Chapter Two
1022 Words
Fleur
I was exhausted, mentally, and physically when I finally let myself into my apartment. Dropping my keys into the little glass bowl by the door, I tossed off my shoes. For a second there was nothing but bliss as my cramped toes dig deep into the soft, thick carpet.
It was gone eleven, late even for me. But I hadn’t gotten where I was in five short years by only working nine to five. I gave my job my all.
Everything I had.
I knew people thought I was crazy, my parents especially. But it was easier working myself half to death and falling into bed exhausted than it was sitting alone in an empty apartment each night and dwelling on the past.
Five years since I had moved away from my parent’s house, from packlands and all the support it offered. Five hard years of making my own money and a name for myself. I knew my father had more than enough money to let me live a very comfortable life. He had even offered it more than once, but I couldn’t bring myself to take a penny of it.
I had wanted to prove to them that I could make it. That I could stand on my own two feet.
And boy had I proven it.
But the money, the lavish apartment, none of it meant a thing. I was still hollow inside. An empty shell where once a girl used to be.
Losing Noah had done that to me.
Even after all these years I still woke up sobbing his name.
Everyone had told me it would get easier, that the pain would fade.
Everyone lied.
The pain didn’t go away, I just got better at hiding it. Hell, I was the only dragon I knew. The only paranormal being I knew that was medicated up to the eyeballs. When Noah had died, he had taken me with him. I might breathe and my heart still beat in my chest. Sometimes I even laughed. But I wasn’t living. I was going through the motions.
I carried on because I didn’t want to cause my parents, my family the same kind of pain that I was going through. I didn’t want to cause Noah’s family any more pain. Rory and Roman had been through enough already.
Paddling across the large open plan space, I dropped my bag onto the rug as I flopped face first onto the sofa.
I needed sleep. Desperately. And maybe food.
I couldn’t remember the last time I had a home cooked meal. Groaning I turned on my back. I was good at many things, but cooking wasn’t one of them. I’d give my right wing to have some of Rory’s famous chicken and mushroom pie right now. But I knew that wasn’t going to happen.
Tonight would be no different to any other night. I wouldn’t cook. I would order in a takeaway. Eat it alone in my bed and fall asleep with the half finished plate on my nightstand.
Same s**t, different night.
A blinking red light caught my attention as I heaved myself from the sofa. Freezing I stared at it.
I didn’t need to press the button to know that at least one of the messages on my machine was from my mother.
She had been leaving me messages and texts for the last three days.
I hated ignoring her, but I just couldn’t handle any more “Happy” news. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about the good fortune of others it was just that emotionally I couldn’t handle it.
It just made my pain even more.
Everyone back home had moved on with their lives.
Everyone but me. I couldn’t get over it.
I would never get over it.
Frowning I padded over to the machine, pressing my finger to the button I didn’t wait for the messages to play as I headed into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine.
Alcohol helped numb the pain as well.
If I could have gotten away with not listening to the messages, I would have but they might be work related.
The first two were from my mother just as I suspected. There was something in her voice that made me pause. The wine glass to my lips. The third was from Roman. Alpha of his pack and Noah's father. It was short and clipped. Almost angry sounding. Something about calling him back.
I shook my head. They cared for me I knew that, but I wasn’t a child anymore.
Still, I would have to call them back soon, before my father came down to check on me in person. Those visits never went well.
Moving from the kitchen to the bedroom, wine glass in one hand and bottle in the other I headed towards my bedroom.
Suddenly I was too tired for food. Too exhausted to do anything but sink into my bed and shut out the world. I didn’t even bother taking off my clothes as I slipped under the covers.
I would phone everyone back in the morning. When I had had some sleep and the world didn't feel quite so dark and overwhelming.
Settling myself back against my pillows I swallowed down the wine in two large gulps. I didn’t even like wine, but it helped.
And anything that helped I would take.
The phone in the living room rang again. I didn’t even make a move to answer it. Sleep crept up on me, and I welcomed it.
Sleep was good, as long as Noah didn’t come to me in my dreams again, sleep was always good, and I knew tonight he wouldn’t. I was too exhausted to dream.
The answering machine from the living room clicked on and a familiar voice of one of my closest friends filled the quiet apartment.
“Fleur, you need to ring someone back now. It’s about Noah.” Jace swore long and heavily. “Call me back Flo. As soon as you get this.”
I didn’t react. The oblivion of sleep had already taken me.
- Writer
