Page 12 of Trick Knot Treat

“You don’t need me to see you out,” Zaire growls and retreats, closing his door with a sharp snick.

Jace and Clint bicker, they look at me, but I give them the look that used to stop Seb dead in his tracks, it works on them, too. They raise a hand each, an acknowledgment that this is not over, and vanish.

I look at the dog, hesitating because I don’t really want to leave, despite how mad that alpha is, something about him feels safe.

I growl, ignoring Spectre, who woofs back and stalks away from the house.

I met her. I spoke to her. It’s all in motion.

Elation. Terror.

Every step away from Zaire’s house is painful but necessary.

Asher is waiting for me at our spot. It’s a single rock that rises out of the beach, when the tide is in or coming in, you can sit on it and quickly become surrounded by water. When it’s out, it’s just a random rock that you can lie on and watch the clouds go past.

“Why did you want to swap?” she asks before I’ve even sat down.

I shrug my shoulders. “Why does it matter to you? You’re heading out with Aunt Ophelia?”

She narrows her eyes. “Felix, what are you up to now?”

“Me? Nothing.”

“Is this to do with all the secret stuff?”

“What secret stuff?”

“The secret stuff. Tell me about it,” she demands. We have been two peas in the same pod forever, but somewhere along the line, we started drifting apart and running on parallel tracks. I hope we keep going in the same direction, but I know that our paths do not end up together, and the alpha that she hates, that she wants me to hate…I’m not sure I can.

I lay on the rock, staring up at the night sky. “Tell me about your plans at Angler’s Beach.”

Asher sits up and jumps off the rock. “Mind your business. Ugh, when did you get like this?”

“Like what?” I ask, amused.

“All annoying and secretive.”

“Pot, kettle, black. Besides, my darling sister, why are you so angry all the time? What is driving you so crazy that you’ve decided to be its newest poster omega?”

“Felix,” she growls.

“Mm?” I say without looking at her.

“Mind your business. Isn’t that what you keep telling me?” she says with a bite in her voice.

We have both said it to each other. A lot lately.

“I have said that. Some things are journeys only we can go on.”

“I’m your sister.”

“Yes, but we knew, even though everyone thought we would end up in a pack with the same alphas, that we wouldn’t. You have always known, and so have I. Go, leave town, explore, and find your pack. Let me play Trick Knot Treat.”

I sit up and find her looking at me.

“Have you found them?” Her voice is tiny, quiet, full of longing and hurt.

I grin, and for the first time in a long time, I’m excited, and I can breathe, and I’m looking forward to what comes next. The only part that brings a dampener down on it is hurting my best friend.