Page 85 of Hidden Fates

The past half a year has worn on me more than I’ve admitted. Our two month long break still feels too short. My body is exhausted from being pushed so hard for so long.

Part of me knows this is likely another side effect of the bond sickness Caleb and I are suffering through. Admitting that our separation has had such a profound impact on my life and my health feels defeating. Because it could have been different. I could have fought when he left. Or tracked him down during the years between then and now instead of stalking him online.

Onyx’s hand threads with mine, pulling it to his lips and pressing a kiss to the back of my palm. “We’re taking you to a specialist. You and Caleb both.”

Leaning my head against the cold window, I mutter my agreement. An expert might help us navigate this quicker. I just want to feel normal for once. To not be out of control of my emotions, or so exhausted that I can barely leave my nest.

“We’ll figure it out. Take everything one day at a time while we do.”

Laughter fills the house when we get home, bringing a smile to my lips and quickening my steps. Caleb, Bellamy, and Emmett are in the family room playing video games.

Flying across the room, I toss myself into Caleb’s arms, catching him off guard and nearly knocking us both off the beanbag he was sitting in.

“Welcome home, bunny,” he murmurs, adjusting us into a more stable position.

Resting my head on his shoulder, I blow my Beta mates kisses.

“What are we playing?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Skye left early Saturday morning for New York City, where she will spend the day practicing and getting ready for her show tonight.

I’m more nervous than I’d like to admit as we drive down to join her. This will be the first time I’ve watched her perform since Hollow Anchors disbanded.

“Are you alright?” Sterling asks, glancing at me from the passenger’s seat of Bellamy’s Jeep. Unclenching my hands, I tuck them under my thighs and jerk my head, focusing on the scenery out the window instead of my nerves.

Reigning them in is difficult, but I don’t want them to bleed over to Skye and cause her to make a mistake on stage.

“Have you seen her shows?” Bellamy asks, turning down his music so we don’t have to shout. “Skye tried to hide it, but we all knew she was keeping tabs on you. I’m pretty sure there’s an entire album of screenshots and videos on her phone from your tour last summer.”

The guilt eats me. She was that invested in me after I left her and never looked back?

Biting my cheek, I force myself to admit I haven’t followed her career at all. “This will be the first of her shows as Skye Pierce I’ve ever seen.”

“Seriously? Not a single clip?”

Shrugging, I pull at a string on one of the rips in my jeans. “I knew if I saw her, even a video clip, I would lose the will to stay away.”

My eyes fly to them when they both snort. Rolling my eyes, I continue, “I’m an idiot. We’re all aware. I didn’t recognize the instincts for what they were; I was too focused on burying them.”

“You’re not an idiot.” Sterling shakes his head. “A coward maybe, but hey, at least you know the truth now.”

I return to staring out the window. We still have a lot to work through, but Skye is finally mine. I’m never going to let my fear get between us again.

The venue she’s playing is smaller than the stadiums she sold out on her tour last winter. Tonight’s show is a promotional event for a tech company she partnered with last spring. They recently launched a new app called Packed Destiny that they are marketing as a safer way for unbonded Omegas to communicate with potential packs before meeting them.

It sounds cool, honestly. There are too many shady people in the world, and not everyone has parents to chaperone them on get-to-know-you dates. Their app might help take some of the stress off the already overworked Omega protection system.

Fans line the sidewalk, wrapping around the corner of the block as they wait for the doors to open. Seeing how many people are waiting for my girl gives me chills.

She’s reached a level of fame we never imagined back when we were Hollow Anchors.

The tiniest speck of guilt falls from my shoulders. If I had stayed back then, she might not have made it this far. I would have held her back the same way I have every band I’ve been in since.

Using the passes Quentin got us, we head backstage to find our girl. There’s only an hour until showtime, so she should be done practicing by now.

“It’s so hot,” Skye whines. She’s standing in front of a large fan in the green room, pinching her oversized t-shirt to hold it away from her chest. Green eyes peek over her shoulder and a bright smile graces her lips. “You made it.”