Unfated Mates: Part 2 – Chapter 13

“It would give them all something else to talk about,” Caleb whispered.

“Yeah—something worse!” Nat said, smacking his hands away in a panic while they stood outside the school. “I have to get to detention, and you have to get to practice! And don’t give me that look.”

His eyes were huge and sad, but she only glared at him and the smirk came right back to his face, turning into a pained look when his eyes roamed her body.

“Nat, we’re eighteen now…what does it matter?”

“Legally we’re full siblings since my mom got you all set up. I don’t even know how much trouble she could get into for that now. Or what it might mean for college applications. We agreed to wait until after high school before trying to unravel it all!”

“Well I changed my mind,” he said, a whine creeping into his voice. “I want to unravel everything now…”

She smacked his hands harder as they pulled at the ribbon lacing up her shirt.

“I’m going now!” she choked out, ignoring his laughing groan. Her cheeks flamed as she hurried back inside the building, sure someone must have seen them this time. Maybe they really should come clean. This was getting impossible.

After all, how much worse could the gossip at school get? She couldn’t go anywhere anymore without sudden silence greeting her the moment she walked into the room. Preston and Ethan had some of that from what she’d observed, but it seemed the girl always got the worst of public censure.

“I said promptly, Ms. Wilson,” Mr. Jones seethed when she scurried into the classroom.

“Sorry,” she huffed, a bit out of breath as she sat down.

Ethan and Preston were already in the room, but she assumed Mr. Jones had required them to sit far apart because they were each in opposite corners. Nat’s usual desk was in the middle, and since he didn’t have her move, her spot must be fine.

“I want an essay from each of you on the chapter I went over in class today. I hope you were paying attention because this is closed book and it will be graded.”

Preston’s muttered curses captured her own thoughts, but she suppressed her groan and pulled out her notebook, trying desperately to remember what chapter they were on.

The scratch of pens and pencils were the only sounds in the room for the next half an hour, when Mr. Jones stood, staring at his phone with his seemingly perpetual pissed off expression.

“You all better stay in your seats this time,” he muttered, lifting the phone to his ear as he left the room. The door clicked behind him, shutting out the sharp tones of his voice launching into an argument.

“Oh my god,” Preston exhaled loudly, leaning back with a groan. “Do either of you know what the fuck he talked about today?”

Nat looked at Ethan, relieved when he raised a brow and began giving them a summary. She and Preston scribbled madly, racing to finish before the teacher returned and breathing mutual sighs of relief when they did.

“Dude, I love you,” Preston said with another loud exhale, flopping back and stretching out his legs while he closed his eyes. “God that guy sucks.”

A small smile touched Ethan’s mouth, but his eyes were serious as they drifted down Preston’s body. He looked back at his desk without expression when Preston opened his eyes again and turned his head towards him.

“Aren’t you missing practice?”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t need to practice.”

Preston snorted.

“That’s true, isn’t it? Are you like, actually superhuman?”

Ethan lifted his eyes to him once more, an almost innocent agreement in their depths. Preston snickered.

“Fuck. What I wouldn’t give for that… Dude, can you bite me and make me like you?” he said, perking up suddenly and sitting up in his seat.

Ethan frowned.

“I don’t have a disease. It’s who I am.”

Preston grimaced and leaned back once more.

“Meh. It was too good to be true anyhow,” he muttered, looking away and scratching at his bruise.

Ethan’s eyes filled with dismay.

“But…you have a wolf now. To protect you. If you want it.” He looked a bit pale as he finished, but Preston just looked surprised.

“What—you mean like…having a dog?”

Nat barely refrained from visibly cringing, remembering how strongly Caleb had reacted to any such thought. She peeked at Ethan, watching the expressions struggling on his face.

“Yes,” he whispered at last, his eyes pained. “Like a dog.”

Preston grimaced.

“Sorry—that was bad to say, wasn’t it? I’m not good with words.”

Ethan shook his head, the pained look going away to be replaced with a serious one.

“No. It wasn’t bad. I don’t mind.”

A hint of vulnerability touched Preston’s eyes, but he quickly looked down at the paper on his desk, his brows pulling together.

Ethan looked as if he wanted to say something more, but his gaze flew toward the door and the blood drained from his face.

