17. Steve
Chapter 17
T hat could have gone better.
Why can’t I talk to her without being an asshole?
I don’t hate her.
As fucked up as it is, the two of us seem to have the most in common here.
Garret never plays video games with me, because he knows I’ll win.
Bear would never read manga, he just can’t get into it.
I’d like to learn how to cook and build like Sam, but I don’t know if I can.
Heck, I can even borrow her clothes right now.
Hopefully not for much longer, though.
Once she leaves for work, I go out to the shop. Sam said something about baseboards, and so I looked up some tutorials online for how to do those. If I can get that done, then the rest of the nest will just be furniture and decorations, maybe blinds. I could probably order some, they have guides to measure and stuff. Teddy loves black, but does he want that on the windows?
Correction, Teddy, used to love black.
I have no idea what he loves now.
Other than her and Sam.
The walls are a dark blue; the floor is almost black, the few bags of blankets and stuff I’ve found lying around are dark, but not black.
Jake follows me out to the shop, and then inside. The big room smells like Sam, and I don’t know if it’s because he spends so much time here, or because of all the sawdust. Jake runs straight to a big cushion in the corner and starts scooting it around with his nose before flopping down on top and yawning. He shouldn’t be tired—he doesn’t do anything. Though I suppose jumping around like an oversized jackrabbit could take a lot of energy.
If I was a baseboard, where would I be?
He has to keep them around here somewhere…if he has any.
It’s ok, even if I can’t find them, Sam can do it when he gets back.
But it would help, right ?
Isn’t that the whole point?
Jake’s ears perk up and he lets out a long baying bark, bolting up from the cushion and running out of the shop. That can’t be good. Chasing after him, I run out the door and see a large box truck pulling up in the empty parking area. Jake’s still bouncing around in circles, and I call his name, trying to get him away from the truck before his stupid ass gets run over. The truck shudders to a stop and he immediately runs towards the driver’s side, sliding across the loose gravel and hopping away.
A man gets out of the truck, older, a bit heavyset. Jake runs over and starts trying to lick the guy. This dog has no sense of boundaries or self-preservation. Thankfully, the man just laughs. “Hey, Jake! Is your dad home?”
Stepping forward, I make sure he can see me before calling out, “Sam’s not here right now, he had to go pick up some stuff with our omega.” There, that’s vague enough to explain without opening the house up to strangers.
He looks surprised for a minute at seeing me but then smiles; it looks relaxed and easygoing, but if he’s working for the dads, who knows? “That makes a bit more sense then. Name’s Shaun, I do some specialty deliveries around here. Stuff that don’t normally fit with FedEx or the post office. I’ve got a big shipment here from Nest-n-Stuff for one…” He lifts up a small electronic scanner with a screen. “Kelly Parker. Wait, Kelly’s a beta, her parents live on the other side of town…though I guess it’s not an uncommon name. Anyway , does a Kelly Parker, who may or may not be a beta, live here? ”
A small, spiteful part of me wants to say no. Kelly doesn’t live here. But she does, and that would be fucked up. “Yeah, I think it might officially be Kelly Carpenter now, but yeah. She’s out too. Can I help you?”
He looks at me and nods his head. “This is still Sam’s place, right? I mean, I know you said he was just out, but I been makin’ deliveries out here for years, and I’ve never met you. Never seen anybody here? other than him and Jake.” His smile is still there, but his stare is hard, like he thinks maybe I shouldn’t be here.
Rolling my eyes, I call to the big idiot. “Come on Jake, get over here, show the nice man that we live here now, yeah?” The big dog comes wiggling over and leans against my legs with a groan, reveling in the ear scratches I offer.
“Yeah, that don’t mean nothin’. Jake’s never met a stranger he wasn’t friends with right off.” Shaun eyes me with open skepticism now.
I throw up my hands before marching across the yard so we’re separated by a few feet. “Fine. Hi, my name’s Steven, Steve to my friends, Vee to my Teddy Bear. You can just call me Steven. My brother and I joined Sam’s pack last week. That being said, you probably didn’t even know he had a pack, because it seems to leave everyone in this town in shock. He had only started it with our omega, Teddy, and Kelly, who is a beta, a few days before. Yes, it’s the same Kelly from across town, with the mom and the dad, and the little brother she calls Tuck…I don’t actually know what his real name is, but for his sake I hope that’s a nickname. They live in a two-story blue house about fifteen minutes’ drive aw ay. Except when she's behind the wheel, then it’s probably less than ten.”
Shaun’s openly laughing at me now. “Yup, that sounds like Kelly alright.” He wipes his eyes. “So, Sam left you here all alone with just Jake, huh? Fair enough, I’m gonna need you to sign for this, and then I can either leave it all in a huge pile in the yard, or you can help me carry it up to the front steps. Gentleman’s choice.”
He rolls up the back of the truck, and I step up behind him. There are so many boxes, all with the big Nest-n-Stuff logo on the side. What the hell did that girl order?
Shaun climbs up onto the tailgate and grabs a box. It’s big enough to require two hands to lift. He eyes me speculatively for a moment before tossing it in my direction. I’m not proud of the girlish shriek that erupts from my throat at having a large box flying at my head, but then my arms come up and it’s incredibly light…less than ten pounds definitely. What the ever-loving hell did Kelly order?
Unloading takes quite some time, but he does indeed help me carry them up to the porch, and then hands them to me one at a time so I can set them safely inside. At first Jake prances back and forth, following us to the porch and back, but once it becomes obvious he won’t be getting more ear scratches, he lays down and watches us work, yawning periodically.
