♦ ♦ ♦

I've slept in Everett's bed every night for the last three nights. At first it felt a little strange but now it's a given. I don't even bother going to my room at night, Everett certainly doesn't mind either.

Even though we don't necessarily talk a lot whilst we're in bed together, he still hugs me close and I listen to his beating heart. It's therapeutic. It reminds me that he wants me in his bed with him, laced to his side.

Sometimes I think I won't be able to move with his death grip but a part of me loves it. Not that I'd ever admit that to him, not yet anyway. I'm still learning the ropes of this 'mate bond', it's got me feeling emotions I had no idea I was even capable of. That is the scariest thing.

I've been lying awake in Everett's bed for the last fifteen minutes. Everett is still fast asleep, he usually is. I always wake up first but I don't mind. My head is resting against his chest, our fingers entwined on top of his stomach.

My eyes glance up at his peaceful sleeping face. Those plump lips are more swollen than usual, I've noticed that he wakes up with puffy lips and a deep, gruff voice that sends shivers down my spine.

Then I look down to the curve of his jaw, sharp and defined. I've never seen anything look so smooth and lethal at the same time. I blink and shake my head, what am I even thinking?

I resist the urge to touch his face with my finger, trace every little detail of that angelic face.

Everett is unbelievably good looking. That is an understatement. At first he intimidated me because he is so attractive, why would someone like him even look in the same direction as me?

My nose puffs out a slow sigh as my lips fall to one side in a stubborn half smile. Then Everett's eyes flutter open, staring me directly in the face. Blood invades my cheeks instantly and I almost pull away but he tightens his grip.

"Were you watching me sleep?"

There it is, that dreamy, deep, sleepy voice that could have girls dropping their panties in a flash of a second.

Oh my God. What is going on in my mind?

I gulp and nod. "Not for long but yes."

Everett's lips switch into a bright smile, flicking strands of hair out of my face and behind my ear. "I like your honesty."

My shoulders raise and drop gently. "You caught me red handed."

He continues to smile, gazing over my face once and then twice. Like the first time wasn't enough and he has to do it all again to make sure that he doesn't miss anything. What he's actually thinking... I don't know.

"Well you can look at me," he says deeply. "Whenever you want."

I'm blushing again and I hate it. "I don't want to wake you in the mornings," I blurt. "I usually wake up before you."

Everett tilts his head slowly. "I wouldn't bother about waking me," he brushes off. "I'd rather be awake when you are, means I get to spend more time with you."

"You sure you won't get too irritated by me?" I attempt at a joke and gratefully Everett understands.

He cracks a soft laugh and shakes his head. "I could never get irritated by you, angel."

Angel. My heart rattles in my chest at the nickname. One that actually feels like it means something to me.

I've been called darling or princess in the past. Both of those make me feel sick to my stomach, riddled with past memories. Ones I wish to forget forever. But angel, that's a new one.

I like it when he calls me that. It does unexplainable things to my chest.

The edge of Everett's finger smoothes over the skin on my cheek. "Where are your family, Reign? Are they not worried about you?"

My throat tenses at his question, I avoid his gaze and look down to his chest instead which isn't helping. Now he traces his fingers over the edge of my bare shoulder, making little shapes.

"I told you, I don't have any family."

Everett purses his lips out of the corner of my eye. "Everyone has a family. Even if we don't see them or if they're not here anymore."

"Yeah, well I haven't seen them in years," my eyes roll, wishing that we could change the subject because this still feels so damn raw.

"Why?"

I keep my lips bolted shut. Why? A question that I am afraid to answer.

Once I open my mouth, that's it. There is no going back. Things might change one I spill the truth, everything I have come to know here might turn against me and I'll be back on my own again. Oh God, Oh God. Is it always going to be like this?

Everett must see the trail of thoughts running through my head because he leans forward to press a kiss to my forehead, it reminds me to take a breath before I fall into a panic attack. "I'm not pushing you, I just want to know more about you. It's okay if you're not ready."

Why does he have to go and do that? Make me feel like I matter.

He might not when he knows the truth.

I find his eyes again and inhale a deep breath, hoping to keep me away from hyperventilating in front of him. "We didn't see eye to eye," I mumble quietly. "Shit went down and it was best that I left."

"So they made you homeless?" Everett's face turns to a look of disgust and horror.

"I never said they were good people."

Everett pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment, closing his eyes like he's trying to grasp the idea of this situation. My chest feels like it's on fire from what I've already shared, anything more and I'll end up on the floor having a cardiac arrest.

This gets too much for me. I want it all to be erased from my memory so I can move on for good.

"I don't understand why they'd do that to you," he removes his hand and then strokes my cheek. He watches his fingers against my skin, there is a ghost of a frown on his lips. "There is a lot more to the story, isn't there?"

My arms involuntarily wrap themselves around my legs, squirming at the idea of explaining the full 'story'. That's not going to end well. It will change everything. "I don't think I can talk about it right now," my breathing becomes heavier.

Everett notices instantly, eyes roaming over my body and then straight to my chest. I'm no longer hugging myself, my face is against Everett's chest, my lips hitting his collar bone. "That's okay. Thank you for sharing a little bit with me."

I suck in a sharp breath and tell myself that everything is okay. That I don't have to revisit these painful parts of my past just yet, not when Everett will wait for me to be comfortable to speak about it.

If I am ever comfortable to speak about it at all.

"Are you hungry?"

No. Not after that conversation. "I could eat." I lie before he suspects that I'm severely in my mind.

