Page 145 of Drown My Sorrow

Except shatter.

Withmyanxietysoothed,it’s easier to read the bonds, and I find the person who is the most stressed and struggling is someone I didn’t expect.

I stay close to Gael as Kelly continues the tour, but his grief is spiralling, and when we pass the school, I take his hand and pull him away from the window and into my arms.

He buries his face in my shoulder and just holds on. Each breath is a shuddering bellow. Kelly and Ezy close in, the three of us holding the storm that is Gael together for just a little longer.

Eventually, we give up trying to play tourist and head back to the mansion. I sit on the front step and watch the sky that looks so damn different from mine.

I just don’t know how I’m supposed to be here.

I don’t know how we can live here, but I’m prepared to try. This is where Kelly’s family is. This is everyone’s home.

We have to stay.

Gael sits beside me.

“We can do this,” I murmur to him.

I reach out a hand. He places his in mine.

“Yeah, we can do this.”

Neither one of us feels confident or sounds even remotely happy.

But we’re going to try for the pack.

Chapter thirty-five

Ezy

EzyAged28

The woman is flirting with me outrageously, and while I have no intention of following through, the attention is nice.

“What’s your name, love?”

“Nat.”

“Nat, it’s nice to meet you, my name's Ezy.”

She laughs. “Is it because of how easy it is to get you into bed?”

I laugh and pretend like I haven’t heard that joke a million times.

She moves closer, and I get a hint of her clove scent. She’s cute for a beta, compact, minimal makeup but confident in herself.

I like that.

But there is something else in the air around her. It’s faint and almost non-existent. A hint of sweetness of some exotic nighttime flower.

What is it?

I lean in so I can try to chase the scent, but the clove scent intensifies and washes the more subtle fragrance away.

She walks her fingers up my thigh and gives me an inviting smile. “Do you want to come back to my place?”

I study her inviting, charming face. We’re only in Black Valley for a night. I want to find that scent, but not at the expense of leading this woman on.

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