Screw My Childhood Sweetheart His Alpha Brother Marked Me First novel Chapter 43

Chapter 43

My phone huzzed as I took the last sip of my Diet Coke,

River: Hurry your cute butt up.

Anson and Knox had begun taking turns with who picked me up each morning. While they were getting along better, we hadn’t yet progressed to all five of us piling into a single vehicle yet.

I tossed my can into the recycling and picked up my backpack, As I opened the front door, I paused. There was a small package on the porch. I bent, picking it up.

My name was scrawled across a small, white card.

Senna,

Put this under your pillow. It will guard your dreams.

There was no name at the bottom, but it had to be from Caspian. I unwrapped the paper and pulled out a pinkish crystal with some sort of leather cording around it. The stone was beautiful, and I swore I could almost feel a warmth seeping from it.

Caspian waved to me from the truck. I quickly wrapped the crystal in the paper again and started towards the vehicle. Caspian jumped out of the back seat and held the door for me.

I picked up my pace. “Why didn’t you text me when you dropped this off last night?”

“When I dropped what off?”

I unwrapped the stone, showing it to him. “This is from you, isn’t it? The card said it would guard my dreams.”

Caspian took the crystal from me, studying it. Something passed over his face–a cross between worry and relief. “It’s from Vaughn.”

“What?”

Vaughn didn’t exactly come off as the warm–and–fuzzy, leaves–presents–on–your–doorstep type. Yet, he’d gone out of his way to make me feel

safe while I slept.

Caspian cleared his throat and handed the charm back to me. “We have a friend who makes these. He must’ve asked her to do a sleep one for

you.”

I stared down at the pink stone, rubbing my thumb over the surface. “Will you tell him thank you for me?”

“You can tell him yourself.” He took my phone from my other hand and began typing. “He’s in your phone now.”

We climbed into the truck, but I couldn’t look away from the name on my screen.

“What was all that about?” Knox asked.

Caspian buckled his seat belt, not looking in Knox’s direction. “Vaughn left Senna a dream charm.”

Knox’s gaze jumped to me. “Really?”

“I guess so.”

River made a sort of humming noise in the back of his throat. “You’re good for him, Ro.”

S

sn’t knee sout that the testly rowls at the

Bases chudded sist na hom Vaughn that might as well be a hug

My Dog Bited slotely across my green.

Ms. Thank you for my charm It’s beautiful.

A few seconds latet, my phone dinged.

Vaughn: Don’t just stare at it. Use it.

Me. Bassy even in text message.

He didn’t respond, but I knew he was somewhere, scowling at his phone.

I slid onto the cafeteria bench between River and Anson, and bumped both their shoulders with mine.

Anson pushed in closer, the heat from his body sinking into mine. “How was astronomy?”

“Good. I need to do some stargazing this weekend, which should be fun.”

He leaned in, his lips almost grazing the shell of my ear. “I’ll stargaze with you this weekend.”

A roll hit Anson square on the chest, and Caspian sent him a look. “We can all look at stars this weekend.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Anson grumbled, settling back in his seat

As I gained a few inches of distance, my lungs reinflated. I swore my hormones were going haywire. Every time one of the guys touched me, my nerve endings felt as if they were catching fire, burning me from the inside out.

River‘ hand landed on my knee. “Morning was okay?”

I automatically did a scan of the cafeteria, my gaze landing on Sadie, who was cuddled up with one of Anson’s supposed friends. She glared at

1. me.

“It was fine.”

There had been a few snide “slut” comments tossed around by Sadie and her friends, but she’d gotten smarter about it. She no longer said or did

anything in front of Anson, Knox, River, or Caspian.

“Good,” he said and offered me a chip from his bag.

I took it and popped it in my mouth. “Thanks.”

“Ro, any other plans this weekend?” Knox asked.

“I don’t think so.”

“We’re having a barbeque at the compound, you should come.”

“Are you serious?” Jasmine asked. “That’s a horrible idea.”

“Shut it, Jaz. It’s not your place to decide that kind of thing,” Cass cut in.

Jack wrapped an arm around her shoulders as Ridge glared at Jaz. “She has a point.”

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Screw My Childhood Sweetheart–His Alpha Brother Marked Me First!

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Chapter 43

Jasmine’s amber eyes darkened. “It’s more my place than any of yours.”

I stayed quiet as the back and forth played out.

“Enough,” Knax barked, turning to Jaz. “You’re already on thin ice. Don’t make it any thinner.”

Her grip on her fork tightened, but she lowered her gaze.

Knox turned his attention back to me. “So, can you come? Saturday afternoon.”

I focused on unwrapping my sandwich. “I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”

“Then try sitting somewhere else for lunch,” Jasmine muttered.

Cass brought her elbow down on the edge of Jasmine’s lunch tray, tipping it into her lap and sending food everywhere. “Oops.”