#Chapter 102 – To stay or to go?

I walk slowly up to the house, surveying the scene, not wanting to run into members of his family. I meet a few Betas in the woods between houses, but they merely nod and smile as I pass. I return the gesture, glad to know that they’re there.

The house itself is quiet, though. Lights are on in various spaces, but there’s no sign of life in the kitchen or anywhere on the first floor.

Frowning, I come around the pool and stand by the edge of the back porch, trying to see if Victor is sitting somewhere close, maybe reading –

“Looking for someone?”

I jump at the voice, panic flooding me. But when I look in that direction, I just see Victor, sitting in an Adirondack chair in a dark corner of his porch.

“No, I just came up here looking for someone to scare the hell out of me. So, thanks for that little jolt to my nervous system, so kind of you.”

He gives me a low chuckle. I climb up the three short steps to the porch and walk over to him. He’s got a warm blanket spread over his knees, a glass of whiskey resting on the floor next to his chair.

“What are you doing out here?” I ask, wrapping my arms around my body for warmth. “It’s getting cold.”

He shrugs. “It will be too cold to come get fresh air at all soon, so I thought I’d take advantage of what could be my last night. Plus, I wanted to get away from them.” He uses his head to indicate his family inside of the house.

“Are they so bad?” I ask.

He rolls his eyes at me, just a little. “It feels like I’ve gone back to high school. I’m the Alpha of this pack, but somehow I find myself taking the trash out for mom, listening to my dad lecture me on the fact that my tie is too loose.”

He heaves a sigh and shakes his head. I purse my lips, hearing again the frustration that he expressed over the phone.

“They’ll be gone soon,” I say softly, trying to be encouraging. “You’ll find a new normal.”

leans down to pick up his glass of whiskey. “But when they’re gone, what will it look like?” He says, thinking aloud. “They’ll be gone, and so will you, off to your new house, wherever that is. Suddenly

his mother or worse, but am surprised to see

a smile. “Burton!” I say,

blanket draped over his arm. “It is a pleasure to see

the blanket, thanking him. He gives a short bow, and then

I say, laughing

him. He seems to have a rare talent for intuiting people’s needs.

shoulders. “Good,

the corners of his mouth just slightly. “I guess I was wrong before, I

pad,” I say, raising my eyebrows and lowering myself into the chair

laugh and then

darkness of the porch. The lines of his face are cut as finely as glass, but I can see the

my heart to see him strained so. I want to reach out my hands and smooth away the frown I see pulling at the corners of his mouth. I want to whisper

glass tighter to further avoid the impulse to reach out and touch him.

Victor, I’ve been thinking a lot about the

looks at me. He doesn’t say a word,

I say, “Not after my father took them away so easily. But there are so few schools we can send them to,

will be several months, at least, until

homeschooling for the spring? And then summer off, and then Prath

I’m sure Annabeth could recommend someone suitable. But your next house – will it be spacious enough to have both a home office for

laugh lightly. “Wait,

still think of them all as living in the barracks. A locker full of weapons and bullet-proof vests, I guess,”

say, laughing again, “I wonder if it would be too crowded. But your house,” I

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