And I let him.
There’s this growing tension between us, a crackling energy that both sets me on edge and soothes my very soul. It sounds ridiculous, I know, especially considering the circumstances, but I don’t know how else to explain it, this awareness I have when we’re around each other.
Part of me feels like it’s been there from day one, but the more time we spend together the stronger it gets.
“Morgan.” Lynx gestures to the wardrobe behind me. “We’re losing the light.”
I don’t know how, but the majority of my clothes are now hanging in the wardrobe of what is apparently my new room. It’s pretty basic: bed, wardrobe, bedside table, and most importantly, an en suite bathroom.
I walk over to the wardrobe and rifle through the stuff there until I find my coat and pull it out. “How did you get all of these.” A lot of the stuff is from the rucksack I had with me, but not all of it.
“Cal called Ash and asked him to meet him and bring some of your clothes.”
I snort as I imagine the look on Ash’s face when Callum Holt turned up. I bet he almost swallowed his tongue. Then almost immediately I’m hit with both guilt and sadness. I miss him. And I’ve not spoken to Ash since the morning he came here. Usually we text back and forth pretty much all day if we’re not together.
I’ve not spoken to my dad either.
“Can I have my phone back?” I don’t expect Lynx to hand it over, but it’s worth a try.
He hesitates before shaking his head. “I don’t have it.”
“Who does then?”
“Callum maybe.” He cocks his head to one side as he studies me. “What do you want it for?”
“Firstly, because it’s mine. Secondly, there’s people I want to talk to: Ash, my dad. Just because I’m stuck here doesn’t mean I can’t keep in touch with them.” Wouldn’t surprise me if Ash’s sent me a hundred messages already. “I need to let work know I’m not coming in for a bit.”
“What do you do?”
Not gonna lie, it stings a little that he doesn’t remember. Members of his pack come in our shop all the time. Lynx, not so much, but he’s definitely come in when I’ve been on shift at least once. I remember it being the highlight of my week. Obviously, the feeling wasn’t mutual. “Me and Ash work at the Tesco Express in town while we’re at uni.”
He tenses ever so slightly but then says, “You go to university?”
“Yep.” I puff my chest out a little because, fuck it, I’m proud of the fact. “We’ve both got one more year left before we graduate.” I can practically see him trying to do the maths in his head. “I’m twenty-five. In case you were wondering.” I don’texplain why we waited four years before going, and he doesn’t ask.
Instead, he says, “Was Ash working today?”
“Er...” It’s so far from what I was expecting, it takes me a second to answer. “What day is it?”
“Wednesday.”
“Yeah, he would’ve done the seven to twelve shift.” It’s my turn to tilt my head, curious. “Why?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
Yeah, I don’t believe that for a second. Lynx Harper doesn’t strike me as someone who makes idle chit-chat. But before I can ask anything else, he walks towards the door, glancing back over his shoulder.
“Come on.”
I roll my eyes but shrug my arms into my jacket and follow him. I’m not sure if I’ve reached my limit of giving a fuck, but ever since I woke up in that bed, for the second fucking time after passing out, I feel... not calm, exactly, but not like I’m going to fall apart any second.
Maybe it’s finding out there’s a reason for my sudden intense reactions to emotional stress. I mean, you’d think finding out I’ve got shifter blood running around inside me would be enough to tip me over the edge, but so far so good. In fact, it’s made a few other things clearer as well. I just need to get Lynx to confirm my theories.
I follow him out of the room and along the corridor.
There are other rooms on this floor, but the doors are all closed. “Is anyone else on this floor?”
“Nico,” Lynx says, pointing to a door as we pass. “Jet’s in there with him, so I’d give it a while if you’re thinking of going to see him later.”
