Chapter Thirty-ThreeGrace
Chapter Thirty-Three
Grace
“ H e did?” I laughed and took another sip of beer as Wes’ dad told me stories about Wes as a kid. He hadn’t been at the house last night, so this was my first time meeting him–and unlike Lexi, he didn’t know about all the years Wes had dreamed of me.
They had heat lamps going, and the fire pit. It wasn’t nearly as cold as it could be, and I wore a flannel of Evan’s.
“Oh, the stories I could tell you.” His eyes crinkled around the corners as he laughed. “I’m going to get another one of those delightful steaks. Who knew Spencer was such a grilling expert?”
Wes put an arm around me as his dad walked away. “Do you like him?”
“I love him.” I leaned into Wes. It had been fun to meet Wes’ dad and some of his friends and family. The backyard was full of people laughing, eating, and having a great time.
Music played in the background, since their fancy backyard had a sound system. Also, a giant grill and a bar. Evan and I had blown up balloons and hung streamers. Riley made an enormous banner that said Happy Birthday, Wes.
I watched as Evan, Lexi, and a few others played flying disc , which was frisbee.
Spencer was at the grill, being assisted by Marcos, Riley, and their friend Kilroy, who just wanted to play with fire.
They kept chasing each other with flaming sticks.
Lena, Lexi’s packmate who owned a bar, played bartender.
Even Brennan seemed to have fun as he and Jett sat on a giant wooden swing with their drinks.
This… this was nice.
Katie came over to me. “Hey, Evan says you play piano. Should we play something?”
“Um, sure. I probably don’t know anything you do.” I’d done a quick search for some popular classical piano pieces, and while some of them sounded close, none of them were the same.
Wes kissed my temple. “Go for it.”
“The boys are treating you okay, aren’t they?” she asked as we crossed the backyard. “We haven’t really had time to talk.”
“I adore Evan, and I’d never do anything to hurt him,” I blurted.
“Oh, I don’t think that at all. I’m not sure anyone that matters does,” she told me.
I sighed and looked at Brennan and Jett on the swing.
“Yeah, he doesn’t matter.” Katie rolled her eyes. She had red hair and eyes that were just like Brennan’s. They even had similar builds, though she was a little shorter and slighter.
“He’s head alpha, so he sort of does,” I muttered, recalling what Luc, the integration counselor, had said about his acceptance being critical.
“All that’s a him problem, not a you problem,” she replied. “You have a room, right? Do you have what you need? Has Wes taken you out?”
“I have an adorable room and more stuff than I could want. We went on a date last night, it was fun.” I grinned. It was so thoughtful.
Katie and I went inside. The cake Evan and I made this morning sat on the table.
We’d also gone to the home store, and I’d picked out a lavender candle for myself along with a few other things.
Evan and I also stopped at an art supply store, and I got Wes the charcoal set Evan said he wanted, offering to give Evan some baking lessons in return for getting it for me.
“Just checking. Wes can be a little oblivious and complacent. Also, Bren and Wes suck at courting. Spencer’s probably amazing at it, though.” She gave me a sly look. “What? I see how he looks at you.”
He did? Part of me perked up. Hey, down girl. You already have two guys, and you barely know what to do with them.
“Spencer? If I accept this job, he’ll be my boss. ” I ducked my head, cheeks warming as we went over to the piano in the big open area on the second floor. I hadn’t spent much time on this floor.
“And?” She laughed. “It’s not uncommon for omegas to work with a mate or packmate. You working with Spencer and Wes wouldn’t cause anyone to blink as long as you can actually do the job you’re hired for.”
Therein lay the problem. I’d looked over several projects, and I didn’t feel qualified to join any of those teams.
She stretched her fingers. “Do you like to play duets?”
“Absolutely.”
Opening the piano bench, she got out some sheet music.
While I didn’t know anything she did, for obvious reasons, I was an excellent sight reader.
We played a few things, laughing when one of us messed up. This was fun. Evan, Rami, who was Katie’s omega, and Lexi wandered up. It felt so good to play again. The notes tickled all the correct parts of my brain.
Brennan barreled in, anger on his face. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Playing the piano, want to join?” Katie didn’t seem taken aback by his anger.
“No. I don’t like you playing my fucking piano,” Brennan retorted.
