Keep Talking

CHAPTER 13

Hands shaking, I pushed the door open all the way and stepped inside. 

When I took in my apartment, it almost felt like I wasn't even there. My body didn't feel like my own and it took me a second to even process what I was seeing. 

Broken glass from the lamps on the end tables was scattered across the floor and embedded into the rug under the coffee table. There were scratches on just about every piece of wooden furniture I owned; tables, the bookshelf in the corner, the TV stand that I used for decoration. Stuffing was sticking out of the back of my couch from where it had also been scratched, and the pillows were completely torn apart. 

Every book I owned was on the floor, pages torn and scattered all around the room. The plants I kept on the windowsill were knocked over, pots broken into pathetic little piles of dirt and mangled roots. 

Before I could even look at the state of the rest of the apartment, the breath was torn from my lungs.

There on the wall, above the TV stand, were the words 'they want you back" sprawled in sloppy handwriting. I could only focus on the still wet drips from the spray paint trailing slowly down the wall when the panic attack hit.

There was only one thought going through my head.

The hunters. . .

By the time I came back to myself, I was sitting in the hallway of my building, right outside my apartment. Breathing was still a struggle, but I was able to feel around for my phone and pull up my contact list. 

With trembling hands, my eyes zeroed in on Easton's contact as I tapped the call button. 

I could only hope that he would answer at three in the morning, but all rational thought had disappeared by then. I just needed Easton, just needed my mate.

"Hello?" A gravelly voice finally answered the phone and I felt myself crumble.

"Easton. . ." I inhaled sharply, a shaky breath that rattled my whole chest. It was only then that I was realized I was in tears.

"Finn? What's wrong? Is everything okay?" He immediately sounded more awake and alert. If I were able to think past the fear, I would have felt bad for waking him. 

"No. Need you here." Hiccups interrupted me as I shook my head. The sleeve of my sweatshirt wasn't enough to wipe all the tears away and my own words weren't making sense to me anymore, all broken up from my ragged breaths.

"I'm coming. Stay where you are."

I heard shuffling on the other end of the line and panic rose back to my chest. 

"Please don't hang up!"

"I won't. I'm right here, Finn. Tell me your address." He soothed and the faint sound of keys jingling gave me a small sense of calm. He's about to leave. 

My hand pulled at the tangled tufts of hair in my eyes as I told him my address, trying harder than I'd care to admit to avoid thoughts of my apartment. 

"I'm a short drive away. I'll be there as quick as I can. I need you to breathe for me, Finn."

"Trying." I whispered, pressing the phone closer to my ear. Knees drawn up against my chest, I rested my elbows on them as I tried everything I could think of to get my lungs in check.

"Come on, love. Breathe with me." He started taking exaggerated breaths in hopes I would follow, but I was still caught up on "love" which sort of drew my attention away from the apartment. 

"Can you maybe—just—keep talking?" Voicing what was needed felt like scraping myself raw for everyone to see, but all I wanted was to just keep hearing Easton's voice. Every time he spoke with the phone pressed against my ear, I could pretend he was right next to me. His voice wrapped me in warmth and, at the very least, kept me distracted. 

"Absolutely. Whatever you need." My stomach would have felt all fuzzy and warm if it weren't for the current situation. I wasn't sure if I should've been grateful for that or not. 

Easton continued to talk, whispered words into my ear as I focused all my attention on the deep cadence of his voice. I slowly started unwinding, breaths coming just slightly easier. 

I got lost in his voice, hardly even hearing what exactly it was that he was saying. I rested the side of my face on the arm sprawled across my knees and let my eyes fall closed as he talked. My shoulders slowly relaxed, albeit slightly, as the soft hum of Easton's car filled the background of our call. 

"Finn?" A hand running through my hair is what brought me out of my daze. I looked up, phone still pressed to my ear, to see Easton crouched in front of me with a concerned look on his face. His phone was in his hand and that's when I finally noticed the call had ended. 

I didn't think. If it were any normal day, I never would have done this. But that day wasn't normal, was it?

I launched myself into his arms, toppling us both to the ground, but I didn't care. 

Easton was safe. 

After coming home to it being invaded, my safe space having been demolished, it felt like I was just a sitting duck in an open field where anyone could see me. When Easton wrapped his arms around my waist and tugged me impossibly closer to him, I finally felt protected. 

"It's okay. I'm right here, alright? Not going anywhere." He whispered the words like a promise—maybe they were—while rubbing a hand up and down my back. His lips pressed a kiss to the top of my head and I didn't even have it in me to tense at the show of affection. I just let it happen, sinking into Easton because he felt like home. 

I didn't let myself linger on that thought for long. 

A/N~ Uploading early since tomorrow is going to be quite busy for me:) So sorry there was no chapter last week. 

QoTD: What calms you when you're anxious?

You can read chapter 14 now on Patreon and Ream for just $3 a month:) I also have a Discord where I share spoilers and just chat with you guys! Link in description to both<3