Page 43 of Missing

"That was the coolest thing I have ever seen" I exclaimed, as Orlando leaned over and kissed my cheek and reluctantly climbed out of bed, his lean muscles flexing as he stretched. Padding over to the bathroom, he left the door open and I could hear him relieving himself. Mid-stream, he called out, "Hey, Harper, why is there underwear and bras hanging in here like a laundry room?"

My face flushed with embarrassment, heat spreading from my cheeks down to my chest. "Um, well, I only brought three pairs with me," I stammered. "And I have no fucking idea how laundry works here, so I hand-washed them."

Orlando finished up and walked back out, his eyebrows raised in amusement. "You didn't think to just order more or get them washed?" He pointed towards a basket near the door. "All you have to do is throw your dirty clothes in there. They'll disappear daily and reappear on your bed a few hours later, clean and folded."

"Seriously?" I muttered, feeling like an idiot. "Why didn't anyone tell me that before?" I glanced at Orlando, feeling my face heat up again. "I don't exactly have a disposable income to waste on buying more underwear, you know," I muttered. "I'll just wash what I have."

"Here," he said with a smirk, leaning in and kissing me gently. "What size are you? I'll order you some today." He pulled on his sweats and shirt as if it was no big deal.

"Orlando!" I exclaimed, shocked by his forwardness. "You should never ask a girl her size!"

"Relax, Harper," he chuckled, completely unfazed by my reaction. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he turned on his heels and walked back into the bathroom. My heart raced as I wondered what on earth he was doing. A few seconds later, he sauntered out holding a pair of white cotton panties and matching bra. "All good, I got it," he announced triumphantly, having checked the size on the tag without my permission.

"Orlando," I growled, trying not to smile despite my annoyance. "You're incorrigible."

"Red is my favourite colour, by the way," he added with a wink, leaning in for another quick kiss. "Just thought you should know." And with that, he headed towards my bedroom door. "I'm gonna go get changed. I'll be back to walk you down for breakfast.”

Chapter 38

Dante Heed

Icrawled out of bed, the morning light was an unwelcome guest, stabbing at my eyes as I stumbled towards the bathroom. I needed a shower to wash away the sleep and frustration – Griffin had dropped a bomb on me last night, telling me that Orlando and Harper had mated and bonded. Fucking great.

On the one hand, I was happy. This just solidified the fact that Harper was our central, the one we'd been searching for. But on the other hand, I felt this insane jealousy gnawing at my gut, like a rabid dog tearing me apart from the inside. Why the hell did she bond with him before me?

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath, turning on the water and letting the hot spray pelt onto my skin. As the steam filled the small space, I tried to shove down the envy that threatened to overtake me. Harper was ours - all of ours - and her bonding with Orlando didn't change that.

Lathering the shampoo between my fingers, I scrubbed at my scalp, the suds cascading down my face like a waterfall.

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath, wiping the sting from my eyes. Why hadn't she bonded with me first? My wolf had told her we were mates, and she knew Griffin felt the same goddamn pull towards her. But Orlando? He hadn't shown any signs, and he'd been suspicious of her from the start, convinced she was hiding something.

Maybe that's what she likes about him, a small, traitorous voice whispered in my head. Maybe she wants someone who challenges her, instead of just blindly following their instincts.

"Shut up," I grumbled aloud, rinsing the shampoo from my hair. The jealousy gnawed at me, a ravenous beast threatening to consume me whole if I let it. I couldn't help but feel like I'd somehow missed out on some cosmic lottery, while Orlando hit the jackpot without even buying a ticket.

"Get your shit together, Dante," I told myself as I reached for the body wash, slathering it over my chest and arms.

But underneath all the bravado and posturing, a tiny shard of doubt remained lodged in my heart. No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, it festered there, a constant reminder of the one thing I wanted more than anything - and the one thing that seemed just out of reach.

"Alright, enough wallowing in self-pity," I muttered, shutting off the water and stepping out onto the cold tile floor. As I wrapped a towel around my waist, I caught a glimpse of myself in the fogged-up mirror.

The reflection was a stranger to me - raw emotion, the green-eyed monster glaring back. I shook my head and forced myself to focus on the task at hand. I needed to get dressed and join the others for breakfast. My new uniform lay neatly folded on a chair nearby.

"Fuck it," I muttered, grabbing the shirt and pulling it over my head. The fabric felt smooth against my skin, and I couldn't help but appreciate how well it fit. No more looking like I'd raided someone else's closet.

I slipped on the pants and buckled the belt, feeling somewhat more composed as the clothes settled around my body. With one last glance at my reflection, I took a deep breath and strode out of my room, ready to face the world and claim what I desired.

"Morning, Romeo," Griffin greeted me sarcastically as I walked into his room. He was just crawling out of bed, his dark hair tousled and sleep still clinging to his eyes. "How's your heart holding up?"

"Shut up," I snapped back, not in the mood for his teasing. He grinned lazily and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving me to stew in my thoughts.

Plopping myself down on the bean bag, I let out a frustrated sigh. Just as Griffin disappeared into the bathroom, Orlando strutted into the room, looking smug in his new uniform. He didn't waste any time before popping his head into Griffin's bathroom.

"Hey, you two," Orlando said with a smirk, "want to come walk to breakfast with us?" He was referring to him and Harper, of course.

"Fuck off," I snapped back, bitterness seeping through my words. "Why need a third and fourth wheel already?"

Orlando just smiled at me like he knew some juicy secret I didn't. "You jealous, pup?" he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.

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