The moment the ‘click’ of the door reaches my ears, the tears start streaming down my cheeks. I suppress the new whine in my chest, the wail I want to let out, the desperation of needing to be with my mate.
One of the kids brings me a napkin and I give them a watery smile. “Thank you.” I wipe my eyes, though the tears keep returning.
Luca is here.
He’s only a few rooms over.
It’s not like he’s far away. He’s right here.
But right now, it doesn’t really matter, not if we can’t be in the same space.
It might even be worse.
So close and so far at the same time.
My eyes shoot open as burned caramel reaches my nose. Luca!
But when I become aware of my surroundings, I realise it’s Jorge, trying to put a shirt with Luca’s pheromones over my shoulders.
I’m in the nest, my mates’ clothes, including the shirt that Luca gave me for the ride home, clutched against my chest. I’m gripping them so tightly that my hands are all sore.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.” Jorge sits down next to me on the pillows, letting his cedar pheromones mix into the air, soothing me.
“How long have I been asleep?” I look around, but can’t find my phone or other way to tell the time and it’s still dark outside.
“Half an hour, at most.” He leans closer, kissing my cheek. “You should go back to sleep. At least one of us should get some sleep, so someone can keep everything running tomorrow.” He lets out a soft laugh.
“I can’t. We’ve got too much to do. I just...” I glance to the room with the kids, though mentally, I’m in the rooms behind it, the rooms where Luca’s family is staying.
“Do you have family out there?” The words slip from my lips.
Jorge stills, his gaze guarded.
“I’m sorry. Never mind. You don’t have to answer.” My heart races.
I hadn’t planned on asking about it, since none of us really talk about our families. We all have less-than-great relationships with them, alive or otherwise.
“No. It’s fine. I grew up in the area, so I see my family from time to time. When we pass each other by on the streets, things like that. But that’s it.” He lets out a long breath, his pheromones filling with something heavy, not so much pain but sadness. “I don’t talk to them voluntarily.”
I understand that feeling. I’ve not spoken to anyone from my parents’ pack since I left.
Luckily, we’ve not been anywhere that I could accidentally run into them, so I’ve not had to think about them much. But by now, I also have no need to be in contact with them.
After forcing me to marry Hubert and then not stepping in when he sent people after us, which they were fully aware of… They lost any rights to be considered my family.
“You should try to get some more sleep.” Jorge plays with his fingers over my shoulder, his touch soft.
“I can’t.” I sit up and look at the ball of shirts in my lap. “We have too much to do. I can’t sleep now.” We have so much to do that I’m trained for, unlike Jorge or Luca…
“The kids are asleep. I think at least one of us should stay on a sleeping schedule with them so that someone is awake enough to look after them.” He smiles at me.
“Sounds like a perfect task for you.” I grin back, grabbing his shoulder to get up, but he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into his lap, making me quickly cover my mouth with my hands so that my squeak doesn’t wake the kids up.
He nips at my shoulder, letting out a rolling laugh. “I was thinking we could do it together.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I’d love to, but my skills are needed for other things. I think it would be best if Luca and you look after the kids. Luca can’t be around me, but he’s also the only adult they know.”
I glance to where Luca and his family are staying, trying to keep my heart under control, my tears. It feels unnatural, not being able to be close to my mate. It takes over my whole brain, making it hard to think of anything else.