“Oh, I didn’t realize the piano was yours. I’m sorry,” I told him, feeling bad. “But I’ve been playing since I was little; I’m not going to break it.”
“Don’t be sorry, this isn’t about the piano,” Katie told me, brushing him off.
“I don’t like people touching my stuff,” he growled, eyes flashing with anger.
No. This wasn’t about the piano. This was about me.
I couldn’t go home. But I wasn’t wanted here. I wasn’t smart enough. I wasn’t anything that counted. Maybe I’d even broken interdimensional law.
“No?” I got up and rubbed my hands all over the piano, even though I could hear my childhood-self getting yelled at for leaving fingerprints.
“Don’t be infantile,” he snapped.
“Infantile? We both know that this isn’t about the piano; but you don’t like people touching your stuff, do you?” I went over to Evan and rubbed my hands all over him, then kissed him.
I realized what I was doing and broke it off.
Looking up at Evan, my knees trembled with guilt. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to use you like that.”
“Hey,” Evan’s voice went soft, as he pulled me to him. “I’m all for you bratting Bren, but don’t do it if you can’t take the consequences. Peaches, you’re not ready.”
What did that even mean?
“She won’t ever be, because there is no place for her in this pack,” Brennan retorted. “I don’t know what your endgame is, but you don’t belong here. ”
“Bren, she’s bonded to your packmate. A bond that predates your pack. You don’t get to make that choice,” Katie corrected.
“No, you and Mother don’t get to make that choice for my pack.” Brennan got in her face, both of them posturing like it might come to blows.
I snapped, “What am I supposed to do, Brennan? As I stated before, I’m not here to wreck anything.
I don’t want anything from you. I’m not here to steal Wes from Evan or to get your money.
You’re right, I don’t belong here. But what if I can’t go home?
I…” I sagged into Evan’s arms. “I don’t belong anywhere.
I’ll never belong. I’ll never be good enough. ”
Self-defeat cascaded down on me, crushing my soul.
“What the fuck, Bren?” Evan held me tight as he ran his fingers through my hair. “I’ve got you. I’m right here.”
“Why are you wearing the flannel I bought Evan?” Brennan growled, as he tugged at the corner of it.
“Really?” Katie goaded.
“Fine.” Getting out of Evan’s arms, I unbuttoned the flannel, sick of this bullshit.
“Grace, stop.” Evan put his hand on mine.
“No. He doesn’t want me to wear this shirt.” I took it off and threw it at him. “Happy?” I put my hands on my hips and scowled.
“Why is there yelling?” Riley joined us. “Fuckity fuck fuck. Grace, who am I destroying for you?”
“Shit,” Katie said. “What happened to her back? Car accident?”
“It’s a fucked-up story,” Evan said quietly.
Right. My scars. Mortification filled me as I stood there in my sports bra, scars on display.
Back in my cheer days I’d always been careful to choose a sports tank that covered them, or I wore a shirt over my sports bra.
Our cheer outfits were never usually a problem or I could wear a dance top under it that matched my skintone.
But here I was, in all my glory, back fully on display…
My breath hitched in my chest as I tried not to panic.
Wes ran up the front stairs. “Um, hey, is everything okay?”
“Well, if your bond worked right, you’d know, wouldn’t you,” Brennan sneered.
“Your bond doesn’t work right? Why didn’t I know that?” Katie gave him a hard look.
“It’s the concussion. You can read papers about it. It’s a medically documented thing that can happen.” Wes bundled me into his arms, pressing my face into his muscular chest. “Hey, I’m right here. What do you need?”
“Things to be right.” Tears flooded my eyes, and I buried my face in his shoulder, trying to get comfort from his scent. Our bond wasn’t even right. I wasn’t from here. I couldn’t stay. But I couldn’t go.
What was I supposed to do? I’d never be enough. In any world.
“I will fuck someone up for you,” Riley snarled, hugging my back.
“They’re dead.” My chest shook.
“I hope you killed them.”
“I… I don’t know how my mom died. By that point, I’m not sure I even cared.” I closed my eyes.
“Her mom.” Rami’s voice wavered. “Her mom did that?”
“She had an issue with Grace and Wes being together,” Lexi said. “Like Evan said, it’s a fucked-up story, and that’s just the bits I know.”
