NINETEEN

Derek

I nearly reached for the bottle of whiskey once I entered my study but managed to hold myself back. I couldn’t be like him.

I had to face the facts, I thought with a heavy sigh. I sat down at my couch and began to think, clasping my hands in front of me.

Seeing her again was like having myself exposed for the world to see. Benjamin must have noticed it and didn’t press anymore than I expected him to. I was certain that even the pack doctor, Doctor Simon, would have noticed it. He was an old man but surely couldn’t be blind to their sort of connection I had with Alisha.

She had been skittish and afraid. Just the mere touch of my hand as I tried to help her had made her act like she had an electric shock pass through her. How was I going to be able to reject her when she couldn’t even face me?

“Oh goddess, what kind of situation have you put me into?” I murmured, raising my hand to massage my temples. A headache had begun to bloom out of nowhere.

I heard the door open.

“What’s th