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Well, I don't really know them either. But Hudson's face is open in a genuine and honest expression. He's letting me see all of his intentions, and his scent is comforting. So calm and assured that it settles any nerves, so I nod.
He beams at me. "Lead the way."
I start walking again toward my apartment building. I've already covered a little bit of ground, so there's less than ten minutes for Hudson to walk with me. While we're walking in a comfortable silence, I take the time to peek up at him from beneath my lashes. He's quite a bit taller than my five-foot-four frame. I'd guess he's close to six foot and undeniably attractive. He's got dirty blond stubble covering his jaw, eyes that are a deep ocean blue color, and matching blonde hair. Hudson's lips are plump in a way that makes me think he'd be an incredible kisser. He strolls beside me with his hands stuffed into his pockets in a casual way that still somehow manages to make his crisp white button-up stretch deliciously against his shoulders and biceps.
An unexpected wave of lust hits me, and I clear my throat, shake my head, and try to ignore it. In the three months since I ran away from my pack, I haven't found anyone or anything remotely attractive. But as a hit of my perfume bursts from me, I look away, mortified. The only other time in the past three months that I've perfumed accidentally was when I watched his packmates kiss at the bar last weekend.
What is wrong with you, Summer? You'rematedalready.
Like my own negative thoughts have conjured them, three different voices ring out in my head in an absolutely terrifying display of rage.
You fucking whore.
Where are you?
When I find you, I swear to the Goddess, omega...
I slam up my mental walls as fast and aggressively as I ever have, so much so, it makes me dizzy. My feet trip over nothing, and I stumble a little, hand reaching out to the closest thing to catch myself on; which happens to be Hudson.
"Summer?" he asks in a worried tone, holding my hand in a tight grip, one hand on my back to keep me from tumbling over.
Even though my mental shields are up to stop their voices from filtering through, I can still feel their emotions like I am sitting next to them again.
Connor, Brody, and Jade.
My old pack. Connor and Brody are furious. Their anger palpable in a way that sends a bolt of fear through me. One that they can feel, and a minute later their satisfaction trickles through the bond. They like my fear; want me scared. Even more terrifying than that, though, the thing that sends my heart rate hammering through the roof is Jade’s emotional state. Or should I say, lack thereof. She's...calm. Almost,assured. Like me being gone is nothing to worry over, and that petrifies me more than Brody and Connor's anger combined.
"Summer!" Hudson's raised voice breaks through my internal panic spiral. The fog from my eyes clears as I refocus on the streets of Chicago and the alpha whose face is now inches from mine, searching my eyes frantically, distress lining his cerulean blues.
"Yeah, sorry," I mumble, choking on a cough as emotions continue to batter against my shield like an anvil. "I...that's my apartment. Thanks for walking me," I blurt out and then take off at a fast walk toward my building.
"Wait!" he yells after me, and I can hear footsteps behind me. I can tell he's not running after me though, and I look back to confirm he's still almost in the same spot I left him. Hudson took a few steps after me but is standing in the middle of the sidewalk, looking dumbfounded at my quick departure.
I wave goodbye at him as I step through the doors of my ramshackle building. My footsteps ring loud in the abandoned foyer while I scurry toward the elevator, rubbing my palm against my chest. It doesn't relieve the ache like I hoped it would. It just makes me more aware of the pain blooming in my body like a poison racing through my veins, burning away all the good I've managed to build in the three months I've been away, leaving a charred husk behind.
How did things change between us so fast?
One day, I was happy. Deliriously so. The next day, I'm running from the only people I've ever really loved. That love didn't just disappear though when I did. No, that love started to dwindle when those test results came back.
I make it back to my apartment, stumbling the whole way as emotions overtake my senses. The clang of my keys jangling against the metal knob as I try to unlock the door sounds almost too loud in the quiet hallway. My hands shake uncontrollably, and I feel like falling to the ground and just sobbing. Sobbing at the anger and retribution being pushed toward me from eight hundred miles away.
New York. That's where Pack Monroe rules. They're a big name there, too. A pack with infinite wealth and connections. A pack that cares about public opinion. I'm sure they're more upset about what my leaving did to their reputations more than anything.
What will people think about Pack Monroe now? They can't even keep their omega in line.
Who am I kidding?
I'm sure they've spun some tale about me leaving to take care of a sick aunt or something. Not that I have one. I only ever had my mom, and she passed when I was seventeen of a very unexpected and sudden heart attack. I spent the next few years drowning in grief, living off her life insurance, and working part-time as a waitress until I'd get fired for not showing up. It was a rough couple of years.
So when Jade strolled up one day, looking like she could command any room she walked into and askedmeout, I said yes. I was latching on to the life raft she offered. A pack that could take care of me, love me, and provide the emotional support I sorely needed.
Now that I'm reflecting on our relationship, I remember the start wasn't anything to write fairy tales about, though. It was your average beginning. A spark of interest here, kind words there, and decent sex. I don't remember when it all changed. When their scents became overwhelming or when I realized they were my mates. Orthoughtthey were. It's like I was sitting there one day and their scents just hit me like a brick to the face. I started perfuming right away, and it threw all three of them into a rut.
The next week was a haze of sweat, sex, and overwhelming scents. By the end of it, we were all limp with bone-deep exhaustion, and I had three new mate marks. After that, things moved quickly. Jade called a moving company to grab all my stuff from the small apartment I was staying in at the time, and I was completely moved into their three story mansion within forty eight hours.
And it was bliss. From that moment up until the day I left, we were happy. Sure, there were times we'd argue, but they were always over before they really started. I could never stay mad for long.Or was that the drugs...
I shake my head, trying to break free from the memories. When my vision comes back to the present, and my living room materializes in front of me, I have a few seconds of blissful quiet before their emotions filter back in. A sob breaks from my lips, and I clutch at my chest in a vain attempt to stop the pain.
