Page 57 of These Bonds that Unite Us
Chuckling, I redirect our conversation before she can start making plans to ruin the guy’s career. “How’s living with Mr. Acherley going?”
“Ugh, that man! He’s so demanding. Always bossing me around, even when we aren’t at the office!” She rolls her dark blue eyes, her lips twisted in remembered annoyance. “It’s kind of hot, sometimes.”
“Only sometimes?’ I know my bestie and she’s always loved dominant men. Inside or outside of the bedroom. Because she has no filter and loves gossip, she’s shared stories of past flings with me–in explicit detail.
“Alright fine, it’s hot all the time! But it’s also frustrating as hell! He acts like he’s constantly in control, getting me all worked up only to back off because it would be ‘unprofessional’.” Her lip juts out in a pout, a whine entering her voice. My poor, sexually frustrated best friend.
“You love pushing people’s buttons when you are interested in them,” I remind her. The rare times I was on our bus during the Primordial Covenant tour are full of memories of her bratty ass acting out to rile Lex and Ridley up. “So do that. If he’s interested, he’ll snap eventually and have his wicked way with you.”
“An omega can dream,” she sighs. Her voice is full of sadness, making me believe this has to do with more than her overbearing boss and temporary roommate.
“Have you heard from either of them?” I ask.
Bea shakes her head, flopping to the side and curling up with a pillow held to her chest. “Not since they left to chase down the Doctor. They couldn’t take their phones in case someone tracked them.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. I know firsthand how awful it is to be separated from your mates with no way to know if they’re safe. The same thing happened when I was forced into hiding after my sister-in-law outed my identity to the entire nation. “You know what we need?”
“Hot musician knots?” she jokes.
“No.” I shoot her a playful glare as I grab one of the markers from my side table. “Ice cream!”
‘Do we have any ice cream in the freezer?’
It only takes a few seconds before my skin starts to tingle with a response from one of my mates. The serene, almost wistful energy tells me it is Callisto on the other end.
‘Titan ran into town to grab us a few beers, he can get whatever flavor you want while he’s there, starlight.’
“Triple Chocolate?” I ask, glancing up to find Bea’s eyes already on me. She’s grinning now. “What?”
“You seem much more at ease with using your Fated connection now.” She shrugs. “And I think tonight calls for cookie dough.”
‘One pint of chocolate chip cookie dough, and one pistachio. Please.’
“I am, I guess. It’s easier than texting, and, I don’t know, it makes me feel better? Like sensing their energy through the connection eases some of the rejection pain. At least for a few minutes.”
Bea seems happy to hear that and doesn’t comment further. We settle into the bed and turn our attention back to the screen in time to watch her favorite performer in her debut. The colorful costume highlights her curvy hips and long legs. We both sigh as she struts across the stage. We may not be romantically attracted to women, but we certainly know how to appreciate their beauty.
A short while later, a message on my arm lets me know our treats have been delivered. Bea opens the door and whistles. “Damn girl, they sure are putting in the effort to spoil you!” She picks up a tray and carries it over to the bed.
My jaw drops when I see both of our ice cream pints surrounded by a sea of toppings. There are little bowls of fudge and caramel, sprinkles, cookie crumbles, fresh fruit, and marshmallows. They even sent waffle cone bowls and big spoons for us to scoop the frozen goodness with.
A white card in the corner is covered in tiny hearts and our names, hand-drawn in scribbly handwriting I immediatelyrecognize as belonging to Nexus. “Food is his love language,” I comment blandly, biting my lip to keep myself from giggling like a schoolgirl. This really was so sweet of them.
“If my mates don’t make me cute dessert charcuterie boards, I’m sending them to be trained by your pack.” I laugh along with her, but it is half-hearted. They aren’t my pack. Not yet.
I spend the next few episodes turning over every memory of the past six months. From the moment I met Primordial Covenant at the Soulbound Echo office to the way they’ve catered to us tonight. There is a lot of good. There’s also a lot of bad. I don’t know how to differentiate between the two when all the good moments feel overshadowed by the pain I know follows.
When I turn to stretch out beside Bea, I’m reminded of the sharp pain still radiating through all of my muscles after the heat wave yesterday with Nebula. Doctor Russell and I spoke privately before I left and she once again told me another one could kill me. My heart is weak from the chemical rejection and it cannot take the strain of an unassisted heat spike.
“I’m going to take all of their bonds,” I mumble.
Bea’s head snaps toward me, relief shining in those midnight orbs. “Are you sure?” She asks the question but I know this is the news she was hoping to hear. Not that she wants me permanently tied to a pack of assholes. She just doesn’t want the rejection to kill me.
“Yeah. It’s for the best. They’re trying, and maybe one day we can find a new peace together. I’ll never know if a happily ever after is possible if I let the rejection continue to destroy me.”
Bea’s arms wrap tight around me, holding me against her in a comforting hug. “If they even think of hurting you again, I’ll kick their asses myself. And everyone we know will help. Natasha might feed them to the fishes, she’s a badass like that.”
I chuckle against her shoulder, the sound slowly devolving into belly laughs. She’s absolutely right, Donovan’s beta mate is a badass. Though I doubt she has mafia connections, not if she’s mated to one of the leaders of the DAU.
