Chapter TenEvan
Chapter Ten
Evan
J ett and Brennan sat at the kitchen table, talking quietly, drinking coffee, and having a moment.
“Hey, Love.” Brennan stood when he saw me. His arms wrapped around my waist when I came over to him.
“Hey yourself, Handsome.” I leaned into him and stole a kiss. “How’d last night go?”
“Yet another stupid party.” He shrugged, still holding me. “I got the scholarship for Rose set up. I’m happy to help, but please go easy for the rest of the month.” His family had a big foundation, and I made good use of it educating my baby omegas.
“I’ll try. Hey, Hot Stuff.” I gave Jett a kiss.
“Good morning. How’s Peaches?” Jett asked as I got myself a cup of coffee.
Brennan looked around. “Where is she?”
“It was a little rough last night; concussions are a bitch. She’s upstairs with Wes.” I added milk and sugar to my cup.
Brennan’s eyebrows rose. “You left her with Wes?”
“Yeah.” I took a long drink of coffee. That was exactly what she needed right now. It was evident in the way she reacted to him. She was his. I had no urge to fight that; there was enough of Wes to go around.
Jett looked at his phone, sighed, and stood. “Work. Sorry.”
“Will you tell me why you brought home a stray? I’d like to understand.” Brennan opened the fridge as Jett left the kitchen. “Eggs?”
How much did I tell him? He wasn’t familiar with parallel world theories. He didn’t even like multiverse movies or read fantasy novels.
“Eggs would be great. I’m starving. Honestly, there’s something about her.
I looked at her bruises and wanted to punch someone.
She smelled right. Also, I didn’t want her to go to a homeless shelter when she couldn’t remember her name.
” I sighed, trying to articulate my feelings in a way that didn’t reveal things that weren’t mine to tell.
Maybe I was getting it through my bond with Wes. Maybe I was attracted to her all on my own.
“But she does now, which is good. Her being brought to your Center, meeting you, all of this is very suspicious.” Brennan got out some vegetables and cheese.
I got out a pan and rolled my eyes. “It’s Lexi’s case. You know why she brought her to the Center.”
“Given Grace now knows her name, I want her gone. We’ll still help her. But I don’t like people here.” Brennan was a territorial introvert. Our home was a castle. A private castle. We didn’t even have a housekeeper–we rotated chores.
No. Her leaving wasn’t going to work for me.
“Are you afraid that this will be like Caroline? Wes asked me if I was okay last night so many times I was ready to smack him. Grace isn’t trying to worm her way into the pack or use us.
She’s scared and needs help. I’m sorry for bringing her home without running it by everyone, but the circumstances were extenuating, and this is where she needs to be,” I replied.
“We don’t know her–or anything about her. I want her gone from the house.” Brennan sighed as he cooked.
“Just meet her.” I knew she’d fit right in with us if they gave her a chance.
“He’s right, I should go.” Grace tumbled into the kitchen, hair soaking wet, feet bare, wearing some too-big shorts and a shirt that smelled of Wes.
“Peaches, where are you going to go?” I poured her some coffee while watching Brennan’s reaction, as he took in the bruises on her face and arms.
“There’s a domestic violence shelter on the other side of town that owes me a favor, I’ll call them. Do you remember who hurt you? Was it your husband? Wife? Alpha? Parents?” Brennan continued to cook.
Grace looked up at me, lower lip quivering. “I kissed him. I’m so sorry, Evan. You’ve been nothing but kind to me and…” She sobbed. “I’m going to wreck everything. He’s not mine anymore. I don’t belong here.”
“Hey, it’s okay.” I brought her to my chest, comforting her. Mmmm, she used Wes’ body wash.
“What?” Turning off the stove, Brennan spun around, eyes flashing. “How dare you walk into my pack and pull something like that? Evan was kind enough to bring you home with him, and you act like this? We’re not looking for members, and you can’t whore your way into our money,” he growled.
She burst out of my arms and marched over to him, looking fierce, not scared. Grace’s hand flew out as she smacked him across the face. “You have no right to speak to me like that. I’m not a whore. Or a slut.”
Wow, there was a lot to unpack there. I enjoyed seeing this fierceness in her. Her scent flared with anger, filling the kitchen with spicy peaches.
It was a stark contrast to her crying a moment ago.
Brennan growled. I stepped between the two of them, because if she came from a world with no alphas, like Wes said, she had no idea what she’d done.
Either that or she was a gamma. Part of what made being a gamma dangerous is that they didn’t always respond like omegas or betas–like an alpha would expect–and in a volatile situation that could end badly.
Wes had said that her world didn’t have designations, but maybe they just used different words.
