Page 67 of Alpha Brock

“Goodnight,” he mumbles, pulling the door open. He steps through it, but before it closes, he ducks his head back in. “Astrid?”

“Hm?” I ask, wringing my hands in front of me.

Sam offers me a supportive smile, even though it probably pains him to do it. Because that’s just the kind of guy he is. “Good luck.”

My heart shatters all over again. “Thank you, Sam,” I choke.

I’ll need it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Brock

I heard her come in. I’d been laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, going over the events of the entire fucked up day in my head. Replaying everything that went down at the bar. Trying to rationalize why I flipped the fuck out on her. And then I heard the front door swing open and her high heels clacking on the tile in the foyer.

After I left the bar, I shifted and ran back to Riverton. I drank too much to drive, and letting my wolf out helped calm me down. The problem is, once I was calmer, it started to sink in that I was probably rougher on Astrid than I should’ve been. Damaged people only inflict damage on others- and I guess that’s me. When pushed to the brink, I demolish everything in my path.

I don’t even know why I decided to get out of bed and go downstairs. I guess just to make sure she made it back safely? I certainly didn’t have any intention of trying to talk to her about what happened at the bar, I wasn’t ready to face all that. But I went downstairs anyways. I looked for her down the hall… just as Sam followed her into her room.

Any remorse I had for my actions at the bar disappeared in that moment. Any torch I was carrying for her was effectively extinguished. I flipped a switch. Went numb.

I successfully avoid seeing her all of Sunday, and on Monday morning, I leave for the complex without her. I guess I’m just trying to be an asshole, but I get it right back when she shows up at the complex with Reid twenty minutes later.Of course she’d call him for a fucking ride. It shouldn’t piss me off as much as it does, since I told myself I already let her go. And it shouldn’t irritate me when she walks by on the practice field without glancing my way, heading to IT rather than sticking around for morning practice with the squad.

But it does.

I’m so fucking aggravated that my skin is itchy, like I’ve got bugs crawling all over me. My face is hot, my heart’s hammering against my ribs, and my wolf is scraping the surface. It’s fucking unbelievable that she has the nerve to throw me the cold shoulder, to be mad atme, after proving me right and fucking her ex. After I actually felt fucking remorseful for losing my shit on her like I did.

I don’t need this- especially not today, when the second half of the squad is heading off to Denver. They were originally slated to leave tomorrow, but the timeline keeps moving up. After a shortened practice this morning, they’ll be grabbing their bags, piling on buses, and heading out. I need to be focusing on my responsibilities to the squad, not hurricane Astrid.

I avoid the other guys until practice starts-because I don’t want to talk about Saturday with them, either- and although it’s supposed to be a light workout today, I throw everything I have into it. Exercise has always been an outlet for me; a way to burn off negative energy and get both myself and my wolf under control. When my blood is pumping and sweat is seeping from my pores, that’s when I feel the most relaxed.

Once practice ends and the rest of the squad heads back inside to shower up and grab their bags, I post up by the side of the building, using the hem of my t-shirt to wipe sweat from my brow and squirting water into my mouth from my sports bottle. It doesn’t take long for Reid and Theo to make their way over, and I cringe inwardly knowing what’s coming. Because while Reid has some tact, Theo’s got no fucking filter.

“How’s it goin’, man?” Reid asks as he approaches, taking a sip from his own water bottle.

“Fine,” I grumble, capping mine and tossing it on the ground at my feet. I look past them, realizing that we’re the only ones left on the practice field. “Where are Jax and Gray at?”

“Gray’s meeting with IT,” Theo supplies. “Something about an updated timeline. They called the whole unit in yesterday.”

My brows shoot up. This is news to me.

Upon seeing my reaction, Theo’s eyes narrow. “Didn’t Astrid tell you? Pretty sure Brooke mentioned she was with them yesterday…”

Before I have to field that question, Reid speaks up.

“I haven’t seen Jax all morning,” he comments, looking to Theo. “Or your sister, come to think of it. Wonder if those two are playing hooky today.”

Theo grimaces. He’s still not fully adjusted to the fact that his baby sister is mated to Jax. “Well whatever he’s doing, he’d better show up to see the squad off.”

Reid rolls his eyes. “I’m sure he will.”

A pause settles over the three of us as I stare down at the dirt, kicking it. Trying to think of anything other than…

“So why’d Astrid ride in withyoutoday?” Theo asks, turning to Reid.

Reid’s eyes go to me, and I cut in.

“Just to get under my fuckin’ skin, I’m sure,” I grumble, kicking at the dirt.