Page 75 of Storm
I believed him then. I still do now. But the boy he loved, the beta who had given him his heart, is gone. Three years in that room have changed me in ways I am only beginning to understand. I don't know if what we had can ever be reclaimed, or if it too has been lost in that off-white room beneath the Omega House.
The soundof a car engine in the distance snaps me back to the present. I straighten, my heart pounding as I move to the front window, peering out into the darkness. Two sets of headlights wind their way up the mountain road that leads to the house—Alexander's sleek black sedan followed by Reed's more practical SUV.
They're here.
I smooth down my sleep-rumpled t-shirt and run a hand through my disheveled hair, suddenly self-conscious. It's been only days since I've seen Alexander, but it’s been a year since I've seen Reed. Do I look different? Will Alex notice the shadows under my eyes? Will Reed see the weight I've lost to the nightmares?
Will Jonathan come tomorrow? The thought makes my stomach twist with anxiety. He was here only two months ago to help me with my heat. I only ever see him when I’m in heat. He doesn’t come for social visits outside of that.
The vehicles pull up to the house, their headlights illuminating the front yard in harsh white light before going dark. Car doors slam. Voices murmur.
I force myself to move to the front door, to pull it open before they can unlock it. I need to show them I'm not afraid, that I'm still strong despite the memories that haunt me, despite the fear that never quite leaves. That I belong in this home, that I've made a place for myself here.
Alexander reaches the door first, his familiar face drawn with exhaustion and worry. When his eyes land on me, they immediately soften, relief washing over his features.
"Fox," he breathes, crossing the threshold in two quick strides and pulling me into his arms. His lips find mine in a desperate kiss that speaks volumes about his fear. I melt against him, my fingers threading through his hair as I return the kiss with equal enthusiasm.
When we finally break apart, he keeps me close, his forehead pressed to mine. "I was so worried when you didn't answer," he whispers, his hands framing my face. "I thought?—"
"I'm fine," I assure him, leaning into his touch. "My phone was on silent. I got your message and was preparing for your arrival."
He kisses me again, gentler this time, before pulling back. "I'll explain everything," he promises. "But first, I need to make sure everyone gets inside safely."
I peer around him, my eyes widening as I take in the group assembled in the driveway. A small woman with wild auburn curls is being supported by a tall, muscular man, her face drawn with exhaustion. A slender beta male hovers anxiously at their side, his gaze darting nervously around the property.
But it's the figure approaching from the second vehicle that catches my full attention. Reed, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the night sky, his stormy eyes finding mine across the distance. Something in his posture shifts when he sees me—tension draining away, replaced by something I've never seen in him before.
Then he's moving toward me, his pace quickening with each step until he's standing right in front of me, close enough that I can smell the saltwater and cedar of his scent, the scent that still lingers in my dreams.
"Fox," he says, my name rough in his throat.
Before I can respond, before I can even process what's happening, Reed pulls me into an embrace so tight it nearly steals my breath. My arms hang limply at my sides for a moment, shocking me. Reed doesn't touch me. Reed never touches me. Not since that heat.Not ever.
But here he is, holding me as if he’s afraid I might disappear if he lets go. Slowly, cautiously, I bring my arms up to return the embrace, feeling the solid warmth of him, a small tremor running through his powerful frame.
"I thought—" he begins, then stops, pulling back just enough to look at me, his stormy eyes searching my face. "When we couldn't reach you, when you didn't answer Alex's calls earlier..."
"My phone was on silent," I explain again, still trying to make sense of his reaction. "I was going to cook something for you all."
Relief washes over his features, and for a brief, disconcerting moment, I think he might actually smile. Then his expression shifts, his nostrils flaring as he inhales deeply. His hands tighten on my shoulders.
"You're spiraling," he says, not a question but a statement of fact. He can smell it on me—the anxiety, the fear, the memories that had engulfed me just moments before their arrival. "You had a flashback."
I try to pull away, embarrassed that he can read me so easily, but his grip remains firm. "It's nothing," I mutter. "Just the usual."
Reed's expression darkens. "Fox?—"
"We need to get inside," Alexander interrupts, sliding an arm around my waist possessively. "It's not safe out here in the open."
Reed hesitates, then nods, releasing me but staying close as we move back toward the door. The others follow, the auburn-haired woman eyeing Reed with undisguised shock, as if she's witnessing something impossible.
"Holy shit," she says, her voice carrying across the yard. "This place is unreal. Like a fantasy house."
The alpha beside her—Rook, I assume—chuckles, pulling her closer and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
A low growl rumbles from Reed's chest, so quiet I almost miss it. But I'm close enough to feel the vibration, to notice how his eyes darken as they track Rook's hand sliding around Storm's waist.
Interesting. He likes this omega. That’s not what Alex told me.