Everett throws the covers off himself, exposing his tall, muscular body that is only covered by his black boxers. I have to look away otherwise my cheeks will burn so deeply that they will actually hurt, and I cannot go downstairs looking like a fucking tomato.

He throws on a t-shirt and then helps me out of bed. Like I need any help but I won't complain, he really tries for me and that's a strange feeling to get used to.

Maybe I can eat after watching him prepare a breakfast for me and only me.

♦ ♦ ♦

I've been outside with my new adopted bow and arrow for the last couple of hours. I needed some time alone, some time to think about this morning. It's been playing on my mind ever since I woke up.

If I want to progress my relationship with Everett, then at some point he's going to have to know what happened. Even if that means losing him forever. The words that they dumped into my head play in my mind on repeat, reminding me that no matter who I find, they will always see me for the trash that I am.

Worthless, worthless trash.

My throat clenches like I've swallowed a shard of glass. Everett might be different.

I scoff to myself. Where did that idea come from?

Oh yeah, my wolf who has suddenly made an appearance after the last six years.

My eyes flutter shut and I push away any thoughts of my past, of Everett, of my new life. I need time to focus on the bullseye and my arrows, there is nothing better than hitting the target with a focused mind.

It distracts you from everything else. It makes you forget for a little while and that is what I need right now.

When I've been gone for the majority of the afternoon, I head back inside the house. Unsure where Everett is but considering we've been spending a lot of time together lately, I could presume that he's catching up on his Alpha duties. I don't want him to think that he has to be glued to my side twenty-four seven because he really doesn't.

I've been independent for years. I don't need anyone to look after me. Although I don't mind when Everett does it. Shamefully when he makes me breakfast or dinner, when he carried me up to bed after my stupid relapse, when he cuddles me at night because we both know sleeping together is better than alone.

My head shakes these thoughts away as I place back the bow and arrow and head for the stairs. The sound of laughter echoes from Everett's office, it's a girl who is laughing and it certainly isn't anyone I recognise.

I frown and step closer, the door is slightly open and I press it open with my fingers. My curiosity gets the better of me but I don't care at this point, something inside me is forcing me to check it out.

Like this 'person' is competition and I have to see it with my own two eyes.

When I step in, Everett is standing by his desk and there are two unfamiliar wolves in front of him. One is a woman with shoulder length brown hair, she's the one who I heard laughing. Beside her is a man, he's tall but not as tall as Everett. He has extremely dark features and the shadow of stubble across his jaw.

Everett's eyes gravitate to mine as soon as I step in. "Reign," he pushes off the desk and takes large steps to find me. "I was just coming to get you."

The woman tips her head over her shoulder to get a glance at me, her lips stretching out into the brightest grin. "Hey," she walks towards me. "You must be Reign, I'm Cleo. I've heard so much about you!"

Heard so much? I tilt an eyebrow at Everett but he brushes it off with a smile.

"Hi," I nod back apprehensively. "Nice to meet you."

"And this is Kassian," Everett holds out an arm towards the mysterious dark featured man. "Cleo and Kassian are the Alpha and Luna of one of the packs in this district. We've grown close over the last year."

"Hey," I wave an awkward hand at both of them again. Kassian responds with a small hand gesture.

Cleo beckons her head for me to step into the office but I remain on the spot I'm standing on. I examine her for a few moments, and it's obvious that she is absolutely beautiful. Everything about her is so flawless and classy, even down to the soft gloss on her lips.

She has naturally thick eyelashes, perfectly sculpted eyebrows. Even her damn skin is tanned and gorgeous, whereas mine is sickly pale like I haven't seen the sun in over ten years.

It makes me feel like a sack of shit standing here covered in sweat, my hair is most likely sticking out in every direction, my face flushed with a rosy pink tint.

I sink in my shoes, stomach twisting with anxiety. Fuck this.

Everett steps closer, brows furrowing at my change in expression. What's the matter?

Nothing. I shake my head.

"I'm gonna go shower," I excuse myself. "Archery sure can make you sweat."

Everett offers me a smile. "Okay, we'll be down here after."

"See you later, Reign," Cleo waves a hand before I step out of the office.

When the door is shut I press my back to it, closing my eyes with a soft exhale. It's far too much for me in there, far too much.

As I push off the door I can hear Cleo's voice through the walls. "Christ, I know you said she was pretty but she's fucking stunning. You hit the jackpot, Ev!"

My heart stammers. She can't be saying that right? How am I the one who is stunning when she's standing there like something out of a Vogue magazine.

"I don't lie, Cleo," he says proudly, something that does crazy things to my chest. "She is something else. I don't know how I got that lucky."

I bite down on my bottom lip and push off the office door, there is so much warmth in my body which I have no idea what to do with. Or maybe I should just accept it. Because being with Everett has allowed me to feel new emotions, ones that make me think I could finally let my past go.

♦ ♦ ♦

Read up to the rest of the book, epilogue and bonus chapters over on Patreon! (Milo's story is now being posted over there too)

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Link is also in bio!

Author's Note

Hello my loves. What did we think of this chapter?👉🏼👉🏼👉🏼

I adore Kassian and Cleo making an appearance🥰 I missed my babies

And Everett is so sweet, especially now they've been sharing a bed. It makes my heart melt so much! WHO ELSE LOVES ANGEL AS A NICKNAME. I think it suits Reign so well🥺

Please don't forget to leave a vote if you enjoyed. It really means everything to me!

Love Savanna x

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