Chapter 33 Elliot
Elliot
Forrest and Wells take Claire to bed, and I’m left with the S?rensen gang. Which isn’t anything unusual, however, this is the first time that I’m with them as Claire’s Alpha, not Jonah’s and Axel’s friend.
I’m a part of Claire’s pack and I’m not sure how this will change the dynamic.
Axel is nowhere to be found as Liv comes up and squeezes my arm. “I knew this was going to happen, it was just a matter of time,” she says, glancing at her Alpha, Dean, and giving him a wink. He shakes his head at her, but wraps his arms around her. “Your mom is just as thrilled as me.”
“I promise to protect her heart and be the kind of man she deserves,” I tell them.
“She deserves the best,” River says easily, like it’s common sense. Out of all of her fathers, River probably coddled her the most. I’m sure he isn’t taking her moving well at all.
Grayson tugs River roughly in his arms, squeezing him tight. Their love for one another is easy, and I wonder if I’ll ever have something platonically close for me and my pack. I think Wells and I could get there, nothing romantic, but I already enjoy his company.
Forrest and I…we will just need to see how that goes.
What I do know is that the idea of waiting too long to bond Claire has me feeling unsettled, but I can’t rush her, I can’t rush this.
Jonah smacks my shoulder, harder than necessary, and I groan.
“Glad you got your head out of your ass,” he says and I shove him off me and he laughs. “We’re headed back to my place. We don’t head back to Philly until tomorrow night, so we can help Claire pack.”
“Thanks,” I reply and he clears his throat.
“They seem like good men. My sister seems to have found exactly what she was looking for.”
“She did. Do you know where Axel is?” I ask, and he just shrugs.
“See you tomorrow.”
“Night, man,” I say, and I go to the most likely place where Axel might be hiding out.
My theory is proven correct as I reach the rooftop. Axel is slumped on an outdoor couch with a blunt to his lips. I smack his legs to make room for me, and he grunts, but makes space.
He holds the joint out for me, and I take it, inhaling and passing back.
“Come to slum it with the S?rensen fuck-up?” he asks, inhaling and puffing out rings of smoke.
“If you’re going to be a mopey little bitch, I’ll leave,” I tell him, even though I don’t mean it. This is just how Axel and I operate. I know something big is bothering him and he just won’t tell anyone.
He laughs sardonically. “You’re fucking lucky, you know that?”
“To have your sister, I know that,” I reply and Axel shakes his head.
“Not just that. You figured your shit out, you have a pack, an Omega, a good job, you’re about to start your whole life. Claire has always known who she was, what she wanted, and she found it and I’m happy for her, same with Jonah, but…it feels like I’m getting left behind.”
I lean back in my seat, staring at my best friend. He’s always had this chaotic energy about him, like he hates the idea of being tamed or put in any box, but I’m wondering if it’s all a facade. Maybe Axel has dreams of domesticity. He just doesn’t know how to put it in words.
Axel and I have never been friends to beat around the bush, and I’m not about to start now.
“You’re your own worst enemy, you know. You’re not an Alpha, so fucking what? Neither is your dad and look at him,” I tell him, and he glares at me. “You want a pack? You want a real job? Go get one.”
“Who said anything about a real job?” he says with a laugh, resting the back of his skull on the seat, looking up at the dark sky.
“I am an Alpha,” he whispers.
“What?”
His Adam’s apple bombs with a heavy swallow.
“I’ve been seeing a specialist, trying to figure out why I haven’t presented.
It seems like I have a gene mutation. Not an Alpha and not really a Beta, either.
It came up when there were complaints about me fighting in the Beta heavyweight bracket.
Now I can’t fight in either and I’m in this annoying limbo of who I am and what I want to be. ”
I take a long moment to really digest his words.
“Do they have any solutions for you?” I ask, and he takes a really deep toke before blowing the air out.
“They’re coming up with ideas, but until then nothing feels right. I can’t fight. I can’t start a pack when I don’t even fucking know myself. I just don’t know what to do, El. How did you figure your shit out?”
Axel looks at me with pleading brown eyes and all I want to do is comfort my longest friend.
“I found the right woman,” I tell him, ruffling up his dark hair.
He swats me away, but I stand there for a long moment.
“The least interesting thing about you is your designation, Axel. No matter which way it goes, you’re still you, and that would be more than enough for that special person or people who walk into your life. ”
“I do mean it, I’m glad we’re officially going to be brothers,” he says softly and I smile.
“Me too,” I reply before leaving the rooftop terrace.
