Mask | ✓

42

"Not yet," I said, and Cloud frowned.

"Why'd you suddenly get sad?"

Sad wasn't the word to describe what I was feeling. It was more like worry.

"Tell me about your trip," I told Cloud in an attempt to change the subject.

His hands crossed over his chest. "Tatum, come on."

I could tell he wasn't going to let it go, so I sighed and leaned back against the couch. "I guess I'm worried. Worried about if this is a good decision. Being with him, I mean."

Cloud's head tilted. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"I don't even know what he thinks," I said, and then there was the other growing fear: he'd leave or that something would happen.

I was worried that I'd get attached, only to lose him just as I had my mate. I couldn't take having someone else slip through my hands like that—not Nixon. I was worried this would all be a big mistake in the end.

"You know what you feel, though. You won't know until you see," Cloud argued. I remained quiet, and Cloud sighed. "Do you really plan to remain alone for your whole life, Tatum? Sometimes you have to put yourself out there even if you do get hurt in the end. I know you know that."

There were a lot of factors that told me I shouldn't pursue a relationship with Nixon but fuck. I really did like him. I liked how his smile lit up a room; I liked how he was so expressive; I liked that he never hid his feelings—there was so much about him that I liked.

When he first came, if someone told me I'd be in this predicament, I would've thought it was some cruel joke. But now? Now it was getting—no, it already was serious.

"Alright, enough about my love life. Let's talk about something else," I told Cloud.

He stared at me for a moment before nodding and switching the topic. We talked about his travels with Raiden and him visiting his brother., We also talked briefly about Reo, but I made sure not to mention the pregnancy situation since I knew that Reo didn't want anyone to know just yet.

Our conversation went on for almost two hours before I finally got up to leave, but only after I agreed to meet up with him again soon. Knowing that the two of us were on good terms made me feel a lot better.

I left the house and walked around my pack. I stopped by to talk to members and see the happy faces. Young children ran around with their parents and friends, laughing without a card in the world. The change was big considering where we had been only a few months before. It made me happy to see it.

Eventually, I did head back home, and it immediately felt as if something had shifted. I walked into the house and closed the door. It didn't take me long to find Reo; I knew the change had to be because of him. He sat on the couch, and while the TV was playing, I knew he wasn't actually focusing on it.

"Reo?" I called out to him. "Are you okay?"

I instantly regretted asking the question, and before I could say anything else to redeem it, he snapped his head to me with a glare. "Do I look okay?"

He didn't. He looked worse than before. He'd clearly been crying earlier, and his hair was a mess, indicating that he'd ran his hand through it one too many times.

"I—"

"Forget it," he sighed. "I'm going to go."

He stood up and moved toward the stairs. Before he could get too far, I reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Wait," I called out to him.

Reo attempted to yank his arm out of my grip, but I didn't let him. His face twisted into a scowl. "Let go."