Page 82 of Three of a Kind

I curl in half.

My hands fly to my face as my head shakes.

I hate Avan.

His entire family is rotten.

Outside of Bless, I don’t think the world would lose anything if they all disappeared.

“He’s going to be fine,” Bless says, more firmly this time. “But if you send yourself into early labor with all the stress you’re under…” She comes over, patting my back. “He’s an alpha. He’s got an exceptionally hard head. Cry it out now, if you need to, but put on a brave face when you see him.”

“Is it that bad?”

“He’s probably going to need a few stitches, and he’s got a concussion, but, no, it’s not what I would consider bad. Not under the circumstances.”

“Okay.” I nod.

I need to get it together.

This isn’t about me.

It’s about what Noble needs.

It feels like I have an epic breakdown coming my way at some point, but I will not make things worse right now.

My emotions can wait until later.

I pull my shoulders back, shuddering out a heavy breath.

“You’re not built for this kind of world,” Bless says, giving me a kind smile. “And that’s not a bad thing. They should be back soon. Once the doctor patches him up, you can stick by his side. It’s another reason I’ll feel better with Beatrice around. Libby shouldn’t see him. Not for a couple of days.”

“Beatrice is Stacia’s grandmother?” I ask, swiping at my eyes.

“Exactly.” Bless stands. “Now, cry if you need to. I’m going to help them set up.”

I nod as she disappears back down the hallway.

My eyes won’t stop leaking, but I’m no longer panic-stricken.

I’m pissed.

Noble has treated me and Liberty with kindness and respect since our very first meeting.

I want Avan to pay for everything he’s done. I really think his only goal in life is to hurt people so he can succeed.

The first thing I hear is the door being thrown open. A few seconds later, Nova bolts into the living room with another dog I don’t recognize. That must be Haze, Gunner’s dog. He’s big, too, but he’s a bit shorter than Nova, with a thinner face.

I hop up and stand frozen, watching the hallway to see who comes in next.

The dogs run over, scenting me.

Haze seems especially obsessed with smelling me, but I bet that’s because Gunner and I bonded.

My scent naturally holds hints of his now.

Nova doesn’t like being left out, and she bumps my hand until I absently pet her. Haze and I haven’t officially met, but he rubs his back against my thigh until I run my fingers through his long fur.

Gunner comes around the corner first. He’s in one piece, but I knew he was from the bond. His shoulders bounce as he studies me, like maybe he released the breath he was holding.

---