♥
I told Everett and Reign that I would be moving out and moving in with Nate for the foreseeable future. I don't feel comfortable being in a house I used to be able to call a home–now it feels like a dungeon of nightmares.
Even Layla said leaving would do me some good and that I always have the option to go back, they're my family and will welcome me with open arms. Although I can't see my relationship with Everett ever being fixed.
He tried to speak to me when I packed up my things but I couldn't face him. Every time I see his face I replay the words in my mind and it's taken a lot of strength and power to tell myself that they're not true because if I sit and ponder for too long, I'll start believing them again.
Reign hugs me for so long and sobs into my shoulder. "Please don't disappear on us," she whispers into my shirt. I embrace her back.
"I won't be going too far," I reassure her, rubbing my hand down her back. "Take care of yourself. I'm only a mindlink away."
She understands. She smiles at me beneath those tears. "Don't be a stranger," she mumbles. "I'm always here for you. Everett too, I know you don't want to approach him but know that he is remorseful about what happened."
I know that Everett has been slowly destroying himself over me telling him that our brotherly relationship was over. I haven't ever seen him so defeated. It's obvious that he's not sleeping, his relationship with Reign is rocky after what happened.
Things aren't the same. I don't know if they ever will be.
Everett silently wipes his eyes in the corner of the kitchen as I bring my suitcase and boxes of belongings down into the hall. I don't look at him again because seeing him like this makes my throat tense painfully and he doesn't deserve these emotions–not after what he's caused.
I say goodbye to Fran and Jesse, who have mostly been helping Reign and Everett take over the pack whilst we go through this bump in the road. I'm glad they have them at least because I don't want the entire place to crash and burn–not that I did much for my beta role anyway.
They walk me to the door. "Bye guys," I say, noticing Everett lingering in the back. "I love you all. I'll see you soon."
I purposely say all because even though what Everett said will scar me forever, I still love him. He's my brother, my blood. Nothing will change that, only the circumstances around our relationship will.
Reign kisses my cheek one last time, Fran and Jesse waving me off. I walk down the steps with my stuff. As soon as I reach the bottom of the steps, I hear movement behind me. "Milo," Everett's strained voice makes me pause even though I wish I carried on walking. "Wait. Please wait."
I don't turn around, I face the gates. My chest heaves because I can feel him right behind me and the pain in his voice makes my eyes close tightly. "I love you," he says shakily. "My brother. I don't want this to be the end for us because living a life without you isn't possible. I lost you even though I have never deserved you."
Tears swell in my eyes, yet I still can't look at him.
"I am half the man you are," his voice cracks and I know he's crying. "You were willing to give up your life for Reign and I am grateful for you, for loving her, for cherishing her. But I wasn't there to love and cherish you when I should have, when you needed me. I let my thoughts cloud my judgement and I am sorry. I know nothing will ever be able to be said or done to fix what I've caused but please know that I will live in misery knowing how much I've upset you."
When he says nothing more, I merely nod and take a step further. "Milo–" his desperation makes me stop again. "Please, I'm sorry–" he chokes and my heart clenches.
The sound of his voice cuts straight through me. I sniffle and glance over my shoulder at him, his chest quivering when our eyes meet. The rawness in his eyes makes me see his true vulnerability. I know he's sorry, it's rare to see him this beaten up.
Everett has a track record of saying things he doesn't mean. He's done it to Reign, to Fran and now me. I think he's the one who needs to figure out what's going on in his mind before he speaks to someone else like that.
He steps closer but there is still a few feet of space between our bodies. I've only ever seen him like this and that's when Reign ran away from home–now I'm realising the pain that must be coming back to him.
The second person leaving the house after he spits his vicious words without thinking about the consequences.
"Tell me what I can do," his throat clenches.
I shrug simply. "I can forgive you, Everett. But it's something that I'll never forget."
He nods. Understanding. "Please can I hug you before you leave?"
Fear flashes in his eyes. He thinks he won't see me again–or at least for a while. I step forward deciding that I need this too, even though I'm not happy with him. I don't want to leave with any regrets and I'll regret this.
My arms widen and his eyes light up in surprise and relief. He bundles me into his body, his chest hard as a rock. He lowers his head down to my shoulder. Even though he's a few inches taller than me, it feels a lot more considering the size of his shoulders.
We hold each other for a long moment and I allow my eyes to close. Warmth spreads throughout my body because Everett has always been the big brother who is protective and in this hug, I can feel that.
I pull away from him without glancing at his face again. I grab my things and head out of the gate and straight towards Nate's house without looking back.
♥
When I reach Nate's pack house he's nowhere to be seen. Elin and Zade help me with my things and take them up to Nate's room. I begin to unpack, reminding myself of our conversation a few days ago.
What's mine is yours, Milo. I want you to live here. I want this room to be yours too, this bed, the wardrobes. I want to share everything with you.
As I place my clothes in the spaces that Nate made vacant for me, I wonder if he's with his father or Leon. I know he's taking the Alpha title soon and coming to live here is probably going to put a spanner in the works but he says he doesn't want me anywhere else.
The door to his bedroom opens and I glance over my shoulder to find Nate standing in the doorway. I blink at him, noticing his hair is a little messy and his knuckles are bruised. I flick my eyes over his shirt, his face, every part of his body.
"Where have you been?"
He sniffs and strolls towards the en-suite. "It'll probably be better if you didn't know."
