Can’t sleep when you’re not here
He sends a sad face emoji, and I laugh again, smiling at my phone like a teenager with a crush.
“So happy living your normal, boring life, I see,” a familiar voice says, making my head jerk up.
My brother, Dean, walks through the door and my heart kicks into overdrive.
He narrows his eyes.
“What the fuck did you do to your hair?”
“Dean,” I say, patting the blonde braid. “What are you doing here?”
I try to keep my voice even, despite my worry. One thing I didn’t consider… that I failed to bring up with the monsters… will my family be able to sense Locheran on me now that I’m his mate?
“I came to visit my sister. Aren't I allowed to worry about her being in a big, scary city all by herself?”
I purse my lips, refusing to respond to his snide comments. He’s always been like this, snarky when I’m around. Snapping at me for no reason. All because I refuse to join them.
Well, I guess he’s about to get what he wants.
“I’m… fine. I love it here.”
My phone vibrates with a call. Locheran. He’s worried. He can feel my fear.
It’s not so much fear, but Iamanxious about messing this up.
I pick up the phone and text him a mouse emoji—the signal that my family has found me—and that I’ll call him in a minute.
When discussing how I would approach my family in a believable way, I suggested letting them come to me. Ever since moving to New York City, I made sure to hide where I worked or lived. I’ve been so careful too, but for the past few weeks, I’ve left little clues for them, like posting pictures on my socials of the neighborhood near the college, my favorite restaurants in the area where I order lunch from, the park across the street from the college where I like to sit and read. All they had to do was find these locations and stake out the neighborhood schools until spotting me leaving or arriving.
Locheran wanted to hire bodyguards for me too, like Evangeline, but I refused. My family would spot them immediately. Or they’d sense them nearby.
As much as Locheran hated to agree with me, he backed down. I was surprised he didn’t do it anyway, but I haven’t felt any supernatural being around today.
“Dad wants to meet with you.”
I frown. “Why?”
“You’re his daughter.”
“Whohe hates.”
“He doesn’t hate you, Fare Bear. He’s just disappointed.”
I don’t let the words get to me. Despite them not being in my life, no kid wants to hear that they’re a disappointment. All I wanted was to be loved and accepted by them. I never wanted to be cast out, because I truly believed if they let me into their lives, I could have changed their world view. I could have convinced them to stop with the violence and death.
A foolish belief, but one I refused to let go of.
“Well, I’m sorry, but I’m busy. I’ve got class and—”
“Too fucking bad. Dinner. Friday night. I’ll text you the time and location.”
“So, I don’t get a choice?"
“You know you don’t.”
He turns and leaves, and I frown at the now empty space at the door.