“Who takes issue with Wes? He wouldn’t be the alpha I’d worry about,” Katie said.
“I think she just hated alphas in general,” Wes replied, arms wrapped tight around me. “Strangely enough, her mom also hated advanced math. But, hey, she’s gone, Grace. She can’t hurt you, and you’re here with me and Evan–right where you belong.”
He kissed my head, and I felt tiny little flickers of love, as his scent coated me.
Evan wrapped his arms around us, too, adding lemonade. “We’re here, and it’s going to be okay.”
For a moment, I allowed myself to soak this up, to soak up them.
It was moments like this where everything felt right.
If I could stay on the third floor with them and never venture out, everything would be fine.
Like when I was little and would dream of Wes.
There in the dreams, with him, life was great.
Then I woke up.
“Let’s get you a shirt and then maybe we should go have cake? I can’t wait to try it. It looks amazing. Do I even want to know why you’re not wearing a shirt?” Wes asked.
Katie turned to her twin. “You need to let this Caroline bullshit go, Bren.”
“I’m just trying to protect my pack.” The anger left Brennan’s voice, but there was no apology in his face or posture.
“You don’t need to protect the pack against Grace ,” Wes said.
“I’m sorry, I won’t play the piano anymore. I don’t want anyone to be mad at each other.” Guilt ate at me for causing a scene on Wes’ birthday .
Brennan looked at me with an intense gaze, and I flinched. Wes growled. So did Katie.
Pine, eucalyptus, and clean laundry flooded the room in an intensity that had me frozen, clinging to Evan as the three alphas faced off.
“Fuck me with a pineapple,” Riley breathed.
Rami whined and clung to Lexi.
What was going on? I was a little terrified. Not of anyone specifically, just in general.
“You can play the piano. But clean the fingerprints off it–and learn how to load the dishwasher right.” Brennan stalked to his room, slamming the door.
“Bren,” Katie yelled.
“Let him have a moment,” Evan said.
Katie pulled Rami to her chest, murmuring and stroking his hair.
“How do I load the dishwasher wrong? I wash the big things by hand.” I didn’t know there was a wrong way to load the dishwasher, unless you were blocking the sprayers or something.
“He’s particular about the bowls. Back bowls face front, front bowls face back. According to him, all silverware but knives should go up, not down, in the basket. I didn’t realize it bothered him that much.” Evan shrugged.
“It’s not about the dishwasher. Or the piano. Or even you. It’s about Caroline,” Katie told me, still holding onto Rami, comforting him. He was slight, his dark hair hung in his brown eyes, dark green shirt bringing out his golden-brown skin.
Rami was the one who worked for the space program and was fascinating to talk to.
“I don’t want to cause problems.” Guilt ate at me like acid, and I hid my face in Wes’s chest.
“You’re not.” Evan kissed my temple. “I’ll meet you downstairs so we can have cake.”
“Oh, yes. Let’s have some cake. I’m excited to see how it turned out. I can never get it quite the way my grandma did.” Lexi stood.
Hopefully, it turned out. It was Evan’s first baking lesson.
“For what it’s worth, I like it that you’re here. I’m going to jump in the pool and rinse off this alpha fuckery.” Riley ran back downstairs.
Wes led me upstairs, arm around my waist. “Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, right? Just got bossy and possessive?”
“I didn’t mean to ruin your birthday.” I felt all weird and uneasy inside, my heart pounding.
“You didn’t. It’s not ruined. Not one bit.” He carried me to his room and dropped me on his bed.
It smelled of him. Of us. With a hint of Evan, who’d crawled in with us in the wee hours to snuggle.
He jumped under the covers with me, crushed me to his chest, and purred. I was plunged into a cozy sea of snuggles, my spine melting, as he held me, murmuring soft words, until my heart stopped pounding and my breath unhitched.
“Better, Peaches? Or do you need more?” He pressed tiny kisses on my face.
I took a deep breath of Wessy goodness, the lungful soothing my frayed soul. “One more cuddle and then we’ll have some cake?”
“Sounds good.” Wes snuggled me tight, planting little kisses on my jaw, neck and shoulders.
“Cake time, bitches,” Riley yelled from someplace.
Reluctantly, I sat up.
“Okay.” I looked down at my bra. “Right after I put on a shirt.”