I gulp. My blood turning cold. I glance back at his purple knuckles again and I can only imagine who would be on the receiving end of those. I told him not to, not because I care for Henry but because I don't want Nate to live with that on his conscience.
My legs take me towards him subconsciously. I grip his arm and tug him towards me before he enters the bathroom. "Did you kill him?"
Nate glances down at me with those chocolate eyes full of all the sins he's committed. "Do you want to know?"
"Yes." My chest heaves. I want to know. I have to know.
I feel my fingers tremble as he watches me for long moments, seconds feel like hours and before he even says anything, I know the answer. He did it. He couldn't stand the thought of him being alive because he tried to kill me.
"Then yes," he rasps. "He's gone."
My shoulders droop but not ones of relief. "Nate–"
"I had to," he shakes his head. "And before you ask, I had no remorse. He deserved to die, he tried to take you away from me and I'd never chance that again. Never."
His hands wrap around my jaw and tugs me towards him. I tremble. We've both killed wolves before that's a given but this is different, he went out of his way to take his life from him. "He won't bother you again," he whispers against my lips. "You are my main priority and I will never let anyone hurt you ever again."
My heart pulsates heavily inside my chest at his words. "I know," I nod. "I know you won't."
Our lips are pressed against one another in a soft kiss and I melt in his arms. Despite the news, I can't help but be in awe of this man who will go to the ends of the earth to protect me.
"My beast came free," he lowers his head, voice sitting on his chest. "I didn't mean for it to come out but I couldn't stop it. I wasn't in control."
I gulp silently. I haven't seen or encountered Nate's beast but by the sounds of things, it's deadly. "Are you okay now?" I ask, gripping onto his arms gently.
He nods. "Yeah," he whispers. "I just need to cool down."
"Go take a shower," I say, dropping my hands from him. "I've been moving my stuff in."
Nate glances around the room, as if he missed it when he first moved in. But he was distracted, thoughts elsewhere. He notices my suitcase and the drawers that are now half full. A small smile develops on his perfect face. "That makes me happy," he nods boldly.
"You make me happy," I whisper before planting a kiss on his cheek.
His eyes flash at me, he leans forward and presses his lips to mine again. "Good, that's the way it should be."
♥
I've been planning our date for a few days now. I didn't find it fitting to go on one when Nate had literally murdered Henry. I waited until he calmed down, until we both started to get used to us sharing his room together.
"Are you ready?" I ask as we leave the house.
Nate hums eagerly beside me. "Where are we going?"
"We're going to be humans for the day."
"Humans?" Nate's brow flexes with curiosity.
I take his hand as we walk towards town. I've needed this, to get out. Some fresh air. Spending time with my mate. The last few weeks have been hell and I don't really think I've come to terms with what happened.
Layla believes I could be in denial. I know I am because I shouldn't be acting this normal.
But deep down I think it has something to do with the mate bond. Helping me heal, recover and give me that push of support that I need. Without Nate I'd be nothing but a sack of broken bones and a weeping heart.
As we reach town I begin to unlock the public bikes from the railings. Nate stops beside me. "We're taking bikes?"
I glance up at him, lips forming a smirk. "Don't tell me you don't know how to ride?"
He scoffs and begins to help me get the chains off one of the bikes. "Of course I do," he shakes his head. "I'm a pro."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
Nate's dark eyes cut over to me, a glimmer of playfulness in them. I love seeing him like this, I love seeing us like this. Free. God, that word. Free. I feel so fucking free with him and I want to feel like this for the rest of my existence.
We both hop on a separate bike and begin to cycle through town. The sun shines down on us, dodging through the clouds and the trees. I glance up and smile–a perfect day for a perfect date.
I spot a pretty little river in the distance, cycling over a bridge to be beside it. We both slow down and I turn to look at my mate. "You can ride a bike," I comment with a small laugh.
He rolls his eyes. "I wasn't lying."
"I want ice cream," I murmur, spotting a little shop in the distance.
Nate follows my eyes and nods. "Sure. I want pistachio though."
I grimace at his words, my eyebrows flexing in horror. "Pistachio?" I repeat.
"Yeah..." he trails off. "What's wrong with that?"
My head shakes with a long laugh. "So many things."
We hop off our bikes and chain them to a metal railing before heading over to the ice-cream shop. Nate slings his arm around my shoulders and I enjoy the warmth and heaviness off him. "So what are you going to do about your sessions with Layla?" He asks as we begin to queue.
I nod slowly, sucking in a breath. "Layla said she could meet me at your pack house sometimes, if that's okay? Other times I said I'd go back and it'll give me an excuse to see Reign and Fran. Catch up with them."
"As long as that works for you," he flicks his eyes between mine.
"Yeah," my lips curl. "It does."
Nate presses his lips to my temple and I heat up instantly. "How was moving out the other day?"
"Hard," I admit. "I hugged Everett but more for my conscience than his. Reign was upset but we all know it's for the best. Even Layla said so. I've got to think of myself, focus on myself. It's the best thing I can do right now."
"Of course," he murmurs into my ear. "I want what's best for you too. I'm just glad I get you all to myself now. I've been waiting far too long to wake up to you every morning. And now I have you, I'm never letting you go."
I squeeze myself into his side, my heart pounding inside my chest. I might have found a home with my family but finding a home with Nate is different because he is my home. I want to be wherever he is.
Nothing will ever compare.
♥ ♥ ♥
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Author's Note
Milo moving out? YES
Nate killing Henry? YES
Everett saying he's half the man Milo is? YES
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