“Neither of you say anything about anything you aren’t supposed to know,” he whispered harshly, and Preston’s head jerked toward him again in surprise. “Not even a whisper!”

Ethan’s eyes were locked on the door, and Nat and Preston looked at each other before turning to stare at it as well. Was the teacher listening? No—she could hear the faint sounds of his voice from down the hall. She looked back at Preston, and he shrugged with a rather comical I have no idea what the hell is going on expression on his face. She almost laughed, but Ethan looked so traumatized she couldn’t quite feel it.

So she just sat still, staring at the door with a growing sense of unease and feeling silly as the minutes passed without anything happening. She turned to look at Ethan again, but his expression was unchanged.

Turning back with a sigh, she toyed with her pencil, holding it at one end and shaking it lightly, trying to make it look like rubber. Her eyes were on the pencil when she vaguely realized the view behind it had changed, and her focus shifted…to see a pair of piercing, frosty blue eyes, staring out from the face of the most shockingly, exquisitely beautiful girl she had ever seen.

The ebony haired beauty with flawless, porcelain skin stared at Ethan through the windowed door, a seductive smirk on her full, glossy red lips. Thick, dark lashes blinked lazily as she ran the tip of her pink tongue under her upper lip, grinning with white perfect teeth when he didn’t react.

Mr. Jones’s irate voice could be heard approaching, and the girl’s lush wavy locks swayed as she turned and arched a delicate brow, silencing him into helpless stutters. Her dulcet tones flowed through the closed door as she spoke.

“Holy shit, dude! Is that your girlfriend?” Preston choked out, staring at the door in wide eyed amazement. “You fucking rock!”

Ethan somehow managed to grow even more pale.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he whispered, still staring at the door, and the sickness that had been growing in Nat’s gut dropped the bottom out of her entire world with his final words. “She’s my sister.”

“Y-yes, of course.”

Mr. Jones’s muffled tones came through the door a moment before it opened, and any hope Nat had held inside deserted her completely as six feet of elegant, erotic femininity sauntered into the room, her long, shapely legs in their high heeled boots and tight fitting jeans gliding across the floor. A form fitting shirt revealed a gentle swell of small but beautifully shaped breasts, her hem at her midriff exposing a smooth, tight expanse of skin above her low cut jeans.

She had eyes for no one but Ethan, and her lips parted as she walked towards him. Her step faltered only once, her head turning slightly as she passed Nat’s desk, but she ignored her and continued, straddling the seat in front of Ethan and leaning forward to cross her arms on his desk.

“Daddy told me you got in trouble, baby bro.” Her lips puckered in a sympathetic pout when Ethan stared at her without expression. “He wanted me to check on you. Make sure you didn’t. Need. My. Help.” She punctuated each of her final words with a soft tap of her fingertip on his nose before trailing her finger down over his lips softly, grinning again when he didn’t react.

“I’d love your help. Can you get me out of detention?”

Vick paused before releasing a small sound of amusement, her eyelids heavy.

“Now what kind of sister would I be if I shielded you from the consequences of your poor choices?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you try it, and we’ll see.”

She made the same sound of amusement, but her eyes narrowed further. Then she grinned and stood for a moment before sliding onto his lap and putting her arms around his neck.

“Poor little runt.” She ruffled his hair softly and rubbed her nose against his. “Life isn’t easy for little guys, is it? And all you can use…” she breathed against him, “is your tongue. It would be a shame if someone ever cut it out.”

“Uh, detention dismissed!” Mr. Jones said hastily, sounding flustered, and Vick glanced back at him with her lips parted in a knowing grin. But it froze on her face when her gaze drifted back and she caught sight of Nat staring at her.

Sliding off Ethan’s lap in a fluid motion, she moved with catlike grace through the rows of seats until she stood in front of her, looking down with narrowed eyes.

Nat could barely hear anything in the room. Her face felt hot and cold at the same time, the sickness in her gut spreading throughout her body as she stared up at the cold blue eyes.

“And why,” Vick said quietly, leaning down and into Nat’s neck, “do you smell so weird to me…”

Nat swallowed while Vick touched the short, flowing sleeve of her thrift store dress, pinching it between her fingertips and wrinkling her nose in distaste. The exotic fingers feathered lightly across her neckline, her eyes narrowing further as she let the ribbon slip through her hands.

“Are you staying at the house?”

