Page 5 of Knotty Pumpkin

We are registered as an omega safe haven. Registration # 8164.

There’s a bottle of water on the nightstand, as well as some Panadol.

Feel free to come out and say hi when you wake. There’ll be a pot of coffee on, breakfast if you can stomach it, and we’ll get you home safe. Any personal items you had on you are in the top drawer. Shoes by the door. There are spare clothes in the wardrobe and the bathroom is across the hall.

Pack Rhys

Immediately, I open the drawer, pulling out my phone and entering the registration number into the safe haven app. A heavy mix of relief and dread hit me as the details pop up, reflecting this is indeed a registered safe haven withPack Rhys listed as the owners and the address right there on my screen. We aren’t far from campus. The confirmation means I can relax knowing I’m safe and no one here will try to take advantage of me. But at the same time, I have absolutely no memory of last night, not from when I arrived at the party with Izzy.

Speaking of my bestie, her name flashes on my screen, a call incoming, and I answer quickly, keeping my voice low.

“Hey, Iz,” I whisper, standing and making my way to the wardrobe.

“Saylor, holy shit girl. Where are you? Are you okay? Why are you whispering?”

“I’m okay. Just woken up. I’m at a safe haven on Burke. Izzy, do you know what happened last night? Where we ended up?” I ease open the wardrobe door, careful not to make a noise. I’m not ready to face the alphas who brought me here, even if they are safe haven registered.

“What do you mean? We went to the Lion’s early Halloween party as planned. Last I saw you, you were getting hot and heavy with someone on the dance floor. I assumed you left with him. You’re at a safe haven? Why?”

“I don’t know,” I say, pulling on a pair of grey sweats, rolling the band down my hips. They’re a few sizes too big, but they’ll be better than walking home in my slutty pumpkin costume. “I don’t even remember dancing.I… I must have been blackout drunk.” My voice is muffled as I awkwardly pull my dress off and pull a white crew neck on instead.

“You really didn’t drink that much, babe. What on earth are you doing?”

Grabbing my boots from beside the door, I pause, listening for any noise in the house. The faint rumble of men talking in another room makes its way to me. Unlikely I’ll be able to sneak out that way.

“Shhh, I’m trying to find a way out.”

“Have you thought about just using the front door? It’s a safe haven. They can probably tell you what happened.”

“Nah, I’m good,” I murmur as I tiptoe to the window and inspect it. I should be able to get the fly screen off once it’s opened. Hopefully it’s not locked.

“Saylor, you are such a stubborn bitch. Don’t you want to know why they took you home?”

“Aha!” The window is unlocked—luckily—and I slowly slide it open, balancing the phone between my shoulder and ear to free my hands. “Not particularly. I feel okay apart from the hangover. Whatever it was, can’t be anything more than an embarrassment. I probably just downed too many shots and got lost.”

“Saylor—”

“Izzy, I’m fine.” Unclipping the fly screen, I pull it inside and start climbing through the window, swinging one leg out first. “I promise. I’ll be home in 10 minutes.”

Hanging up, I slide my phone into the pocket of my oversized sweats and swing the other leg out, lowering myself to the ground. The house is only a single story, so I’m able to step right out onto a side path.

The short walk home is brutal, the bright sunshine taking my hangover to a whole other level. Shower. Bed. Two things that help me put one foot in front of the other and allow me to ignore the nagging voice in the back of my mind that says I really didn’t drink enough to feel this awful.

Izzy pounces on me as soon as I walk in the door, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me into a tight embrace.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she says, stepping back. “I was worried when you didn’t come home. I thought…”

“Let’s not go there,” I say before she can finish the thought and mentionhim.“Tell me about your night. Did anyone rock your socks off?”

She blushes, her pale skin turning pink as she nods. “More than once. I’m seeing him again tonight.”

I raise a brow, making my way to the fridge and grabbing a bottle of strawberry lemonade flavoured vitamin water.

“Good for you, babe. I’m going to have a shower and a nap. Do you wanna grab lunch after? Get in a study sesh?”

“Sure,” Izzy says, her brow furrowing. “You don’t look so well, Saylor. Are you sure you’re alright?”

A shiver runs down my spine at her words, a faint memory tugging at my mind, trying to make itself known. It’s gone before I can fully grasp it, and I sigh heavily.

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