Page 137 of Drown My Sorrow

He cups his hands over his mouth. “It’s a surprise.”

I laugh. “Tell me!”

“You’ll pry the information from my cold, dead fingers.”

I get the giggles, but with a hand motion from Shale, Keagan picks me up and walks off with me.

I hear the strident sounds of my alpha start again, and I feel a helpless wish to take away the stress for him.

“Where are we going?”

“Go get dressed and stop cheating,” Keagan growls and points me in the direction of the bedroom.

“But-”

I hesitate because of those photos, but Keagan follows me in.

“I will kill anyone who tries.”

The anxiety melts away. I cup his cheek and reach up carefully to kiss him. He takes control of the kiss but breaks away as I try to turn it into something more.

“Get dressed, something nice. And put on the coat.”

“I don’t have a coat,” I grumble.

I open the wardrobe and stop, my mouth dropping open in awe.

“Now, you do.”

I reach out, touching the golden yellow coat. It’s felt, I think, with a satin lining and huge pockets. I’ve never owned anything so nice before.

I stroke the arm of it for a little while, wrestling with the emotions, but I need to get ready, so I pull on a crimson dress that floats around my knees and pull on the gold coat.

When I turn around, Keagan is staring at me with deep, emotion-filled eyes.

“What?” I smooth the fabric of the dress nervously.

“I’m so glad to see you wearing the clothes I picked for you.”

There are a lot of years of me wearing hand-me-downs and clothes with holes, refusing to accept their charity.

“I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“Don’t be. You have pride, and I love that about you, Aspyn. We worked hard for this relationship with you and maybe, because of how slow we went, I got to know you better than I deserve.”

He holds out his hand, and I limp to him, putting my hand in his. He swings me up into his arms like I weigh nothing.

“I will do anything to protect you. I am always on your side. Do not forget that.”

Ilookoutthewindows and frown. “A cemetery?”

Gael sighs and takes my hand.

“Are we here for your parents, Ezy? You should have told me, I would have worn black.”

Kelly takes my other hand. “Aspyn?”

I turn towards him and force a smile. “It’s okay, it will be fine. We’ll look after him.”

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