After five years of bliss with my mate, tragedy struck. The pain of the loss caused my mate to become a person I no longer recognized. Two years of suffering followed before I finally made the decision to leave. I began a new life in a new pack, and...
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My shoes thumped against the stairs as I trotted down to the kitchen a few days after the horrible training session. I had been avoiding helping Ella train the pack ever since. Instead, I spent that time training with Walker. Working with him was more strenuous, but still not on par with what I was used to. It was enough to expel some of the nervous energy buzzing just under my skin, and that was all I needed.
As soon as I swung the door to the kitchen open, I wanted to escape, but it was too late. I'd already been spotted by someone I couldn't run from.
"Evie!" Benji hollered from the chair next to his father.
"Benji!" I answered with just as much enthusiasm, making the boy giggle before he stuffed an oversized bite of waffle in his mouth. I cringed at the sticky syrup dripping carelessly from the fork halfway to his mouth.
"How are you doing this morning, Everleigh?" Alpha Lincoln questioned. He and Zeke sat across from the Beta boys at the table.
"Good. You?" I poured a cup of coffee and leaned against the island, refusing to take one of the empty seats at the table.
"Great. We're all taking a break and going swimming today. Wanna come?"
I sipped at my drink to buy myself time to think. Did I want to go swimming? Yes. Was it a good idea? I eyed Calder's back while he ate his breakfast, not missing the intrigued expression Linc shot my way.
No. No, it most certainly was not a good idea.
Still, I wasn't willing to give up the handful of friends I'd made just to avoid my crush. Even Calder had become a friend. It would be fine. It would have to be. I'd have to find a way to navigate it, eventually. Might as well get it over with.
"You should definitely come. It's so much fun," Benji cut in, his syrup-covered lips turning up into a grin.
"Napkin," his father mumbled. The boy obliged before looking back at me expectantly.
"Where are you going?" I hadn't seen a pool since I'd arrived.
"A little swimming hole we've got in the territory. We have a few choices of where we could go, but the boys have a favorite spot," Linc responded.
