Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,48

a moment and considered everything that had changed between us in a short few weeks. For as long as I could remember, he was my haven in a world of chaos. But I still felt Josiah’s tight grip from the night before and briefly questioned if it was safe to pass him.

Luckily, Maverick noticed my open discomfort and placed his hand on my lower back while guiding me inside. He strategically placed himself between Josiah and me, which made me sigh in relief. “Ash was helping us get the new Walkers settled in,” he briefly explained on my behalf.

Without waiting for Josiah to respond, he kept his hand on me, and we walked to my bedroom. Patrick stayed behind and engaged Josiah in idle conversation. Before being out of sight, I peered over my shoulder and saw a glimpse of the Josiah I knew and loved. He had a defeated expression, and I knew that he regretted the last moment we were alone together.

We made it to my bedroom, and Maverick gently shut the door behind me. He then asked, “Do you want to explain what that was about?” I looked down at my feet and shrugged. How could I explain when even I didn’t understand why I felt nervous around Josiah?

Josiah has been my one constant in life, the one person I could always rely on, but the man here today was nothing like the boy I grew to love. “Josiah has . . . changed . . . since the last time I saw him. I can’t explain it,” I said.

“Did he hurt you?” Maverick asked with more force than necessary.

“No, of course not.” I bit back while crossing my arms. “It’s like, me being here has released a flood of emotions that even Josiah doesn’t quite understand. I was the girl he could never have, but also the Walker he owned. I was both his and not his. I think for the first time in his life, I’m completely inaccessible, and it scares the hell out of him.”

“What do you mean by ‘never have’?” Maverick asked softly.

My lip began to quiver, and tears welled up, begging to be released. “I’m a Walker,” I whispered carefully, as though that was all the explanation needed.

Maverick joined me, by sitting on the bed. He grasped my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. “You deserve someone that doesn’t see you as a Walker, Ash. I hope he’s suffering. I hope he realized how amazing you are and how foolish he is for letting anything get in the way of being with you.”

I looked up at Maverick in awe of his words. The Black brothers consistently amazed me with their kindness and big hearts. I wanted to believe that I was good enough for Josiah, but I knew that our world didn’t necessarily work like that, and I couldn’t expect him to forgo his life for me.

“Please stop looking at me like that, it’s killing me,” Maverick said while shaking his head. “Either way, you feel uncomfortable, and I don’t think you should be around him alone.”

I nodded in agreement. Josiah was acting like a rabid dog, desperate to mark his territory.

Chapter Nineteen

That night, I politely declined an invitation to dinner, and Patrick brought me a tray full of food. I ate alone in silence, but my thoughts were loud and echoed against the walls of my room. I felt incredibly torn between everything I thought I knew and everything I’d learned over the past few days.

Josiah loved me. Or at least, I thought he did. I always thought he had my best interest at heart. But, I was growing to care for each of the people here. Even Huxley was growing on me, despite his gruff exterior. My perception of the way our world works was changing rapidly, and I felt suffocated by the truth of it all. Josiah’s love was driven by his desire to own me–to completely dictate every part of me. I wanted to give the Dormas province a fair chance.

Later that evening, a light knock on my bedroom door brought me to the surface of my thoughts. I was wearing a very thin and short nightgown, so I draped a robe around myself before answering.

Cyler was scratching his head when I opened the door; he wore tight trousers and a navy, cotton shirt. The moment his eyes met mine, he swept my body with a gaze that caressed my soul. “Hey, babe, I