Page 78 of Haze

“If anyone can figure it out, it’s you.” Thalia laughs. “You’re pretty much the smartest person I know.”

“Pft. In one area. I’m shit at history.”

Thalia laughs so hard, holding her hand over the front of her chest. She gasps for air, trying to get out what’s so funny. “Your gift. Is. The past.”

The piano tone on Thalia’s phone startles her from her laughing. She digs around, looking for it. “Oh, it’s Dad.”

“Go. I’m fine. Tell him I say hi.”

“I will.” Thalia gives me a hug.

It’s short and sweet before she walks out my office door, greeting her dad over the phone.

* * *

I’ve trimmed and fixed up all the plants I was certain wouldn’t bounce back. I lie back on the couch and stare at the ceiling. My wolf still isn’t there, and the silence is too much. I’m lost and alone with it.

I pull myself to stand and leave my office.

Deacon is in the living room, lying with his head off the back of the couch. “Listen, I want to talk to Lena.” He groans. “No, she almost died. You’re already dead. Sure, there’s a chance she’ll come back and haunt my ass, but this is time sensitive. For fuck’s sake. Go away.” Deacon hops off the couch, walks over to me, and wraps his arms around me in what seems like one fluid movement. “Fuck I’m sick of these assholes. Get drunk with me?”

I squeeze him back. “I’m pretty sure Dinah won’t like that.”

“True.” Deacon gives me one more squeeze before letting me go. He pats the counter. “Luncheon?”

My wolf is still nowhere to be found. Not even food has her awakening from her slumber. Dinah told me I needed to embrace her in order to heal. Well, if she won’t wake up now, then what’s the point?

After twenty minutes, Deacon places a massive bowl of fried rice in front of me. He leans against the counter, looking at me but doesn’t say anything.

My bowl is decreasing in fullness while Deacon keeps pushing his food around, but the fork never makes it to his lips.

“Deacon?” I call to him.

“I know you knew.” Deacon looks up at me. “But does that mean we can’t... ?”

“Good luck getting rid of me.” I smile at him.

The reassurance is enough. Deacon finally puts a forkful in his mouth.

One down. One to go.

When I try to go upstairs to nap, Deacon directs me back to a spot on the sofa. It’s cozy and warm, and with a pillow to curl up with, I’m drifting off when I hear Deacon whisper, “Thank you for loving me.”

His footsteps slip away before I can respond. I’ll have to find him later.

Chapter 25

Finn

I look at my phone’s screen for the fiftieth time today, and it’s been ten minutes since I last looked at it. It now shows I’ve lasted exactly four hours and forty-five minutes since my mate and her family left the building. Sitting at my desk, I’m picking at the tacos from a nearby restaurant that the lab techs recommended. They would be delicious if I weren’t nursing the pain of a hole boring through my chest.

My phone’s screen lights up. Ma’s contact card picks up with the ringing alert. I don’t dare send it to voice mail.

“Hey, Ma,” I answer.

“Don’t you ‘hey, Ma’ me,” she snaps and launches into a rant. “You leave me a cryptic voicemail in the dead of the night and not a peep since. You don’t answer my calls or my texts. Have you lost all the sense I gave you?”

“I’m sorry.”

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