Josephine's Secret

28. Yellow Gummy Bears

28. Yellow Gummy Bears: Josephine's Pov

Chapter Goal- 250 votes (for Eric's Pov)

QOTC- what do y'all want to see from the characters?

*6339 words

"See you tomorrow, sorellina," Nate hugs me goodbye when we hear Archer's car pull up in the driveway.

I hold onto my brother a little longer than he was expecting me to, not wanting him to leave yet and make me explain everything to Archer by myself. "Can you stay? Please?" I ask, knowing that our conversation will stay more focused on Eric if the three of us discuss it together. Knowing the way I am with Archer, I would probably beat around the bush and possibly even hold off on the subject until I feel like he's in the mood; which no one really ever is.

"He came back early to spend time with you, Sophie." Nate says, not sure if he should stay or not. "I don't want to intrude on that."

"You won't be intruding." I tell him, actually meaning it. The only thing that Archer and I would be doing is probably eating a quick dinner and then watching a movie before going to sleep, nothing important. "We can explain to him the Eric/Elia stuff together and show him the security footage. You're good at explaining that kind of stuff."

Nate gives me a skeptical look, not knowing what to say at first. "Don't you two want some alone time together, though?" he asks. "You two haven't really spent time together since you were released from the hospital."

I bite my lip, trying to find a way to tell my brother that I don't want to be alone with Archer without making it seem like a major problem. For me, it's still awkward around my mate since we haven't properly discussed all the shit I told him when I was looped up on painkillers. "Don't go." I plead, hearing Archer close his car door and locking it outside. "Please??"

"You don't want to be alone with him." he states, frowning at me. "Why??"

"Because-" I shut my mouth when I head the door begin to unlock, ignoring Nate's pointed stare as I listen to what Archer's doing.

The loud slam of the front door makes me not want to meet him in the living room, but I still get up and follow my brother nonetheless. "Archer," Nate nods in acknowledgement, receiving the same greeting from my mate.

"Hey, Archer." I whisper when he approaches me, his touch surprisingly gentle compared to the force he used on the door just seconds earlier.

'Go tell him we found stuff on Eric.' I mind-link Nate.

He narrows his eyes at me for a second, but does as I say. "We think Eric disguised himself as a nurse and visited Sophie in the hospital." he tells Archer, lNate eading us back to the office room to look over the security footage.

I tell Archer about the cut on Eric's face and how he kept avoiding eye contact and stuff with me in the hospital room, plus the donut thing too. "He has to be in the territory somewhere." Archer states after we review the security footage once more. "It shows that he disappeared into the woods, so that means that he's hiding. My patrol officers would've said something if he tried leaving the territory."

"Unless he went through the west border where Alan and I used to live." I speak up, causing both men to stop what they're doing and look at me. "Remember how easy Keaton's rogues were able to attack the house?"

Shock takes over Nate's features when he hears that there was an attack on the old house, but I don't let him ask questions about it, "If Eric managed to escape, that's where he would leave and enter from."

"I increased the security in that area after the attack." Archer shakes his head, seeming to be in deep thought. "We need to send out search parties tonight. The longer wait, the more time he gets ahead of us."