Chapter EighteenBrennan
Chapter Eighteen
Brennan
“ W hat do you mean nothing can be done?” I exploded as I paced my office. “She’s here. She shouldn’t be here.”
“You can’t ban Caroline from the city. The alpha she’s with is here on legitimate business. Also, she’s from here,” Katie replied over the phone.
“She spoke to Evan .” How dare she? That bitch exploited my feelings for her, emotionally damaged my omega, and then tried to ruin my pack, business, and reputation.
No. After everything she did to Evan, I didn’t want her near him. The audacity!
“It’s not like she showed up at your house. They were at the mall. They’re leaving tomorrow. Legally you can’t do anything,” she added. “She’s allowed to exist.”
Not here. I took a deep breath. Sometimes I regretted taking the moral high road.
“She ruined my life,” I retorted. I was over her, but not the damage that she caused.
The pack group chat lit up on my phone.
Evan
Not making it to the hospital tonight. Can someone please make sure Wes and Grace get food?
Me
The hospital will give her food. Wes can get his own.
Wes sent an emoji of the bird.
Spencer
I can stop by with dinner.
I also got an alert from the door cam. A photo of a woman with a bunch of sacks popped up. Another delivery?
“Caroline’s a bitch, and releasing a sex-tape was shitty,” my sister lectured, still on the phone with me.
“So was draining your accounts. But it’s been nearly three years.
You got some of the money back. Your career and reputation recovered.
Evan is fine. Your pack is fine. Well, except for you, apparently.
Maybe you should think about all the good things that are in your life instead of what’s bad. ”
Ugh. I took another deep breath. “The timing is off with this Grace nonsense.”
“I’m not sure there ever is a right time for something like this, not that I’d call it nonsense. Mrs. Beekman really doesn’t like you. Mom won’t be happy if the Center decides you’re an unfit pack. Oh, you didn’t complete your action items,” she added.
“Fuck your action items, Katie.” I ended the call. While I did care for my twin, she also infuriated me. This was my pack, and I knew what was best. Not Katie. Not my mother. Me.
It was getting late. I might as well head home.
I texted Jett.
Me
Do you want me to pick up anything for dinner?
Jett
I’m full from burgers–so are Evan and Ri. But I can make something for you if you don’t want takeout.
Ri? Oh, it was Thursday.
Me
If I pick up a steak, will you share it with me?
Jett
Sure. Get some fancy beer? Love you .
Me
Love you, too.
I finished up my emails, and drove home on my motorcycle, stopping off at the store to get something to make for my dinner.
Bag in hand, I walked into the kitchen and took off my shoes. “I’m home.”
No answer. But Jett and Evan were here–I could feel them through the bond. Riley’s boots were by the rack, ones that weren’t there this morning.
I went up to the second floor, but it was empty. As I went up to the third floor, I heard voices and smelled peaches and vanilla.
Riley’s voice floated down the stairs. “While I get taking off all the tags and washing everything, why do I have to wash some things a bunch of times? Why am I using scenty things in the dryer?”
She sat on the floor of the sunken living room, surrounded by piles of stuff. “Also, what’s with the incense? I feel like you’re teaching me something, but I don’t know what.”
“Hey, Handsome.” Evan’s face broke out into a silly grin as he stood, ran over to me, and gave me a kiss.
That greeting made me feel so much better.
For a moment I just hugged him, needing some rightness in this awful day. His usual lemonade was tinged with the scents of anise, bubble gum, amber, fresh laundry, and peach pie that clung to his clothes. Part of me didn’t like him smelling of Grace.
“Hi, Love. Hi, Ri.” My eyebrows rose. Usually, she didn’t come over on Thursdays, she just did something with Evan.
“Tomorrow’s a day off. She’s helping me get things ready for Grace.” Evan had paint on his face.
“Saturday we’re going to the movies, and Jett said we could go hiking on Sunday.” She picked up an armful of clothes and scampered down the stairs.
Hiking. Okay. Sure. Hopefully the weather would be good. It was the end of February, so you never really knew.
I surveyed all the clothes and things on the floor. There were new pillows and chairs in the living room. Plants and boxes littered the hall.
My nose wrinkled. “Do I smell paint? Where’s Jett?”
“In here,” Jett called from another room.
Evan took my hand, excitement and pride coming through the bond. “Come see.”
He led me past some assembled furniture and a mattress in the hallway.
We went through the glass doors to the sunroom, which had been cleared out.