Once everything’s in the house, Shaun holds his hand out. “Well, Steven, it’s nice to meet part of Sam’s pack. I hope I’ll be seein’ you around. Oak Flats is pretty nice, as long as you don’t mind quiet, and a little bit crazy.” Well, he certainly has that part right. So far, these people are nuts. We should probably fit right in.
I shake his hand before pulling away. Jake comes over to lean against me again—now that all the manual labor is done, it must be time for more ear scratches. “Thanks Shaun, I look forward to it. And you can call me Steve.”
He smiles and nods at me again, giving the dog a rough pat on the head and ruffling his ears, before waving, getting in his truck, and pulling away.
Now what the hell do I do with all these damned boxes, and where the fuck does Sam keep his baseboards?
Kelly
S pence has decided to sit beside me for Business Composition now, apparently. I’m not sure if this is going to be a permanent addition—until the end of the semester—or just while my guys are out of town. He seems to have gone into overprotective alpha mode, which is sweet, but also really awkward, since he’s not one of my alphas. Still, the thought is appreciated.
It’s taken me a lot less time to get used to being around alpha guys than I thought it would. Not that Spence is possessive or anything. He’s been incredibly respectful of my personal space. He just growls at anyone else who gets too close. I actually worry a little for any omega who ends up with him if he’s this protective with a beta who’s not even in his pack. He’s gonna drive the poor girl or guy crazy.
Of course, other people aren’t helping. I’ve gotten a few ugly glares from some girls in my class with him following me around. They’re the same ones who were butt-heads when they found out I was dating Sal. There’s no point in trying to explain that Spencer is just my friend. They probably wouldn’t believe me; they just want to be mean. Besides, I am living with three alphas and an omega now. They’d probably faint if they knew about that.
A tiny part of me chuckles at the idea. The thought of asking Teddy to come to class with me. Having him here would make me feel good—but I don’t want to make him uncomfortable, and being around that many strangers surely would.
I really hope they’re doing ok.
Surely they’ve already gotten to L.A.
Maybe they’re too busy to text.
The bell finally rings, and Spence follows me out of class. “Hey, um, Kelly? Are you headed over to the union today? I thought you normally go to the workout center after your A&P class, but you didn’t on Monday. You feelin’ ok?” He’s walking beside me towards my next class, when I’m pretty sure he should be running across campus to get to the sports complex for football practice.
“No, sorry Spence. I appreciate it, but I’m not feeling up to it today. I think I’m just gonna head home and curl up with a book tonight. Aren’t you gonna be late?”
He blushes and stares down at his feet. “Oh, Coach won’t mind, and I can head home right after practice, so if I need to stay late and make up any work, it’ll be fine.”
Neither of us speaks for the rest of the walk, and it’s easy. Some people have to talk. There has to be a conversation for comfort. Spence isn’t like that, and it’s surprisingly relaxing to be around him. Waving at him as he runs off, I turn and find my desk. Just one more class for the day, then I can stop and get a few groceries before I get home. Hopefully, one of the guys will answer the phone when I call.
T he grocery store is usually pretty dead, and tonight is no exception. As far as I can tell, it’s just me and Billy at the front. I sent a text to Steve to ask what he might like for dinner, but he never replied, so I’m just going to grab some chunky soup and call it good. It doesn’t seem like he really cooks, so he can eat what I get or starve. I snag up a couple boxes of cereal for breakfast, two frozen pizzas for dinner tomorrow, and a carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.
Billy asks how I’m doing, looking me over with a critical eye, and making me wonder if I sprung a leak or something. Do I have blood somewhere? Is he gonna call the cops, ’cause that would be super awkward.
“What’s wrong, Billy? You keep starin’ at me like you expect me to start crying. Seriously, what’s up?” He sets his jaw, but he doesn’t look angry with me, just concerned.
“Those alphas. Now, I know Sam’s a good guy. But they were in here yesterday, all except the blond, buying a whole bunch of feminine hygiene products…and I just…I worry. Spencer said he met ’em all on Monday at the college and he was worried about your omega. I didn’t want to say anything yesterday when they were in…but are you ok? Is he? Nobody’s hurt?”
What can only be described as a guffaw bursts forth before I even try to stop it, and now Billy looks bashful. A blush staining his cheeks as he tries not to meet my eyes. “Yes, oh god. Billy, you know betas have a regular once a month cycle. I have no idea why they got me so many, but I shouldn’t be back in here to restock for another six months or so.” My eyes are watering, and I can’t stop the giggles.
“Ok, Kelly. I didn’t mean any offense. Shit…with the scars and everything. All the stuff to absorb blood…I was worried. I don’ t know. It’s probably dumb. Just, if you ever need anything or y’all don’t feel safe, we’re here, aright?”
My laughter tapers off at the talk of scars and blood…and Spence. I must look as confused as I feel right now, because Billy keeps talking. “Listen, I know, sometimes life gets to be too much. It’s all so overwhelming. I’ve been there, but I had people to help me—so it never got as bad as it could’ve. Sometimes you need help and you don’t know who to turn to. I just want you to know I’m here, for you or him. Just someone to talk to.”
He shrugs like he’s embarrassed now, rubbing his wrists in the same way Teddy does when he gets nervous. I’m still confused. Gathering myself, I try to shake off the thoughts whirling through my head. “Thanks, Billy, I…Thanks. Really.” He nods and shuffles his feet, still refusing to meet my eyes. When Teddy gets home, I’ll need to ask him what scars Billy’s talking about. And how did I miss that?