Bound By The Bond

|C12| DREAMS

C 12 | D R E A M S

For what must have been the hundredth time, I flipped the old, simple burner phone over and held it in my palm while I anxiously chewed on the thumbnail on my other hand. I leant forward from where I sat on the edge of the bed and found myself numbly staring at the small black screen, vaguely aware of the discarded black box beside me. I looked to the buttons on the keypad below the screen and quickly turned the device on, waiting for it to slowly start up before I pressed the keypad multiple times to find the contacts icon.

Empty.

Unconsciously I exited that screen and tried to find anything in the few apps of the phone that would tell me why it was put here in the first place.

Nothing.

"Dammit," I groaned, throwing the phone onto the bed with a sigh. I pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers and squeezed my eyes shut, jolting when the bed suddenly seemed to vibrate. I looked to the phone again and snatched it up, frowning as I read the text message that lit up the screen.

WE DIDNT 4GET ABT U.

2am. XPECT CALL.

Fuck.

I nimbly and quickly placed the phone onto the velvet pad in the black box before fitting the lid back on. Aware that I was expected downstairs, I then stashed the box in the same place I'd hidden it last night when I'd first found it; desperately hoping no one would bother to look under the small gap between the floor and the dresser that sat in the cupboard.

Then, ignoring the weight that had settled on my chest, I yanked the duvet off the bed and grabbed two of the four pillows that had been resting at the head of the mattress. Bundling them in my arms, I hurried downstairs to the media room but came to an abrupt stop by the door when I heard a combination of giggles and deep, rumbling laughter.

I peeked into the room, my heart bursting when I saw Ellie and Xander huddled together in the corner of the lounge, their legs stretched out side by side on the chaise while Ellie was pressed into Xander's side, his arm wrapped protectively around her. I watched quietly as she cupped her little hand around his ear and whispered into it, my heart stuttering when his mouth dropped open in mock shock while she burst into another fit of giggles. He tickled her side and nuzzled her nose, the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen spreading across his own face.

Oh Goddess.

I froze when I realised a smile had started to spread across my own features.

I'm so fucked.

How many times have I thought that since arriving here?

I cleared my throat, planting a smile on my face as both of them looked over to me, finally sensing my presence.

"Kat!" Ellie exclaimed, patting the space beside her excitedly. "We have popcorn!" I laughed quietly when she gestured to the stocked coffee table next to the chaise and glanced at the bowls of popcorn, chips and candy, my stomach growling at the thought of consuming it all. I stepped forward and, overly aware of Xander's watchful gaze, I carefully sat next to Ellie, her warmth radiating through my skin and into my bones.

My wolf sighed in content and in the crevice of my mind where she liked to hide, I could hear a rhythmic thump.

"Are you...wagging your tail?" I asked my inner wolf, surprised to even feel her at all.