��No, no. That wasn't my intention at all,�� Peter defended himself immediately.
��But that's what you did,�� Alice replied coldly. ��You didn't ask. You didn't listen. You took what you wanted, and you ignored his wishes.��
��I stopped!��
��And how many times did he have to ask you to!�� Alice growled.
Peter clenched his jaw and looked away.
��Too many,�� he whispered.
��At least you know that,�� she replied quietly.
Bell sat silently, taking a shaky breath.
Alice took a deep breath, slowly blowing it out to calm her anger.
��I'm sorry,�� Peter whispered.
��Not to me.�� Alice smiled.
��I know,�� he said.
Alice sighed, pushing away the fire in her frustration.
��You are a good man, Peter. You just did a stupid thing out of anger,�� she said.
��That doesn't make it all right,�� he replied.
��Of course not,�� Alice said. ��But maybe it will help you understand. Because Myka is a good man too, and he did a stupid thing out of fear.��
Peter looked up at her with furrowed brows.
Alice shook her head.
��It is not my story to tell,�� she replied. ��But the way I see it, you owe each other at least an honest conversation. About both the past and the present.��
Peter nodded.
��You're right,�� he sighed. ��Honestly, I never asked him to explain his reasoning. I just sort of shut down when he told me that committing to me was the end of his journey.��
��To be fair,�� Bell interjected, ��I can't imagine anyone would take something like that with a lot of grace.��
Peter chuckled.
��I guess not,�� Peter said. He looked up at Alice. ��No matter what happened between us five years ago, what I did yesterday was wrong. I will apologize to him, I promise.��
��Good,�� Alice smiled. ��Let's go.��
��What? Now?�� Peter asked with surprise and just a hint of panic in his eyes.
Alice got up from her chair and nodded.
��From what I have learned about you, taking a day off is rare. So, if I don't make you go now, you will likely work through the remainder of his time here.��
��She has a point,�� Bell chimed in.
��Whose side are you on?�� Peter replied.
��The side that gets you what you really want.�� Bell smiled. Peter lowered his eyes. ��I may not know Myka or what exactly is keeping you both from embracing your bond. But I can see that you care about him, Peter.��
��There is more to life than romance.�� Peter sighed.
��True, but that doesn't mean you need to cut yourself off from it either,�� Bell said with a gentle grin.
***
Peter and Alice took a car and headed South.
��You know you really shouldn't be driving,�� Peter said.
��Bell said I was fine for a short trip.��
��Bell's not the one in the car,�� he replied quietly.
��Don't worry, Dr. Petey. I won't let you die before you and Myka resolve the issues between you.��
��How kind of you,�� Peter sighed with annoyance. ��Could you please stop calling me a�?Petey'? You know I don't like it.��
Alice smiled.
��I'll stop if you tell me the real reason you don't like it,�� she said.
Peter took a deep breath and closed his eyes, laying his head back against the headrest of his chair.
From the darkness of his memory, a pair of cold green eyes stared lifelessly at him. He opened his eyes and shook the image away.
��It reminds me of something I don't enjoy remembering,�� he said gently.
��Ok,�� Alice replied simply.
��Ok?�� he questioned. ��Just like that?��
Alice nodded.
��I asked you for days to stop, and you wouldn't!��
��You never told me the reason before, just that you preferred a�?Peter'.��
��I didn't tell you anything specific just now,�� Peter replied with slight curiosity.
��No, but what you did say was enough,�� Alice replied. ��I don't want to encourage the ghosts that haunt you.��
Peter didn't know exactly what she meant or what she knew. But he was all too happy to let the subject fall.
The nomads had several small encampments, a few within Winter and several just outside the border. But Myka had his own campsite at least three miles away from the nearest wolf.
��Shouldn't he be closer to the others?�� Peter asked. ��So they can discuss the treaty and make a decision?��
��That would be the smart and logical thing to do,�� she replied. ��But Myka is one of the more extreme nomads. If he can avoid it, he will never share a camp with others.��
Peter furrowed his brow.
��Why not?��
��He doesn't trust anyone,�� she replied.
Peter looked at her.
��When did that start?�� he asked.
Alice took a deep breath and smiled.
��Suspicion and mistrust are the birthrights of every Spring wolf.��
Peter swallowed.
��He was a Spring wolf?��
Alice nodded.
��He never told me that,�� Peter whispered.
Alice let out a gentle scoff.
��It doesn't seem like the two of you actually spent much time getting to know each other in those three weeks you shared.��
Peter clenched his jaw.
��He's the one that closed himself off from me,�� he growled.
��And did you tell him where you came from?�� she asked.
Peter's eyes widened, and he looked at her with surprise.
��I know a little bit about a lot of things,�� Alice replied to his unasked question. ��I haven't shared it, and I won't. But you should. Just like he should share with you.��
Peter turned away.
��You probably have more secrets than anyone in Winter,�� he sighed. ��Do you really think you have room to judge?��
Alice laughed.
��You're right, I do.�� She nodded and then turned to look at him. ��But not from Axel. You two had three weeks, but Axel and I had less than three days.��
Peter swallowed.
��In those three days, we held nothing back from each other. The good, bad, and worse,�� Alice continued. ��So many people believe every word from my mouth is a lie. And for most of my life, that was the truest thing about me. But I know the cost of those lies.��
Alice paused, swallowed, and looked out the window into the distance.
��He is not a price I am willing to pay. Axel is the only person I trust with all my secrets.��
Peter didn't know what to say, so he said nothing.
The rest of the drive was quiet between them, but inside Peter's mind, the ghosts were restless.
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