“Come for a walk?”
She looks like she might run. “A walk?”
“Yes, a nice walk.”
Devon disappears into the house and returns with Danger’s leash and treat bag, then we tug her back out into the night. Away from the drama and heightened emotions of the omega that live there.
But only one thought keeps going through my mind.
Sofia’s preheat is starting.
Chapter 23
Devon
She’s holding her little dog close as if it can save her from the world. Whilst I like all sides of Sofia, seeing this vulnerable, fearful side of her has got all my feathers ruffled. Tearing the world apart and putting it back together in a way that doesn’t scare her doesn’t seem crazy at all.
Her cheeks are flushed, and she’s avoiding eye contact. I swing her around and lift her off her feet. She squeals.
“Devon, what are you doing? Let me down!”
“Not a chance. You’re all up in your head, and I’m not going to let you disappear.”
“Maybe I need to be.”
“Or maybe you need a distraction.”
“And what’s a good distraction?” she snaps, frustrated.
“Me.”
“You?”
I turn onto Main Street and stop, setting her down. “Look at our world, Sofia.”
Soft light from the streetlights shines down onto the road and footpath. The moon is huge in the sky, and the ocean is an inky black roar in the background.
“It’s a spring tide tonight. The beach is gone.”
She inhales and starts moving like I knew she would. She’s as compelled by the ocean as we are about her. We walk past the empty café, the pub,which is closed, and out to the railing. An hour passes with us standing in silence. I don’t know what she’s wrestling with, but Elijah returns from packing up the restaurant and looks at me as if I have the answers.
The water laps several feet below us. Even touching the stairs at times. It’s come in even further since we’ve been here.
“I have to tell you something,” Sofia says softly.
I shift until my arm is brushing against hers. “We know.”
“You know?” she asks in an almost shriek.
“Well, I mean, it's kind of obvious.”
“It is?”
I nod solemnly. “It’s all right. We’ll stick to the plan.”
She blinks, but now her expression gets guarded. “What plan?”
“Your heat. You’re going into preheat. We can smell it.”
