Sage was up in the loft with Sylvia while August and Graeme walked around the outside of her house, holding hands. For some reason, Graeme insisted that Sam and Greta have some time alone, so he left to walk the path through the woods to Sylvia's with August—showing her the bridge that he and Greta had walked over so many times as kids on the way to visit Sam.
Sage had a blast finding his way. He scampered ahead of them, and August giggled watching him enjoy himself. She hoped that he had plenty of opportunities like this to enjoy himself rather than worrying about issues like those that had come up at dinner, of which he was obviously already aware. It was too much for someone his age.
Surely, as an alyko, he had to worry about being targeted by the elders and others who had access to this map. It was unfathomable to her—having to worry about your identity from such a young age and trying to hide it. Of being followed by that worry every day of your young life when you should be running and playing and learning and… not worrying about being snatched away or enduring some kind of unknown violence.
"What is it, Little Red?" Graeme squeezed her hand, drawing her out of her thoughts.
"Oh," she chuckled to herself. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about everything that was said at dinner."
"I'm so sorry you were drawn into this messed up situation with my pack. I wish it was better for you. You deserve better," he replied, his eyes doing that sad puppy thing that tugged at her heart.
"It's not that. And I want to help. I'm proud to be here with you, now, in a capacity to help as your mate. I'm just… I'm just proud of you," she stopped and gazed up at him.
"That means more to me than anything, honestly," he said deeply.
She chuckled. "Well, it shouldn't. You have so many other people to worry about than me. You are doing just fine on your own there, Alpha," she replied and patted his chest.
"Don't say that. Your feeling about this is everything to me," he took her hand and kissed it before clasping it against his chest. "Listen, there's something else I need to tell you about when I talked to Penelope. There's more I learned."
Her eyebrows pinched together over those crystal blue eyes of hers that shone so bright in the moonlight, and for a moment his heart stuttered self-consciously. How was he going to do this? How was he going to have this conversation with her and watch her heart break right in front of him?
"Okay," she licked her lips and swallowed, preparing herself. She could feel the gravity of whatever it was he was about to say. It felt like a heavy weight that he had been ignoring, but now—giving it his attention at last—it was threatening to sink him. "Just tell me. I can feel how much it's bothering you. It will be worse the longer you put it off." She squeezed his hands and nodded to reassure him of her words.
Graeme cleared his throat and dug his foot into the dirt and then laughed at himself for doing it. Somehow August made him feel like an insecure pup again. And yet—at the same time—she made him more confident and assured than he had ever been. She had given him the confidence to fully come into his role as Alpha. But here he was stalling, searching for words, so concerned about hurting her.
"Whatever it is, it won't change anything between us. Okay? It could never," she took a step closer to him, comforting him with her physical proximity.
She was like a drug. There was nothing else like just being close to her. And somehow she only got sweeter—her scent more enticing, her gravity stronger in its pull on every part of him. He wanted to whimper with just the thought of her heart being affected by this information he had.
"Goddess, tell me already. Just get it over with, and then we'll deal with it. Okay?" she chuckled and then schooled her features again, presenting him with the sober, capable expression of someone who could take whatever he was so worried about telling her.
"Okay," he exhaled deeply. "But, I wasn't honest with you from the beginning. I am most regretful for that."
"What?" she breathed the question. "What were you not honest with me about?"
"When the search team was here, close to the border. Eliade… they came back," he said and then grimaced. "They came back because your mother was with them… searching for you."
August's mouth dropped open and she took a step back. "She was here?"
"Yes," he answered, his face an apology.
"Oh," she said, not hearing herself. She was sinking, and thankfully Graeme sank with her, leading her to a chair that was nearby bordering Sylvia's fire pit.
"I'm sorry. I should have told you. I just thought that if you knew, you would try to find her and they would get you. I thought I was protecting you."
August nodded, seeing it in her mind. Her mother in suicide forest, searching for her. Not giving up, because she wouldn't. Her mother would never give up looking for her.
"I understand," she said, grasping the hands that he had offered her. "I do. I would have done the same thing. I… I probably would have wanted to go to her when she was so close."
"There's more," he said regretfully, and she met his gaze with fear in her eyes. He swallowed but pressed on. "I was tasked with following her home. With making sure that she made it back without returning to look for you. I went to your hometown."
"What?" she gaped. "Maiden Rock? You said you were driving. Were you even gone that long…"
"I barely slept," he interrupted. "I drove straight through."
"Did she make it home okay?" she asked.
"Yes, that is not the issue."
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