I hear movement upstairs again. Thaddeus’ growl makes my eyes snap to the stairs. Ryland is breathing heavily, and I can feel the rage inside him.
Thaddeus appears behind me, making me jump. The intensity of his gaze makes me flinch away from him. His eyes are like storm clouds, his fangs protrude as he steps toward me. “We can’t help you if we don’t know what’s wrong,” he says, his voice emotionless and cold.
I suddenly wish Orion was back. Fear consumes me as the lights flicker, something I know as his anger before he erupts. No sooner than I think it, Orion walks in, and I instantly run to him; anything to get away from Thaddeus. Orion grips me tightly, worried for a second as he takes in the room. I notice he is saturated, his clothes dripping wet, making me step away from him as I feel the coldness seep into me, making me shiver.
“What’s going on?” he asks, looking at them.
Thaddeus calms slightly and pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Ask her; you can deal with her. I am going to bed to try to sleep,” he says.
I watch as he walks upstairs. Ryland follows, but he stops next to me. His eyes soften as he looks down at me and quickly pulls me to him. “I’m sorry,” he whispers, and I can feel Orion’s eyes on us.
Tingles spread all over my body, and I relax against him. I place my hand on his chest. He feels warm, and as much as I hate to admit it, he feels safe. They all do, yet touching leads to memories, and I reluctantly pull away. Ryland sighs and walks upstairs. I walk back to the couch and flick the TV on.
“You were gone a while,” I tell Orion, and he nods. He then drops a bag on the counter. He looks tired, even though I know he doesn’t sleep.
“I know you’re hiding something. Whatever it is, we won’t judge you for it, Evelyn. They only want to help, and you keep shoving us out,” he says, as he rummages through the bag. He walks over, placing a bottle of pills in my hand. “I need to shower, and you need sleep. These aren’t helping you.” Orion states, then turns his back on me and walks up the stairs, leaving me with my thoughts.
I look at the bottle, get up, and place it back on the counter. I can’t take any more, not without the risk of an overdose. My clothes are wet from Orion, so I decided to change. I walk up the stairs, rummaging through the closet until I find another shirt and slip it on.
Hearing the shower running, I notice light coming from under the bedroom door, casting shadows throughout the room. I open the door, step inside, and sit on the sink. Orion has his back to me, but I know he heard me come in, because he speaks.
“Go lay down, Evelyn. Please.”
I feel tears brim at his words. He sounds annoyed with me, making me feel annoyed at myself for being weak. Opening the door, I step out, intending to go back downstairs.
Thaddeus rolls over, his hypnotic green eyes glow as he watches me, making me freeze. He tosses the blanket back, and I think he will get up until I realize he wants me to hop in with him. I look toward the door and turn toward it, about to go downstairs, but then I stop and look back. He is still watching, waiting to see what I will do, and for some reason, I feel drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
“Please, just sleep. We won’t let anyone hurt you,” he whispers.
He says that, but how safe am I sleeping in a bed with two monsters? Yet, they feel safer than my mind does. Walking over, I climb in and feel him pull the blanket up. He rolls on his back and closes his eyes. His bare side touches my arm, sending sparks to my neck, making me relax slightly.
I sit there for a few minutes and hear the shower turn off, making me sit up on my elbow, looking at the door. Thaddeus shifts slightly, making my eyes look down, and I see he is watching me closely. I lay back down and put my head on his chest. He takes a breath in, and I feel him relax. Then, I feel his hand rubbing my back and finally, my eyes get heavier as I fall asleep.
O
rion
Walking out of the bathroom, I slip into the walk-in. Evelyn’s scent is strong in the room, and I quickly put on some clothes. When I walk out, I notice something move out of the corner of my eye on the bed. Walking over, I feel relief flood into me when I see Evelyn is asleep. Thaddeus’ green eyes stare up at me, and he shrugs, shocked himself.
He moves over, pulling her with him and makes room for me. I lay next to her, feeling relaxed. Her racing heartbeat and frantic emotions have had all of us on edge. Thaddeus the most because he hasn’t fed, and I can tell he wants to mark her. Evelyn has relaxed, and I know it’s because she allowed him to be close to her.
Thaddeus is usually a man of few words. He usually takes what he wants without question or permission. The last few days, he has been on edge, wanting to force her to tell us, but Ryland and I have held him back each time.
He doesn’t want to scare her, but it’s killing him not knowing. Once they fall asleep, I walk downstairs and head to the library. I sit for a few hours reading, trying to consume my mind with anything other than Evelyn and my mates.
Hours tick by, and the sun comes up. I stay quiet as I walk upstairs, not wanting to wake them. Evelyn moves, and Thaddeus’ grip on her tightens. She snuggles into him, and I drape my arm over her and Thaddeus. Nothing feels righter than having them all in the same bed, yet I also know it won’t last.