Page 167 of Knot For A Moment

“Ash,” I whispered.

“I went,” he said. “I tried. Didn’t even get my helmet off. He was already dead. By the time I looked up, the car was gone. I don’t even know who called the police.”

We were all silent for a moment.

Jace spoke quietly. “I know this is shit consolation, but he didn’t suffer. If the car was going full speed, it would have been instant.”

“Yeah.”

It was shit consolation, but it was a small comfort.

“Will didn’t have a pack, right?” Gabe asked.

“No,” Ash shook his head. “But he has a partner. Jeremy.Fuck, he might not even know. I need to call him.”

“The hospital may have done it already. Give me his number, I’ll do it,” Gabriel said.

“It’s… okay. I need to. He was with me. It needs to come from me.”

Slowly, I turned around to face him, still maintaining all the contact I could. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I should do it now.”

“You need me with you?”

Ash moved Mango aside onto a pillow before doing the same with me. “No. I need to do this by myself. But I’ll be back. I would…” I hated the hesitance in his voice. It didn’t belong there. “I’d still like to hold you.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

We watched him slip out of my room, and I laid down on the bed beside Mango. Burying my face in his fluffy belly.

“Are you okay, baby girl?”

“Better now. I’m just worried about him.”

Roman leaned over the bed and held me briefly. “We’ll give Ash space, but if you need us, we’re all here.”

“Thank you.”

They left quietly, and I kept snuggling with Mango until Ash came back and shut the lights off. We curled up together under the blankets, as close as two people could be. And until we fell asleep, we savored the sound of the other breathing.

Alive.

CHAPTER FIFTY

________

SLOANE

My texts were swarming in the morning. I’m not sure how the girls found out, but they had, and everyone wanted to make sure Ash was okay.

No one more than me.

He still curled around me from behind, and I dropped my phone before turning over in his arms. He was awake—I could feel it—but he didn’t move.

“How do you feel?”

“Physically or mentally?”

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