Page 22 of B Negative

Nine

First things first.If I was going to start being me, I had to feel like me, and that meant, I needed my clothes. Thing was, I didn’t have my keys. But I figured since Julian now owned my building, and it was his fault I’d left the compound without anything in the first place, he couldn’t really complain about a busted lock.

Metal whined and bent as I wrenched the lock from its housing and strode into my studio. In minutes I was out of Sunny’s borrowed mate clothes, in my own jeans, halter, and boots, and back out again.

I made it to the compound on autopilot, mostly to make sure I didn’t overthink anything before I got there. The front gate was strangely unguarded, but it opened for me as I approached, so someone on the inside still had eyes on it at least.

My pulse jumped as I entered the compound, thoughts rifling through all the ways this could go down. Every step toward those big double doors fed a new jolt of adrenaline. A new anxious question to ponder.

Would Julian be there? Was he waiting for me at the entrance? Was he even here?

I bit my cheek, replacing nervous energy with the rush of pain, and pushed open both doors. I walked through, head high and back straight, just in case anyone was waiting in the great room.

There wasn’t.

In fact, I’d gotten all the way to the courtyard entrance before seeing a single soul.

“Rory,” I whispered as the big guard emerged from behind a closed door.

The man’s big face held a mix of expressions. Surprise, hope, and sadness all mingled on his features like he could decide which to feel first. “Eden, I’m surprised to see you.”

I’d made sure my face stayed frozen and neutral. “Did you know?” I asked flatly.

He didn’t bother asking for clarification. He knew exactly what I was asking about. “No. I didn’t. And I’m sorry it’s caused you so much distress. But you must know, he only did so to protect you, Eden.”

I allowed the smallest bit of fire into my gaze as I answered him. “Of course I know that, B,” I snapped. And I did. I knew that with my head. But that didn’t negate how much hurt his actions caused me. “Is he here?”

B shook his head. “I’m afraid not, but he should return shortly.”

“OK. Thanks, B,” I said and headed upstairs to the mate suite.

My mate suite. Or at least, it was.

It wasn’t now that I wasn’t Julian’s mate any longer.

The white suite was exactly as I’d left it, bed unmade, phone charging on the nightstand, and shoe box still on the bench.

He hadn’t touched a thing or allowed anyone else to either.

I wasn’t sure why seeing everything so unchanged made my throat tighten, but it did. Just like the realization that the stark white palette wasn’t a design choice, but a blank canvas for me to fill, had tears stinging the back of my eyes.

I stared at the space a long time before taking a moment to center myself, grabbing my phone, and sitting on the edge of the bed. I scrolled through my missed messages. A few from people at work checking up on me, a few spam messages about an extended warranty for a car I didn’t own. And one message from Sunny.

I responded to all but one. Saving it for last. I hadn’t even opened it.

I’m so sorry, Eden.

The timestamp read less than forty minutes ago.

Even with all she said she had to do, even while she still reconciled her new life and new feeding proclivities, Eden still found time to apologize.

I let out a small sigh. The gesture meant so much, softening the hard edges of my anger.

But that grace only extended to her.

Because Julian hadn’t bothered to apologize. Not even once.

Sure, he’d tried to justify his actions over and over.

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