Page 28 of Met Your Mate

Kate nibbles on her lip, then rolls onto her side with her hands tucked beneath her hair. "My papa used to tell me stories when it felt like the world was crashing down around me. Even as a teen, he'd rub my back and tell me about a young girl going on adventures away from her crazy life."

My eyes prick with tears, but I don't let them fall. I wish I had memories of a father like that, or even just one family member.

"You want me to tell you a story?" I ask.

Kate hesitates again, but nods. "Please," she whispers, breaking my heart just a little more.

My omega lifts her head at the show of my friend's obvious despair, making a whine crawl up my throat. Instead of suppressing the sound like I've been trained to do, I allow it to slip free.

From one omega to another, I will show Kate she has someone who cares, and that starts with showing my own vulnerabilities and emotions.

And a story.

So I begin with a description of a small town off the coast of the ocean. One filled with sunshine, coffee, laughter, and beach days. A story that is worlds away from the dark basement we are starving and aching in.

I weave a story for my friend, one born from my dreams.

Chapter Twenty-Four

RONAN

"Wait, try again."

"Luke…”

"No seriously! Just push a little harder."

My first thought is, what the fuck is my brother making Casey do?

"More! Yes, just like that, keep going!"

And the second is where the fuck is Eli?!

Casey grunts as I peel my eyes open from a shitty nap filled with nightmares.

"I'm done, man. Fuck, that's exhausting."

I force myself to sit up at Casey's huffed breathing. When Lucas and our beta finally register in my tired sight, I find Casey with his face in his palms and my brother looking eager as fuck in the cell next to him.

Clearing my throat, I question, "What the hell are you guys doing?" Flicking my gaze over to Elliott doesn't help anything either, as he just sits there, staring off into space.

"Oh good! You're awake, it's your turn!" my brother hollers excitedly. Far more excited than he should fucking be in my opinion because we're still stuck in a goddamn prison from hell.

"Thank fuck," Casey mutters, and shuffles back to the wall.

"Or..." Beckett grumbles from the other side of the basement. “You could shut the fuck up and stop sounding like you're having the worst sex ever."

My lips twitch, because it absolutely sounded like shitty porn, but Elliott growls low in warning. At least he's mildly aware of his surroundings.

Luke bares his teeth at the other alpha but dismisses him just as quickly. Scooting his ass closer to me, or as close as the bars will allow, my brother grins and sits crisscross.

"We were testing out our new pack bonds. Casey's is the faintest, probably because he needs Eli's bond mark, right?" Lucas queries.

I nod a little surprised he would take this initiative. "Yeah," I respond simply, feeling a bit shitty for not having all of us do this sooner.

My brother frowns. "Don't do that, Ro. You've had other stuff on your mind, and it's not like we were doing much. Just playing around and seeing what made Casey flare stronger in the bond."

"And?" I'm curious now too. It's not like I haven't felt my pack mates tugging at me in my chest; I've just been focused on trying to fix this shit.

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