Page 94 of Pack Fever

As she busies herself in the kitchen, Ruby is perched on a nearby couch with her prized peaches, staring at Seth. It’s a star-struck reaction, but there’s a warmth in there, too.

“Are you two going to get married?” she blurts out.

I almost choke on a lungful of oxygen while Seth barks out laughing.

“Ruby,” Mom calls out sternly from the kitchen. “What did I tell you about not asking inappropriate questions?”

My sister just smiles, staring at us.

“You haven’t changed one bit,” I tease her.

“You have,” she answers. “You actually look happier than I’ve seen you in a really long time.”

I blink at her honesty. “Well, yeah, because I’m back home.”

“Nah, it’s not that.” She shakes her head. “It’s him.” She stares at Seth, then takes another bite of a peach.

“You heard her,” Seth adds. “Just remember that I bring out your happiness.” He arches his eyebrows, which has me giggling.

I nudge his arm with my shoulder while he turns his attention to my sister.

“So, Ruby, aside from being a connoisseur of peaches, what else should I know about the biggest Fever fan in the room?”

Ruby swallows her bite of peach quickly before responding. “Well, if you’re going to hang out here, you need to be prepared for some serious video game competition. And just so you know, I don’t go easy on rock stars.”

I burst out laughing. Mom arrives with a huge plate of snickerdoodle cookies, and for the first time since the accident with my dad, I feel like I’m home. Like how it used to be, how we’d laugh, feeling like nothing in the world can touch us.

Seth tells stories from his road trip, captivating Ruby, while Mom is next to me, holding my hand, staring at me. When I was taken by Nexus from my home, Mom and I weren’t exactly on the best terms. She was mad at me for getting caught at the club. But now, she stares at me like she’s in agony, as though she’d do anything to keep me safe.

“It means so much to know you’ve found someone,” she whispers, her hand tightening over mine. “I only want you safe.”

“I know,” I say, smiling at her, wishing there was a way to remove the agony in her eyes, the sorrow of the loss she’s experienced in her life.

Seth’s phone rings, slicing through the comfort like a sharp blade. He answers instantly, his relaxed expression shifting as he listens to the voice on the other end. When he hangs up, the look on his face sends a chill down my spine.

“We have to go,” he says with urgency.

“What’s going on?” Panic grips me, my heart racing. “Is Nexus here?”

He nods grimly, and in an instant, the room is in chaos. Mom and Ruby are on their feet, fear in their expressions.

“You need to leave now… quickly.”

Mom’s already peeking out the window, scanning the street for signs of danger.

“Have they spotted us?” The question leaves my lips in a whisper, dread coiling in my stomach.

“I don’t know,” Seth says, though his eyes are dark with concern. “But they’re patrolling up and down the street. We can’t take any chances. I won’t lose you.”

We rush with our farewell hugs. I cling to Mom and Ruby a bit longer, wanting to remember this feeling until I see them again.

“I’m going to cherish this,” my mom murmurs. “And to know you’re in good hands.”

Then we’re racing out of our apartment door.

At that moment, the downstairs front door swings open with a familiar creak, the hallway flooding with light from someone entering and switching on the overhead lights.

Fear and dread swallow me, choking me.

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