Page 69 of Alpha Brock
Astrid pauses, hazarding a glance my way before she looks back to Quinn. “Sure,” she breathes, flashing Quinn a smile. It isn’t her usual bright, sunshiny smile, though. It looks forced. “Thanks.”
She starts to head toward Jax’s truck as my wolf thrashes in my chest.
No. This isn’t fucking happening.
“Astrid!” I bark out, and she stops in her tracks, whipping her head around to look my way. Surprise plays on her features, like she’s shocked that I’m speaking to her. Hell, maybe I shouldn’t be.
For a moment, we just stare at one another, all the fucking drama of the other night hanging between us. It all seems trivial, now, considering we’re literally riding off to fight for our lives. There’s something else that stretches between us, too.Connection. One that’s still there, still strong, no matter how we’ve tested it.
I give a little flick of my head, beckoning her to me. “Come on.”
Astrid’s jaw goes slack, and she throws a thumb over her shoulder. “But I was gonna…”
I shake my head. “Nah, fuck that. You’re riding with me.”
She nods, stuffing her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie and jogging toward the Escalade, her eyes trained on the ground.
The four that are gathered around Jax’s truck look my way curiously, but none of them say a damn word. Wise, because I’m not in the mood for questions right now. Ignoring their suspicious stares, I turn toward the Escalade, right as Theo reaches for the door handle of the front passenger door.
“Nuh uh, get in back,” I growl as I make my way to the drivers’ side. “Astrid’s riding up front.”
Theo’s face twists into a scowl as he pulls the door open. “Fuck no! My legs are like twice as long as hers, you really want me to ride all the way to Denver stuffed in the back seat?”
“It’s my back seat or Jax’s,” I say, looking over at him through the vehicle as I climb into the drivers’ side.
Theo mumbles a few choice words under his breath, leaving the passenger door standing open and moving to open the back door instead, shuffling past Astrid in the process.
“Brock, I can…” she starts, but I shoot her a look that has her snapping her mouth closed.
I point to her across the center console, my eyes dark. “Get in.”
She does, and Theo begrudgingly takes the seat behind her while Reid slides in behind me. I fire up the ignition, and once all four doors are closed, I shift into reverse and pull out of my parking spot. Jax’s truck is already waiting, and I slide the gear into drive, pulling up behind him to follow.
We hit the road, and the mood in the cab of the Escalade is somber as we do. We’re taking in our familiar surroundings, committing them to memory. The tall metal walls of the squad complex. The curve of the road that leads away from it. The thickness of the forest as we drive out of the territory. If all goes well, we’ll return in a few days’ time and see it all again. And if it doesn’t…
I can’t allow myself to consider the alternative.
The four of us are quiet all the way to the highway, when Theo speaks up and breaks the silence that has lingered since we left the complex.
“So what’s going on with you two, anyways?” he asks, his eyes flickering from me to Astrid.
“Fuck off,” I grumble.
Theo chuckles. “Ah, come on, man. Just tell me. Are you guys a thing? You just fucking?”
I make eye contact with him in the rearview mirror, shooting him a glare. “Don’t fucking worry about it.”
I glance sideways at Astrid, and her eyes instantly collide with mine. There it is again, that connection. It’s undeniable. I’m mad at her, and I’m pretty sure she’s mad at me, but our anger seems to have only stoked the flames of our desire for one another. Despite everything, and against my better judgment, I still fucking want her. It’s maddening.
Knowing what lies ahead, everything feels so damn heavy right now. Saturday night’s bullshit pales in comparison. With the battle ahead, I suddenly realize that I don’t really care about the fight that Astrid and I had, not anymore. It seems so miniscule in the grand scheme of things.
I tear my gaze from the road to dart her another glance, and when our eyes meet again, it’s like an understanding passes between us. That in the face of what we’re about to encounter with the shadow pack, neither of us wants to fight each other. It’s not worth it.
It hits me that I’m not mad at her anymore. It doesn’t even matter if she fucked her ex. I just…need her. She’s the light to my dark, the calm to my chaos. And more than anything, I need her right now, to keep me grounded like only she can.
I reach across the center console, placing my hand over Astrid’s. It’s so small in comparison, so delicate. Sparks dance between our skin as she sucks in a breath, turning her hand around so her palm is against mine. I lace my fingers with hers, holding on tight.
In the rearview mirror I can see Reid and Theo exchanging glances, but fuck ‘em. They don’t know what this is. Hell,Idon’t even know what it is, but if I’m gonna die tomorrow, I’m going out with no regrets- starting with letting go of my anger towards the only girl who’s ever really gotten me. The only one who was patient and gentle enough to chip away at the ice around my heart and reach in and reallyseeme. I realize that now, in the face of what’s to come. I just hope it isn’t too late.