Stefan laughing in a field. Playing in the mud. Crying as I fell over that cliff.
He was so young.
“Mari?” Everly’s fingertips brush my arm. “Are you okay?” she whispers.
“My brother loved these flowers,” I say, still staring at the buds.
Everly’s feet shift before she whispers, “Brother?”
My whole body locks up, as bitter realization spreads across my tongue. Why did I say that? Fuck!
“I’m ready to go home.” I drop the flower, then snarl at my choice of words. “To the house. I want to go back to the house.”
“Okay.” Everly’s fingers caress the side of my hand, but I snatch it away, rushing back around the tree. The twins stand on the other side, deep in their own conversation as we appear.
“You okay?” Dassy asks, noticing my tight expression.
“I’m fine,” I say, praying he doesn’t read too much into my high-pitched voice. Thankfully, before he can press me anymore, Everly lets out a sharp yip, and I spin around at the sound. Everly’s foot catches in the tree’s roots and she pitches forward, smacking her hands into the tree trunk.
“Oh my god!” I rush to the beta, but the alphas are much faster. Hutch tenderly pulls her away from the tree, helping her steady her feet. “Are you okay?” I lift my hands, wanting so badly to touch her, but the twins are practically on top of her, staring intensely at one of her hands.
“It’s just a splinter.” Everly’s face is flush with embarrassment. “I’m fine.” Her gray eyes meet mine, and I inch a little closer, trying to get a look at her hand. A sizable sliver of wood sticks out of the center of Everly’s palm. I wince, imagining how much it must hurt.
“I think I can get it.” Hutch lifts Everly’s hand a little higher to his face, pushing the flesh around the tiny piece of wood. Dassy is just as close, the pair crowding her as they squeeze and pinch her.
It makes me anxious. Everly needs a gentle hand and a breath of fresh air, not two alphas pawing at her damn wound.
“Just pluck it out.” Dassy tries to pinch it, pushing Hutch out of the way.
“I think we should wait until we get home,” Everly says, but neither alpha moves. They’re ignoring her, and it’s pissing me the fuck off. Then Everly winces and Dassy curses, and I lose it.
“Let her go!” I grab Everly’s wrist and pull her away from the twins. She stumbles as I tug her away from the big oak tree. We march under a few low-hanging branches, and I snap off a budding leaf. It’s early spring, so they’re still small. “Come here,” I say, much the same way Izan does with me. Everly obeys, following me to the nearest pine tree. “May I see your hand?”
The beta doesn't even think about it. She lifts it, showing me her wound. The splinter is set deep, and her palm is red and puffy from Hutch and Dassy’s clumsy pawing. I cut the pair a glare, happy to see them still waiting by the old oak.
“I promise this won’t hurt,” I say, pressing the leaf to the pine tree’s trunk. I work the delicate greenery into a crack in thebark, collecting as much sap as I can. Then I lay it gently against Everly’s palm. “Hold your hands together like you’re praying.” I show her. Ideally, I should press the leaf down, but I want her to control the pressure applied.
“Now what?” Everly asks, holding her pressed palms out in front of her.
“Now we wait,” I say. “We have to let it sit for a second, so the sap soaks into the wood.”
“Oh, okay.” Everly nods eagerly, looking at me like I’m some kind of expert in shitty nature hacks. The wind shifts, catching Everly’s long brown hair. It twists, flying into her face. She jerks her head, keeping her hands firmly together.
“Let me help.” I gather her tresses, twisting them behind the back of her neck. Smooth lavender and soft baby powder tickle my nose, and all my agitation melts away. I’ve always heard about betas being the truly calming presence within a pack, but the only betas I ever knew were doctors, and there was nothing gentle about those assholes.
“Will you push my glasses up?” Everly asks, giving me the sweetest smile. They sit on the tip of her nose, on the verge of slipping off. I slowly push them back up, admiring her pretty face. Everly is a beautiful woman. Tall with delicate features and a lean build—even though she’s as graceful as a newborn giraffe. “Do you think it's ready?” Everly holds up her hands.
“Oh, yeah.” I scrunch up my nose, having already forgotten about the splinter.
Awareness prickles my skin as two large figures move in the corner of my eyes. Dassy and Hutch watch silently from a respectable distance as I push my nail under the edge of the leaf. I lift it up, then slowly peel it away, revealing Everly’s red palm and no splinter.
I can’t help the beat of pride in my chest. I’ve never had a use for the crap I learned out in the woods. Havenfield wantedto therapize all of that out of me, but they couldn't. I held onto it and now it’s helped someone I like.
“Oh, Mari!” Everly gasps my name as she stares at her hand in disbelief. “Thank you!” She leaps forward, wrapping her long arms around my shoulders and snuggling me close. I hesitate at first, but then I relent, slipping my hands around her back.
Everly leans back, pushing her glasses back up her nose. “Where did you learn that?”
“I don’t know,” I lie, my hands resting on her hips. The air around us seems to flash hot, and I push my hair out of my face, begging for a breeze.