A long drawn out sigh when I don’t respond. The withdrawal of his scent and his footsteps and then the closing of the door.
I peek open one eye when I’m sure he’s gone and find my cell phone next to my hand. With a whine I would be embarrassed for anyone else to hear, I grab it and slide it closer, my fingers fumbling with the screen, lighting up the background image of me, Ginny, Haven, and my mom all mushed together.
Tears fill my eyes before I hit the call button.
“Ren?” Haven’s worried wonderful voice breaks the dam. I release a sob, so loud it tears from my chest andhurts.Fuck it hurts.
“Shh, babe. It's okay. It's okay,” she murmurs to me. “Everything’s gonna be fine, Ren. I promise. Just tell me what you need and we’ll make it happen. Okay? I’ve got four alphas standing around looking helpless. Tell me what you need them to do.”
I swallow thickly, force the words out through a tear ravaged throat. “I want to come home. Now. But they aren’t letting me fly out until tomorrow.”
“Okay, then that’s what we’ll do.”
“Sweetheart?” Tic’s voice comes through the phone, making my throat tight with the worry in it.
“Yeah.”
“Jude’s getting you a flight right now, okay? The earliest we can get. We need you to get up and pull yourself together long enough to get back to us and then you can break. Okay?”
“We’ll hold you together, Ren,” Creed adds, deep voice incredibly gentle.
“I’m not sure that’s possible,” I admit, even though it kills me to do it.
In the background I can hear Haven muttering about how she’s going to cut some alpha dicks from their bodies, and it's enough to drag a laugh from me.
“Get up,” Tic orders gently, like there is no doubt in his mind that I’m wallowing in a bed. “Take a shower. Get your shit packed. By the time you're done we’ll have it figured out.”
“We’ll get you home, Ren,” Jude says, determined.
I let out a choked wheeze, tears falling in earnest, soaking into the pillow. But I nod and let out a choked, “okay,” before pulling myself together enough to do as they ordered.
I spend the flight vomiting.
Or at least, most of it.
Until my seat mate, an alpha dressed in a three piece suit with a disapproving glare, requests that I be moved to one of the single seats in first class. Likely worried I might vomit on him.
As soon as I’m moved, I feel better.
No longer within touching distance of anyone, my body seems to relax with the whole ejecting everything from my bodything it had going on, and I settle into a fitful sleep, shivering with fever and wracked with body aches.
A soft hand on my shoulder shakes me awake, and I realize we’ve landed. The flight attendant asks if I need a wheelchair to help me deplane. I struggle to my feet in answer and push my way past her.
People move by me in a blur.
Hold yourself together, Ren. Just like Tic said. Just a little longer and you’ll be able to break down in the loving embrace of your family, people who care about you.
I stumble forward, one foot in front of the other. Other travelers and airport employees cast me wary looks. I think someone takes my picture while saying my name, but I don’t look at them, just keep moving. Pushing on.
And then…
There they are. My mom. Ginny. Haven. The entire Calloway pack.My family.
I want to run to them, want to let them wrap me up and hold me and care for me, but my body aches have only gotten worse. There’s a sprinkle of sweat on my skin, and my head is woozy, so the best I can do is stumble toward them.
My mother’s eyes widen in worry when she sees me. Ginny’s lips part on my name, but no sound comes out. Haven starts toward me, her belly jutting, her stride more of a waddle. Tic is right on her heels, which is why, when a wave of dizziness hits so bad that my knees fold, he’s the one to catch me.
There’s a cry from somewhere, I think maybe Ginny. I want to tell her I’m okay, but I’m honestly not sure. I’ve never felt this poorly before. Never felt like my body is turning on itself, tearing itself apart.