Vick frowned in annoyance when Ethan stepped beside her, frustrated confusion still in her eyes.

“Why would I stay in this horrid little town? I’ve done my sisterly duty and reminded you that I’m watching…out for you,” she said, the smirk beginning to return to her lips as she turned to him.

“Then you won’t mind if a friend of mine stays over.”

“Ooh—the runt has a friend already,” she said, turning to him completely and wrapping her arms around his neck. She stood about three inches taller than Ethan in her heels. “Is it a girl?” she asked with feigned excitement.

Ethan looked to the side, and Vick followed his gaze when he inclined his head. Her eyes swept Preston slowly from head to toe as he sat, still stretched out in the corner of the room, and his face was flaming by the time she finished.

“Oh little Ethan,” she murmured turning back to her brother with heavy eyes. “To think all Daddy’s dreams for a pack depend on you…”

Her smile slipped away, and a dead look entered her eyes.

“Don’t torture yourself too much, baby brother,” she whispered. “Or I’ll start to think you like it.”

“We both know that’s not possible,” he said evenly.

Her smile didn’t touch her eyes, but she let her arms fall from his neck and stepped back, turning to glance down at Nat once more.

Mr. Jones cleared his throat for not the first time, but it finally drew Vick’s attention. He paled at her glance but gestured toward the door.

“If you all wouldn’t mind, I need to lock up,” he said apologetically. Vick raised her brow as if contemplating, but finally sighed and reached down to grab Nat’s arm.

“Let’s chat,” she smiled, pulling her up and towards the door, ignoring when Nat tried to grab her things.

Nat shot a worried glance behind her to see Ethan gathering her papers, his own eyes cautious, and she tried to keep up with Vick’s long strides. The dark haired girl didn’t stop after she exited the classroom but pulled her down the hall toward the exit to the parking lot. The parking lot beside the football field.

Panic hit her. She wasn’t ready for this. She wasn’t ready to see them meet. To watch his eyes fall on the most perfect, beautiful match the universe could have possibly designed for him.

Tears sprang to her eyes. She wasn’t ready. She wouldn’t see this. Not yet.

When Vick refused to slow or release her arm, despite her attempts to stop walking, Nat abandoned any pretense of civility.

“Let me go!” she said sharply, trying to pry her fingers from her arm, her fear of the girl completely subsumed by the fear of what would happen when Caleb saw her.

A derisive sound was her only answer, and Nat stared at the rapidly approaching door before collapsing on the ground, the hard tile stinging her knees but making Vick pause at last.

The long, elegant legs in front of her were still for a moment before bending to crouch beside her, dry amusement in her eyes.

“Now that was very ungraceful. I only wanted to have a word with you out where I can breathe,” she murmured, her eyes sweeping over Nat and dismissing her in a single take.

“You might have tried asking.”

Vick’s brow raised again with an incredulous little laugh.

“Does the lion ask the mouse for permission? Or the wolf the little lamb,” she said with soft menace.

Nat narrowed her own eyes at her.

“If I recall, a mouse saved a lion once who was ensnared. I might be weaker than you, but I’m not entirely helpless.”

“Well aren’t you the cutest little thing,” Vick breathed, her eyes bright. “I think I could just eat you up.”

Nat’s heart was racing, and she knew Vick could hear it. But she wouldn’t back down. She could only kill her once, and she almost thought that would be better than whatever would be waiting for her if she walked out the door.

Nat heard Preston and Ethan’s steps approaching, and a slow smile spread across Vick’s face.

“The cavalry has arrived. I—” Her smile fled, and she stared with wide eyes at Nat, her chest expanding and contracting in rapid bursts. Her brow pulled together repeatedly, and a whimper sounded in her throat as her lips parted.

Nat felt a crushing weight on her chest as Vick’s head turned slowly toward the door, and her own eyes followed, tears threatening to choke her. She could hear the footsteps now. She knew them by heart, every firm stride on the gravel outside breaking off a little piece of her.

Until the door flew open, and the same gorgeous, beautiful, wonderful face she had seen every day for almost four years stared into the hall, his brow pulled together in furious confusion.

A small cry came from Vick’s throat, and she stood quickly as Caleb’s eyes widened in shock.

“Fenri!” Pained, frustrated longing filled her voice, and she began walking forward, her hands gripped in tight fists at her sides. One step. Another. And with every step closer, Caleb flattened himself against the door behind him, his face a mask of horror.

