Screw My Childhood Sweetheart His Alpha Brother Marked Me First novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42

In the sun dappled landscape, it took me a moment to tell whether it was Vaughn or Caspian, but the soft concern lining Caspian’s face was the giveaway.

“Hey,” I croaked.

He moved so fast, I swore my vision blurred. In a flash. I was scooped up and deposited onto Caspian’s lap. He cradled me against his chest. “What happened?”

1 hiccupped, trying to get more air into my lungs. I didn’t know what to say. How to put all I was feeling into words. I went with the simple truth. “It’s my sister’s birthday.”

“Ro.” Caspian skated a hand over my hair and down my back, pulling me even closer. “I’m so sorry. First one, right?”

I nodded into his broad chest.

“The firsts are the hardest. It’s never easy, but it’s not always a sucker–punch to the gut.”

I lifted my head, taking in Caspian’s face, his eyes full of so much understanding. “Who?”

His jaw tightened, and I thought he might not answer. “My parents. There was an…attack on our compound. Some angry, sick people. A lot of us

lost someone. Knox lost his mom too.”

“I’m so sorry. I hate even saying that because it’s such a cop–out, not nearly enough, but it’s all I have.”

His fingers linked with mine. “There are no good words when it comes to grief. It’s being present and listening that matters. I’d like to be that for you. Do you want to tell me about her?”

My throat constricted, but I felt a pull in me. I wanted to share Lacey with someone else. I didn’t want to hide her away in dark corners, afraid of how my parents would react. I slid off Caspian’s lap but kept hold of his hand. The simple touch was grounding, as if it were the only thing tethering me to the earth at the moment.

“Lacey was obsessed with space.”

Caspian’s brows rose. “Space?”

“Ever since she was little. She always said she’d be an astronaut one day. She’d beg our parents to order her astronaut ice cream so she’d be ready for her mission. As she got older, that turned into astrology, and she thought the stars could tell us about our lives.”

“They are a force much greater than ours.”

My mouth curved. “Lacey would always say something similar. She was the best big sister.” My voice caught on the words. “She was driving me home from a concert when we got in the accident. My parents wouldn’t let me go alone, so she took me. If I hadn’t been so determined to go-”

“No.” Caspian released my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me tight against him. “It was an accident. You can’t blame yourself.”

“My mom does.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t-”

“She told me flat out.”

Caspian sucked in a sharp breath. “Grief can twist some people up.”

chan Marked Me First!

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Chapter 42

“I know. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t kill, but I know she’s wrecked. And the fact that my dad never even bothers to come home anymore doesn’t help.”

“I think things like this either bring people together or drive them apart.”

1 tipped my face back to take Caspian in. “Did it make you and Vaughn closer?”

He was quiet for a moment, staring at the water. “In some ways, it did. In others…things aren’t easy for him, and he doesn’t appreciate it if I try to help.”

“He’s your big brother. I’m sure he thinks it’s his job to look out for you.”

“We should look out for each other.”

I leaned deeper into Caspian’s side. “That is how it should be.”

A twig snapped, and Caspian was instantly on his feet. The set of his shoulders relaxed just before Vaughn stepped through the trees.

I swallowed hard as Vaughn’s arctic gaze cut to us. “You should walk her home. I found fresh tracks on the other side of the creek.”

“What kind of tracks?” I asked as I pushed to my feet.

“Wolf.”

My heart gave a little stutter in my chest. “I had the craziest dream about wolves last night.”

Caspian turned, alarm passing over his expression. “What happened in the dream?”

“It’s not a big deal. Just a nightmare. I was running through the woods, to this spot actually. Someone or something was chasing me, and then there were these five wolves. They protected me, I think. They chased off whatever it was.”

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