She shrugs. “Badly. But he couldn’t stop me.”
My hand traces patterns on the light blue cotton of my pajama pants. “Did you… did you see them?” I hate that my voice breaks at the end.
Jess shakes her head, her lips set in a line. “I left right after the Justice officers took you. Didn’t want to waste any time, but I lost your trail anyway. I only found you because you left some footprints by the forest.”
I sit up. “I did?”
She gives me a look. “I wiped them. Talk, Si. I want to know everything.”
We curl up with our coffee as I spill the beans on everything that’s happened in the last few weeks. Jess curses, shouts and swears at appropriate times.
“I’m going to shave her head,” she snarls. “Bet she looks like a plucked turkey without all that hair. That fucking bitch!”
When I finish, my breathing a little heavier than when I started, Jess stares at me, her mouth opening and closing. “I… I don’t even know where to begin.”
I shrug weakly. “I know. The worst thing… I was so certain they’d show up, Jess. After everything, Tristan still lied to my face. I should’ve known better.”
“But they’re your Soul Bonded,” Jess says softly. “Oh, Sienna.”
She picks up my wrist, circling it with her fingers. “I feel like your bones could break under my fingers. What’s up with that, Si? It’s like you’ve dropped half your body weight.”
My mouth dries, and I shift uncomfortably. “Jess…,”
She picks up on my tone. “What? What is it?”
“The Soul Bond,” I croak. “It… I need to be close to them, Jess. It hurts to be away from them.”
Jess frowns. “Like, your heart hurts? Heartbroken hurt?”
“No – well, yes, but… actual pain. Everywhere. I spoke to Health Elio when I was at the Healers Center. He thinks that Soul Bonded omegas have to have maintained contact to stay healthy.”
“So if you don’t…,” Jess says slowly, watching my face. “What happens? You get sick?”
I nod. “And worse. Maybe.” My whisper drops like a stone between us.
Jess swallows, flipping her hand over and lacing our fingers together. “We can fix this.”
She sounds so certain that tears fill my eyes. “I hope so, Jess. It feels like I’m fading away.”
“I won’t let that happen,” she says fiercely. “I won’t, Si.”
I laugh croakily. “I believe you.” Leaning my head against her shoulder, I let the tears fall. One, then another, then another. My breath shudders as I let it all out.
“That’s it,” Jess whispers. Shifting, she works herself back until my head is in her lap, her hands playing with my hair. “Let it all out, Si. I’ve got you.”
I cry until I have no tears left, my eyes gritty and dry.
I cry until my swollen eyes start to close, Jess stroking my hair in silence as we curl up together, abandoning the bed for tonight.
“I’m glad you’re here, Jess,” I whisper as I drift off. It’s maybe the most selfish thing I could feel. But I’m so glad that I'm not on my own.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else."
11
SIENNA
My eyes feel full of grit when I crack them open again, yet another broken night of tossing and turning. Vague memories of Jess talking to me surface, shaking my shoulders, wiping my face.