Bile threatened to overwhelm Nat, and she covered her mouth with her hand, fighting desperately to hold on. To not lose it here. Not here. In front of her. In front of them.

She didn’t want to see. To know. She couldn’t…

But her wolf was not her wolf anymore. And between his legs was the unmistakable, rock hard proof.

Nat ran past Preston and Ethan, holding onto the contents of her stomach just long enough to make it to the restroom. The stalls were empty and she dashed into the first one she reached, retching painfully into the bowl until she had nothing left. Chills washed over her, and she sank to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest and leaning her head on her arms. Her eyes flew up in both hope and panic when she heard a knock.

“Natty? You okay?”

Preston. She leaned over the bowl once more, her stomach heaving again. Caleb never would have let her run off before. Ever. He’d have chased her down and made sure she was okay.

“I’m fine,” she choked out once the convulsions passed, flushing and turning to walk to the sink on shaky legs. Leaning against the counter weakly, she stared into the mirror, her eyes huge and dark in her pale face.

The creak of the door sounded, and Preston’s face came into view, his eyes darting around as he stepped inside.

“First time I’ve been in the girls’ room. It’s nicer in here…”

Nat turned back to the sink, cupping the water to splash it on her face before turning off the faucet and reaching for a paper towel. And then she just stood there, staring down at the wet brown paper in her hands.

Preston hesitated before patting her on the back awkwardly.

“She must have really shook you up, huh. What did she say?”

Nat shook her head and raised a finger to her lips, tugging on her ear.

They can hear? he mouthed, his eyes widening further when she nodded. Wow.

“Hey,” he whispered. “Want to get out of here? I have a friend in town who’s probably totally high right about now, but he has good video games. Wanna go play?”

Nat looked up in desperate relief, nodding vigorously, and his eyes lit up as he grinned. He started toward the door, stopping when she balked.

“I can’t go out there again,” she whispered. “Can we…go out the window?”

Her eyes lifted to his hesitantly, but he looked relieved.

“And avoid the crazy psycho bitch in the hall?” he whispered as quietly as possible. “Hell yeah!”

They quickly investigated the large rectangular window, forcing it open when the old dried paint prevented it from moving more than a few inches. And then they were climbing out of the single story building, the drop below a bit farther than Nat had realized. Preston went first and steadied her as she jumped down beside him.

“Life is always crazy around you,” he whispered with a grin.

Only because of Caleb. She was pretty boring by herself.

They walked toward the road, away from the football field, and every moment she expected Caleb to show up. To come running after her. To tell her it wasn’t what she thought. That somehow, miraculously, it could all be okay.

But he didn’t show.

“Fuck, Natty. Are you actually sick?” Preston asked, hovering over her when she stopped to dry heave into the grass.

She shook her head once the convulsions had passed.

“I just need some water,” she said hoarsely.

“Well come on. It’s not too far from here—just a couple blocks away. Man, she must have really done a number on you…” He scratched his head as they continued walking. “Maybe I should have tried stopping her when she grabbed you. It was just all so weird. I didn’t really know what to do.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t either.”

“They can’t hear this far away, right?” He lowered his voice to a whisper but breathed a sigh of relief when she shook her head. “Holy fuck. I’ve been fucking spinning since yesterday. Wolves! I mean…werewolves, right? How is that even possible?”

“More things, Horatio…” she said, giving him a look when he stared at her blankly. “You didn’t do our final project in English last year, did you. It’s from Hamlet.”

“Aw, jeez, you’re quoting Hamlet now? I thought we were friends!”

That pulled a small smile from her, but it quickly vanished.

“What’d she say to you, though? Would they…do you think they’d actually, you know…kill us?” He swallowed at her nod. “Shit. Why you, though? You think she hates girls?”

Because she must have smelled her mate all over me. But she couldn’t tell him that.

“I don’t know.”

She didn’t know anything anymore. A vast sea of emptiness filled her. Emptied her. Until there was nothing left.

“Ethan said you’d be fine with her.” His tone was doubtful. “That we should let you both talk.”

A sharp pang in her gut took away her breath and surprised her with its sting. Did Ethan not really like her? Maybe he only liked Preston. She’d been so excited when a new kid showed up. And he’d been nice to her…but he must have just wanted to be close to Preston.

