12. Sabs #2
“Now that we’ve all been introduced, we should discuss ground rules.” Orin’s deep, gravelly growl cuts through our conversation.
“Ground rules?” I cross my arms. “Is this a home or a prison?”
Adler chuckles.
“We need to make sure we’re all on the same page,” Orin retorts firmly, gesturing to the living area. “Come.”
Adler stiffens by my side while I roll my eyes and follow him to where we all gather on the sofas.
The room is nice enough—very modern with clean structural lines and sleek, load-bearing columns—but it’s a classic bachelor pad.
It’s lacking any pops of color, a sea of drab gray, creating a real snoozefest. However, I do like the towering glass doors across one side that lead to their yard.
The area in front of it would make a perfect morning yoga spot.
I look around. “Shouldn’t Drax be here too?”
Adler takes a seat next to me, draping his arm over the back of the sofa behind me. “He isn’t part of this pack.”
I can’t help feeling a twinge of disappointment before dismissing it, hoping Adler didn’t pick up on it.
It was a stupid thought. While some packs are happy to have a beta in their ranks—like Delilah’s sunshine barista, Tae—it’s uncommon unless they have a well-established relationship prior to learning their designation.
I’m sure it happens, but I’ve never heard of a pack welcoming in a beta without at least one of the members knowing him extremely well.
“Be nice, Addy,” Luca —who’s sitting on my other side—reaches across me to shove him. The scent and warmth radiating from Luca’s body has me feeling like I’m cozied up next to a fire.
Orin sits opposite us, fingers steepled.
From his rigid posture, I’m half-expecting him to whip out a contract and ask me to sign it.
I get that this situation is stressful. Obviously, I know that better than anyone, but he seems ridiculously uptight.
I’m having a hard time understanding how he fits in with Adler and Luca’s more chilled dynamic, wondering how the three of them met.
“While you and Adler are in the adjustment period, special arrangements will be put in place,” Orin continues. “There are forms to complete.”
“I know all about those already.” I flick my wrist. I helped Kady with all of that when Delilah and Faye bonded.
“This is about more than paperwork. What happened between you might’ve been an accident, but the timing couldn’t have been any worse.” Orin’s expression darkens. “The biggest games of the season are coming up, so Adler can’t miss hockey practice.”
“So I’ll go with him.” I shrug. “No biggie.”
“That’s okay with you?” Adler seems surprised. “Most newly bonded omegas would prefer to take some down time and stay in their nests. Well, so I’ve heard.”
“Nothing about this situation is normal.” I shake my head. “I’m not going to fuck up your future.”
“Our future,” he corrects.
“Right… our future…” That’ll take some getting used to. “But I do have conditions of my own. I still want to play volleyball and take classes.”
“But there is a policy in place that can give you a break from—”
“I don’t want to put my entire life on hold because of this,” I cut Orin off. “I’ll study online, if I have to.”
“What’s your major?” Luca asks.
“Engineering.”
“Brains and beauty.” I beam at Luca’s compliment “Where did you find her, Addy?”
“Don’t call me that,” Adler sulks.
“Why?” I tickle his chin. “Addy sounds cute.”
Orin grips the back of his neck, deep trenches wrinkling his forehead. He doesn’t seem to appreciate our banter. “I need you all to take this seriously.” A pink tint spreads up his neck. “Your health and futures hinge on the next few weeks.”
“And what about you?” I counter.
Orin recoils. “What—”
“All you’ve talked about is me and Adler,” I point out. “Don’t you want to get to know me too? You haven’t even mentioned Luca. Adler and I may have bonded, but you’re both his packmates. I know how this works. Omegas tend to court an entire pack, right?”
“I’d like to get to know you better,” Luca chimes in. “If you’d be open to that, of course. You’d like that too. Right, Orin?”
Orin’s jaw flexes, like getting to know me is the least of his concerns right now. Seeing a vein pulse in his forehead is kind of comical, but there’s something else hidden underneath that grumpy exterior that makes his sexy scent intensify. “What I want doesn’t matter.”
I can’t help grinning at his expression. He can fight it, but I can tell he finds me attractive. I don’t know why that brings me such a strong sense of satisfaction, but it does. Though I’ll be damned if I’ll be the first to admit that I’d like to get to know his moody ass better.
“It’s my job as pack leader to make sure that you’re safe, taken care of, and that Adler’s future isn’t fucked up over one stupid decision.”
“So that’s all I am?” I cross my arms. “A stupid decision.”
He narrows his eyes. “An accident, then.”
“Because it being an accident is sooo much better.”
“He didn’t mean that,” Adler says.
“Oh, I think he did.”
Orin ignores me, continuing on with his boring lecture, talking through the points like he’s reading from a list. “What’s ours is yours.
Help yourself to any food you like. We tend to order in and have a personal chef drop by a few times a week to meal prep, so you can draw up a list of food you like that I can pass over.
We have a shared pack calendar with all of our schedules, so you can add yours to it.
Luca has been getting the nest ready for you—”
“Can I see it now?” I cast a look at Orin. “If you’re done going over your rules, that is?”
“That’s all the rules for now.” His eyes glint mischievously, a hint of a challenge in them. “I need to shower and get ready for work anyway.”
The thought of Orin standing under a spray of hot water has me perfuming. Adler’s deep inhale and the way Orin straightens his shoulders, turning stiff as a board, tells me it hasn’t been lost on either of them. So much for playing it cool.
Orin sniffs. “It smells like you need to reapply scent blocker.”
Adler gasps. “You can’t ask her to cover her scent at home!”
“It’s okay, Adler, I can handle myself.” I pat his arm. I study my new pack leader, noting how his hands have curled into fists. “I don’t wear scent blockers at home, and you want me to feel comfortable, right?” I bat my eyelashes, making him glower. “I’m just following your rules.”
“She makes a good point,” Luca says. “And I don’t mind the whole house smelling like cherries.”
Knowing that Luca likes my scent pleases me, and Adler seems to be happy at that fact too.
“Fine.” Orin stands up, realizing this won’t be an argument he’ll win. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”
He strides off, his movements wooden, like some kind of control freak robot. Pushing his buttons will be fun. That, or maybe I can teach him how to loosen up.
“I probably should shower too. I think I still have sand in my hair from last night,” Adler groans, then his breath tickles my ear. “You’re welcome to join me, if you’d like?”
“Let’s take one day at a time, Romeo.” I nudge him playfully. While his offer is very tempting, one night of passion has already changed the course of the rest of our lives. “Perhaps we should slow down and get to know each other first?”
We have years of mind-blowing sex ahead of us. I want to get to know him properly, without my judgment being clouded by incredible orgasms, no matter how appealing that sounds.
He kisses my head, unable to resist a little display of affection. “You’ve got it, firecracker.”
“Maybe I can see my nest now?” I turn to Luca, my stomach flipping at his hopeful smile.
“Of course.” Luca rises then pauses. “Adler, are you okay if we—”
“We’re bonded, but Adler doesn’t make decisions for me.” I stand and brush myself down before Adler gets a chance to answer on my behalf. Being in his presence again has completely recharged me, my usual confidence back in full force. “Lead the way, Luca.”
“You better do as she asks, dude.” Adler chuckles fondly. “Sabs can be pretty persuasive, and you don’t want to see how competitive she gets.”
“Not unless you want to be cheering at my next volleyball game dressed as a fairy with Adler.”
Luca frowns in confusion. “A fairy?”
Adler hits his forehead, groaning. “You can’t be serious.”
“A bet’s a bet,” I reply brightly, tapping my chin. “I’m already imagining what your teammates will say when they see you dressed as Tinker Bell.”