Page 136 of Broken Dreams

As we begin to walk down the trail once we’ve returned everything to what it should be, Duncan reaches for the radio in one of the pockets of the backpack to check on Ayla.

I am willing to admit that I was wrong about her. She’s tough as nails in her determination to live separately from Hudson Hughes. I think her depression laid in Quinn's disappearance and thinking she could have stopped it.

After hearing her story, I don’t think there’s anything she could have done. Ayla’s husband was resolute about selling Quinn. I can’t wait until he gets his just desserts.

“Hey, Ayla. We’re headed back. Are you doing okay?” Duncan asks.

A slight crackle from the radio sounds before Ayla comes on, “All good here. I fell asleep. Thank goodness for the hat or I’d be fried. Sleep is harder to come by, so this was amazing.”

I have to say that I’m worried about her. Hudson seems like the kind of person who doesn’t let go easily, even when things have clearly gone sour and toxic.

I wait until Duncan tells her that we’ll see her soon and then signs off.

“Does anyone know how Hudson and Ayla met?” I ask.

Quinn looks frustrated for a moment, but Callum nods.

“I do, actually. They met when they were twenty, and their parents set them up,” he says. “They’re not scent matches. Ayla agreed to marry him because at the time, he was charming and sweet. Hudson wanted a lot of children, my dad told me. Ayla had a hard time during pregnancy, and was only able to have Quinn. Ayla didn’t care.”

“God, I almost forgot Dad told us about this,” Duncan mutters. “He got drunk one night and had very loose lips. Quinn says she didn’t even know about this. Hudson wanted a boy and a girl, and was disappointed when he found out Ayla couldn’t get pregnant again.”

“Dad says she tried, but the pregnancies didn’t stick,” Callum adds with a sigh. “I guess I didn’t see how bad their bond was until after Quinn was gone. She deserves the best.”

Quinn brushes away a tear at his words, nodding, and I squeeze her hand. I wish that for Ayla too. If there’s a chance her scent match could be out there, I hope they meet.

Everyone deserves a chance at happiness. Even if it’s a second chance at it.

CHAPTER 27

QUINN

Days of the week haven’t mattered to me in a long time. It has always been just another day to slog through. Now, it’s Monday morning, and I’m struggling to wake up as I stretch sleepily on the beautiful wooden floor of the sunroom.

The windows let in a lot of light, but I prefer the natural light to florescent. I’ll let my eyes acclimate for the privilege of gazing out at the garden in the backyard as I move through my morning routine. I’ve gone too many years without being able to see the sun.

I’ll happily bathe in its warmth now.

“I’m back,” Linus says breathlessly, sliding across the floor to drop next to me. My lips split into a smile, amused because we got halfway through stretching together when he had to pee.

Based on how puffy his lips are, I’m sure he got sidetracked on the way back.

“Yes, Duncan pinned me against the wall to make out,” he admits, enjoying my tinkling laugh. “He said he spoke to a doctor who works at the hospital.”

Inclining my head to show I’m listening, I move into a deeper stretch as I walk my hands forward, my legs open on either side of me. Linus follows suit, trying to talk at the same time.

Silly man, you’re not supposed to do both.

“We have an appointment this afternoon for blood tests to see what the effects of Bret’s injections are,” he says.

I nod, because it’s been on both of our minds. I won’t dare hope for things I can’t have. I need to know if they’re possible first.

Linus also needs to have a heat soon, I’ve noticed there are moments where his anxiety seems out of control. That’s his body trying to regulate itself, do what biology wants him to, but something is blocking it. His hormone levels will be able to tell us if he’ll be able to work through it naturally with time, or if he’ll need medical intervention.

So many of our questions will be answered in one fell swoop. It’s both exciting and terrifying.

Linus breathes through the next stretch, quiet as we move. As we sit up, he glances at me.

“What?” I ask. Just that one word says so much, and thankfully, he can hear it.

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