Piper chews the inside of her cheek. “Avery worries for her,” she says. “He’s always worried for her.”
“Yeah, and Maeve worries about him, too. Do you know what he said to her?”
“Kind of.” She plays with a lock of her dark hair, twirling it absentmindedly around her fingers. Piper smells like catmint, a little citrus with a hint of mint. It’s not an unpleasant scent, but it still makes me long for Maeve. “After they talked, Maeve was crying. She asked me if I thought she was doing the right thing by moving in with you three.”
“And what did you say?”
“I said I was happy she was accepting what the world offers her, and I would try to talk some sense into Avery.”
“I think the damage is already done,” I mutter. “She’s stuck in her head, and I can’t get her out.”
Piper looks thoughtful. “It’s not your job to get her out of it,” she says. “That’s up to her, and she knows it.”
I shift on my feet, sighing. The overwhelming urge to help her stays in my mind.
Take care of Omega.
My scent match is suffering; I’m watching it happen right in front of me.
There has to besomethingI can do.
“She said she felt like something bad was going to happen,” I add. “She couldn’t explain what it was, and whenever I tried to talk to her, she would just shut down more.”
Piper sighs. “Before you were in the picture, there were some dark days,” she admits. “She finally told Blair and me that sometimes she goes to a bad place in her mind. I know working at the rescue and the cats have helped, but you have made the most difference for her. Then Logan and Fang came along, and she’s been happier than I’ve ever seen her.”
“Until her talk with Avery,” I growl.
“How much do you know about her past?” Piper’s question is soft. “I’m sure she’s told you some things about her and Avery’s dynamic.”
I nod. “He basically raised her.”
“That house…” Piper swallows. “Avery told me what they went through in that house. He protected Maeve and his sister from most of it, but Maeve was the youngest, and the most sensitive. Maeve was neglected by her parents, and Avery took on the role of parent. The other sister left as soon as she could, and Avery could have, if he wanted. But he stayed behind for Maeve.”
“I know. She’s told me stories.”
Maeve has told me about the nightmares she used to have, where she would wake up in her apartment and not remember where she was.
She also told me that the horrible dreams have stopped since we scent matched.
Did she lie?
Has she woken up terrified when I’ve been asleep next to her and not bothered to tell me?
Has it happened around Fang and Logan?
“If you try thinking about it from Avery’s perspective, he’s just concerned. Heknowshow deeply Maeve feels things,” she adds. “The age gap with Logan doesn’t help, and the fact that Fang started out as her guitar teacher?—”
“But they scent matched?—”
“I know that.” Piper holds out her hands in surrender. “Believe me, I know. But it doesn’t stop Avery from being concerned. And frankly, it shouldn’t. He would be a crappy brother if he didn’t have some questions.”
“Ugh. You’re right,” I huff.
“You have sisters,” Piper adds with a quirked lip. “I’m sure you’ve played the role of protective sibling.”
“More than once,” I admit, running my hand through my hair. “I’ve…uh…vetted all their boyfriends.”
“Yeah,exactly.” She gives me a pointed look. “Like I said, Maeve is sensitive. Avery is sensitiveandprotective. She wanted his seal of approval, and she didn’t get it. So, she’s processing all of that.”