Not that there was much in there. One wall had been painted dark green.
Some sort of printed mauve and green border ran along the top of the other three walls.
Jett sat on the floor, building something as incense burned.
Annoyance rose in me. “I thought you were getting her some clothes and a hairbrush.”
Evan wrapped his arms around me, trying to soothe me. “Everything beyond Katie’s budget, Wes and I paid for.”
Katie gave him a budget?
“You shouldn’t have to.” I made a face, disliking how much he’d spent, given Grace’s presence was temporary.
“It was mostly Wes. But I got her a birthday present,” Evan added, looking pleased with himself.
Jett looked up to Evan. “When’s her birthday? Should I save the jacket for then? Hand me that wrench over there, would you?” He turned to me, all smiles, holding two pieces of wood together. “Hey, Honey. How was your day?”
“Stressful. You bought her birthday presents?” My hand went to my face. This was how it started. Next thing she’d be under me, keening for my bite.
“It’s a week after Wes’. Do you think she’ll like the usual places?” Evan handed something to Jett.
“She’ll need a dress. We didn’t buy her anything that fancy,” Jett replied.
Evan thought for a moment. “Maybe something poufy? Or strapless?”
“Strapless.” Jett nodded.
“No dinners, no dresses.” I rubbed my forehead, overwhelmed by all these plans.
No plans. Plans meant that she was staying. I needed the stranger in my house to leave as soon as possible.
“She’s Wes’ mate. We should do something for her,” Jett countered.
“Backyard birthday barbecue? She might not feel up to a fancy dinner, anyway.” Evan ignored what I said as he crouched down to help Jett by holding something still.
Seeing my two guys shirtless assembling furniture should be sexy, but all I could feel was annoyance. “Why does she need a bed? I figured she’d just sleep in Wes’ room.”
“Probably. But she needs her own space, too.” Evan took out his phone, nodded, and put it away.
“Why?” There were bags and piles everywhere.
“So I have a place to fuck her.” Evan grinned at me. “I like her a lot. I want to fuck her eventually.”
I sighed. “What does Wes think of that?”
“He’s all for it. I think she is too.”
Of course she was.
The doorbell rang. I made a face. “More?”
“That’s stuff Ri ordered for herself.” Evan stood, looked out the door, and partially closed it. He cupped my face with his hand and lowered his voice. “We have to plan for a home visit. I’m working my way through the visit checklist so that we don’t fail. Mrs. Beekman isn’t playing games.”
Jett tipped up what he was building, and Evan helped him.
“On the phone she was brutal, more than the other lady. Where did they find her? I don’t remember ever meeting her at your workplace,” Jett said.
“She’s a supervisor at another Center. She’s going to look for things such as, Does Grace have her own space?
Is it clear she’s not restricted to her own space?
Are her needs being met? So yes, we’re making her a room and going to do something for her birthday since it’s so soon.
I think we’re doing a great job here.” Evan beamed, proud.
What they’d done was impressive. But making her a space would let her think that she could stay.
“We are,” Jett agreed as they continued to assemble what looked like a canopy daybed.
“Jett, you’re playing along? I thought you felt something was off.” I figured if anyone would side with logic, it would be him. Unfortunately, Spencer was enamored with her.
“It is. But I like my job and I like everyone not being in jail. I know these detectives, and I know how home visits work. If the Center finds something wrong with us, they will act. These things can snowball fast. Let’s follow the checklist and prepare for the home visit.
She’s Wes’ mate, and that accounts for something,” Jett replied.
I frowned as they screwed the mirror onto the dresser, because I hadn’t known all that. “What if we fail the inspection? The Center’s not actually going to take her from us, are they?”
While I didn’t want her to stay, the Center removing her from us meant we were unfit.
We were fit. She just didn’t fit.
“They could,” Evan replied. “I took a girl from her home the same day Grace arrived, no visit needed. With everything going on, we don’t want to fail this or any other home visit.”
“There could be more?” I stepped back as they moved to another part of the bed.
“Well, yeah, we follow our omegas for some time. Gotta make sure they’re okay,” Evan told me.
Something caught my eye, and Riley had her face pressed up against the glass doors of the room.
She slipped in. “You know the doors are glass, right, Doofus? Should I add curtains to my next order?”
“Or something?” Evan agreed. “Thanks for your help.”
“That’s what you pay me for. I’m going to do shit to my room while the clothes wash.” She flipped us off and left.
