Page 54 of Beautifully Broken
As soon as I was stable, I was shipped stateside, which was one of the biggest blessings. My baby sister, Raven, is a physical therapist and a damn fine good one at that. While she felt for me and everything I lost, she refused to let me slip into the depression and leave her after being given a second chance. Together, we rehabbed my body, but I ignored my mind.
Sure, I saw the therapist the Navy required me to see for the first few months, but I’d been trained by the best to be mentally tough and resilient. I knew how to move through the motions without actually feeling what I portrayed. The only person who saw through my cracks was Raven. Once my body was better, she helped me find a job I would love that would also fit my mental needs.
Lakewood Falls, where I made my home, is about an hour from where Raven lives, nestled in the Tennessee mountains. I'm a fish and wildlife officer, who gets to spend his days in Tennessee woods and waters, protecting them and the animals that inhabit them. My job is primarily a solitary position, which suits my needs just fine.
I don't need to work since my cabin up in the mountains is paid off and almost completely off the grid, and my checks from the Navy cover the few bills I have. That said, I’m not one-hundred-percent ready to commit to the lifestyle of being a hermit and closing myself off from the outside world. Even though I'm struggling with moving on after losing Declan, I know he'd hate how I've been living since I lost him. I don't know how to move on when half my heart is missing.
Raven has been pushing me to go see a new psychiatrist, get some meds, and at least try to fight off the night terrors, but I hate the way they make me feel.Sure, sleep is fucking awesome, but feeling like a zombie forever blows. So, for now, I'm struggling through the best I can. But until I can get this shit figured out, bringing someone into my mess is the last thing I need to do, whether I'm ready to move on or not.
Chapter 3
Talon
It's a brisk spring morning, with dew clinging to the grass and fog hanging over the river and low in the mountains. I wish I could head straight out to the woods, but I need to check in at the station to get my details for the day.
To my relief, my co-workers are all pretty great and know that although I might come off grumpy, I really just like to keep to myself. I've worked at the station for the past three years and am one of the most reliable employees. I never use my vacation days since there isn't any place I'd rather be than here, and I rarely get sick since I don't interact with a whole lot of people on a daily basis. I'm also more than willing to pick up an extra shift and fill in for my co-workers here or there when they need it. Just because I don't have a life outside of work, it doesn't mean I don't get that they do.
When I make it inside, Ginny and Luke are there. Ginny is typing away at her computer as Luke leans on her desk. When I get closer, I can hear him animatedly talking about his son, and I can't help but smile when he tells Ginny about the latest mishap with his tiny terror.
I might be closed off, but I'm a sucker for kids, and Luke's son is the best. Ginny's got a few of her own, and from the bags under her eyes and the fact that she hasn't been drinking coffee lately, I wouldn't be surprised if she was pregnant again, which is why I plop a steaming-hot tea with honey and a hint of candied ginger on her desk.
"Mmm, and this is why Talon's my favorite." She smiles contently, her hands wrapped around her cup, as she takes another sip.
What can I say? I pay attention and remember how many of these she drank the last time she was pregnant.
"Way to make the rest of us look bad," Luke teases.
I shrug him off then head to the board where all of our assignments are listed. Relief floods me when I see I get to hike one of the more secluded areas with a more difficult terrain. There’s nothing like a long day of hiking to kick my ass and wear me out so that I'll hopefully sleep peacefully for once.
Before I make it to my desk, our boss comes out. "Hey, everyone. Be on the lookout while you’re on your patrols. I just got off the phone withShelter Together,and they said they've had a larger-than-normal intake of puppies and kittens coming in lately, most of which have been pulled out of the river."
My teeth grit at the idea of someone tossing innocent animals into the river that feeds Lakewood Falls’ namesake. The falls are beautiful but dangerous. They're at least fifty feet high, and a fall from that height for those babies would not end well.
"You've got your assignments and know the drill. Be safe, and don't forget to check in from time to time." He stares me down before heading back into his office.
Luke tries to smother his laughter but fails. He's like a middle-school boy laughing when one of his buddies gets called out by the teacher. Flipping him off only tips him over the edge even more.
So I missed check-in a few times; sue me. Alright, alright. I miss it at least once a week if not more, but I can't help it when I lose myself in the woods. It's the only time I feel a sense of peace anymore.
"Alright, I'm going to head out. Let me know if you guys need any backup."
I climb in my jacked-up jeep and head up the mountain to the outskirts of town. There are several hiking trails here and even a few off-roading trails that my jeep handles like a champ, but with the thaw from winter, today's not the day for those.
I park at one of the trailheads and immediately notice a black sedan in the corner of the lot. I can't see the license or the model of the car in the dim morning light, but I can see there's at least one person inside. They have a hood up, which isn't unreasonable since it's still pretty chilly, but it's frustrating as hell that I can't tell what gender they are.
On high alert, I get out of my jeep, and grab my duty belt and pack. We don't have to wear a full belt like typical police, but from my years of being a SEAL, it's a comfort to have mine on with everything I could possibly needand then some. The mountains can be almost as unpredictable as a battlefield, so knowing I have not only my gun but a knife, restraints, first aid, water, and revisions sets my mind at ease when I'm heading out to some of the rougher terrains.
I've been hiking a trail for a few hours when I stop to take a break and check in at the command post. I've just finished eating a quick snack when something catches my attention. It sounds like an animal in distress, but the sound is so faint that I'm not sure where it came from.
The river is up ahead, so I make my way there. What I find has fire flowing through my veins.
A hundred feet down the river, a garbage bag hangs on a downed tree that's raised in the air with only a few feet in the cool water. After our briefing this morning, I can only imagine what I'll find when I get to the tree.
Ensuring I've got a good grasp on the bag, I cut it loose and make my way up the river's bank. When I look inside, my heart sinks at the scared puppies’ sweet faces. I quickly count seven too-small dogs as my heartache quickly shifts to anger.
I pull my pack off my back and dig out a long-sleeved shirt, then fashion a sling out of it. I place it over my shoulder, then carefully tuck all of the puppies into the sling and zip my coat up around it.
I bag up the evidence and take pictures of the scene. There are a few footprints but not much else to go on. I call it in over my radio and am given orders to head to Shelter Together.
