7. Aspyn
Chapter seven
Aspyn
A spyn Aged 15
I bare my teeth at the physio helping me move across the room. I’ve had multiple surgeries, but the nerve damage and muscle damage were extreme. My bone was broken in multiple different places, and now I’ve got steel rods holding me together.
I’ll probably always walk with a limp. But, with exercise, I might be able to increase and keep my range of movement.
No one really talks about the pain.
The days where I ache so badly. Or the nights when painkillers don’t even touch it.
I keep my mouth shut and bear with it, though, because mum still cries.
All the time.
So, I smile, and I do my best because we’re all each other has .
P resent Day
“Aspyn, your boy toys are here.”
Nat fluffs her hair and winks at me. “I’m off to see a man about a cock.”
I roll my eyes. “Cow.”
“I don’t want to touch his cow, darling.”
“Wash your hands!” I shout after her.
She cackles and disappears out the door, leaving it open for Beau, Shale, Keagan, and, to my surprise, Gael. I stop what I’m doing, watching as he checks out my home with quick, nonjudgmental glances.
“Uh, hi.” I flick a glance at the Daane, then return it to Gael. “What are you doing here?”
With my cheeks scorching, I send a desperate look around the house, hoping it will magically transform into something less humiliating. The house is a mess. I was in the middle of trying to make another batch of biscuits that wouldn’t break teeth. These ones somehow turned out harder. I’ve got half rolled out dough and flour everywhere, dirty bowls are piled up, and the previous batch of biscuits are in the sink.
Keagan comes in and picks up a biscuit. He pauses, looking at me. I blush and look at the floor. Please don’t eat it. He lifts it to his mouth, then pauses and sniffs it.
“What flavour are these?”
I wrack my brains. “They’re dog biscuits. Not for people. Give them to me.” I snatch the biscuit away from him.
Keagan frowns and tries to grab another, but I lunge at the table, throwing my body over the biscuits. I hiss when my leg twinges, but Beau is there immediately, pushing Keagan away and yanking me up.
“Don’t play rough with Keagan, tell me, and I'll knock him out for you.”
I smile up at him, entranced by the softness of his eyes and the way his lips curl in that smile that melts me. All those black tattoos just frame his gorgeous face. His ginger scent is something I can never replicate in my baking. I adore it.
Shale sweeps all my biscuits into the bin, walks over to the sink, and starts organising to do my dishes.
“I can do it!”
Shale hums and glances over his shoulder. “What was the discussion we had last week?”
My cheeks burst into flames, and I sigh heavily and look up at the ceiling. “Friends let friends help them, even when they are pigheaded mules.”
“And?”
I glare at him. “And you’ve already seen me naked in my nest, so what’s a few dishes between friends?”
And that’s when I remember Gael.
I glance at him and freeze, half tempted to shift until I’m hiding behind Keagan, who is leaning on my table and chewing the corner of a biscuit.
“Hey!” I snatch the biscuit out of his hand, limp to the bin, and drop it in.
Keagan shrugs. “They weren’t terrible.”
I narrow my eyes. “They were awful. I don’t understand it. I followed the recipe exactly.”
Beau looks at the biscuits in the bin. “My love, I think you missed something. Biscuits aren’t meant to be green and that hard.”
I snarl at him and then squeak when he lifts me up and spins me around. I grab hold of his shoulders and try to hold back the giggles.
“Ah, there’s my smile. I needed my smile this morning.”
He brings me in close and hugs me. When he sets me on my feet, I know I’ve run out of time. I look at Gael and gesture to the chair in my small kitchen. There’s only one.
“Take a seat,” I squeak.
Gael nods, but it appears a bit self-conscious. He slides into the seat and tenses, but then, I would, too, with those three at my back if I were anyone but me.
I walk slowly around the table, but Keagan picks me up and sets me next to him.
“My table is not for sitting.”
“Then get more chairs.”
“I don’t need more chairs.”
“You do!” All three of them say at once.
I glower at them, but I refuse to get into this argument this early in the day.
I focus on Gael and find him staring at his hands that he’s got locked together on the table.
“I thought you guys said you were leaving?” I ask curiously.
He looks up, startled, and then shoots Keagan a look. “Something came up.”
I stare at him and then slap Keagan’s thigh as hard as I can. It won’t do anything but get his attention, but it makes me feel better, well, apart from the aching hand.
“What did you do?”
Keagan smiles and leans back, turning his head to look at Gael, who is now leaning back in the chair, looking like he wished he’d never spoken.
“Keagan!” I growl.
“Hey. You know me, would I ever do anything terrible?”
“Yes!”
Shale turns and circles the table, taking my chin in his index finger and thumb. He nudges my head until I’m looking at him.
“We took care of it.”
“What does that mean? Is Kelly alive? What about Ezy? You didn’t hurt them, did you?”
I rip my jaw free and look at Gael, who has a stain of pink on his cheeks.
“What did you do?”
Shale slides his hand along my scalp and curls his fingers in my hair, holding my head fast.
“We took care of it the same way we’ve been taking care of you for years. Relax, beautiful omega. It’s fine, your precious scent matches are alive. More's the pity.”
I growl at him.
Shale just leans forward and rubs his nose against mine. “You are so cute when you’re trying to be mean.”
I’m trying so hard to stay angry at him, but this side of the guys is my weakness. I’m helpless with their slick words and gestures that make me melt.
“I’m not cute.”
“You are adorable. But, right now, you need to speak to Gael, so we’re going to step outside, and then, when we come back, Beau is going to make you his gran’s biscuits. Does that sound good?”
