Page 114 of Full Body Hit: Part 2
Chase straightened up, “Hey,” he said happily, leaning in for a kiss.
Auston returned it, dragging a nearby lounger closer and collapsing onto it.
Chase inspected him. “You okay?”
“I think I died. Fuck.”
Chase suppressed a smile. “Have fun, though?”
“I honestly can’t remember. I guess I must have.”
“We can just have a chill day today.”
Auston tilted his head towards him, smile on his face. “Thanks, baby.” He fell asleep not long after, but at least now Chase didn’t feel so…homesick.
Auston rallied in the evening, agreeing to leave the resort for dinner.
And then they saw the group of Alphas.
Auston greeted them happily, and Chase was caught in a whirlpool once more, dragged by the boisterous group. He couldn’t believe Auston wanted to drinkagain, but Chase noticed how many drinks he was ordering this time—beer, wine, sangria, a series of gin and tonics because the Alphas insisted Auston was ‘posh’ enough to enjoy them.
By the look of him, Auston would have liked anything put in front of him as long as it contained alcohol.
Chase leaned towards Auston, laying a tentative hand on his wrist. “Auston.”
Auston turned, big, dopey look on his face, eye glazed and unfocused. “Hm?”
Maybe it was silly and childish to be so disconcerted by Auston’s drunkenness. Adults got drunk all the time, especially on holiday. He wasn’t doing anythingwrong. And yet Chase couldn’t relax his shoulders, an empty pit lodged in between his lungs, making them ache every time he breathed. “Maybe you should slow down a little? That way we can do something fun tomorrow.”
“Nah, I’m fine. I’ll be up early tomorrow, baby. Promise.” Auston left a wet kiss on Chase’s forehead and went back to talking to one of his new friends.
Chase sat there, shrinking. That might have been the first time Auston had wilfully lied to him—there was no way he was going to be up to anything tomorrow.
Chase wasn’t going to fight him on it, though. He felt outnumbered—the Alphas would probably make fun of him if he tried to reel Auston in, and what if Auston let it happen?
Chase wrapped his arms around his middle. He concentrated on his scent gland, his heartbeat, reining his scent in.
He called a taxi, Auston not even noticing, and only got up when he got a text that the car was there.
He got up, tapping Auston on the shoulder softly. “Hey, I’m gonna go.”
Auston blinked. “What? No, baby—”
“You stay. I’m just tired.” He attempted a smile. Auston either didn’t notice how fake it was or didn’t care.
Chase waved goodbye to the rest of the group and slipped away before Auston could protest further.
Shutting the car door behind him was a relief. The driver clocked that he wasn’t Spanish right away, not making conversation. Chase tried to breathe through the tangle of feelings in his chest.
Auston was going through something big. He was allowed to get drunk and let off steam.
Chase just didn’t want to be there for it.
It wasn’t as if Chase wanted to just abandon Auston in his time of need. Chase had promised to be there with his mate through sorrow and grief—but this wasn’t that. This was standing in the periphery, alone and unsettled, watching Auston get drunker than he’d ever seen the Alpha get.
And maybe if this happened at home, it would be a little better. Chase could spend time with Sammy and Noah. And maybe if Auston was getting wasted in celebration of something, or to have a good time, Chase would be able to just roll his eyes and tuck Auston in and make sure he was hydrated and be happy for him.
But there was nothing joyful about Auston right then, even if he was laughing with a bunch of strangers. There was an edge of self-destruction that hurt to watch.
