Filed To Story: Secret with Betas Daughter: Skylar Story Series
I pull my hand from Kota’s and wriggle out of Cam’s lap to stand. They just watch me like a cornered animal that might lunge at them. Not a completely wrong thought though. “She might choose him over me, just like Ava, just like Lucas, just like you guys.”
I start pacing around the fire, trying to keep myself under control. “What do you mean like us?” Cameron stands when he asks, but doesn’t come close. The other two follow suit.
“I’ve had to let you guys go more than once because it was what was best for the pack. And now all of you are old enough to find mates and so far they happen to be my friends. And I am so, so glad that everyone’s finding people that are amazing, but I’m afraid that now everyone is pairing off, it’s going to be like my dad after losing my mom or Luna Ava the night you all called me a traitor.”
I really need to let that go, I’ve thrown it in their faces so many times with no real response. “They both chose their mates over me when I didn’t do anything wrong and I’m the one who ended up hurt in the end. You guys are all going to end up choosing your mates, because that is what’s supposed to happen. You two will have your Luna, who will want nothing to do with our friendship. Oliver will have his mate and he will stop being my shadow. As much as I complain, it makes me not feel alone and I will lose that. Elena will choose him and he won’t let her be around me, let alone train me because he hates me and the thought just makes me feel hollow. And that sounds so selfish when I say it out loud. But being everyone’s go-to, reliable person, but no one’s top priority, it still hurts so much.”
I grasp at my chest, tears are still falling slowly, like I’m running out of them.
I can’t look at any of them after that tantrum. I feel like a brat, but I can’t hide the feeling or stuff it in the back of my head. I think the situation in the office with Lucas and Ava and then replaying it with Nathaniel brought it all bubbling to the surface again and now I am overflowing with that insecure voice that sounds so much like a mixture of my dad and Kaley telling me I’m not important enough to be a priority to anyone, I am just a tool to be used and then forgotten. It’s why I wanted to leave in the first place. I wanted the warrior bond to not feel those emotions for just a little while and then to find a mate who would choose me no matter what and sail off into the distance.
“Hey, Bitty. I think we need to set some things straight.”
Oliver has his hands up in a surrender gesture.
“You do not need to explain anything. Of everyone, you see me the most. It’s just a lot and overwhelming. I’ll get over it and go back to work, I just need a minute.”
I wave him off and turn my back to them. “We have to handle this pentagram soon and it sounds like a process that will take time.”
“Skylar, stop. Just stop, please.”
Cam says my name like it might scare me off. “Elena won’t stop training you because of your dad.”
“You can’t know that.”
I whisper.
“Based on the look on her face, I think she was ready to blast him into next week. Kota slides closer.
“You aren’t being selfish, Bitty. But this is probably the first time you are telling any of us how you really feel.”
“We don’t have time for my feelings, they seem to be running in squirrel mode anyway and don’t make sense half the time. We need to handle this or we’re all gonna die and it won’t matter anyway.”
“Skylar, stop deflecting. We need to talk about that night and get it out once and for all. You are holding that over us, but you have never heard our side.”
“Fine, what is your side of the story?” I stop pacing and stand there staring at the three of them. And it hits me, I am so f*cked right now. The three of them standing side by side, Oliver in the center only an inch or so shorter than the twins. The three of them are built so similar, tall and thick, muscles rippling under every piece of exposed skin. Cameron with his full lower lip and piercing green eyes that challenge me without words. Oliver and his kissable full lips and chocolate brown eyes that look into my soul. Dakota’s mouth matches his brother’s but it’s always turned up on one side like he’s hiding a secret, ocean blue eyes that are playful. They all have inky black hair in varying levels of disarray. With the low fire in front of them highlighting all their dips and curves, it’s a picture right out of any red-blooded girl’s fantasies. I love all three of them. It’s not a lust thing, I don’t think. I don’t feel any of the body stuff Sierra mentioned when we would talk, but I know it anyway. I am in love with all three of them.
What the hell do I do with that information?
“Bitty? You short circuited there. You okay?” I blink a few times and look right at Oliver for what seems like the first time, and just nod. I have no words right now and I think he knows what is on my mind or has a suspicion based on the cocky way his mouth turns up, like he’s fighting that full blinding smile.
I blink again and finally find my voice. “What is your side of the story?”
“Why don’t you put up your little bubble, we never know who’s listening anymore.”
Oliver points at the surrounding area. I just nod and like so many times with him before I say the simple incantation. Things like this feel natural and easy.
The twins look between the two of us. Dakota rolls his eyes and Cam takes a deep breath.
“You know that we have talked to Nathaniel and Wyatt. I wish we could have talked to you too, but that wasn’t possible until recently. We also talked to mom and dad about that night.”
Cam starts. We are all still standing, them on one side of the fire and I’m on the other. I can’t be near them right now.
“What’s on the videos that Nathaniel has is not what we remember, but if there was magic at play… What am I saying, since there was magic at play, our reactions wouldn’t make any sense to you.”
Kota finishes.
“Let’s just start at the beginning and we can figure out where things got messed up.”
Oliver suggests.
“I’m pretty sure I have the answer to that already.”
They all look at me. “Nathaniel, Wyatt, and Lil have been going over the video from that night, but we have also been looking into the situation on the second floor with the bundle and we found a similarity, and we have a theory. Nathaniel is working on that right now. Start at the part where you gave me the camera you found.”
They all look at me. “How do you do that?”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.