It doesn’t even look like the Brett I knew. His features are a little too sharp, his eyes slightly too close together. There’s an almost cruel slant to his thin lips. That, at least, I recognize, but only because I saw it more and more in the last few months before he died, when Kennedy had her claws buried so deeply we could never pull them free.
We had no idea how deep, not until it was too late. If we’d only seen itsooner.
It’s as if Charles picked the worst parts of him to commemorate. Not the boy who laughed often and loved a practical joke, but the alpha who was set to take on his father’s legacy.
Somebody has put flowers down at the base. Probably May. It’s the only activity she does, walking down here and sitting on the bench beside it.
Walking over, I take in the carved bench, the gold plaque carefully fixed to it.
In memory of Brett Rivers.
I sit on the bench. Just for a minute. Wondering if I might find any kind of peace here. But it doesn’t help.
“Sorry, man.” I mutter the words as I stand, brushing my hand over his name. I wonder if he’s up there with anyone. Maybe my parents are with him.
Heaven is looking busy nowadays. It’s almost reassuring. When our time comes, we’ll have plenty of people waiting for us.
The morbid thought cuts off as my phone rings. “Hello?”
“Can you get something for dinner?” Max sounds distracted. “And milk?”
“Sure.” It’s not like I have anything better to do. Max and Jake went off to work after breakfast this morning, Jake taking Niawith him to drop off at school on his way to the forest where he works as a tree surgeon. “You taking a group out?”
“Yeah.” He says something muffled that I don’t catch. “I would have gone, but I’m going to be a while up here.”
Theo left for the construction site, to speak to his dad about something. And I’m… here. Doing nothing useful. Maybe I should join Max’s place, work as a tour guide for the forest hikes. Kill time until Theo and I leave for college like we were supposed to weeks ago. “I’ll cook dinner. Don’t stress about it.”
“Thanks. See you later.”
I slip the phone back into my pocket before glancing around and crossing the main road. It’s quiet today, only a few others around, and the store is empty.
Henry raises his hand to me in greeting. I wave back before heading to the aisles, not in the mood for a twenty-minute discussion about the future industry of Widow’s Peak. Henry means well, but my mind isn’t up for a debate today.
Maybe I should take Jake up on his offer and just go. I fought for that scholarship, fought to get a place alongside Theo and Brett so we could stay together. I haven’t even heard if they’ll honor it for next year.
But Brett won’t be there. Theo won’t be there. And neither will—
My hand pauses on a jar of olives, sure I’m imagining it.
The faintest trace of cherries brushes over my skin. It’s a scent I know as well as any in my pack, underwritten with the rich note of melted chocolate.
But not a perfect match to my memories. It smells… off. A little too bitter. Twisted.
Just like the person it belongs to.
I almost drop the olives as I spin, looking up and down the aisle. But I’m alone. Quietly, I begin moving down, abandoningmy basket and quickening my steps as I follow that scent. My stomach begins to churn.
It couldn’t be that easy.
Kennedy left. Fucked off to college. She—
My lungs almost collapse as I turn the corner.
The omega has her back to me, inspecting something in her hand. Hair I could probably draw in my fucking sleep is wound up in a messy-looking cinnamon bun on top of her head. The tiniest strip of skin that’s visible above the sweater that drowns her is already reddened from the sun, damp with sweat that darkens the edges of her hair.
It’s a fucking ridiculous outfit for the sun.
I almost lose my footing.
