Page 52 of Pack’s Prize
Because I knew, deep in my heart, that it wasn’t justsomething like thatI wanted to be a part of.
It wasthis, specifically.
“Are you alright, darling?”
Elias’s broad hand touched my arm, softly, and I squeezed my eyes closed, wanting to memorize the way it felt, warm and tingling.
I nodded. “Too much Champagne, too early, I think.”
“No such thing,” Theo scoffed, but when I opened my eyes, he was peering at me intently. I tried to smile back.
“I’ll be fine if I just lie down for a minute. You all celebrate without me,” I said, and stood up, wanting to make my way to my–theguestroom.
CHAPTERFIFTY
Elias
It had beena while since I’d seen Michael so relaxed. His shoulders were loose, and he dangled his Champagne flute between two fingers carelessly.
He couldn’t take his eyes off Ava.
My heart leapt at the quiet smile the two of them had shared when Michael made his announcement. Even now, he was watching her while she wasn’t looking, his eyes shining.
Did he feel the same way I did?
He couldn’t.
But maybe Ava…
She’d been quiet since the two of them had returned from the lawyers. Although Michael’s successful inheritance didn’t mean much to her–as far as I could tell, it had never meant much even to Michael, I’d never heard him talk about what he wanted to do with the business, his plans for running the thing–it wasn’t just that she seemed muted. She seemedsad.
After she excused herself from the table, I lasted only a minute before I couldn’t keep my mouth shut any longer. I had to speak.
“What will we do about Ava?” I asked.
Michael stiffened. “What do you mean what will we do about her? We can’t kick her out, she doesn’t have anywhere else to go.”
What?I blinked, momentarily stunned into silence. How could he think that was my question?
“She found an apartment,” Theo said. “She showed me this morning.” His face was shuttered, unreadable. “It’s nice.”
His words landed in my gut like a lead weight. “Oh,” I mumbled.
“I suppose this is the best time for her to–to leave,” he continued, and both Michael and I turned to stare at him. “She’s just had her heat, hasn’t she, so she’ll have time to…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, but we all knew how it would end.To find someone new.
That was how it had to end, wasn’t it? How we’d always meant to end it.
But…
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Just… think about it. She’ll have to stay here at least until the paperwork goes through, right, and then we’ll have to come up with a plan for how we’re going to break up, make it public, like our courtship, so it’s not suspicious–”
“Elias,” Theo said softly, his hand landing on my knee. “You have to let her go. We have to.”
I stared at my Champagne glass, the cheerful bubbles taunting me. It was quiet a long time, the three of us lost in our own thoughts.
“What if I can’t?” I said finally.