39

APRILS POV
I had been gone for two weeks, but it felt like an eternity. Two weeks of false hope and dead ends. Every address I visited, every person I spoke to, led nowhere. I had hoped for something more, a break, a glimpse into the lives of the people who gave me life, but each lead dissolved into nothing. My heart had grown heavy with the weight of unanswered questions, and Snow had been so restless. The journey was exhausting, physically and emotionally. I needed to return to something familiar, something that would keep me grounded.
The bar.
I hadn’t wanted to come back. The thought of facing the same empty existence felt suffocating. But reality had a way of pulling you back when you least expected it. And right now, I needed the routine. I needed to keep my mind busy. And I needed the money.
I dragged myself into town, walking the familiar path from the parking lot to the entrance. The little bell above the door rang as I stepped inside, and the scent of liquor and wood mixed with the crisp autumn air outside. The bar had a warmth to it, the kind of warmth that could make you forget about the world for just a moment.
My boss, Dave, was cleaning a glass behind the counter, humming to himself. He looked up as I entered, his face lighting up in a grin. “Well, look who is back,” he said, his voice laced with genuine relief. “Thought we’d lost ya for good. Thought you went off on a little adventure and got caught up in it. You got stories for me?”
I shook my head and leaned against the counter. “Not exactly. Just… needed to find something.”
“Well, it’s good to have you back,” Dave said, wiping his hands on the bar towel and walking toward me. “Things have been a little off without you around.”
I couldn’t help but feel a slight sting at his words. “I’m sorry for leaving,” I murmured, not really apologizing but acknowledging the time I’d taken off. I had no choice.
“You’ve gotta do what you gotta do,” he said with a shrug, his gruff voice softening. “But, honestly, the place missed you. A few less regulars to clean up after and a few more empty stools.”
I smiled a little, though it didn’t reach my eyes. “Guess I’ll try to make up for it.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Dave waved his hand. “Just get back to work, yeah? It’ll be good to have you here. I’ll keep the shifts light for you, give you some breathing room.”
I nodded, and he left me to think about my own thoughts. I stood there for a moment, letting the silence wash over me. The rogues had grown less in number during my absence, but they still lurked at the edges of my awareness. I could feel their presence, the threat of their unpredictability, but it was more manageable now. Thank goddess. The town felt safer, though I knew it wouldn’t last forever. They’d keep coming. They always did.
I made my way to the back room, throwing my bag into a corner and grabbing my apron. There was no use in standing still. I needed to distract myself and keep the thoughts at bay. The sooner I could get into the rhythm of work, the better.
The night began to unfold in its usual way. Customers shuffled in, their faces familiar, their requests predictable. The bar was quieter tonight, but I welcomed the stillness. My thoughts drifted to my parents. I wondered if I would ever find them. I tried not to dwell on it, but it was hard. It felt like there was a gaping hole inside me, and no amount of work or distractions could fill it.
I moved between the tables, serving drinks, cleaning glasses, and keeping my head down. The sound of laughter and conversation filled the air, and for a while, I let the noise drown out the quiet ache in my chest. Everything was normal. Everything felt like it was returning to the way it was.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
As the hours ticked by, the door swung open once more, and a familiar presence filled the room. My pulse spiked before I even saw him. Cassius.
I didn’t look up immediately, but I could feel his gaze on me, the weight of it pressing into my back like a heat wave. I was half-tempted to ignore him, to pretend that he wasn’t here, but the air had shifted. He was different tonight. I could sense it in the tension of his presence. And I could feel my wolf stirring inside me, Snow restless and on edge.
Snow had been restless for weeks. I knew a run would do her good, but we could not risk it, not right now.
He moved toward the bar, his steps heavy and deliberate, his posture stiff. As soon as I saw him, I knew. Something was wrong.
“Cassius,” I greeted, keeping my tone neutral.
He didn’t sit. He didn’t order a drink. Instead, he stood there, his eyes locked onto mine, unblinking. “You left without saying goodbye,” he said, his voice low, just above a whisper.
Well, I was not expecting that, but where did he get the nerve to question me when he pulled a disappearing act every other week?
I straightened, my hands gripping the bar tightly. I wasn’t sure if he was angry, upset, or just… confused. “I didn’t think you’d notice,” I replied, my voice colder than I intended.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking. “I noticed.” His jaw clenched. “I sent people to keep an eye on you. I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
I blinked, stunned, but said nothing. There was a part of me that wanted to ask who ‘people’ were, but I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t need to hear it. “I’m fine,” I said, my voice calm and firm, though my heart raced slightly. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
He didn’t answer right away, and there was a moment of silence between us. He took a step closer, closing the distance between us. “You don’t just leave, April,” he said, his voice hard. “You disappear without a word. What am I supposed to think?”
“So, it is okay when you do it, but a problem when I do it?” I asked frankly, and I saw him slightly wince, but he remained silent.
I clenched my jaw, trying to ignore the rush of emotions threatening to break through. “Plus, I don’t owe you an explanation,” I said, more sharply than I intended.
He seemed unfazed. “You don’t owe me anything,” he replied, his voice softening a little. “But I don’t like it when people walk out of my life without saying why.”
I bit back a sarcastic laugh. He didn’t seem to care when he was the one who left first. He went silent for months, and I spent every damn night wondering what the hell happened to him. Where did he go? Why did he stop coming to the bar? But I wasn’t about to show him that vulnerability. Not now. Not after everything.
I took a deep breath and crossed my arms, leaning back against the counter. “Maybe that’s your problem, Cassius. You think you can fix everything. Control everything.”
He stepped back, his eyes narrowing, his gaze sharp and calculating. “I don’t want to fix you,” he said, his voice almost too quiet. “I just want to understand you.”
I met his gaze, not breaking eye contact. “There’s nothing to understand,” I said, my voice cool and detached. “I’m just doing my job. That’s all you need to know.”
His eyes flickered with something, something I couldn’t place. It was almost like he was torn between anger and… something else. Regret? “You don’t just disappear and expect everything to be fine,” he said, more to himself than to me. “I’m trying to fix what I broke, but you are making it so damn hard.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but I didn’t have the energy to find out. I had enough of my own broken pieces to deal with.
“You left me, Cassius,” I said, quieter now but still cold. “You disappeared without a word. Maybe you’re the one who should explain.”
There was a long pause, and for a moment, I saw something flicker in his eyes, something that wasn’t anger but vulnerability. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by that hard Alpha mask he always wore.
He turned and walked away without another word.
Why was I surprised? Walking away was his thing, and it pissed me the fuck off.
The air felt colder without him, even though he had just left.
I stared after him, my heart beating faster than I wanted to admit. Was he truly sorry? Or was this all just some game to him? I didn’t have the answers, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
But as I stood there, feeling the weight of the silence settle in, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between us.
And for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure what would come next.