“I let her get some new stuff for her room. Um, Caroline made a comment about Riley being alone in the store, and it bothered me. She wasn’t alone, I was at another register,” he told me. “We don’t need Dependent Services getting involved.”
“She’s fifteen, so why can’t she be alone in a store? Caroline would call Dependent Services.” That bitch. Ruining everything, as usual.
“I wish we had more time. There’s no closet or bathroom.” Jett looked around. “What will Grace use?”
Evan thought for a moment. “Right, I forgot to order a wardrobe. I’m putting stuff for her in Wes’ bathroom. Maybe I should add a desk for her in Wes’ room? Or a corner of the library?”
“I don’t want her on my floor. In fact, I want her away from me as much as possible. When is she coming?” I scowled, not liking all these changes. I didn’t like change. It wasn’t orderly or predictable.
“Saturday or Sunday, I think,” Evan told me, conferring with his phone.
I huffed, done with all this Grace talk. “I’m going to go cook some steak. Do either of you want some?”
Jett reached out and squeezed my hand. “I’ll be right there, Honey.”
“I’m good. Thanks, Handsome.” Evan shook his head and went back to helping Jett.
I went down to the living room. Riley was in her room blaring music. I went into the kitchen. Taking my bottle of good bourbon, which someone had been in, I poured myself a glass and got out what I needed to make dinner.
As I cooked, I realized the kitchen had stuff in it we didn’t have before, such as a fancy stand mixer. Ugh. Why? I hated counter clutter.
“I know you don’t like people in the house, but we have to play the game, Honey. Thank goodness Evan knows how. But we all have to be on board.” Jett came up behind me and slid his arms around my waist, which reassured my alpha that everyone still cared for me.
I flipped the steak over to get a sear on both sides. “Fine. The faster this is over, the faster she can be gone.”
“What if Grace stays? She’s Wes’ mate .” Jett let go of me and got a beer out of the fridge. “Ooh, you got the really fancy beer. Thanks.”
“How did I not know that he had a mate? Or a serious girlfriend? I knew him then.” I frowned. “There was someone, but I also think he was also dating other girls…”
“Maybe they had an open relationship? Perhaps they took a break because her mom sounds like an asshole. That’s what’s really bugging you, isn’t it? That you knew him then and didn’t know about Grace?”
“Of course not.” Yeah, it rankled. “Why didn’t he disclose it when we formed the pack–or when we locked everything down after Caroline? I don’t want Grace to stay. We’re not supporting her.” I took a sip of my drink and sighed.
“Legally, we have to keep her if she and Wes want to continue to be mates–unless we cut Wes from the pack. That would get messy since he’s mated to Evan.
Spencer’s trying to hire her, so I don’t think money will be an issue.
Are you jealous that Evan likes her so much?
” he teased, an arm around me as he sipped his beer.
Maybe. I could share Evan with Wes since Wes was first–and the reason I’d even met him. I could share Evan with Jett because Jett was my husband, and we shared everything. But I didn’t want to share Evan with Grace.
However, I looked like an asshole saying he couldn’t be with her; especially since she was with Wes and Wes didn’t mind.
“Evan was good to Caroline, and look what happened.” I glared at the steak.
“I know.” He patted my shoulder. “But not everyone’s like her.”
“But lots of people are. Wes and Grace are scent matches, aren’t they? It’s the only thing that makes any sense.” I took the steak off the heat and put it on a plate to rest.
There were also a bunch of stupid stories about scent matches, like dreaming of them and shit. Whatever. That was for movies. Plenty of people didn’t have a scent match with their omega–since an omega could smell mouth-wateringly delightful and be the one without being your soulmate.
Also, I hadn’t missed Evan’s comment in my mother’s office about him not thinking Grace would survive an un-bonding.
“Scent match. Huh. I was wondering about that.” Jett nodded. “I’ve never heard of a scent match with a gamma, but given they’re usually failed omegas, that seems plausible?”
Evan wasn’t my scent match. But I loved him with my entire being.
For a time, I’d thought Caroline was mine.
When we started dating during university, things got intense, fast, as they often were between alphas and omegas. I could see us mating, forming a pack, having kids, and sharing a life together.
When she wanted to travel after graduation instead of being with me, it broke my heart. But I loved her, so I let her go and moved on. When she returned, I welcomed her into the life I’d built without her. Brought her into my business. My home. We’d talked about making her part of our pack.
Then she nearly destroyed us. Me. I’d loved her, and she’d wiped the floor with my very soul.
The worst part was, I didn’t even know why she did it.