any cars coming and huff. “Of course. It was busy before, but now there’s not a car in sight.”

Biting my lip, I look down the strip of road into the distance. I can see the outline of the Calling Wood community ahead, nestled near the shoreline. It has to be a half-hour walk, tops. I could do that.

“Good thing I wore sneakers,” I mutter.

Accepting my situation, I scrub my face with a sigh and head over to my car to lock it up before I start on my little adventure home.

I’m only a few feet away when the roar of engines makes me pause.

Turning around, I lift my hand up to shield my eyes from the sun and look to see where the sound is coming from.

Maybe it’s a car that could help? At the very least, someone with a phone I could use to call for help.

When my eyes land on the source of the noise, a spike of panic fills me.

Two men on sleek black motorcycles pull over onto the side of the road, dressed in black jeans and leather jackets.

I swear to god, if some biker pervs try for me, I’m not going down without a fight.

My fight or flight instincts kick in, and I take a step back, ready to run.

The two of them get off their bikes, their hulking frames unfolding to full height. I pause again, part of me curious about the men before me.

When they take their helmets off and run their hands through their platinum blond hair, I nearly choke on my own tongue at the sight of them.

Nope. Not creepy old men at all. Far from it.

“Need some help, little lady?” the one on the left asks, his voice a deep husky purr.

And when the guy standing next to him shoots me a grin that quite literally has me slicking my panties, I have to resist the urge to get on my knees and thank the gods above.

Maybe this day isn’t so bad after all.