My Alpha Expected Me to Read His Mind, So I Left His Pack novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: Come to Dinner

Freja's POV

I read all of Cordelia's letters before the sun came up, and by breakfast her handwriting could no longer hurt me.

At nine I unlocked the clinic.

I had expected the pack to avoid me.

They came instead, one at a time, wary and kind.

A hunter's wife brought a sprained wrist and a lemon cake.

An old man with a bad hip said, "We missed you, girl," and then examined the floor for a long time.

By noon I had stitched two fingers, and no one had mentioned the Stone.

Emmett came in at one, ducking under the lintel with a sheet of paper in his huge hand.

"I wrote you something," he said. "I'm going to read it, because I'm bad at this."

I put down the swab.

"Go on."

"I knew it cost you," Emmett said, looking at the paper. "Every Friday."

He cleared his throat.

"I watched you check the booth and the time and who had the keys. I let you, because it was easier for me."

His ears were red.

"I ate ten years of dinners you planned, and I never once said thank you."

"Emmett."

"I'm not finished." He swallowed. "I'm sorry. I'm saying it plain. I was a coward and I called it being easygoing."

I came around the desk and hugged him, which meant putting my arms around about a third of him.

He handed me the paper.

It said, in block capitals: FRIDAY. DOCKSIDE. SEVEN. I DRIVE. I PAY.

I laughed until I had to sit down.

Cordelia came at three, in a cream sweater with a basket on her arm.

"I brought you a peace offering," she said, and kissed my cheek. "Pear tarts. Had, I've been awful to you, and I know it."

"You haven't."

"I have. Let me say it properly." She took my hands. "Tomorrow night, my cottage. Just us. Candles, wine, no Ansel, no Table. I want to be your friend again."

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