The Shadow Alpha

Chapter 27: Uncertainties

Chapter 27: Uncertainties

Holly

I stand dumbfounded in the living room for a few moments, the house silent, reeling from River's reaction.

I don't know how many minutes I spend playing it all back in my head, trying to rationalize why he feels so responsible. He was standing there looking so distraught, as if it had been him who pulled the trigger.

How could he blame himself for this? How could he think he should have been faster to understand what was about to happen, as if he had some ability to look into the future and predict it all?

It's absolutely fucking ridiculous and unfair that he's put this on himself. He is so far from being anywhere near justified in holding blame or accountability for what happened.

Eventually I break out of my dazed state, looking down to see the fragments of the broken coffee table and the dishes turned over on the floor, my piece of toast now cold and forgotten.

I lean down, picking them up, my muscles groaning with the effort. I manage to make it into the kitchen, placing them both on the counter with a sigh. I feel a weight in my chest, wondering where River's gone and what he's doing...Hoping he's okay, whatever the case may be.

I want to go after him, but I know I'm in no condition to shift right now, let alone go sprinting through the woods to catch up with him.

I'm cemented to my place at the counter again, more questions and thoughts racing through my mind, playing a sick game of tag with each other. One leads to another leads to another leads to...

Knock, knock.

My head snaps up to look at the front door, wondering who would be showing up here unannounced right now.

I get my answer as I see the handle of the door turn, swinging open to reveal...

"Sam?" I ask, genuinely confounded that she's here.

Samantha steps inside, her long chestnut hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. She wears track pants and a hoodie, as if she was lounging around at home just before getting here.

"Hey," she replies, her brown eyes locking on me with what looks to be real concern. It's the first time I've ever seen her looking anything but teasing and mischievous, as she always is around her brother and family.

"What are you doing here?" I blurt out the question before I can stop myself, and I hope it doesn't come off as sounding too blunt.

"River texted me." She replies, holding up her phone that's clasped in her hand. "Said it was an SOS and I needed to get over here right now. Something about staying here with you until he comes back?"

Sam kicks off her shoes, coming over to the counter to join me before her eyes lock on the broken coffee table still sitting in the living room.

"Oh," she raises her brows, nodding. "So I take it he isn't in the best of moods right now." She surmises, a half-hearted smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.

I nod, heaving another sigh. "It's been kind of a long day..." I frown, feeling the exhaustion of the chaotic events creep up again.

"Well," Sam pushes off the counter and walks over to the coffee maker, popping open the lid to empty out the grounds. "I'll put on some coffee, and you can fill me in on why exactly my brother has decided to go AWOL." She chuckles to herself, and I can tell she's trying to lighten the mood—well, probably more my mood than anything else.