Campfires & Canines: Stand Alone Cozy Fantasy Rom-Com (Bracken Creek Wolves) by Aly Hollis

Author:Aly Hollis [Hollis, Aly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cerelia Press
Published: 2024-03-23T00:00:00+00:00

11. Heartache & Helplessness

Hazel

Slate isn't back quickly.

Worry and then irritation slowly builds in me. I settle myself by snooping. Slate is surprisingly organized. Nothing tucked in random drawers, nothing in the back of his closet.

I find a few photos on his bookshelves. Young Onyx, Cedar, and Slate laugh at the camera. Slate with a man who must be his father with lighter hair but the same brooding eyes.

After a while, I head to the bathroom and peel up the edge of my bandage. The bleeding has stopped and now a collection of thin scabs form an oval across my shoulder. I tenderly touch them, relieved it's looking better.

I avoid the bed, still more than a little sexually frustrated. Laying across the couch, my unoccupied mind spins. All of Slate's little hesitations. The way he stopped things from going further physically. His dramatic reaction to our discussion about his mother and half-brother.

I have no idea how he feels about anything for sure. His words of devotion begin to sound hollow the more times I replay them in my memory.

I huff and stand again. I need to talk to him. Or a friend. The best choice would be my therapist, although I’ll need to spin this a bit. She will be concerned if I start going on about werewolves and mates.

I dress properly with my bra from the night before, tucking his oversized t-shirt into my jeans.

My therapist returns my text almost immediately. She’ll be available in about thirty minutes.

The door squeaks as I step out. A familiar head of dirty blonde hair swings around to look at me.

"Hey, Hazel." Onyx's easy smile relaxes me.

"How long have you been out here?" I ask.

His smile morphs into a distinct smirk. "A while."

"Don't be weird. Please."

"Nah, Lazuli got the night shift." He shrugs, laughing at my pink cheeks. Noticing the glossy edge of the bandage visible under the neckline of my borrowed shirt, his expression sharpens. "Are you okay?"

The question yanks all of my anxious, swirling emotions to the forefront. I swallow and focus on staying calm.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'm a bit overwhelmed by everything. Could we head to my uncle’s cabin and get some of my stuff?"

"Of course." Onyx nods. He looks like he wants to hug me, but he keeps his arms at his sides. The times everyone joked about Slate getting upset with them play in my mind. Is he that possessive?

Scanning the trees, Onyx leads me south toward the little blue cabin that was my somewhat temporary home until yesterday. Heath is gone, so it’s empty.

I grab my backpack and stuff in a change of clothes, my phone, and my medication. Lastly, I head to the bathroom and grab a few toiletries.

“Ready to go?” Onyx asks.

“Yeah, but I’ve got a call scheduled with my therapist,” I say.

Onyx bobs his head. “Cool.”

"But I don't get enough service here," I say. “Usually, I’d go into town, but considering…”

Onyx nods. "Okay, let's get you some bars. There should be more service down by the parking lot.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.