“Where? Which hotel?” Emmett demanded, his voice rising with each question. He never should have walked away. He should’ve stayed when Jonah said he wasn’t feeling well. He never should have given Kyle an opportunity to get close. Maybe if he’d been smarter, Jonah wouldn’t have run.
Harlem shook his head slowly. “He didn’t say. Just packed a bag and said he’d talk to you later. He said he’d text–”
Emmett raced to yank his phone out of his pocket, his heart lodged in his throat as he read the text on the screen.
Jonah:I’m sorry for causing your pack trouble. Again. Figured it’d be better for me to stay somewhere else tonight. At least until things cool down.
Emmett’s fingers flew as he typed a response, his hands shaking so much he had to delete words and try again several times.
Emmett:This wasn’t your fault, Jonah. Please come back.
He replied right away, which surprised Emmett. The little dots danced along the screen for a long moment before his response came through.
Jonah:I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want to come between you and your pack, Emmett. I know what it’s like to lose your family. I couldn’t stomach being the reason you had to experience the same thing. Not after all you’ve done to help me.
Jonah:You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I don’t want to hurt you. It’s better if I stay away from the pack for now.
Jonah:Maybe some time apart will be good. I’m supposed to be figuring out my life. I’ve gotten too comfortable. Let me figure things out, okay? I promise, I’ll stay safe.
The whine that escaped Emmett was painful, and he had to swallow down the urge to chase after Jonah and drag him back. He felt like his heart was being ripped to shreds, and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t just blurt out that Jonah was his mate over text. He replied the only way he could think of.
Emmett:Promise?
Jonah:Promise. I’ll see you around, ok?
The only relief he got was that it wasn’t a goodbye. Jonah wasn’t saying he wouldn’t come back. He just needed to figure his life out first. Emmett hated it, but he’d deal. He had to. He was too afraid doing anything else would chase his mate away. For good.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Jonah knew better than to go to Spellbound if he was going to sleep in his truck. He drove a while before finding free street parking a few blocks away from the office. The neighborhood was safe enough and most cars had wards on them. Hopefully people would assume the same for his and leave him alone.
Crawling over the seat into the back, he tried his best to get comfortable, using the bag with his clothes as a pillow. He was glad it was Harlem who was talking to him when he decided to leave. The werewolves would’ve been able to tell he was lying when he said he was going to a hotel, and he got the feeling they would’ve kicked up a fuss if they’d known the truth.
He couldn’t help pulling his phone out of his pocket, checking the screen for more messages. He wouldn’t get any. Emmett had always respected his boundaries, and Jonah had asked him for space. He wouldn’t contact him unless Jonah did first.
His heart ached at the thought of not talking to Emmett. He’d gotten so used to it, to the random messages he got when they were apart during work. Emmett had even texted him while they were in The Lodge together, in separate groups but within eye shot of each other. It had made Jonah laugh out loud, it was soridiculous and got a ton of questions from the pack members he’d been hanging out with demanding to know what was so funny.
He hadn’t wanted to go. He’d wanted to wait and check on Emmett, to make sure he was okay. The fight had been violent and a little terrifying, and Jonah was sure Kyle wasn’t the only one who’d gotten hurt. But…
When they were taking Kyle away to be treated by a healer, he overheard some people commenting about how unlike him Emmett’s behavior was becoming, how violence wasn’t the only option, and they were starting to worry about him. Jonah could practically see the divide forming between Emmett and his pack. He couldn’t stomach being the reason Emmett lost his family. He’d already driven off his own. He couldn’t be the reason Emmett was alone, too.
His phone buzzed in his hand, and he sucked in a breath, hopeful that it was Emmett even though he’d just told himself it wouldn’t be. And it wasn’t. It was a stupid spam message. Jonah got his hopes up for nothing and had to fight the urge to throw his phone out of frustration. He didn’t, he couldn’t afford to fix it, but he did open his and Emmett’s text thread again, scrolling through old messages filled with stupid jokes, memes, and weird questions about supes that Jonah knew better now were completely idiotic. The fact that Emmett never judged him showed just how patient he was.
Patient, kind, sweet, he was the full package. And that tail. Whapping against any nearby surface if Emmett got even a little excited about something. Jonah couldn’t help but smile every time he heard it.
His fingers moved unconsciously, his heart aching for the werewolf who felt more like home than his parents’ house ever did.
Jonah:You okay?
He wasn’t sure if he should be surprised that Emmett answered right away, like maybe he was clinging to his phone the same way Jonah was.
Emmett:Bumps and bruises. Nothing a healing potion can’t fix.
Emmett:You?
Jonah:Fine.
The lie felt hollow, even over text. It also sounded like a brush off, and he didn’t want Emmett to think he didn't want to talk. Apparently he was really bad at sticking to his own rules because now that they’d started, he couldn’t stomach stopping. He quickly typed out another reply, unable to resist keeping the conversation going.
