Changing You ✦ The Sequel

Chapter 47 {R}

When Daniel and I stepped into the living room they all, Corbyn, Lexa and Jonah, looked up — and got up — in sync. My mom fell quiet.

I swallowed hard, both relief and fear spiking up my back.

One look at their faces and I knew Daniel saying that they were all here because they were worried was an incredible understatement. They were so worried it would've been useless to try and hide it, so they didn't.

And all of a sudden I didn't know how to deal with it. I got scared. Scared because for all I knew they were mad at me, and even more scared that I was going to have to explain stuff I wasn't even sure I could talk about, that I had tried so hard to block out that I wasn't sure if I'd be able to put them into words.

Words are strange things. They enable us to express anything we want but they flee us when we need them the most. When we feel the most.

Lexa was the first one to move, her piercing blue eyes shining with a concern that made them even brighter, and when she wrapped her arms around my neck I remembered how, last time I had seen her, we had talked about her and Corbyn — how hard the long distance was for them; how much they were struggling to stay the same when everything around them kept changing.

That was weeks ago. And I nearly scoffed, remembering when my best friends moving out of town still seemed like the biggest problem.

Corbyn started apologising, guilt masking his features into a frown as he kept saying how sorry he was for not checking on us more, for not being in touch enough, for not realising something was wrong and he didn't stop apologising until I pulled him in a hug and told him that it wasn't his fault — that it couldn't be his fault, when I decided that I didn't want them to know.

Before I could doubt wether I should say something to Jonah, he had already approached me with open arms and pulled me against his chest.

"I'm sorry," he said, embracing my frame. "I should've been here sooner. I should've been here. And I would've been, if I-"

"That's on me, Jo," I muttered against his collarbone, wisps of relief tugging at my lungs. "I'm just glad you're here now."

I felt his jaw clench on my shoulder, his voice softening. "Sorry I freaked out on you like that."

"I'm sorry I lied to you," I said, hugging him a little tighter.

I wanted to enjoy it; the fact that they were here. That they were finally here, after so long, I wanted to stay like this and smile and tell them how much I had missed them and catch up until my lungs gave out but I, myself, was also too worried.

I met my mother's eyes over Jonah's shoulder, saw the lines conveying her face in distress. "I'm so sorry, Ri, I know you said not to let anyone in, but Isla-"

I interrupted her softly. "What did Jack say to you, Mom?"

She pressed a hand to her forehead, pursing her lips. "He said he warned you Zach was going to break out and you wouldn't listen to him. That the way we handle full moons isn't the same for shifters and you wouldn't be able to help him get through it. He said Camila would."

She looked helpless. "I didn't know who to believe, Riley, he said they were here to help."

Her eyes were wide as she stared at me, fed up with feelings as she added: "And what if they are, what if they took him to some place that's safer for him right now-"

I pursed my lips, felt my head swirling because the truth sat right at the front of my memory, smashing through every possibility that Zach could be safe like a sledgehammer. Some part of me wished I could still be that naive.