3. Steve
Chapter 3
I ’m missing my business ethics class for this. Ok, it’s not like I could go anyway with what happened last week. The school probably already dropped me as a student. I hate the mall. At least we're not staying long. We don’t even go shopping for Teddy. They all just want to go to the bookstore to look at something for Kelly.
Ugh , what’s the point? I wander over and look through some books on photography and cooking before circling back to the manga section where my pack is standing. Dear lord, she probably reads some sort of shōjo shit. All the skinny little waiflike girls that are built like her, getting the handsome guy that everyone else wants.
Nobody likes the scrawny look .
Staring down at my own emaciated body, I scoff. Now that I have my bear back, I feel more like my old self. I can get back into a shape that he finds attractive. Unless, somehow, he does like her shape and I need to actually lose more weight. Shit, maybe I should stop eating as much. I don’t think I can learn to cook without gaining weight. Fuck.
Sam takes the stack of books they’ve picked out to the checkout. I don’t know why she’s getting presents. It’s not like she really contributes anything. I was hoping that Teddy and Sam would start getting tired of her soon, but it looks like I might be out of luck there. It’s ok, I can wait. Besides, this trip is for him. If he wants to do something for her, that’s fine. As long as it makes him happy.
Shit, why am I acting like such a jealous bitch?
Teddy wants us to be able to share.
Kelly doesn’t have a problem with it.
Of course not, she has a uterus…and tits.
Even if they are on the small side.
She’s prettier than me, too.
Fuck.
Once we get the nest sorted out, I need to get myself some cookbooks, but until then I can always take in some videos online, learn how to make a proper pancake. I need to do something to be useful, because clearly, I’ve fucked everything up. Sam is an amazing cook, and I’m sure he’ll teach me if I ask, but there’s just something about learning to do it myself—of being able to take care of Sam and Teddy on my own—that makes me happy.
We haven’t actually tested out our debit cards, and at least if it’s declined here, I don’t have to see these people again. I pick up a copy of the newest volume of My Hero Academia and carry it up to the front, standing in line behind my pack to see if this rings up so I can go grab some cookbooks I looked at earlier. It’s a long shot. The dads have probably already canceled all our cards, but I won’t know if I don’t try. Hell, if this works, maybe I should hit the ATM and see what else I can pull out. My mind swirls with possibilities, lost in the dream of being able to access our accounts and withdraw enough money to finish out the nest for my bear.
There’s no telling how long I’d daydream if Teddy didn’t pull the book out of my hand to look at the cover. When he speaks, my mind blanks completely. “Oh, nice…but I think we already grabbed that one. Let me check with Sam.” He takes my manga over to our pack leader and they sort through issues before he brings it back.
“Yeah, no, we got that one already, but I really appreciate your help. Did you see something else she might like? We could grab it as a gift from you?”
Choking back my retort, I snatch the book from his hand. “This is for me. You…you don’t remember?” But his puzzled expression is explanation enough. Taking a deep breath, I let it out in a sigh. “No, why would you? Fuck, it’s been so long. No, this is for me. I’m hoping to get my collection back from the apartment, but we still need to call our landlord and see if we can get in to clean it out. I’m sure he’d prefer not to have to deal with it himself.”
Teddy studies me for a minute before opening his arms, and I want to step in to them…fuck do I want to. Instead, I pull back and he lets them drop, his expression slightly puzzled. He turns back to Sam and Garret. I need to fix this—and just leaning on him and Sam and letting them take care of everything, and then acting like a catty asshole every time I see Kelly isn’t going to do that. Shit.
They finish checking out in front of me and I step up to the counter with my book. The scanner beeps and I push my card in the slot. It takes a few minutes to run, but eventually it goes through with no problems. Jackpot. Now I can try to pay for the flooring and paint for Teddy’s nest. I had planned on grabbing books for myself, but I can order those online. For now, we’d better get to the hardware store before Dad sees my card being used and cancels it out from under me.
Walking out of the store, I see Garret carrying three bags of books and scrolling through his phone quickly. His head is bent low between Sam and Teddy as they look over whatever he wants to show them. Teddy points to the screen a few times and Sam murmurs out some numbers but I don’t have any idea what they’re talking about. Sam sees me coming and wraps his arm around me, pulling me against his big chest. “What’s on your mind, Steve?” I lean in against him, letting his rumbling purr ease some of the tension in my shoulders .
He isn’t that much taller than Garret or me. Heck, we’re not that much taller than Teddy, but Sam just feels larger than life. It’s like he’s so vibrant that everything else just bends around him. That sounds poetic and illogical, and I don’t know why it goes through my mind, but even though we’re both alphas, I just feel safe and protected and small next to him. My inner alpha rebels at the thought that I need anyone to take care of and protect me, but I’m still really enjoying the sensation.
My voice sounds hesitant to make the offer that I know would help them out, but I need to. “Hey, Sam. I want to see if our bank cards still work enough to buy nesting supplies if that’s ok. Or at least, what we need to finish building the nest.” I feel Teddy’s arms wrap around my other side before he sinks against me, leaving Garret alone with his phone.
Teddy grabs his sleeve and drags him with us over to a bench to sit down. What the hell is he so focused on? After about ten minutes, he looks up. His grin is huge. “Ok, I ordered the black cork flooring tiles and dark sapphire paint for the nest. I did get an extra can, just in case, and for any repairs. They had the charcoal bamboo that you three thought would look good in the downstairs bedrooms, and some of that pale wintergreen paint for her room. Plus, a shitload of moisture barrier so we can start the install. Probably not enough to do the whole house, but it should be enough to get started, at least. Checkout says it should be ready in about an hour, but they’ll send me a text. Payment went through fine…so…want to go grab some lunch while we wait?”
Shit, he beat me to it…and he didn’t make a big fucking deal out of it.
Just saw what needed done and did it.
Why the fuck didn’t I do that?
While I’m tempted to march right back into the bookstore and binge shop for myself, I let Sam pull me towards the food court. I know I can’t fix this, but I need to try to make things better. What kind of gift says, ‘I’m sorry I was an asshole for almost ten years, please forgive me, I suck. Also, I don’t want to replace your beta, but I’m scared shitless you’ve already replaced me and don’t want to deal with my shit anymore.’?
Fuck.
Oh, hey, pizza!