“Why do you even like me, Preston?” she whispered, the sidewalk blurring beneath her feet as they walked. “No one else does.”

“What are you talking about? You’re awesome! It’s just, nobody knows you.”

They knew enough.

“Am I too weird?”

“No! You’re just…you know…different!”

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking flustered.

“Well…thank you. For being a friend, I mean.”

“Uh, yeah, sure. Oh, hey, there’s my friends place!” he said, a touch of panic in his voice.

Nat rubbed her brow. Hard. Maybe she was wrong. Was he her friend? Or had he just been hanging out with her because of what his friends said—that he wanted to have sex with her? Or was it because he’d seen a black wolf with her when they were younger and was curious? Maybe she shouldn’t have come here with him, but the idea of going back home…of sitting in her room, waiting. She had never wished more for a mother who was awake. Present. Who might actually still care about her underneath all the pills.

But this was the life she had. The one she was born into and had been trying so hard to figure out. To manage. But she had let herself become so dependent on Caleb. For his smiles. For his attention. For his help in every single area of her life. For his love…

He was a wolf. His life would be beautiful no matter who he was with. Grand and exciting. That was simply who he was. Did she really want to hold him back? To keep dragging him down into the mud with her? Maybe it was better this way.

“Fuck, Natty, I’m sorry! You know I suck with words!”

She hadn’t realized tears were streaming down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away.

“It’s not you. Sorry.”

He looked uncertain, but they had arrived at the house. He knocked on the door, cracking it open when no one responded.

“Dude? You home?”

A slow voice answered from inside above what sounded like an old action movie, and Preston pushed the door open fully, stepping in and waiting for Nat to follow him through before closing it behind her. It smelled terrible, and she lifted her hand to her nose, trying to block the skunk like odor.

“Hey, man, we’re just going to play games in your room. Cool?” he said to the form on the couch, pulling Nat behind him when the boy nodded with heavy eyes and a smile, inhaling from the joint in his hand. Preston stopped in the kitchen, pouring each of them a glass of water from the sink, before heading down the short hall.

Nat couldn’t stop herself from coughing by the time they made it back to his room, and Preston cracked the window.

“It’ll air out in a minute. But look!” He turned on the flat screen tv at the end of the bed and grabbed a couple controllers, tossing one to her that she caught just in time before turning to put in a disc. “You ever play this before?”

Nat shook her head and sat beside him on the bed, leaning back against the wall since it had no headboard. But at least it was more than just a mattress on the floor.

Preston explained the game while it loaded, and Nat tried following along once it began. But the sick feeling in her gut was spreading throughout her body with each passing minute. Caleb could have found her. Easily. Her scent would leave a trail he could follow for hours.

She pressed a button and died again, and Preston made a sound of aggravation.

“Are you even trying? Okay, I’m going to go back and get you again, but this time try, okay?” he said irritably, turning to look at her. “Jesus. You look like shit.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, putting the controller down. “This was a bad idea. I should go home.”

He paled and dropped his controller to pull her back down beside him as she stood.

“Wait, Natty! Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t think she could mess you up so badly.” He tentatively wrapped his arms around her, putting her head on his shoulder and patting her back. “Here. Just…cry it out, or something.”

She wanted to laugh. He was so painfully uncomfortable. But instead she burst into quiet tears, deep sobs shaking her body.

“Geez…did she threaten you?” he asked hoarsely, holding her closer and leaning back on the bed. He flinched slightly when she put her arms around him, but began rubbing her back softly.

She wished she could tell him. Could tell someone. Just…talk about it with someone. But she had to keep Caleb’s secret for him. Her wolf—no. Not hers. But a wolf who had been her protector for so long and deserved her loyalty, no matter what happened now. She would never betray him.

The front door sounded from the other room, and her heart hammered against Preston as she lifted her head, looking toward the bedroom door.

“Shit. I hope his mom isn’t home. She usually works late and then goes out.”

Her breath was coming in short bursts when the bedroom door cracked open…and disappointment knocked the breath out of her as every bit of her hope pooled in a hard knot in her gut.

“Dude. Were you following us?”

Ethan’s eyes were hesitant, but he came in and closed the door behind him.

“Not the way you think.”

Preston frowned.

“Can you track us?”

