Page 106 of Drown My Sorrow

I slam him against the wall and wrap my hand around his throat. “Did you listen to what I just said? I’m saying I, as your alpha, don’t want you to ride those waves because I would miss you, because I am worried about you. I don’t want you hurt or dead. I want you to be part of this pack.”

Ezy’s eyes widen as he stares at me. His Adam's apple bobs.

“Okay.”

I kiss him hard, and when I pull back, he looks dazed. “Good boy.”

And, to my surprise, Ezy lets out a low moan. In that moment, I wish we had more time, but I can feel the frustration of the others through the bond, so I grab him by the back of the neck and guide him in front of me.

“Let’s go share the good news.”

Ezy follows me out to the group.

“I’m not surfing,” Ezy says and swallows hard.

Gael makes a sound and stops himself. He glances at Kelly and sighs heavily.

“I don’t want to either.”

Two out of three, can I get a third? Kelly turns back and looks at the massive waves.

“I need to do this.”

The resolve, the calm inside him, tells me that he’s going, and nothing is going to dissuade him. Beau snatches up Aspyn and whispers something in her ear. She nods but looks miserable.

Kelly comes out of his hypnotised stare and turns to her and cups her cheek.

“I’m coming back.”

She nods. He turns to walk away, but she calls out his name. He looks back, and something silent is communicated between them.

“I promise, I’m coming back.”

We go to the cliff’s edge and stand there while Kelly grabs his board and makes his way down to where the jet skis will take him out.

Aspyn is all right, but I stand with Ezy, watching how he nervously watches the waves.

“They’re growing.”

“What?”

“The sets, they’re growing in height. These are bigger.”

Down below, we can see several jet skis, and one is towing Kelly out. Ezy reaches out and grips my hand. I hold him tight while Aspyn, Beau, Shale, and Gael line up on my other side.

Come on, Kelly.

They tow him right out onto the wave. I feel sick watching how tiny he is. The jet ski comes down on an angle, looking like a toy against the huge power of the wave. Kelly lets go, and he stands up, floating down the massive force like its air. The world seems to slow down. The unearthly grey green of the monster wave grows in height, the top rippling with movement. It swells larger, and Kelly floats effortlessly down the front.

Aspyn makes a small sound of pure fear, and the pack tightens around her. Shale has the bonds closed, but I feel them tighten up even more. It would not do for Kelly to be distracted. The irony of the fact we are keeping him safe after what they’ve done is not lost on me, but maybe it is time to bury the hatchet.

The cap breaks, a wall of white water moving like snow down a mountain, crashing and speeding towards the tiny figure of our alpha. I can taste the salty air, the wind is crisp against my face. Ezy’s hand is hot in mine.

We watch as Kelly disappears behind the wall of white. For one, two, three seconds and then three more. What would happen if he were to get caught in the wall of white? Would he survive it? Could anyone? Would it crush bones? Would it hold him under until he drowned?

And, suddenly, he’s there, reappearing like we’ve fucking conjured him, the devil dancing on his impossible feat, riding the wave back to safety and where the jet skis are waiting.

He did it.

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