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AMAYA

" S o how does it feel?" Beckett sprawls out on the couch beside Freya. Next to each other as they are, I can see all the similarities that make them obvious twins. Freya's hair used to be as platinum as his, but she's dyed it a dirty honey color.

Peering over my wine glass at Kate and Freya, I notice they also don't know what he's referencing. Nor is he actually looking at us, so I have no idea who he's talking to.

Kate looks deep in thought as she studies him, as if she can pluck an explanation from his brain. Freya just hums and nibbles on her fudge. The sight of chocolate makes me a little nauseous after the way it was used against me at the warehouse. But I try because apparently Beckett has a craving, and I didn't tell them about my aversion. I have to get over this trigger especially. I miss chocolate.

Swallowing my small sip of chardonnay, I cringe a little and cough. Acquired taste my ass, Kate. "What?" I choke out since nobody else is going to ask him what the hell he's talking about.

Slowly, Beckett turns to face me with an eyebrow raised. "How does freedom feel, Amy?"

That fucking nickname. I scowl and toss a pillow at him while Kate just sniggers beside me. "Next time, it won't just be a pillow I throw at you, Beckett." My hands tighten on my wine glass in threat, but I cool it. "What do you mean freedom?"

He points a finger at my bare feet, indicating the ankle that finally got out of its boot today. "Oh!" I grin big and wiggle my toes at him. "It's great. A little weird, and walking normally still kind of aches, but I'm happy to be free." In more ways than one .

Like my three friends can hear my thoughts, their faces soften and Kate snuggles in next to me. "I'm so proud of you," she says.

Freya nods and accepts the bowl of grapes her brother puts in her lap, still needing some guidance when it comes to food. "I'm proud of all of us," Beckett whispers and wiggles back into my couch.

"Proud of us," I whisper, closing my eyes to savor this moment.

It took me a little over two weeks to gather the courage to text Kate. Everyone was so very respectful of the space I requested after everything that happened. Plus, that time spent ignoring the outside world gave me ample opportunity to get to know my mates again and get closer to my dad.

So when I received a FaceTime call from Kate's number, and Beckett showed up on the screen with a few bottles of wine and snacks, demanding a girls’ night to celebrate my boot coming off today, I agreed.

My anxiety still needs a lot of work, and there's a restlessness festering in me more and more every day that's pushing me to hunker down with my mates, but I'll get there. And today, that one step toward my future means sitting on the couch with my three friends and watching some dumbass movie Beckett chose.

I had to tell him to turn the volume down. It’s another trigger I've found after being battered with loud music in the torture room for weeks. They didn't ask questions, nor did they look at me funny when my voice was nothing but a panicked croak. Beckett just nodded and did as I asked without any fanfare.

Taking another sip of my wine, I swear my throat scalds itself on the bitterness, making my back itch with the beginnings of sweat. Shifting, I nudge Kate off of me and tell her I'm too warm for any more cuddles.

It was nice, though, the platonic affection from someone who wants to be around me and not because they're my mate. I fear my brokenness is off-putting, but having Kate, Freya, and Beckett here tonight not looking like they plan on leaving anytime soon is reassuring.

"Beck..." Freya mumbles sometime later, and I blink sleepily over at them to see her fidgeting with her bowl of grape stems.

My heart clenches at seeing my fellow omega still struggling with the effects of the academy, but I also smile when Beckett does. "Tell me," he encourages affectionately.

In the dim lighting, I see Freya chew her thumb nail while looking at the bowl of popcorn on my coffee table. "Can I have some popcorn?"

Beaming at his sister, Beckett smacks a kiss on her cheek and swaps the empty grape bowl for the popcorn one. "Proud of you, baby sis."

She huffs but snuggles into his side. When I glance at Kate, I see she has a similar dreamy look on her face when she watches her alpha treating his twin with so much care.

Sammy challenged me to find someone who wasn't a little broken a while ago, but I think I'd rather admire the shattered bits of people that bring them together and make them stronger. As I sit surrounded by three people who also survived similar horrors to mine, I see so much strength, and all I feel is admiration.

Like Beckett said... I'm so damn proud of each and every one of us.