Page 38 of Claiming Xan
Huxley and Chance exchanged a look. "Gracie only asks that you and Xan give her a chance to apologize and speak her peace," Huxley said after a moment. "What you do from there is your own business."
I heaved a sigh and rubbed at my temple, which was beginning to throb with the strain of the situation. I would be happy if I never saw Gracie again in my life, but Xan...
I wasn't sure if it was the mating bite or what, but my soul ached to touch the Omega, to have Xan in my arms again. To hold him to me. Finally, I nodded. "Okay. When do we go?"
"After breakfast sound good?" Chance asked. "I'm not letting all this food go to waste!" He laughed and stood, clasping his hands together before calling for the kids.
They came running in and began to help their dad set the table while Chance placed the platters of food in the center. Huxley made coffee for the adults, and we sat down to eat.
Except, the food that had smelled so amazing before, sank like a lead weight to the bottom of my gut.
Xan. Xan. Xan.
I needed to see Xan. But what if he hated me? What if he blamed me for breaking up his family? What if I was truly and utterly alone? I forced another bite into my mouth and shoved the thoughts from my mind, chewing and swallowing a lump of eggs and toast. No. Xan could never hate me. Not sweet, sunshine-y Xan.
Still, despite telling myself that, the drive to the hotel was stressful. Huxley walked me in and helped me check in. When everything was settled, he clapped a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye.
"Everything is going to work out," he said, matter-of-fact, a kind smile tilting up the corners of his mouth. "You'll see. Good luck, River."
I watched him leave. I watched him walk out of the hotel lobby and get into his truck and drive out of the lot and out of my life.
Then, with a deep breath, I looked down at the keycard in my hand and went up the elevator to the second floor. I located my suite and swiped the keycard across the panel on my door, holding my breath until the light switched over from red to green and the door unlocked.
I hesitated in the doorway, one hand gripping the doorjamb. The room was far more lavish than the hotel room that Xan and I had shared Xan's heat in, but I didn't really care about that.
Going inside, I closed and locked the door behind me and dropped the keycard onto the dresser. I gave the suite a cursory glance, then crawled onto the queen-sized bed, hugging a pillow to my chest in hopes of quelling my anxiety.
It didn't help.
23
XAN
I was nappingon the couch when there was a knock at the door. I blinked and looked around blearily, lifting my head before remembering, oh right, this wasn't my house, so the person at the door probably wasn't for me anyway.
I dropped it back down to the pillow when Donovan paused his video game and got up to answer it. Closing my eyes, I listened as my friend's footsteps descended and the door creaked open. I keened my ears to the low murmur of voices in the background, trying to see if I recognized them. They sounded vaguely familiar, but...
"Hey, Xan?" Donovan called out.
"Mmm?" I hummed in reply, still not quite awake. I wanted to go back to sleep. My dreams were so much more pleasant than real life, lately. At least there, I could be happy.
He appeared at the back of the couch, looking down at me, a strange look on his face. "You've got company."
"What?" That had my eyes snapping open. I sat up straight and swung my legs over the side of the couch, rubbing at my eyes as anger sparked fresh in my heart. "I swear to god, Donovan, if it's my mom?—”
"Hey, chill. I would never do that to you," he said, sounding offended, and I immediately felt the sting of regret for saying it.
"You're right. I'm sorry. Did you tell them I'd be right there?" I asked.
"Yeah. He said he could wait." Donovan gestured at all of me, like I was a flaming hot mess. And honestly? He wasn't wrong. "Go do something with your hair at least, bro. Damn." He chuckled at that, then picked up his Xbox controller and returned to gamer-land once more.
I shuffled into the bathroom, took one look at my reflection, and grimaced. Oh god... I reallywasa hot mess. I even had stubble.Stubble!On my baby face!
I rifled through the cabinet drawers until I found a brush. I ran it through my hair, trying to tame the wild dark locks. "Shit..." I mumbled, pulling at the wrinkles in my PJs. Gonna have to be good enough.
I went to the front door expecting to see Nevin or my brother, and instead...
"Chance?" I asked, bewildered. Chance and Huxley Reed were sort of an unofficial part of the pack. They lived on the very outskirts of Rubydawn territory and rarely joined us for pack activities. Something about their past and just wanting to keep to themselves.
