“Good morning, Travis!”Maeve chirps. “I didn’t think you would be at the clinic.”
I didn’t think Maeve would be at the clinic, either. I had hoped she would be next door with Mari this early, performing their opening procedures for the day.
“I’m dropping off some supplies for Ivan,” I mutter, hoping she doesn’t look in the reusable bag on the counter. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, just wanted to see if Ivan wanted any coffee,” she says, her face flushing. “He’s pretty cool, huh?”
I shrug. Ivan is nice enough—and when I offered to bring the items for the cats, he said it would be a good idea.
But I don’t feel like explaining all of that to Maeve, who stands next to me. “What did you bring?”
“Nothing important. Your hair is red,” I observe, trying to change the subject.
She grins. “I was bored of the purple and stayed up all night doing it. I can’t wait for Blair to see it—oh, sorry.”
At the mention of my scent match, my dull headache turns into a throbbing one.
She’s not here.
She left.
Omega is gone.
This is the only way I can still be close to her. The contents in the bag are what keep me sane.
“Piper said she talked to her yesterday. So that has to be good, right?” Maeve continues. “Has she talked to you?”
I shake my head.
Blair hasn’t reached out, and only yesterday read the text message I sent her.
And every day since she left, I wonder if I made the right decision.
She asked for space, so I gave it to her.
I couldn’t force her to stay—it would only make her resent me.
“I miss her,” Maeve whispers.
I nod. “Me too.”
Butmissisn’t the right word.
I crave her.
My lungs don’t fill all the way with air when she’s not near me.
Her scent haunts me, and the memory of her voice keeps filling my head.
If I see a flash of golden hair, I’m convinced it’s her.
Rowan and Ryland aren’t doing any better.
It’s a physical ache that doesn’t go away.
Her absence makes it difficult to eat, sleep, or function.
What I brought for Ivan in the bag is the only thing that’s helped at all.
