“Hmm,” Neveah says. “Maybe we should let her pick the next question.”
Riley: Soda Pop from Kpop Demon Hunters, hands down. I can do the dance too, I’ll show you sometime if you want [winkyemoji]
Riley: You want to pick the next question, Sage?
Sage: Okay. Um. What is your favorite food
Brooks: I’m a simple guy. I love a sandwich.
Sage: What do you like on your sandwich
Brooks: Anything and everything. Meat, cheese, veggies, mayo. All the toppings, I’m not picky. What about you, Petal?
Riley: Impossible to pick. I love candy, and pastries. And coffee. Does that count? Obviously it’s a drink, but I think it counts.
Sage: It counts.
Riley: I knew you were my favorite, Sage!
Neveah: I don’t have a strong preference on food. I do tend to enjoy a savory breakfast, though. I also love a good burrito.
Brooks: I notice you haven’t answered your own question, Sage
Sage: I do not really have a favorite food. If I had to pick maybe apples or grapes.
Neveah and I exchange a look. This is feeling more and more off, and knowing I’m not alone in that feeling only makes it worse.
I sit up and turn sideways on the couch to face my alpha.
“Okay, so.” I hold up my fingers, ticking off each point as I say them. “Maybe the talking thing is a cute quirk, or maybeshe doesn’t know how to use a phone since Brooks had to give her one. She doesn’t listen to music. And her favorite food isapplesorgrapes?”
Neveah shakes her head, concern creasing her face. Then she pulls her phone out and starts tapping at it.
I lean forward to see she’s closed the group chat and opened a new one with Brooks.
Is it just me, or is something not right?
It’s not just you.
Neveah sighs and closes her eyes for a moment. I reach out to squeeze her arm and she gives me a soft, sad smile.
Can you make it back to the farm tomorrow? I think we should talk, figure out how we’re going to move forward.
Anytime after 10am I can be there. I don’t want to miss her walk.
Show up whenever is convenient for you. We’ll be here.
With that sorted, she clicks back to the group chat to say goodnight to Sage. I follow with a goodnight message as well, and so does Brooks.
Sage: Good night. Thank you all for welcoming me. Please be patient if I do not reply right away.
The next day, we spend as much time messaging with Sage as we can. I ask when we can come down to take her out to eat, or if she can come to the lavender farm again, but she says she doesn’t know and leaves it at that. I’m disappointed, but Neveah filled me in on what Brooks told her about Sage’s situation, so I’m more worried than anything.
I don’t like the thought of her being alone with those alphas.
Brooks shows up shortly before closing, so we all sit down for dinner together.
“What are you thinking?” Neveah asks, getting right to the point.
