I looked wearily at the suitcase, standing unopened in the middle of the room. It was full of things I wanted to show Viol, but he hadn’t stuck around long enough to see. Maybe I was stupid for bringing them. Maybe I was stupid for coming back in the first place...
But Jade had invited me, and it would have been rude to refuse his offer. I wondered if I should talk to him in the morning to find out my next course of action. Normally, I’d prepare myself mentally for the challenges, but without that structure, I felt lost. I had no clue what to do anymore.
A sharp knock rapped on my door.
I jolted, nearly rolling off the bed in shock. I leapt to my feet and quickly rubbed the tears from my eyes.
“C-coming!” I yelped.
My pulse raced with anticipation. Had Viol returned? Maybe we could finally talk after all.
I turned the door handle with trembling hands. But the person on the other side wasn’t the tall purple-haired alpha I expected.
I blinked, then tried not to sound too disappointed. “Alaric? What are you doing here?”
Alaric narrowed his already-irritated eyes, squinting into my room like an angry bouncer. “Ugh. Figures he slipped away.”
“Huh?”
Alaric waved over somebody else in the hall. For a second, my hopes lifted, wondering if the second person was Viol—but I should’ve known better. Still, I wasn’t unhappy to see Alaric, or the familiar newcomer striding towards me.
“Taylor?” I murmured.
Despite Alaric’s scowl and Taylor’s stoic smile, the two cat shifters stood in my doorway like rays of sunshine.
“What are you two doing here?” I asked.
Alaric huffed. “After that brute barged in on me and Jade and ruined the mood, I couldn’t stop thinking that he’d runoff to find you. At least, that’s what I hoped. But it looks like he turned tail and ran.”
“Who?” I asked, wanting to be certain.
Alaric crossed his arms. “Viol, who else?”
I was so confused. Did hewantViol to be here?
Taylor reached out and placed his large hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay, Poppy?” he asked kindly.
“I’m fine. I mean, I hurt my wrist a little while dragging my suitcase here, but—”
Alaric scoffed, looking deeply offended on my behalf. “What? You mean Viol didn’t carry it for you?”
“N-no, he did, but—”
“I cannot believe Jade went through all that trouble to reunite you two, and that great big purple oaf didn’t even stick around!”
Taylor raised a brow. Ignoring Alaric’s outburst, he turned to me. “Reunite you? What does that mean?”
My stomach flipped. I wasn’t sure how Alaric knew that, unless he’d taken a lucky guess. I supposed it wasn’t too difficult to figure out. I’d already hinted to Rorik that was the case.But now that it was out in the open, my insides squirmed with anxiety.
“It’s nothing,” I said quickly. “Anyway, why did you both come here? You should be with your mates and kids.”
Taylor furrowed his brow. “What, and never see my friend again? Mates aren’t chained together at the ankles, Poppy. Besides, Crimson’s a big boy. He can watch Ruby for a single night.”
“After Viol killed the mood, Jade took Mint to hang out with the twins,” Alaric added. “They’re all watching that agonizing snow musical again.”
“So basically, we’re free to hang out with you all night,” Taylor concluded.
Tears pricked my eyes again. I’d resigned myself to being alone all night, wallowing in my feelings, but now I was flooded with emotion. I didn’t want to cry and draw any more attention to myself, so I bit my lip and pushed the tears back. My friends already did so much for me. They didn’t deserve to have me break down in front of them.
