Page 171 of Drown My Sorrow

“Nope, we’re not doing this,” Keagan growls. “Out the way, Beau.”

I’m lifted into Keagan’s arms, and he takes me away from the nightmare.

My sobs continue, but they fade as my exhaustion grows. Keagan runs a hot bath and gets in with me. He washes me clean and empties the water before filling it up again and sitting behind me, his hands stroking lazy paths up and down my body.

I listen to his heartbeat.

“It’s going to be okay.”

Beau and Gael come in and sit on the edge of the tub. But I keep my eyes closed, and they leave without saying anything.

Shale comes in and stands there. I can feel his eyes on me.

“Sit up and take these.”

“No,” I say. I always resist taking painkillers.

“Aspyn, you need to sleep and rest. Take the pills and let us look after you.”

I peel open my eyes, feeling a hundred years old and so ugly it’s almost impossible to face him.

“Open your mouth.”

I open my mouth, and he puts the tablets on my tongue and then dribbles water in. I swallow, but before I can ask, Keagan picks me up, wraps me in a towel, and carries me through to the bedroom.

We lay on the bed side by side, staring at each other. Gael comes in and lies beside me.

I close my eyes and let the painkillers do their magic, floating on a cloud.

“They have spread the photos everywhere. The things they are saying…I can’t get them to stop. I’ve tried, no one is listening. They are accusing her of being an addict now.”

“Do you want to leave?”

“I can’t leave. He will kill her. He’ll destroy us.”

The conversation drifts away from me then, and I hear Kelly’s distant, distressed words through my mind over and over.

But it doesn’t mean anything.

It’s all a big mess.

I want to go home. It hurts too much.

I dream about my dad and Cassie. They come to me, and Mum is with them.

Then I dream of that giant black wave pouring inky black evil across the world, and I wake up gasping.

I look around, unsure of where I am and what’s going on. It’s the middle of the night. The room is dark and empty. Where is my pack?

I get up and test my leg. It hurts but not too bad. When I put my hand to my thigh, I the burning scent of the pain relief cream I like to use.

Someone put it on me while I was sleeping.

I limp out of the room, following the tug of the bond until I find my alpha sitting on the porch staring at the dark gardens.

“Shale?”

He turns and opens an arm for me to go and fall into his hug. He carefully maneuvers me onto his lap.

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