It worries me that she’s scared to be completely honest about how she’s feeling.
“Well, this is the kitchen,” Robin says, when we get into the hallway.
We stop by the side of the door, and I can tell, despite her more relaxed demeanour, something’s still bothering her about what just happened.
“Are you sure you want to stay here?” I ask.
She blinks at me. “Uh … what?”
“It seems like the perfect solution, but it’s not the only one, and we don’t have to make that decision now if you’re not sure.”
“Oh,” she murmurs, folding her arms under her chest. “I … I like it here. I don’t think it’s perfect, but it feels comfortable, for now at least. It’s probably less than ideal for you and your pack. You guys have a home already …”
“Our apartment isn’t a home,” I cut in. “And we’re happy to be with you, no matter where we are. It’s easy to stay here, now that your former guardian isn’t completely against it.”
She lets out a breath, but her brow creases. “But you thought maybe I didn’t want to be here.”
“I had to make sure. You seemed anxious. Something’s bothering you.”
Her expression smooths out quickly, worry lines disappearing.
“That’s because I can’t read. I was never taught. Lana doesn’t know.”
“You didn’t go to school,” I recall from one of our conversations.
Clearly, that admission has further reaching implications than I first realized.
I didn’t even consider that she might have gaps in her knowledge.
That’s what her panic was about.
She doesn’t want Lana to find out she can’t do something that most of us take for granted.
Robin shrugs. “I should have told her. I know. But I didn’t want her to think … I just, I know it’s something I should be able to do, but I can’t, and besides that I like to be kept busy. I could never sit at a desk all day. It would be torture.”
“You never have to do anything you don’t want to do, and you don’t have to be afraid to tell me, or Shayne, or any of our pack. You can tell us anything. We won’t judge.”
She smiles. “I know.”
“Well, good.”
Taking in a deep breath, she unfolds her arms.
“Okay. I should get to work while you go learn your new job.”
I catch her hand in mine and lean in to kiss her knuckles.
She blushes a little as I let go.
“I’ll see you at home later,” I remind her.
“See you there,” she calls back as she slips out of reach, into the kitchen.
Home isn’t a name I thought I’d ever use for an Omega Academy.
But as long as Robin and the rest of my pack are living here, that’s exactly what Goldcrest is.
Chapter Ninety-Eight
