“What wrong? You didn’t have a comeback. Have I exhausted all your retorts?” he taunts, placing another item in the cart.
“I’m not in the mood,” I reply definitively. I want to enjoy being out but for some reason what I’ve been pushing down the last few days wants to break free.
“C’mon, what’s eating at ya?” Taz asks, moving to the front of the cart and holding it in place.
Connor immediately comes to mind. I don’t particularly want to get into the jumbled-up feelings I’ve been having since my heat and the courting gift. I look up at Taz, whose gray blue eyes are filled with genuine concern. With a sigh, I say, “Connor.”
Understanding spreads across his face and sympathy. He doesn’t say anything but moves and steals the cart from me, running off before I can say or do anything. That asshole. I run after him, glad that we came during a slow time of day. By the time I catch up to him, he’s three aisles away from where we were. When I reach him, I shove him hard, not that it did anything. “Jerk.” Taking my overloaded cart back, I head back the way we came.
“You know running, in any sense, isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes it’s the only way to protect yourself.” His voices rings out behind me. I don’t turn to look at him, my hands gripping the cart tighter. It feels like all I’ve done is run, both physically and emotionally. It wasn’t until I got here and met my mates that everything seemed to catch up with me, forcing me to confront too many emotions.
Can I still run from things?Maybe if it’s only for a little bit longer. Just until I’m strong enough to face it.
I turn finally to look back at him. His head is down, staring at something unimportant on the shelf. It’s clear he relates to what he said on a level I can understand. He’s run from things before.
I reach my hand out to grab his, the rough skin abrasive to mine. His eyes shift to me, and this time a deep sadness radiates from him. I squeeze his hand a couple times before I pull him along as I move down the aisle. “Come on, I don’t think you added enough marshmallows back there,” I say, trying to bring him out of wherever he went. He always does this. During my shifts at the lodge if I was too in my head, he’d help pull me out. Now it’s my turn to do the same.
A genuine smile flashes across his face before his cocky mask is back in place. “Absolutely correct, we need far more. Don’t forget the lollies as well.” His voice sounds lighter.
I’ll play along. I know alltoowell the need for an out like this. Though I know now when he says lollies he means some type of gummies. I think back to the candies he was trying to add to cart. They looked so gross. “You have the weirdest taste in snacks,” I say teasingly.
Taz scoffs. “You don’t know true snacks. Next time I’m back in Australia, I’ll get ya the best lollies you’ve ever had.”
I look up at him with my own smile. “I can’t wait.”
29
PARKER
Ikeep waiting for something to happen. That bastard came back and we weren’t on guard enough so it blindsided us. Well, blindsided me. I’ve done everything I can think of, even helping River where I can. I hate to admit that he’s better than me. It’s made me work harder.I’m one of the only ones in the pack with skills that can help.
Since Thea’s heat, things felt like a new normal living with our bonded omega. It’s just this dark cloud hanging over us all. Thea has been putting on a brave face, even in the bond there’s been few moments where her anxiety and grief filter in. I honestly want to get her out of her own head.
Tonight I decided to retreat to my room for the night instead of going to the pack bedroom. I haven’t played any video games in a while; instead choosing to work towards finding anything that can help us get rid of that bastard. Hopefully taking a break tonight can help distract me for a bit. Sitting back against the headboard, I hit start and settle in for a night of gaming.
Knock. Knock.
“It’s me,” Thea calls out, breaking me out of my hyperfocus on the screen. I yell a quick, “come in.” She’s wearing a long-sleeved shirt that clings to her curves and sweatpants, her hair spilling out around her in waves.
I sit up from my now slouched position on my bed as she sits near me. Her hand instantly intwines in mine as soon as she’s close.
“You okay?” Concern laces her voice as her hand squeezes mine.
“That should be my line.” I try to laugh off before adding, “Just needed a little break to help reset.” I move the controller in my hand to the nightstand. Her eyes track the movement before looking over at the screen.
“I didn’t know you liked this game,” she hums, her head moving back in my direction.
“You know it? It’s one of my favorites. It’s been a while since I had played anything at all, so I went with a comfort game.”
She smiles slightly once she heard my response. “It was one of Connor’s favorites. You two would’ve had a lot of fun if your taste in games are the same,” she says, a current of melancholy filtering down the bond. It wasn’t there before. I feel it too, that feeling of missing out on something. He would’ve been part of our family too.
I tug on her hand, pulling her to me and wrapping my arms around her tightly. She relaxes instantly in my hold. Our scents swirl around us. Safe. I’m always safe with her, and her with me.
“Parker?” Thea says into my chest, voice muffled by my shirt.
“Yeah.”
“Thank you,” she says, staying buried in my chest. I don’t need to ask what for. We can be the same sometimes. I kiss the top of her head, the only spot I can reach in our current position. She looks up at me, her eyes asking for something, but I’m not sure what. Bringing my hand up to cup her cheek, I lean down and kiss her soft lips.
