In the Alpha’s Arms

Stack Attack

Lita finished her drink in one swallow, Fuck it, she needed to rip off the band aid sunner or later, “I was in the car.”

“What car?”

*THEE cat….

James‘ car… that night… when he died.” It was like all the s heartbeat. All she could hear was blood rushing to her head.

sounds around her went out the window, giving way to that pulsing heat of her

Are hid his surprise well but the pity was harder to mask. He hugged her and didn’t say a thing. Then they just stood there, watching the city move below them as the weight of her words kind of floated in the air around them.

Thanks,” she whispered as the noise around them slowly filtered back into her, “I didn’t realize how much I needed to just say it.” He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She wasn’t crying. The grief hadn’t come back to swallow her whole. She just existed. A girl who’d watched her brother die and lived. The memories didn’t have to kill her. But what about the guilt?

“It was my fault,” she blurted.

continue. She hadn’t meant to ruin whatever fun they were having. She hadn’t meant to take her baggage wherever she went but there it was, the crux of her: her fucking guilt, her fucking misery. If no one had seen that bruise, her brother would still be alive, Lita just started talking, unsure of why or

in high school actually and he was older, probably older than he should have been. But I didn’t see any of the signs for what they were, didn’t listen to any of the red flags.” Lita rubbed at her arm, grabbing his drink and downing that one too, “Anyway when James came back in town to visit, be heard about the

an arm around her waist to

shit, determined to beat the guy’s ass. And followed, trying to convince him not to. We were speeding down the highway, arguing about the whole thing. He didn’t see the car come over the

finally spoke, turning her back to face

more but he didn’t really have to. The force of his words said it all. Lita understood him perfectly, shaking

pulled her face back up, I can tell what you’re thinking. Nothing’s ruined. It’s okay to be a little fucked up.

you know, all this,”

it. Let’s have more fun,” Ace set their drinks down and they retreated back into the main room, heading for

He made a motion to the tableman and the dice ended up in his hand, “Lita, blow on these for good

tableman yelled as

dimples on full display, “My

waved and sent her thumbs up. She absent–mindedly thumbed her phone, wondering when Cole was going to arrive. Her and Ace had been at the party for at least two hours and still nothing. And the drunker she got, the harder it was to find the line between an act and reality

wasn’t Cole. She stared at the message icon from Brian as if she were standing on