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Broken Bond 22
CALLUMThere’s an infectious energy coursing through the pack tonight, the air crackling like a livewire as the light of the full moon bathes the yard of the packhouse in a silvery glow. We look forward to every full moon run, but this one is special. We’ve been without a leader since Alpha Vaughn passed three months ago, and tonight, Chase is finally assuming his rightful position as his heir, stepping up to be officially inducted as Alpha.Everyone looks on in eager anticipation as Chase takes his vows, spilling drops of blood from a cut in his palm to seal his oath to the pack. Then Beta Rob raises Chase’s bloodied hand into the air, announcing him as our new alpha, and the entire crowd ignites in frenzied celebration. I should be elated. I should be celebrating with everyone else. Instead, I’m… empty.I don’t even have the energy to fake it tonight. I’ve been drifting around soullessly for the past two days, haunted by the memories of my past and the shadow they cast on my future.
Broken Bond 23
VANESSA** Four Months Later **“Let’s go, Ness!” Vienna calls out, her voice echoing down the hallway of the guest wing of the packhouse.“Just a minute!” I yell back. I’ve been searching for my little gold clutch for the past ten minutes in vain; it’s like it somehow grew legs and walked away. I’m almost certain that I packed it when I moved into the Norbury packhouse a few months ago at Vienna’s invitation, but for some reason, it’s not where it should be among my other purses in the closet.I blow out a frustrated breath, spinning around and strutting over to the dresser to pull open the top drawer. I rummage through the random assortment of things I’ve shoved in there in search of the clutch, hoping I might’ve tossed it in here after the bar one night or something. As I push through the mess of hair accessories and odds and ends, a piece of paper falls out, fluttering to the floor and landing at my feet. I bend to pick it up with an annoyed groan, straightening with the paper clu
Broken Bond 24
MILESIt’s so fucking hot. Sweat drips down my back as I stand around shooting the shit with the guys, lifting my beer can to press the cold aluminum to the back of my neck. This summer has been oppressively hot, and while the vibe of this parking lot party is great and all, I’d kill for some AC right about now.My gaze drifts to Levi, who has been chatting up beer tub girl for the past fifteen minutes. He’s trying to win our little wager, but what he doesn’t know is that I hit on that same waitress on Serena’s birthday a while back and was shot down because she said she was already taken. Hey, it’s not my fault he took me up on the bet before getting all the facts.I take a swig of my beer as I watch Levi turn around and skulk back in our direction, dragging his feet. That’s not the look of a guy who’s about to seal the deal, and from the sheepish expression on his face, I already know I’ve won.“Struck out?” I ask as he approaches, hiding my knowing smirk behind my beer can.He blow
Broken Bond 25
VANESSA I have a feeling Miles was expecting more than a movie night when I took him up on his offer to come back to his apartment. He’s been visibly agitated since the moment I suggested it, his knee bouncing and his posture tense from his seat beside me on the couch. It’s Italian leather, by the way- everything in his place is super nice, and he goes out of his way to brag about the finery of his furnishings whenever he has the chance, like he wants me to know how much money he has. I think it’s his way of showing that he could provide for me, but I tend to find his boasting in poor taste. And if he thinks I’m after money, he doesn’t know me at all. I nearly breathe a sigh of relief when the credits roll, anxious for an excuse to head back home. I’ve set clear boundaries with Miles, but he’s been pushing them tonight, no doubt fueled by the beers that he’s been downing like it’s his job. There’s a cluster of empty bottles on the marble coffee table in front of us, only one of which
Broken Bond 26
CALLUMI stuff my keys into the pocket of my jeans as I climb out of my Corvette in front of the Norbury packhouse, staring up at the familiar building for the first time in months. The last time I was here, the trees out front were skeletal branches and there was a dusting of snow on the roof. Now, summer is at its peak. The trees are lush with foliage, the lawn a vibrant green. Even in my absence, time has continued to march forward, relentless in its pursuit of the next season.I take a steadying breath, digging the heels of my hands into my eyes. I haven’t slept. After last night, I couldn’t. I smoked enough weed to put a lesser man into a coma, but my racing mind wouldn’t give me enough of a reprieve for sleep to take over. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was her.That pained look on her face when she said I broke her will haunt me for the rest of my days. When I met Nessa, she didn’t have any damage. That was what was so damn rare and beautiful about her. She didn’t see t
Broken Bond 27
MILES“Knock, knock,” I call, gently rapping my fist against the wood of Nessa’s bedroom door as I push it open.She’s curled up on her bed in the fetal position, her knees tucked tightly into her chest and a pillow clutched in her arms, hiding her face. She picks up her head when she hears me come in, frowning when our eyes meet and burying her face back in the pillow. “Go away, Miles,” she grumbles, her words muffled.I blow out a breath, taking a tentative step into the room despite her protest. She’s been holed up in here for hours following that ugly scene in the kitchen this morning. Chase kicked Cal out right away, but I stuck around, figuring Nessa would come out eventually and need a shoulder to cry on. I iced my face and explained to Chase what went down between Cal and me, but then Vee woke up and called him back upstairs. So I sat in the living room by myself for what felt like forever, bored as shit, waiting and waiting until I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to come
Broken Bond 28
VANESSAI’m a summer girl. While I appreciate that we get the full range of seasons here in Colorado, summer is my absolute favorite; long days filled with soaking up the heat of the sun, deepening my tan, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.Not even my favorite season can lift me out of this funk, though. Summer is at its peak, and I haven’t set foot outside of the packhouse in days. I’ve been avoiding the outside world, drowning myself in my own sorrow and Vienna’s experimental cocktails, always delivered with a kind word and a smile.You’d think she’d be a decent mixologist since she worked at the lodge bar for months. She’s not. She dumps grenadine into everything she makes for me since she knows I like cherries, but completely fails to consider how the flavor will blend with the other ingredients. Gin and grenadine? Absolutely foul. Tequila and grenadine? Even worse. I don’t have the heart to tell her, though, so I’ve either choked them down or secretly dumped them ou
Broken Bond 29
CALLUM My pulse races as I walk into the Norbury packhouse, my gaze greedily sweeping over the interior. There’s nobody in sight. The sound of approaching footsteps yanks my attention to the hallway off the kitchen, but the dark eyes that meet mine aren’t the ones I’m seeking. Chase emerges, his hulking form swallowing up the view of the hall behind him. I lift my chin in greeting, my eyes gravitating toward the opposite hallway that houses the guest rooms. “She’s not here,” Chase provides, knowing exactly who I’m looking for, and my shoulders sag as a pang of disappointment stabs in my gut. Days have passed since our run-in at the cabin, and again, so much was left unsaid. That seems to be the theme every time Nessa and I see one another lately. I’m always left reeling because all I want to do is hold her and kiss the pain away and make everything better again, but I know I can’t do that. I won’t risk her safety for my own selfish impulses. I also can’t just stand by and watch her
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