Dream of Us
Chapter Twenty

Ani’s POV.

“Wow, you look you went on a bender this weekend. How was Sian’s party? Sorry I couldn’t make it.”

I shoot Gwen an unappreciative glare and tie my apron around my waist.

“I didn’t sleep well, alright? Sian’s party was great, but I’m not still hanging.” I gesture to my face, bags under my eyes and worry lines on my forehead. “This is the result of four hours sleep.”

“Sheesh, why couldn’t you sleep?” She wiggles her eyebrows. “Was Jaymie keeping you awake?”

I turn away from her and start putting washed cutlery back in the tray. “We broke up.”

“You what?” Sian’s voice is one of shock.

“This weekend,” I inform them both. “I broke up with him.”

“Yes!” Gwen fist-pumps the air and then becomes contrite, gently putting her hand on my shoulder. “Sorry, that was insensitive. I hope you’re okay, but that is seriously the best decision you have ever made.”

Sian comes over and puts her arm around me.

“I know we’ve always been critical of him, but do you mind me asking why you broke up?”

“I realised that we were friends more than anything else, there was no future between us.”

My friends nod sympathetically. They remind me that they’re here if I need a shoulder to cry on, they try to be sympathetic and supportive, but I can see the excitement in their eyes. They’re both so happy that I’m not with him anymore.

If I’m being honest with myself, I’m not even sad about our break-up. I’m too hung up on Jaymie’s confession. He killed someone. Self-defence or not, he took a life. I don’t know how he has gone through this alone all this time.

It doesn’t make any sense, either. I don’t know why the body disappeared, why would someone clean up a crime they didn’t commit? And, more worryingly, why was someone stalking me to begin with?

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Denali’s POV.

She looks perfect, as always. Her hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun, a pencil shoved through the wayward curls. She looks tired, though. She’s frowning as well. I don’t like seeing her like this, with something clearly bothering her. My instinct is to fix it.

I’m wearing a new shirt and jeans, she notices immediately. Her smile is shy as she comes over. I hope she’s thinking of our almost-kiss the last time we were together, I know I am.

“New shirt?”

“And jeans,” I reply easily. “How are you?”

“I know, I look tired, right?” She says with a sigh. “Everyone’s been telling me. I haven’t been sleeping well, that’s all.”

“Why do you think that is? A lot on your mind?”

Like me, I hope.

Her frown deepens. “You could say that, yeah. So, what can I get you?”

“If you want to talk about it, you know I’m always here,” I tell her gently. “I’d like a black coffee, please.”

“Thanks, Adrian. Coming right up.”

She gives me a small smile and disappears. Sian comes out from the kitchen and starts serving pancakes to the other customers across the restaurant. It’s early morning on a Monday, it’s only me and that one other table, everyone else is at work. It must suck to have to go to a 9 to 5 job.

When I’ve got my brothers back and we’ve managed to recover Dyani’s memories, we’ll form our own pack and that will be my job, being Alpha. It’s what I’m destined to do, leadership is in celestials’ blood.

She brings back the coffee. I take it gratefully and give her another smile, one that she returns with more conviction this time.

“Did you have a good weekend after the party?”

I regret asking the question when her face becomes shuttered. She shrugs and forces a smile. “It wasn’t bad,” she lies. “How was yours?”

“Alright,” I reply curiously. “Any plans this week?”

We both look over as the door opens. A human wouldn’t have heard the sound, we’re too far away, but my Dyani heard it. I wonder if she has noticed how much better her senses are than others’.

She turns back to me and shakes her head. “No, I don’t have any. I’ve got to go serve that customer; I’ll be back for your food order soon.”

I start to think maybe I’ve done something to upset her, she’s never been off with me like this. As I watch her interact with the other customers though, I notice her being more withheld with them, too. She’s still polite and professional, but she’s not her usual bubbly self.

She disappears into the kitchen and Sian comes out. Clearly there is something on her mind because she comes straight over to my table. She places her hands on the surface and leans in close.

“Meet me outside when you’re done, okay? We need to talk,” she says excitedly and rushes off before Dyani comes back out.

My curiosity is well and truly piqued. Dyani emerges and takes out her pad and pen while walking over to me.

“Do you know what you want?” She asks.

Such a loaded question.

I can’t resist teasing her a little. I give her my best smirk. “I know exactly what I want.”

It has the desired effect. She blushes and breaks eye contact, staring at her pad instead. “What do you want to eat?” She asks pointedly.

“The waffles please, maple syrup and banana, no bacon. Thank you.”

“Coming right up.”

I eat my food and watch Dyani some more. She is definitely not her normal self. I know she isn’t coming down with something because our kind don’t get sick.

I’m desperate to know what Sian wants to tell me by the time I’ve finished and paid up. I wait outside, a little ways along from the restaurant, tapping my foot impatiently.

Sian steps out, looking both ways to check that the coast is clear before stopping next to me.

“So? What is it?” I ask eagerly.

“Ani broke up with Jaymie this weekend,” she says in a rush.

I stare at her for a moment, digesting the news.

She broke up with him?

They’re not together anymore. My mate is no longer dating someone else, she’s single. This is a huge step forward!

“Wait, what?” I blurt as my brain catches up. “What happened? Tell me everything.”

“I don’t know the details; she just came in this morning and said the weekend had been a bit rough because she and Jaymie broke up. She said there was no future for them, she sees him as more of a friend.”

A friend.

A part of me feels sorry for Jaymie, that last part must have stung. I know my ego would be wounded if my girlfriend broke up with me because she saw me as ‘more of a friend’.

“That’s amazing,” I murmur, my mind racing with possibilities.

Does this mean she remembers something? Did she break up with him for me?

“Whoa there, I can see your mind working, you’re not making a move yet.”

Sian’s order puts a halt to my ideas. I frown at her.

“Why not? Surely now is the perfect time.”

“She’s looking for some space, some time to get used to being single. Just because she is the one that broke up with him, doesn’t mean it was easy. She needs a friend right now, not you hitting on her.”

Friend. I am not going to be her friend; I am so much more than that.

“I don’t think…”

I start to protest but Sian puts her hand up, stopping me. My mouth drops open in shock, I’m too stunned to say anything.

“I don’t care what you feel or think, Denali, I’m telling you as a woman and her friend, it’s too soon. You need to give her a week at least before you start making a move. Let her wallow a bit, heal herself, and then she’ll be ready for you.”

I open my mouth to argue but think better of it when Sian narrows her eyes at me. This woman is scarier than I thought. I press my lips together and consider the slight possibility that she might be right. I guess she has a point, Dyani might miss Jaymie’s company. Perhaps, temporarily, I could fill the position of friend in her life.

As long as it’s not permanent.

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King Inteus’ POV.

Imbeciles. I am surrounded by complete and utter imbeciles.

First, one of my guards is killed by a human, which in itself is a disgrace. What an embarrassing way to go, killed by the weakest species. As a result, my already pretty useless guards then lose my daughter, when their only task was to keep tabs on her.

Just when I thought the situation couldn’t get any worse, the strongest one of my prisoners gets free, no doubt making a beeline straight for my daughter. Together, they’re stronger than apart. I cannot let them find their other two mates, or it’s game over for me.

I can’t even kill them, which is hugely frustrating. I’ve tried, it is near impossible to kill a celestial. The only way to do it is to have another celestial assassinate them, but they’re all annoyingly loyal to one another as a species. No, my only option is to keep them hidden, far from Denali’s reach. I can only hope that he has his hands full with tracking down my daughter, that way he won’t be searching for his brothers.

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