Page 176 of Drown My Sorrow

“Shale, we need the pack back here ASAP. We have a problem.”

Shale listens intently, hearing Ezy in the background.

“We’ll be back soon.”

I hang up and lean down to kiss Ezy’s cheeks. “Let's go up to bed. We can puppy pile while we wait for the pack to come home.”

“It’s not the same without them,” Ezy sobs. “I haven’t been away from Gael like this since we met. I need him. And Aspyn, what if they hurt her?”

“They won’t hurt her. Sonny will tell us if anything happens. It’s going to be fine.”

Ezy bangs his head on the floor, so I put my hand behind his head, protecting it.

“Ezy, come on. Let’s go take a moment, and then we’re going to get to work. When it’s done, we’re going to go get them.”

“And come and live back here? Miserable.”

“I don’t know where we’re going to live yet, that’s a pack decision, but anywhere you are is going to make me happy.”

Ezy stops smiling. He just stares at the ceiling with a bitter frown on his face.

“It's like they died. They are so far away I can’t even feel them,” he whispers. “I didn’t even know bonds could go quiet like this. There’s just a hole where he always was. And her light is gone,” he whispers and starts sobbing again.

I don’t say anything, even though I agree with him. Even though the discovery devastated me.

“We’re going to get this done and go find them, Ezy, I promise.”

His only response is to reach out a hand that I grab and hold on to. We lay like that until the pack gets home.

Chapter forty-three

Aspyn

AspynAged21

I read through the email one more time before I press send. I don’t know who Ezy is, but we’ve exchanged several emails since he came out and contacted me over a crystal he found in the street.

He’s sweet and kind, and when I find an email in my inbox, I get the same shivery feeling in my gut that I get when I see Shale, Keagan, or Beau.

I don’t know who he is, but I like having a friend.

A secret friend.

So, why do I feel so guilty?

PresentDay

Sonny follows me down to the oh so familiar beach. There’s an awkwardness about him today that I can’t put my finger on. The lone cop on the island is scanning our surroundings with his usual intensity, but he’s tense. He’s taller than me, with broad shoulders and brown hair that is cut short.

“So, where is Nat?”

“She’s recovering.”

Sonny clears his throat and looks away. I catch sight of Mitch in his van, watching us, too. The unease has my stomach churning. We’ve been back for a day, no, less than that, and we were met by Sonny late last night, who hasn’t let us out of his sight except when he delivered us to the hotel room. He booked it so we wouldn’t have to go deal with the packed up house. It was sweet.

I’m used to this damn island being weird, but this is extra, even for them. I kick my shoes off and leave them on the sand while I walk down to the edge of the water.

My fear throbs at me, and my knees get weak, even standing this close to it has me almost incoherent, but Gael, my only connection to the pack, is out there.

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