Chapter 4 04

'I did, I've just had a lot on my mind lately. You know what I'm like, I want to keep busy when my brain is overloaded. I hate this time of year; it gets closer and closer to the anniversary of my parents' deaths.'

'Just promise me that you won't overdo it. If you do get tired, I'll always take over your shifts. You need to learn when to take a break.'

I smiled at his concern; he had taken on the role of bearing all my emotions when they had died. The anger, the fury, and the sorrow as I buried myself in grief.

I openly rolled my eyes at his words, a smile appearing on my face at the same time from his worry.

He had stayed with me, protected me, and never left my side. He was the brother I never had and helped me along with Julian and Grace to feel whole again.

He didn't add anything further after that, he simply turned to Reed, slapping him on his shoulder to get his attention. Reed turned around to see what Dylan wanted and gave me a smile.

'We're still going to Gabriel's party next week, right?'

'Yeah.' Reed replied with a duh expression on his face, his full attention on Dylan. 'Have you seen the girls from the Black Moon Pack? I'm not missing out on that opportunity.'

They both chuckled as I pulled a disgusted face, typical guys.

Dylan's dimples were prominent as he beamed at me. 'Why don't you come to Gabriel's party with us next week? I know you haven't got a patrol shift as I checked this morning.'

His words were promptly met with squeals from Chloe and Elle. They had been on my case about it for the past few weeks; they were desperate for me to go with them.

I hummed lowly, suddenly feeling everybody's eyes on me. My friends all eagerly waiting for my response. 'I'll think about it.'

Chloe huffed but sent me a smile. 'Only you would have to think about whether to go to Alpha Gabriel's party. It will be the most insane party of Senior year, along with Reed's and Dylan's, of course!'

Alpha Gabriel was due to take his father's Alpha title next week; he was the heir to the Black Moon Pack. It was common knowledge that Black Moon had the largest pack and territory in America, with over 300 wolves.

They were immensely impressive with a highly respected reputation.

'As I said, I'll think about it.' I repeated, standing up to throw my empty box in the trashcan.

Chloe grinned back at me one more time, making me shake my head in amusement. My eyes rolled at her reply once again. 'Fine, I'll take it as a yes until you confirm.'

I shook my head in mock defeat as I gathered my things. 'You're impossible,' I teased. She simply winked in response.

When the final bell rang at three o'clock, I walked toward the parking lot, my head slightly heavy with thoughts of my parents. It had been years since their deaths, but the pain still lingered around this time of year, like an unwelcome ghost. Dylan's words about taking a break echoed in my head. Maybe he was right. Maybe I did need to take a breath, let go of some of the weight I carried.

I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on finding Dylan or Reed. The Alpha and Beta properties were practically beside each other, so we always shared rides when possible.

As I entered the lot, the familiar roar of Reed's truck reached my ears. The massive red vehicle was parked near the front, as usual, its engine still running. Reed stood beside it, leaning against the hood with his hands in his pockets, waiting for me.

Dylan was already in the driver's seat, tapping the wheel impatiently. 'Took you long enough,' he called out with a grin, his mischievous nature always in full force.

'The bell just rang, I'm not late,' I countered, smirking as I tossed my bag into the backseat before climbing in next to Dylan.

Reed slid into the passenger seat, throwing me an amused look. 'You sure you're not late? Seems like you've got a lot on your mind today.'

I shrugged, trying to play it off. 'Just tired. It's the anniversary, you know?'

Both of them fell silent at my words, and for a moment, the car felt heavier than it should have. They knew exactly what I was talking about. The weight of loss that never quite left. Dylan's hand rested briefly on my shoulder, a gesture of silent support.

'I still think you should come to Gabriel's party,' Dylan said, his voice softer now. 'A distraction might help. Plus, I'm sure it'll be fun to get away for a night.'

'Yeah, well, we'll see,' I replied, my eyes on the road as we pulled out of the parking lot.

Reed grinned widely from the front seat, his usual cocky demeanor returning. 'And if you don't come, we'll send Chloe and Elle after you. I think we all know how persuasive they can be.'

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. 'You're not wrong,' I muttered.

The drive was comfortable, but the tension I'd been carrying all day was still with me, hovering beneath the surface. The streets passed by in a blur as we headed toward the small diner where we usually stopped for a bite. I didn't feel particularly hungry, but I knew I'd need to eat something, or else the exhaustion would catch up to me.

We pulled into the diner parking lot, and I was the first one out of the truck. The chilly air greeted me with a sharp bite, a reminder that winter was on its way. I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets, keeping my head down as I walked inside.

The bell above the door jingled as I entered, and the warm, greasy smell of the diner hit me. It wasn't much, but it was familiar, a place where we could all relax and not worry about much.

Chloe and Elle were already there, sitting in the booth by the window, chatting away. When they saw me, their eyes lit up.

'You're here!' Chloe exclaimed, half standing in her excitement.

'Told you I'd come,' I replied, raising an eyebrow at her.

Elle smiled sweetly but said nothing, clearly just happy to have me with them. As we sat down, I could feel the lingering eyes of the others on me, waiting for me to say something about the party.

After a few moments of silence, Chloe broke the ice again. 'You're still not sure about coming, huh?' she asked with a teasing grin.

I sighed, resting my chin on my hand. 'I don't know, Chloe. A party's the last thing I need right now.'

'But it's Gabriel's!' she insisted, as though that would be enough to convince me. 'It's going to be huge. The biggest thing to happen all year.'

'You're going to go, and you'll have fun,' Elle added with a soft smile. 'You deserve a little fun.'

I smiled faintly at both of them. 'Maybe. We'll see.'

But even as I said that, something tugged at the back of my mind, like a whisper in the wind. Maybe I was ready to start healing. Maybe a night of laughter, music, and distractions wasn't the worst idea.

But I wasn't sure I was ready to face the memories.

I leaned back in my seat, pushing the thoughts away for now. Whatever came next, I'd deal with it.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, with the conversation light and easy. Even though my heart still ached, I let myself laugh, let myself feel normal again. But I knew the evening would be hard to shake.

As we finished up and I stood to leave, my phone buzzed. I glanced at it, and my stomach dropped.

A message from Grace.

"Someone's here for you. They're outside."

I froze for a moment, my eyes scanning the diner, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest.

It could have been anyone. But there was a growl that reverberated in my mind, a possessive, territorial sound that wasn't mine.

Before I could respond, Chloe, Reed, and Dylan were already standing, heading for the door.

'You good?' Dylan asked, his voice low.

I didn't respond immediately. My eyes narrowed, focusing on the sound outside. My heart was pounding.

Whoever it was, they weren't going to just walk away.

'Yeah,' I said, though it didn't feel like it. 'I think so.'

But as I stepped outside, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had just shifted.