Page 207 of Drown My Sorrow

Aspyn

AspynAged23

I bite the inside of my cheek as I limp my way home. I pause, feeling a deep well of loneliness. Nat is in the pub tonight. While we’re both outsiders, she’s far more tolerated than I am, though.

I wish I could go in there and speak to people. To laugh and talk with anyone.

I miss the city.

I miss home.

Would it be different or would I be a pariah there, too?

Shale appears beside me and puts his hands in his pocket as he watches me.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Home,” I say quietly.

“What is the city like?”

“It’s loud and messy and so different from these islands. You’d hate it.”

He sighs and pulls his hand out of his pocket and takes my hand.

“I was born and lived in a city, once. Shall we move to the city?”

I laugh. It’s bitter and cold. “What would I do there?”

He stops.

I get this strange anxious feeling when I make Shale mad. I don’t like it.

“You would be with me.”

I stay silent, even though my treacherous mouth wants to say ‘I’m with you here’.

“It’s lonely here,” I murmur. “Sometimes, I just have moments where I’m lonely and sad. Ignore me.”

Shale turns back and cups my cheek. “Never.”

PresentDay

I remember how lonely I used to feel. I don’t feel that way anymore. My pack aren’t just my best friends, they are my soul mates. I’m never left alone unless I specifically request it. We are all together, and it works.

This is the kind of family I dreamed about, the kind of love I wanted.

Nat walks over confidently. It didn’t take her much time to heal externally. Internally, though, she’s a lot less trusting and a lot more messed up. She’s met a nice beta here who is quiet but treats her like a queen.

Mitch and Sonny moved here, too. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to forgive Sonny, but I heard from Kelly that Typhor and his goons were planning on dumping Mitch at sea because he’d already offended them. He’d just gone along with what they wanted to protect him. The rest of the town won’t fare very well. Ryn has inherited the island, and she is not pleased. I believe there’s going to be a discussion at some point soon about who is going to be delivering their destruction. I’m just glad we can say goodbye to it.

And though I struggle with forgiveness, at least I can understand why. It makes it easier to bear.

Nat gives Kelly hell most of the time. The two of them are like chalk and cheese, and yet, I caught someone giving Nat a hard time, and Kelly almost ripped his head off.

“Hey, babes!” Nat sidles up to me and gives me a hug. “I’m heading on the tour with my baby now. We’ll be a couple of days, but I’ll ring you or Mitch every night.”

I blush. “Call Mitch.”

---