Page 105 of Homecoming

“Wellthen,answer my question—do you love Kat?” Alana stares back at him with a fierce amber glow in her eyes.

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“Well, if you really do, my advice is to stop with the ego driven bullshit because I know she has better options than you. If you don’t mend your ways, eventually she’ll see through it and maybe she’ll make the right choice. Maybe she’ll choose someone who feeds her soul and not her desires—like I did with Matthew.”

“I am warning you Alana, don’t talk to Kat anymore. Stop the sessions. Whatever she wants to speak to you about, put her off. Tell her you’re busy. I don’t want her knowing any more about the past.”

“What? You’re afraid she’ll find out what you’re really like? That you weren’t a nice guy?”

“I told Kat everything she needs to know. Still… maybe you could remind me one more time about the past… show me what you can do.”

“Fuck you—I don’t do that anymore.” Alana sneers and turns around to leave. “Goodbye Darius.”

“Mom… Mom, are you okay?” Riley stands at the door, watching them.

“Uh yeah… Yeah honey, I’m just coming. The coffee machine wasn’t working properly. Darius was just trying to help me fix it. Baby, go back, I’m now coming.” She sighs and as the door closes, she holds the handle, keeping itshut,and takes a breath.

“He’s a good man. Riley… he’s a nice guy. You raised him well and should be proud of what you’ve achieved considering where you came from.”

“What, you mean me being just another shifter-whore?” She turns around to face him. “I know we’re going to have to cross paths again now—with Riley marrying someone from the pack—but please stay away from me and stay away from my son.” With that, she forcefully opens the doors and hurriedly disappears down the long, empty corridor.

“Alana…” Darius calls out behind her, “you were never just a shifter whore… you know that.” He watches as she turns; her bright yellow eyes glaring at him as she sticks up her middle finger.

“Fuck!” He growls loudly as a rage consumes him. Slamming his fist hard against the coffee machine, he punches the glass, watching as it shatters and the buzzing crackle of electricity before the lights at the front go out. “Fuck!”

Two weeks later

Digbylooksatthestopwatch and marks the time on the paper attached to his clipboard.

“Alright…let’s step it up a gear. Zak, what the hell are youdoin’man?You’reway off your pace.”

“Oh, I wish he’d just shut the fuck up.” Zak sighs as he jumps from the top of the wall and, with a loud thud, lands clumsily on the ground. He growls andplacingboth of his hands on his hips, hestands in the middle of the course and takes a breath, waiting as QT drops beside him. Both men come to a halt and as QT nudges Zak in the side, he sighs.

With a nod of his head, he turns around and jogs back towards the high slatted wood wall.Hauling himself to the top, he leans over and reaches down.“Kat,c’mongive me your hand.” He stares at her, watching as hands on her hips she paces a circle on the other side.

“I’m okay. Just give me a minute, I’ve got this,” she pants for breath.

“C’mon, you need to keep movin', ” Zak callsagain.

Kat takes a deep intake of breath, and for the third time, she launches herself at the wall. “Urrrgh…”she groans and slides down the wall with a heavy thud to the ground“…Fuck!”

“Kat,c'monyou got this if you just gimme your damn hand.”

“No, I have to do it myself.” She looks across the far side of the course and notices Digby’s still watching her. As he looks away, she stares up and focuses on the top of the climbing wall. “Ohfuck it!C’monKat...” she grits her teeth and gets ready to run.

“I said give me your hand. You’ve gotta catch thatfuckin'shifter. You can’t let the asshole win.” Zak’s voice hitches with concern as he looks over his shoulder and further along the course he sees the hefty man haul himself along the bars towards the end.

“Zak, I can’t. I can’t do it.”

“Yeah, you can. Just take a breath and run. Kat, you’ve done this a million times before. Now,c’mon!”

“Grrrr…” she growls under her breath. “You know… you could have all told me that shifter was a fucking bear. I mean, seriously... How the fuck am I supposed to compete with that? Oh, what’s the point? It's obvious I’m not going to beat him.”

“Kat, this isn’t about beating him, it’s about you finishing within the time allowed. If you don’t, you’ve got no chance. Nowc’mon,you can still do this. It’s over the wall, one more obstacle, and then the short run to the finish line.”

“You’re right.” She takes a deep breath and then runs. Slamming herself against the boards as Zak makes a grab for her shirt and drags her up and over the top. The pair drop to the other side and Kat smiles her appreciation. “Thanks Zak. Now go, I’m okay. Really, I’m coming now.” She takes one last look at the wall, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath before she sets off again.

Digby sighs and rubbing his head, he marks the scores on the sheet. Turning to his left, he notices Darius on his shoulder as he steps up beside him.

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