Chapter 0127
Chapter 101
**Josie’s POV **
Two whole weeks without their warm touch, without seeing their handsome faces or hearing their seductive voices. It’s hell. I know it’s probably worse for them, time moves differently there so it’s been much longer. I’m glad they have each other at least. Luckily my heat hasn’t returned, maybe because my bonds are not around me? I hope that’s how it works because I grow more nervous that it will happen each day.
“Happy Birthday!” Freya, Frank and my mum shout as I walk into the bookshop. I force a smile on my face. I should be grateful to have my mum and Freya here to celebrate my birthday, but all I can focus on are the ones that aren’t here.
“Thank you,” I say and blow out the candles on the small cake my mum is holding. I can tell she made it herself but I play dumb and ask anyway, “Did you make this cake, Penny?”
“Yes, sorry it’s not much but Freya only told us it was your birthday yesterday,” She says.
“It’s perfect, thank you,” I reassure her. She never did feel like she’d done enough on my birthday, she apologised every single year despite always making my birthday perfect.
“I’d like to invite you all over for dinner tonight, that’s if you don’t already have plans,” She smiles.
“We dont have plans, that’s very kind of you, Penny,” Freya grins. I dont feel like dinner, I dont feel like doing anything, but I won’t waste the opportunity to spend my birthday with them. My mum had gotten friendly with us over the last two weeks after I’d been coming into the shop daily to use Frank’s computer. I hadn’t meant for it to happen. I didn’t want it to happen, because it’s so hard to be around her so much and not hug her. My heart is broken and I want my mum to hold me and promise me everything will be okay but I can’t have that, she’s right in front of me and I have to keep up this act that I barely know her.
“Perfect, come over at 6:30,” she clasps her hands together in the excited way she always did and I dont miss the concerned look Frank shoots me. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep up all this charade. I’m at breaking point. My wolf sends me warmth, not attempting to shift but to provide comfort. She is the only one who truly understands my pain, she craves her mates just as I crave my bonds.
“Josie, can I talk to you for a moment?” Frank asks and I almost roll my eyes at him, ready for his speech about being worried for my mum’s mental health with me around.
“Lead the way,” I sigh, gesturing to the door at the back of the shop that leads to the apartment upstairs.
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Chapter 0127
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“I have to show you something,” he says once we are out of mum’s earshot. He moves straight to his computer and my heart skips a beat, hope blossoming in my stomach.
“Did Deacon finally respond to one of my emails?” I ask.
“No, but look at this,” he says and begins to play a video. It’s one of those conspiracy theory content creators and I almost tell Frank I’m not interested right now when something the creator says catches my attention “Our government must have been brainwashed or are under mind control…” they say.
“So the rouge Greys are taking control of the country, this is not good. What do you think their end goal is though? It seems like such a big effort just to take control of a country of humans,”
“I have no idea but I can’t imagine it’s for anything good,” Frank sighs. “Deacon needs to hurry up and find a way here. The humans have no chance of fighting this alone,”
“They’re not alone, they have me, and my bonds will come and they will bring an army. This is our purpose,” I say with determination because I have to believe it’s the truth, the alternative is too depressing.
“Coffee is ready,” my mum calls up to us and we go down to join her and Freya at the small lounge set in the shop. Freya hands me a cup of steaming coffee and I take it eagerly. I bring it to my lips and then wrinkle my nose. I move the cup away from my mouth, putting the cup down on the table. It seems I can’t even enjoy food and drink without my bonds anymore.
We spend the next hour at the bookshop helping Mum and Frank unpack a new book delivery, Frank gifts me a few new books for my birthday and I head back to the bed and breakfast with Freya to spend the afternoon reading. I know my time here is coming to an end, Freya has to return home in a few days and I still haven’t worked out what I’m going to do. Freya wants me to return to my hometown with her and I think it’s my only option at this point. If my bonds do show up here then Frank will tell them where I am but if I return home I’m going to have to come up with a convincing story to explain my disappearance if I ever want to be able to leave the house again. I dont even want to consider a long–term plan because I have no intentions of being here long–term.
I knock on my mum’s door just after six o’clock and Frank lets us in, the smell of mum’s cooking hits my nose and my stomach grumbles in response. I hope I can stomach this meal, this might be the last time I have her cooking for a while.
“Come in and make yourselves at home, dinner will be ready in around thirty minutes,” Mum calls from the kitchen. We sit in the living area and a wave of sadness washes over me. The last time I was in this room is had all of my bonds with me.
“I need some air,” I say, fighting off the tears that threaten to fall. I slide open the door to the
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deck and step out, breathing in the ocean air. Then I hear a dull thud from inside followed by Freya’s shriek.
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Chapter 0128
