The Comments Told Me To Run, He Wouldn’t Let Me Chapter 05

I’d always been the quiet type.

When my mom was alive, I’d still cry and throw tantrums whenever I got hurt.

After she died, I was alone in that enormous house.

I stopped letting myself fall apart.

The worst I’d do was shift into my rabbit form and hide somewhere.

Even after Alden and I got close, burying my feelings was just instinct. I didn’t even realize L.

was doing it.

But Alden always found me.

He’d show up with carrots and coax me out.

Lately, though, Alden hadn’t been paying attention.

All his energy was poured into the mech team.

He left before I woke up and came home after dark.

Some nights I’d wait up for him.

All I’d get was a hand on my ears.

He didn’t even notice I’d gone a full day without eating,

I hit my limit.

I followed him to the training grounds.

Alden set out some greens and carrot juice for me, told me to wait in the lounge and watch TV, and said he’d come get me when he was done.

I followed him anyway.

Through the training room window, I watched him walk straight to Tessa. They talked. They laughed.

His secretary, a dog shifter who never knew when to shut up, wandered over.

“So, Willa. Is the boss finally looking to settle down?”

I bit my lip. “What makes you say that?”

“I’ve been with the boss for years. I’ve seen recruits come and go.”

“He always dumps training on his lieutenants. I’ve never seen him this hands-on with

anyone.”

“I mean, sure, Tessa’s talented. But does he really need to do all this?”

“Look at that. He’s even correcting her stance himself.”

I looked.

Alden in stark black.

Tessa, vibrant and full of color.

Standing so close together.

So close that one dip of his head, and his lips would brush her hair.

I pressed my lips together.

I couldn’t stop staring.

My chest seized.

My stomach heaved. I doubled over and retched.