If someone hurt her so badly that she forgot her mate, it could halt the genetic process of becoming an omega and make her a gamma.
I could absolutely believe her being an omega.
Most scent matches were alpha and omega, but not all.
“Brennan, stop. There’s a lot going on here that you don’t understand,” I told him.
“She came into our home and kissed your alpha, and you’re okay with it? Because I’m not.” His pine scent went spicy with anger, as I caught his frustration through our bond.
“She’s not Caroline, so stop projecting. I’m okay with it,” I fired back. “She fucking needs him right now, not a shelter, him. ”
Her head bowed. “Whatever Wes and I had was a long time ago. He loves you, Evan. I can see it. The last thing I want is to come between you or to hurt you. You’re so kind. I’ll leave.”
“Good,” Brennan growled.
I was torn between whom to comfort. While I could feel his anger, his conflict, I could smell how scared and confused she was. “Bren–”
“Oh. Hello.” Spencer entered the kitchen, dressed for work in his favorite suit, barefoot, and smelling like well-oiled leather. His eyes fell on Grace. “You must be Dr. Ellington. I’m Spencer Thanukos, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Um, hi. I’m Grace.” Grace’s expression was priceless as she took him in.
Spencer was handsome in a distinguished, Mediterranean, alpha gentleman billionaire sort of way, complete with olive skin, a little bit of grey in his dark hair, striking grey-brown eyes, and hint of a Greek accent. He was a few years older than me, and I’d known him my entire life.
His head cocked. “You don’t belong here.”
What the fuck? He didn’t say it meanly, but I still gave Spencer a sharp look as he put the kettle on.
Grace drooped. “You’re right. I don’t. I’ll go.”
“Grace, you and Wes have a lot to figure out. Maybe you’re still a thing, maybe not. I’m here for both of you, either way.” I wanted, no, needed, for her to stay.
“Grace and Wes are exes ? I’m not okay with this. Neither is Spence. She goes, now, Evan,” Brennan demanded.
His tone and the anger in our bond made me bristle.
“Just because she doesn’t belong here doesn’t mean she has to leave.” Spencer walked around her in a predatory manner, like she was a tasty little morsel.
Okay, she was. A tiny little snack-sized candy bar.
“I should. Eventually, I’ll have to go home. I already messed everything up for him once, I don’t want to do it again. I’m not a home-wrecker.” She winced, her scent going bitter.
I brought her to my chest, protecting her from the alphas in the kitchen. “Grace, Peaches, stop worrying about me. I’ll say something if you cross a line. Like I said before, you and Wes have a lot to work out–and I’m okay with that and aware it will include kissing and then some.”
Wes’ knot would make it all better.
“How did you get here, my good doctor?” Spencer took tea down from the cupboard, and a cup, and poured hot water into it.
“She came from the Center, Spence, remember?” Brennan snapped.
Grace met his gaze, and it was almost like an unspoken conversation passed between them.
“I… I don’t know. The memories are blurry beyond being chased and waking up in the park.” She flinched.
I hadn’t mentioned Grace’s potential interdimensional traveler status to Spencer yet. But if anyone could take one look at her and tell, it would be him.
“I see. There are ramifications if you can successfully accomplish this at will,” Spencer replied.
“How did you know?” She looked at me. I shook my head.
“You still smell a bit like neutrons.” He handed the cup to Grace. “Drink this. Eat what you can, then go back to sleep–or at least rest.”
“Yes, sir.” Her chest trembled a little.
“Someone should see to those bruises. I’m off to work. I’ll be late tonight.” Spencer gave her a pleased, almost smug, look, slipped on his shoes, then left through the garage.
Now Spencer, oh, she could call him sir. He actually preferred Daddy. Hmm, I could be okay with that. He was a good guy. Spencer wasn’t with anyone in the pack and hadn’t had a partner in ages.
“What the fuck was that? I’m so confused. If that man wasn’t a fucking genius…” Brennan glared, pheromones pouring out as he tried to overwhelm Grace with his alphaness without actually posturing. “Who sent you? We don’t negotiate with exes.”
“I don’t negotiate with assholes.” With a scowl, she plopped down at the table and gingerly sipped her tea.
“What’s going on here?” Wes joined us, in jeans and a T-shirt, feet bare, fresh laundry scent flaring with concern.
“Grace is your ex, and you didn’t think to mention it?” Brennan growled.
“Don’t growl at me.” Wes flipped him off and picked up the cup of coffee on the counter I’d poured for Grace. “I feel like shit.”
“Wow, you’re all rays of sunshine today. I need coffee and some of whatever Brennan’s making.” Lexi sailed in, wearing a red blouse, black slacks, and carrying the oversized work bag I’d gotten her for her birthday.