Page 36 of These Bonds that Unite Us
“For the time being, your apartment is still on lockdown. Local police are keeping an unmarked unit outside in case either of them returns. We also have made it clear the pair are wanted for questioning regarding their roles in the church.” Donovan pauses, before adding, “You need to stay with Pack Graves until they’re caught.”
My teeth grind as I bite back the protests on the tip of my tongue. I don’t want to stay here, I would rather be anywhere else. Being in this house, with these men, is torture of the worst variety.
Donovan spends a few minutes filling me in on the upcoming trial against my father, and the investigation into Senator Adam Pierson, but my eyes start to droop the longer he speaks. Listening to all of his updates is exhausting.
“Thank you,” Callisto cuts in when Donovan pauses. “Please let us know if there are any other developments.”
They end the call but I can’t convince myself to leave the couch. Not with Titan’s fingers playing in the loose strands of my hair, not even with the pain of them getting caught in the many tangles. Nexus slips out of the room, headed upstairs without a word and my heart aches. The tiny cuts his distance createsare adding up, and I’m certain the entire organ will soon be shredded to pieces.
“Come on, starlight.” Callisto stands up and offers me his hands. I let him pull me to my feet, clinging to his wrists to steady myself when the sudden shift in position has my vision swimming. Titan grumbles from his spot on the couch but doesn’t try to stop me from walking away.
When Cal tries to lead me up the stairs, I jerk my hand from his. “I can’t–”
“We aren’t going into the nest,” he promises. “Just to the bathroom. Are you going to deny the chance to soak in that huge tub?”
My weight shifts from foot to foot as I contemplate his suggestion. I haven’t showered since I came to their house two days ago, so would it really hurt to soak in some hot water and at least wash my hair?
Shoulders slumping in defeat, I slip my hand back into his and follow him up the steps.
Callisto
Steam rises off the water, the surface reflecting the flickering candles carefully arranged around the back edge. Tiny white and purple flowers float in the shallow waves the jets are causing. I can’t hide my smile as Omen dips a hand in and groans in delight. My starlight needs a little bit of pampering. Now that she’s out of the guest room, we aren’t going to let her slip back in so quickly.
After her response to our messages last night, the barest spark of hope ignited in all of our hearts. We’re worried about our girl. It’s easy to see she’s walking on the edge of life anddeath, and not taking care of herself is liable to push her further away from a point where we can still save her.
I’m concerned about her mental state. She barely reacted to the news Donovan dropped on her, which is alarming. We need to do something to help bring back a glimmer of the omega she was before the chemical rejection started to steal pieces of her soul.
Leaning against the glass exterior of the shower behind her, I watch as she slowly pulls the tie from her hair and sends the long strands tumbling around her face.
Omen startles when she sees me behind her. “You’re…”
I know she thought I would leave, but that isn’t an option right now. “I would love to give you some privacy, starlight, but you’re barely managing to stay upright. I’ll turn around while you undress and climb in.”
Turning my back to her, I keep an eye on her through the reflection in the glass to make sure she doesn’t fall. Her baggy shirt hits the floor followed by her sweatpants. A glimpse of her curves peeks beneath her hair, and tears burn in my eyes seeing how much weight she’s lost. How could we have ever been moronic enough to hurt this beautiful woman?
After she’s slipped into the tub, a content sigh falling from her lips, I turn around and study her. The heat from the water has brought a rosy flush to her cheeks. It’s nice to see some color back in her pallid skin.
Her fingers dance across the water in soothing, rhythmic motions as she soaks. If I were an artist I would paint her here, lost in the bliss of relaxation.
“I’m so sorry, starlight.” I choke out as I cross the room and sink to my knees beside her head. She isn’t looking at me–she’s staring into the water–but I can still see the tears building in her eyes. It guts me knowing she doubts us enough to refuse to even look at us. I know we’ve earned her mistrust, I just wish I couldfind some way to fix it. To prove to her we aren’t ever going to walk away again.
“I was spineless when we found out who you are to us. Too worried about my mates to face my real feelings for you. I should have spoken up and joined Nexus when he went to help you through your heat, but I–I was afraid.” I swallow thickly when I admit the real reason I hadn’t gone to her.
I never cared Omen was born as Sarah Montgomery. Her family’s sins aren’t hers to bear. I was a little hurt she'd hid her connection to us for so long, but I still would have gone to her if I hadn’t acted like a coward and let my fears rule me.
“My parents worked high-risk careers. Jobs where they would often come home with bruises or cuts, maybe even a broken arm or ribs. I hated watching them argue as they patched each other up. When I found my pack… I never wanted to live in a pack full of arguing and resentment ever again. When Bea told us the truth about your identity, I thought having you here would destroy the peace I’d spent so long constructing around myself.”
I move to sit on the edge of the tub above her head and gently pour water over the long strands of her hair. “Not that any of this excuses my behavior. I’m going to prove myself to you, Omen. I will show you why Fate chose me to be one of your mates.”
She’s quiet as I work vanilla shampoo into her hair and rinse the soap away. As I’m starting to comb conditioner through her hair, she whispers so quietly I can’t hear it over the sound of the tub's jets. “I’m sorry starlight, could you say that again?”
She awkwardly clears her throat, tilting her head down toward the water. “Will you sing?”
Warmth hits my cheeks, spreading down my neck to my chest as I flush with embarrassment. I’ve always struggled to sing with an audience. The only way I was able to perform withNexus and Azalea at the Candy Courage show last weekend was to close my eyes and wear in-ear monitors.
“Anything for you, starlight. Do you have a particular song you’d like to hear?” She shakes her head, so I pick one of our older songs. One I’d written shortly after I’d met my other mates. The words fill the bathroom, echoing slightly in the open space. I almost stop when the first note rings out, self-doubt filling me, but then she starts to hum along. Bolstered by her joy, I work my way through several of our songs while working on her hair.
While the conditioner rests, I scrub her body, working my fingers into her muscles as I move up her body. Her eyes are starting to slip closed by the time I reach her shoulders. A soft chuckle escapes me as I urge her to sit forward. She’s too adorable when she’s sleepy and pliant like this.
