The Alpha's Eden

Thats dark

They all muttered brief but sincere apologies as they disappeared outside.

"Ahh, just the person I was going to find. Breakfast is ready and I've just put some on a plate for you, I've also made you a fresh glass of umm.. juice" Iris struggled to say the word blood.

Caleb laughed under his breath and lightly nudged my side with his elbow.

"Behave" I warned in a whisper that only he could hear. "Sounds perfect Iris, thank you so much, you're the best!"

Iris turned and went back into the kitchen with Caleb and I hot on her heels.

The food smelt delicious but the blood...umm yummy, the metallic copper scent had made my mouth water already.

Harry leant against the counter with a plate of food piled high in one hand whilst he used the other hand to keep an eye on something on the stove.

"Are you sure that's the right Harry you brought home with you huh?? I don't think I've ever seen him near a stove before let alone cook anything ?!" It would be fair to say I was shocked by the domesticated version of my best friend that had returned, but he had a goofy grin on his face which told me all I needed to know: he was happy. "Should I be worried? Are you an imposter?" I frowned and eyed my family teasingly.

"I missed this so much!!" Harry announced through a mouthful of food.

"Don't talk with your mouthful son. Manners!" His mum scolded him as she cooked next to him.

"I've missed watching you get told off so much!" This really felt like all of the times I'd shared with Iris and Harry. We'd grown up now yet still managed to cause her lots of stress!

"Missed what?" Sky asked as her and her mate Jamie  joined us. The smell of food must have finally tempted them out of their bedroom.

"This" Harry gestured out the hand that held the spatula.

"A spatula?" Alex screwed up his face at how weird that thought was.

"The kitchen?" Caleb asked.

"Your mum's breakfasts?" I furrowed my brows at him as I tried to work out what he meant.

"Everyone has missed my cooking, that's obvious" Iris chimed in without even turning around to look at us.

"So true" Once I swallowed a mouthful of Iris's delicious choc chip pancake I nodded, I knew we all agreed on that point.

"The packhouse's awesome water pressure?" Skylar said then blushed when Jamie whispered in her ear.

I really didn't want to know what he had said.

Urgh gross!

"No you idiots. This!!!! Us!! I've missed us all being together like we've always been. I know things aren't quite there yet, not everyone is back yet but they will be soon and we can look at this as a fresh start for us all!" A weirdly philosophical Harry rejoiced with a big, bright smile on his handsome face.

We all smiled and cheered at what he said but his words were bittersweet for me because he was right. Not everyone was back and when they finally did return I honestly had no clue what they meant for us and our future, the pack's future.

I didn't even know if my mates and I had a future after what I'd done.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Caleb leant in and asked me as the others continued to discuss their plans for things moving forward.

"Yeh I'm okay, thanks. It's just.. a lot you know?" I lied.

"Liar. It's written all over your face you aren't okay and why the fuck should you be? Please don't feel like you have to lie to me Eden" poor Caleb knew me so well he saw right through my lie and I was beyond grateful for his support. I'd have been lost without him.

"What would I do without you huh?" My head rested on his shoulder and I sighed.

"Make really poor decisions, act like you're okay when you're not, and eventually lose your mind" he rattled off scenarios as if he'd given alot of thought to it which disturbed me a little bit.

"Fuck Cal, that's dark" I giggled and saw him smile back at me and realised his answer had got the exact response he'd aimed for. For that I planted a light kiss on his cheek and squeezed his bicep in a silent thank you.

It wasn't much. Just a giggle about something silly but it was a tiny sliver of light within the darkness that had plagued me lately and I clung on to it with both hands.

I had to find something to anchor myself to before the vastness of bleak, black nothingness dragged me down so far I couldn't find my way back again.