Page 215 of Drown My Sorrow

My pack echoes me. It’s a warning and a promise. Do not cross us, do not try to harm us, we have no mercy, we will show no fear, we don’t play by your rules, nothing will stop us if we decide it’s you we’re coming to hunt.

We are…home.

Chapter fifty-six

Epilogue - Aspyn

AspynAged23

This morning is one of the brightest and most beautiful mornings I’ve ever seen. The sky shines so bright a blue it doesn’t look real. And the ocean is like a gemstone, flashing glittering shimmers back at me. The sand is white, and even the world sings sounds of peace.

I live in paradise. I’ve accepted that this is my prison now.

On days like today, I could almost love it.

I inhale and decide to go for a walk on the beach. It’s rare for me to get so close to the water.

I don’t like the waves.

I just need to think for a couple of minutes, away from the watchful eyes of the pack.

I’m walking along, lost in my thoughts of how wonderful they are, when I see a child, just a little one, and I see the wave behind her. I know how bad the rips can be. Everyone who lives here knows about them. The kid would never survive.

I throw myself into a stumbling, limping jog, making my way as quickly as I can.

I don’t know if I will reach her in time.

The girl has her back to the water. She hasn’t seen the danger. But I can see it, and, already, my panic is turning my thoughts into static, and it’s getting harder to force myself towards the little girl. My cane gets stuck in the sand, and I lose it, but I don’t have time to go back.

Where are the parents?

I shout out, and the people around us turn. My heart is pounding. I reach the girl, lifting her up and out of the water just as it rushes up. I let out a terrified scream as I watch it swirl straight up to my thighs.

There are moments when you know you’re fucked. This is one of those moments. The water sucks at my legs, pulling. It’s so strong, stronger than I anticipated.

I look up, terrified, into the face of the first person I see.

Shale.

He’s so damn beautiful, and he’s racing to my rescue, but I think, this time, I really fucked up.

I throw him the kid, watching as she goes flying through the air and slams into his waiting arms.

“Aspyn!” he screams.

My aching leg collapses under the pressure from the water. Before I can do anything, I’m sucked several feet out. I scream but get a mouthful of salt water.

The water seizes me into a terrifying hold and simply pulls me out. There’s no chance for me to fight. I don’t want to die like this.

I see a flash of gold.

Keagan screams my name.

I catch a glimpse of Beau.

There’s a man, a beautiful man I think I should know, running towards me.

And another with brown skin who is so gorgeous I’m sure they write songs about him.

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