Broken Bonds

It was dark outside by the time Rey got back to the village. Talon’s confession planted even more confusing thoughts inside her already messed up brain, but it was what it was. Not like she could turn it on and off to forget everything, anyway.

She walked across the deserted village, the only signs of life were the lights behind windows. Rey could imagine the families gathering around tables to eat dinner together, and the thought of her own family warmed her heart. Only a few more houses left, and she would be able to see them again.

Four, three, two ... just around the corner and then ... Rey almost got a heart attack.

Their temporary house still stood where she left in in the morning, but with a small addition of two people hidden in the dim light in front of it.

Rey couldn’t identify them all the way from where she stood, but the smaller one was pinned against the wall and the taller towered over him.

Her pulse quickened. Did she just become the witness of a fight?

She lightened her feet and took a couple of careful steps closer, the narrowed distance allowing her to get a clearer picture.

A huge grin overtook her face.

They weren’t fighting. They were kissing.

And damn, were they into it.

Not wanting to disturb the late-night session, Rey needed to come up with a plan to disappear. She could sneak back the way she came. The couple was so busy, they didn’t even notice her come. Chances were they wouldn’t hear her leave too.

But what then? Where would she go?

Not even the building romance in front of her was enough for Rey to consider the sleepover inside the woods, and there weren’t many other possibilities left.

The door to Rey’s own house wasn’t very far away from her, and it was probably her best shot at the moment. But Rey should have know it wouldn’t be as easy as she wanted. Especially when her clumsy ass was in the game.

She began her backwards walk, so she would still have a clear view of the couple. There would be no point in trying if they were to notice her. The walking portion of her guest was done successfully, but just as her hand was reaching for the door handle, Rey took another step backwards and her leg collided with something a hell of a lot noisy.

Of course it did. What else was she even expecting?

The noise made the two lovers jump away from each other and two sets of eyes landed on her face.

“Rey?” Lia whimpered.

Her cheeks were flushed a red colour, hair dishevelled, and she was short of breath, but her eyes, they were glowing.

And her mate was no better.

Had she not been caught, Rey would get to be happier than ever before. She wasn’t entirely kept in the dark. Some people already implied to her that while she was asleep the iceberg’s melted, and Lia and her mate grew closer.

Lia, however, didn’t share any details with Rey yet. And Rey was too afraid to believe that the rumours were true.

But now she knew they were, and she was so very happy for her friend. Worries would probably come later, but there was no place for dark clouds in her mind yet. Except, she needed to get the hell out of the awkward situation.

“Hey,” she grinned awkwardly, “fancy meeting you here.”

Just as Lia was about to say something else, the door opened and Brynn’s head peaked out: “Did you two finally manage to break a hole through the wall, you were leaning on or what on earth was that noise?” She stopped her inquiring as she fully took in that it was not Lia who stood in front of her.

“Not exactly,” Rey admitted, “but I fell through something.”

“Oh,” Brynn stared her down, a soft smile playing on her lips, “you are finally home.”

Rey nodded.

Brynn stuck her hand out as well and waved for Rey to come inside: “You must be hungry. Come on in. You two continue, but I will hunt you down if some accident happens.”

Rey was so grateful for Brynn’s intervention, she didn’t even check what the thing that caused all the damage was. She would find out in the morning.

She walked inside the door with Brynn already safely inside, and only after she closed them, Rey sighed in relief.

“Was it so bad?” Brynn asked.

“Not really. I am mostly sad they had to stop because of me," Rey replied cheekily. Lia deserved to get all the love, she yearned for.

“Well, had it not been you, they would soon be interrupted by me,” Brynn confessed, “I am not ready to be a grandma yet and they were at it for quite some time.”

Oh, really?

“Of course, they tried to be sneaky, but the only one who didn’t notice was probably S.”

She moved her head toward his bed and Rey noticed for the first time the bundle hidden under the covers. He was snoring peacefully.

“I swear, the boy has werewolf hearing, but a star could fall from the sky and he wouldn’t as much as stir,” Brynn said.

“Maybe, it is more that he doesn’t want to admit to himself that he hears things.” Rey laughed as she thought about all the times S pretended to sleep to get out of all the task Lia was trying to assign to him.

“Maybe,” Brynn agreed, “but let the boy be and come sit down.”

There was a bowl of something still hot waiting for her on the table, judging by the steam that rose from it. Rey’s stomach growled as it finally wanted to be filled, and Rey wasn’t against the idea as well.

She sat down on her own bed and took the bowl in her cold hands as Brynn took a spot next to her and asked: “So tell me, darling, how was your day?”