Page 20 of Second Chance Mates

My heart is pounding like an alarm clock in my chest. “Uhh, yeah,” she huffs as if I’m the one who’s overreacting. “She’s been out there for five minutes, and she hasn’t moved.”

I grip onto the door handle. “Five minutes?”

Before she can respond, I hop down the patio stairs and pull up the collar of my jacket as the rain pours over my head. It’s so loud I can barely hear myself think. It’s bitter and cold, and I have no idea how she’s out here with no shoes on.

“Hey,” I say over the rain but quiet enough that I don’t startle her.

Ava turns to me with an unexpected smile, one that covers half of her face. I can’t even class it as a smile because she’s beaming at me. My breath lodges in my throat, and I tell myself not to reach out and move the piece of brunette hair which has clung to her forehead. The raindrops have completely drenched her head and lashes. Her clothes cling to her rosy skin.

Her eyes light up with excitement, and I can’t help but smile back at her. I can see it in her gaze; she knows she’s free. My wolf howls at the sight because he wants nothing more than to see her happy.

“What are you doing out here?” I ask as I shrug off my jacket.

She doesn’t flinch when I move it around her body, so I lower it down onto her shoulders, attempting to keep her warm even though every part of her skin is wet.

“The rain.” She grins, holding her palms flat to the sky so the droplets touch her fingers. “It’s amazing.”

Ava tilts her head and closes her eyes, inhaling deeply. My fingers itch to touch her precious cheek, but it’s not right. “You’ve never seen rain before?”

A surprising laugh barks out of her. “Of course, I’ve seen rain. But it’s been what feels like years since I’ve seen the rain, and it just…it just–”

“It what?”

“It makes me feel alive. It reminds me I am alive.” She shudders but not with coldness, with vibrancy. “It’s like I can actually feel something that is real. I can go outside. I can feel the rain. I can breathe all this air. It’s real. It’s not a dream. I’m really living this.”

My lips spread into a bright smile. “Yeah. It’s real. All of it is real. You’re not a prisoner here, Ava. You are free to do whatever you want. Whatever makes you feel alive.”

Her eyes glitter in my direction, and I suck in a breath. The way she’s looking at me makes my chest glow with a tender warmth.

“You must be freezing,” I say as I focus on her lips, which are losing colour by the second. “Let’s get inside. You don’t want to make yourself sick.”

Ava steps around me, and we walk back towards the kitchen. I hold the door open for her as we step inside. She takes off my jacket and hands it to me.

“How was the rain?” Lucy asks.

I glance at Ava, who looks down to the floor where she’s dripping rainwater. “I loved it. Thank you for letting me go outside.”

“You don’t need permission to do anything, Ava,” Lucy states slowly. “You’re allowed to do whatever you want. Right, Jaxon?”

“Yeah,” I agree, despite feeling bad for what I said to my sister earlier. “Like I said outside. You’re not a prisoner. You’re one of us.”

The corner of her lip twitches, but it doesn’t reach capacity. “Okay.”

“Would you like to watch a movie in the lounge?” I suggest. “It’s a quiet evening.”

Ava chews on her lip. “Alone?”

“We don’t have to be alone. I won’t force you to sit with me if you don’t want to. If you want Lucy to sit with us, I’m sure she’ll join us.”

She looks to Lucy who gives her a supportive smile. “Okay.”

I nod with relief. “Why don’t you get changed into something warm and dry, and I’ll meet you in the lounge? We can agree on a movie together.”

“Okay,” she whispers once more before disappearing upstairs.

I move to the living room and light the fireplace to make the room cosy. Then, I collect as many blankets and cushions as I can find.

“You two getting along well then, huh?” I hear Lucy’s voice behind me.

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