To be honest, that sounds amazing. I nod my head, loving the feel of the pain as my hair pulls against my scalp.
I smooth my hands over his black shirt and wish for just one crazy moment that my heat would come on so I could have an excuse to be with them.
No, I have rules to keep distance for a reason.
Shale, Beau, and Keagan withdraw, leaving me wanting to call them back, but instead, I grab my cane and gesture for Gael to follow me.
On the other side of the room is my single armchair and a crate I sit on when I have visitors. The armchair is ratty and secondhand, and I have to cover it with a blanket to hide the hole, but it’s mine, and I paid for and bought it myself.
“I realise this is strange, but I just want to get to know you a little bit better. I mean, we are scent matches,” Gael murmurs in a soft voice that has me wanting to move closer to him.
I get that sinking feeling and realise I’m going to need to have the same talk with him that I had with the others.
“Let me interrupt you, Gael. They did mention that I don’t want bonds, right? I don’t have a pack, they just refuse to leave me alone when I ask, and, to be honest, they’ve saved me a couple of times. We’re more friends than anything else.”
Gael is watching me with a look that I can’t interpret. He is heartbreakingly handsome, with his olive skin and dark hair. His eyes seem to see inside me. I’ve never met anyone like him. It’s hurting me to say these things, but I forge on. Ripping the bandaid off and hurting us both quickly in order to be kind later.
“I just don’t want any of it. All I want is to live here alone, work, and enjoy my life while I can. I’m sorry that you came here for no reason, and I hope it hasn’t made you miss your competition.”
He half smiles, but it’s harsh, and it leaves me chilled. I don’t need to be an empath to sense the rising anger in the room.
“You don’t want scent matches. Not us or them?”
I force a smile and shake my head. “Nope.”
“Well, I guess I better be on my way.” His words are stiff and bitter.
He stands up abruptly, his whole body lines of anger and tension. I watch as he stalks out of my house and disappears without another word. Damn it. I was hoping he would want to be friends. Once I’m sure I’m alone, I let myself slump in the chair. I pull my good leg up and wrap my arms around it.
Outside, I can hear Beau shouting. I squeeze my eyes closed and rest my head on my knee.
Of the three of them, Beau is the loudest. Shale is very calm and commanding. Beau is emotional, he’s a loud happy and a loud sad. Keagan, though, is quiet, except with me and his pack. He hardly ever engages in conversation with anyone outside of us.
Shale stalks in and throws himself into my armchair. “What did you say to him?”
“I told him the same thing that I told you, that I don’t want a pack, no mates, no bonds, nothing.”
He glares at me. “And that’s it? Just the normal spiel?”
I nod and sniffle. “I shouldn’t be so upset. This is what I wanted. But he was so mad.”
Shale gets up and pulls me out of the chair. “He’s a moron. Clearly. I’ll talk to him.”
“What are you going to say to him?” I whisper into his shirt.
“What I say every time you tell us you don’t want a mate, bond, or pack. Your confidence is shot. You need time to heal. I’m going to wait forever for you. There is no other answer, Aspyn. That is the only one. You and us. That’s how it's meant to be. I’m going to tell him that's what he says from now on.”
“Shale, you don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to. I know you don’t want me to. I’ve heard all the arguments. I don’t care.”
I open my mouth, but he kisses me hard and quick.
“No more talking. Let’s go get Beau to bake us some snacks.”
Beau stomps inside and rushes over to me, picking me up by my ass and dancing around.
“My perfect omega. What flavour would you like to eat?”
“I don’t mind.”
“Aw, come on, help me out. Choc, caramel, or vanilla?”
“Caramel,” I whisper hesitantly.
“Ooh, good choice.”
He swings me down, setting me on my feet ever so gently, and starts pulling ingredients out of my cupboard.
They try to keep my cupboards and fridge full of food. We have fights about it all the time, and yet, my protests are ignored. They maintain my gardens, fix anything that needs fixing. They truly would be the most perfect mates.
If only I weren’t so broken.
“What are you thinking about?” Beau calls out.
“I was thinking about how wonderful it’s going to be to eat something that doesn’t taste like soap.”
“Did you put soap in the biscuits?”
“No!”
“Why did they taste like soap?” Beau turns, studying me intently as he mixes the flour, eggs, sugar, and caramel he’s just cooked.
“I’m not sure.”
Shale glances at Beau. “Babysitting?”
“The toddler, yes.”
“Ahh, good thinking.”
My gaze ping pongs between the two of them. “You aren’t very subtle.”
“How so?” Shale asks and inspects the armchair.
“You are absolutely not buying me armchairs!”
Shale grunts noncommittally, and I make a note to have a serious conversation with him later about boundaries. Who am I kidding? Pack Daane wouldn’t know a boundary if it hit them in the face.
“And,” I turn to Beau. “You sicced Keagan on Gael.”
“He deserved it!” Beau says with a gorgeous pout. He pulls out a finger full of cookie dough and walks over to me. “Open those sexy lips, Cher.”
I can’t refuse him when he speaks to me like that. I part my lips, and he slides his finger into my mouth, his eyes darkening and heating as I suck on his finger.
“Reminds me of good times.”
I groan and pull away, but he grabs my head and holds me still.
“Just a little bit longer.”
I swirl my tongue around his finger as he reluctantly slides it out.
“Damn!”
I glance down and see the bulge in his jeans. It never fails to excite me. My perfume has flooded the air, subtle but stronger than normal.
“Okay, biscuits,” Beau murmurs and starts lining out balls on the oven trays.
“You want to keep them this far apart.”
I move closer, focusing on my alpha’s instructions.