We’re alive and breathing. She called Blake before she fell asleep. She thinks she’s keeping him at bay and buying us time by giving him updates.
Do you think it’s working?
I considered her question for a moment.
I don’t think it’s Blake we need to stall. Bethi and Olivia are both sure our time is running short. I think our clock is ticking no matter what Olivia tells him.
I agree.
How is everyone else?I sent back.
Good. Resting and healing. Isabelle and Carlos are with Grey. Sam is giving Gabby and Clay some space and staying with Bethi, Luke, and Henry. I’ll stay with Michelle and Emmitt for tonight. Sam, Grey, and I will keep watch while everyone rests. Reach out if you need anything.
The only thing I needed was answers. Why me? Why now? Why with Olivia? Deep down, I knew there had to be a reason. Once I figured that out, I’d know what to do about my feelings for Olivia.
I closed my eyes and briefly dozed. When I woke, I knew sunrise still remained hours away and got out of bed.
“Leaving?” Her soft voice surprised me.
“Only so I didn’t wake you,” I said, settling back into my spot. “Does your back hurt?”
“Yes, but only because I move in my sleep. Tell me your favorite memory.”
Her request made me frown. She hurt more than she let on if she wanted a distraction. I quickly reached out to Winifred.
Can you bring some more pain relievers? Olivia is awake, and I don’t want to leave her alone.
Yes.
“Favorite?” I said, addressing Olivia. “Not sure I have a single favorite. There are a lot of really good ones.”
“Tell me all of them.”
“Where we grew up, there weren’t always many cubs. Most of the time, it was just me, Emmitt, and Carlos. Carlos didn’t want to play too often, though. It bugged me that he preferred to be alone, and I decided he needed to have as much fun as Emmitt and I did.” I grinned, remembering the type of fun I’d gravitated toward. “What Emmitt and I did usually got us into trouble, and my young self was smart enough to know that if I wanted to pull Carlos into our fun, I’d need to do it when my parents and Grey wouldn’t stop me. So, one night, I woke up after everyone else was asleep. My parents never heard me sneak from my room, and Uncle Grey slept through me sneaking into their rooms, too. Carlos heard me, though. As soon as I opened the door to his room, he flew at me, a ball of shaking fur. At the time, I thought he was finally ready to play and shifted so we could wrestle on the floor. But, Carlos wasn’t playing. He was fighting like I was there to kill him. Uncle Grey had to pull him off of me. My nose bled, and I had a few bruised ribs.”
“That sounds awful. How is that a good memory?”
“After that, Carlos started talking. I’ll never forget Uncle Grey’s face when he sat us both down at his table to ask what had happened, and Carlos turned to me and called me an idiot. Not the best first word, but Uncle Grey had looked like Carlos said the smartest thing ever.”
She frowned slightly.
“Still don’t think it’s a good memory?”
She shrugged slightly and winced. I stood and went to her side, lightly running my fingers over her hair, the only way I could think to sooth her pain.
“That was the first time I realized good can still come from what might seem like a bad situation.”
Her pulse stuttered slightly.
“Don’t write off your life yet,” I said. “Something really good is going to happen.”
She tilted her head to look at me.
“Someone’s at the door,” she said.
I went to open the door for Winifred. Her long braid trailed over one night-gowned shoulder. Without a word, she handed me a small white bottle then started back to her room. I closed the door and went to the bathroom for a glass of water. Olivia sat up as I shook out two pills for her. I kept my gaze locked on her face. Looking lower wouldn’t do either of us any good.
“Thank you,” she said, accepting the medicine and the water.
