--2--

ALICE

I wasn’t about to plead like a child and tell Eric that it was my favourite one, that Nixon had given me that golden cuff, or he’d make it twice as hard to get it back. It was bad enough that he clearly already knew I liked it, enough to preemptively hide it from me.

The cuff covered my mark and tattoo, much like the leather one I was currently wearing, to protect Nixon, to protect us, but that golden one would always hold sentimental value. 

“Tell me something that’s been bothering me,” Eric sighed as he took it from one of his drawers, rolling it around in his hands as he looked genuinely heartbroken, “the guy that randomly drops in and stays with you and your roommates,” he looked up at me with a weird vulnerability, “who is he to you?”

While Amara was bristling at his attempt to keep what was ours away from us, I started laughing. The light laughter still caused my shoulders to bounce as I shook my head at him, “Isn’t that the problem, Eric? We’ve been together for a year and a half, and you’ve never once… not ONCE… asked me about my family.”

“He’s family?” He looked down at my bracelet, “You expect me to believe that?”

“I don’t give a shit what you believe anymore, Eric,” I motioned with my hand, curling my fingers back and forth for him to hand over my bracelet before he reluctantly dropped it into my hand. A weight instantly felt like it lifted from my chest once the cuff was back in my hands, and I slipped it into my pocket as I walked out of the room and sent off a few text messages.

To Cynthia: Headed back to the apartment shortly. Everything went fine, Viv up yet?

To Ted: He wasn’t a total jerk today, imagine that? 

It felt weird leaving as I placed my key on the table. Eric didn’t even have the decency to walk me out which I felt both relieved and annoyed about. Did I love him? No. Did I care for him? He grew on me. As much as he was apparently a lying cheater, he also made me laugh, and there was a built-up comfort level with him. I was in no rush to find my mate, but maybe I could never be able to have a human relationship. The lengths that mates would go for you, they couldn’t even comprehend, and what other outcome would there be for any relationship when my mate would eventually find me. 

“Yea,” I heard him say from the other room, loud enough for me to hear as I reached the door, “she’s gone baby, come on over.” 

My hand crushed the door handle beneath it as anger surged through me and the tension in my chest started to grow. No. I couldn’t let him get to me like this. I quietly closed the door, or the best I could with a messed up handle and made my way to the elevator. My phone buzzing was a welcomed distraction as I tried to breathe through Amara wanting to go back there and make him bleed for hurting me. 

Cynthia: I’m trying, how does she sleep like the dead? I planned to go out just in case, so I guess we are celebrating? 

To Cynthia: The need for alcohol just increased. 

To Ted: Strike that. We are going out tonight, you in?

Ted: Mad hatter at your service, but I could be the Red Queen for a night, off with his head! Always ;) 

~~~

“I bet she wasn’t even on the phone,” Viv rolled her eyes as she stretched her arms over her head and rolled more towards me on the bed, “he’s an idiot hun, I know it hurts anyways but I swear I’m getting out of this bed and we are going to go drink until we forget about Ed.” She swiped a tear from my face that I didn’t even realize had fallen, and I loved this girl even more for purposely forgetting his name. 

How I lucked out falling into having her and Cynthia as roommates, I’ll never know. When I moved here shortly after I turned eighteen, I needed roommates because housing was expensive and I didn't want to draw on pack resources. They were the fourth ad I checked out and the only ones who didn't seem clingy or crazy. They had their own busy lives so they wouldn't pay much attention to mine, but they were reliable enough that I wouldn't come home to being evicted.

Three years later, my business was doing amazing and I didn't need to keep living with them, but there was something extra daunting about living alone. It would give me more privacy, sure, but it would be too quiet for me and would make Amara restless, she needed other people around if we couldn't be in the pack. 

Vivianne was a gorgeous blonde who looked like a real-life princess, and her big blue eyes were trying to assess my mood as I lay on the pillow next to her. She always seemed to know just what you needed, whether it was a shoulder to cry on or her ‘ass-kickers,’ which were very out of place cowboy boots that she loved and wore when she wanted to appear feisty. She was too sweet for her own good and I often wondered how she survived being a bartender with her soft nature, right up until I watched her subtly threaten someone who got too handsy with a knife. She looked too familiar with the small weapon, too confident to not have been taught how to wield it, but I was just glad she felt confident enough with it to protect herself. 

The doorbell went off and the smell of Chinese food wafted into her room. The smell of food was one of the few things to rouse our real-life sleeping beauty, which is why ninety percent of our conversations in the apartment happened right where we were. 

I don’t know why I was feeling so down over Eric. I was pretty self-assured, but it wasn't easy to be away from the pack and away from my siblings. Nixon would have built us a nest by now, Linden would have smashed Eric's face in, and we’d be running wild through the forest. 

{We need to go home soon.}

[Soon.] I agreed with Amara [I miss them too.] I could hide in the city all I wanted and let them take the responsibility of the pack, of the royal bloodline, of the prophecy off of me, but it came at a cost. 

“Come on,” Viv grabbed my hand, and for once, dragged me from the room.