Ethan nodded, but his eyes were on Nat. She turned her face back to Preston’s chest, closing her eyes as she lay beside him. He rubbed her back, and she tried to stop shaking.

“Nat,” Ethan began, sitting down on the side of the bed carefully.

“It’s Natalie. Don’t pretend we’re friends, Ethan.”

Preston’s hand paused for a moment, but she kept her eyes closed and he slowly went back to stroking her back.

“I am your friend.”

She turned to glare at him at that.

“You actually threw me to the wolves. And to one who…” Her eyes blurred, and she dropped her head again.

“I’m sorry. I just…I needed to see,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You don’t understand. My sister…she’s always been the dominant one. Always in control of everyone except maybe my father. But you threw her. I just…I made sure she wasn’t in a killing mood before I let you go with her,” he said beseechingly.

“Jesus, dude.” Preston’s voice was a bit hoarse. “A killing mood? How much of a psycho is she?”

The bed shifted before Ethan answered.

“She lives by her own rules. And her main rule is to get whatever she wants.”

“Fuck. And you let her just drag Natty off? Why’d you tell me it was okay?”

“Because it was! She wasn’t going to hurt her. It was something else. Besides,” he muttered. “There’s nothing you can do when she wants something.”

“Oh, that’s bullshit, man. You’re a wolf!”

“I can’t fight her! She has always won—always!”

Preston snorted in disgust.

“Dude. You can always fight. Just because you can’t win, doesn’t mean you can’t fight.”

Nat looked up as his voice trailed off into a mutter and he looked away, lifting his hand to his jaw and rubbing his bruises lightly.

“Preston…tell me the truth. Did you really get your dad to stop over the summer?”

He avoided her eyes for a moment, but when she kept looking up at him, he sighed at last and leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes.

“I’m really close. I think. But my old man is a tough fucking bastard with a lot of fighting experience.” His eyes opened again to narrow on Ethan. “But at least I don’t roll over for him. He gets a few bruises, too, every time he tries to fuck with me now.”

Nat frowned remembering his flinch and reached down for the hem of his t-shirt.

“Whoa, Nat—what are you doing?” He grabbed her hand as she started to pull it up, but Ethan’s gasp told her he was too slow. She sat up to look as Preston groaned, putting a hand on his head as they both lifted his shirt.

“It’s no big deal. My abs are strong. It’s not like anything is broken.”

Nat’s eyes filled with tears as she stared at the purple bruising all over his stomach. What must he have gone through as a child to be so accepting of it now?

“Why don’t you leave?” Ethan asked hoarsely.

“And go where? I’m eighteen, don’t have a high school diploma yet. If I drop out of school now, the best I’ll ever do is have a factory job. Besides. I want to beat him. I want to fight until I win. I’m not some abused kid. I’m just a guy who keeps…fucking losing,” he muttered, forcing his shirt back down and out of their hands. “But I still fight,” he added, staring at Ethan intently.

Ethan swallowed, his eyes pained as they stared at Preston.

“Why?

“Because I’m not a fucking pussy! Jesus. Because who wants to be a fucking slave? Just let someone else tell you what to do all the time? Beat you without it costing them anything? I’m gonna make it fucking cost him every single time!”

Ethan dropped his head, his eyes wet.

“What if it kills you,” he asked quietly, not looking up.

“Then I die! I’d rather die fighting than live the way he wants me to live. Some things are worth dying for.”

“But not your father, Preston,” she whispered. “It’s not worth dying to prove something to him.”

“Fuck him. I need to prove something to me.”

She looked at his angry face a bit helplessly. She didn’t think she’d ever admired him more—or wanted more strongly for him to get the hell out of that house.

“And anyhow,” he said, pulling Nat back to him and leaning back on the bed once more. “You don’t let a little girl go off with a psycho that’s too badass for even another wolf to handle!”

Nat flattened her lips, but he was trying to be supportive, so she didn’t say anything about the little girl part.

“I’m sorry…I just…wanted to see her lose for once.”

Nat stared at Preston’s chest, her eyes bleak.

“But she didn’t lose, Ethan. I did. I lost everything.”

“I don’t think so…” he whispered, and she felt the bed shift and Preston’s body stiffen beneath her. Turning her head to follow their gaze behind her, her own body went rigid.

Caleb stood in the doorway with desperate anguish flooding his eyes.