He’ll figure his shit out, just like I will. I have the girl and the pack, all that’s left to do is to truly accept the gift I’ve been given.
The S?rensen goodbye was a tearful one, and I have a feeling at least a few of her parents will be coming up within the next few weeks to check on their daughter.
Forrest rented two U-Haul vans to bring Claire’s stuff back to their home—our home.
Thankfully, we had a dozen people to help pack, or else it would have taken ages to pack up all my Omega’s treasures.
She’s in the truck with me while Forrest and Wells drive together. Her leg shakes and I place a firm hand on her thigh and give the muscle a light squeeze while rubbing my thumb against her smooth skin.
“I’m nervous too,” I tell her and she sighs, lacing her fingers with mine.
“It feels right. I know this is the right choice, it’s just scary. We’ve never even seen the house. What if it’s super rustic? Oh my God, what if he has dead deer heads on the wall?” she says with a look of disgust on her face.
“They’ll change whatever you ask them to. It’s going to be our house too,” I say, trying to sound confident, and she rubs her thumb over my knuckles.
“Our house,” she says with awe.
“We’re going to be a pack. Forrest will have his bond mark on you and so will I. They’re going to be my family, too. It might take a while for all of us to feel like that, but I promise we’ll get there, baby.”
She lets out a dreamy sigh and changes the music to something she can sing to. Together, we keep our anxiety at bay as we make our way to our new lives.
I’m scared shitless, but it surprisingly feels right.
The driveway is long, but as the three-story stone home comes into view, Claire bounces in her seat.
“Oh, thank God. It’s cute,” she says happily as we follow the other moving truck. “It’s our pack house, El. This is really real.” Her eyes fill with tears as I park the truck and she gets out quickly.
She’s full on crying at this point as Forrest and Wells get out of their truck.
“She hates it. We’ll tear it down, sweetheart, don’t worry,” Wells says.
“It was built two years ago,” Forrest says, his eyes wide, like he can see millions of dollars being destroyed right in front of his eyes.
“You will not tear it down. It’s beautiful. I love it. Can we go inside?” she asks.
“It’s your house, princess. It’s your house too, Elliot. Whatever you two need to feel comfortable here is important to me,” Forrest says plainly.
Well, damn. Why does he have to be so reasonable and generous?
I clear my throat with a nod. “My parents will bring my things next week.”
“More in-laws! Oh, my fuck. I’m going to be related to so many famous people now, I’m not sure my body can handle all of this power,” Wells says.
“You’re literally world famous yourself,” I remind him and he waves me off.
“House tour time,” Wells exclaims, grabbing Claire’s wrist and dragging her inside the three-story grand foyer.
The home is modern, while still having mountain charm.
There isn’t much decoration, but I know Claire will change that sooner rather than later.
We tour all the main areas first, the family room, kitchen, dining room, library, and Wells’ gear room.
I didn’t know it was possible to own this many pairs of skis.
“I’m going to have custom skis made for both of you this winter. Do you ski, Elliot?” he asks.
I clear my throat and shake my head. I’m not sure why I lie about it, but maybe it has something to do with the excitement on his face. Either way, there’s no turning back now.
“And I get to show my pack brother how to ski. This is such a blessing,” Wells says, the man basically bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Will you try again for me, Claire?” Wells gives her puppy dog eyes.
“Can I have pink ski boots?”
“Of course you can. I’ll even hold you the whole way down the mountain like my little winter queen.”
Claire sighs and gives him a nod. “Yes, I’ll give it a try. Even if I’m used to my feet being warm inside the resort.”
Wells grabs her cheeks and plants a kiss on her lips.
“Let’s show you the bedrooms next,” Forrest says, leading us upstairs. The two bedrooms on the right of the stairs belong to him and Wells, the next bedroom will be Claire’s, and on the other side of hers is mine.
It’s exceptionally considerate, and I feel choked up. Claire must notice as she squeezes my arm.
“It’s beautiful. I think this will be the perfect pack house.”
“There are two other bedrooms down the hall, and room for two more on the main level,” Forrest says.
Claire beams, understanding what he means. It has me feeling some sort of way for sure. I’ve only come to terms with joining this pack, but the idea of having a child with Claire has my mouth going dry.
She will be an amazing mother, and maybe I hadn’t really let myself truly consider my future because I was stuck in limbo, but as I stand in this pack house, I can see it clearly for the first time in my life.
If I let myself, I could live the best life here with my pack and our children. I rub my chest and Claire smiles up at me with watery eyes.
“Time for the best part,” Wells says excitedly, leading us up to the third level.
There’s a game room on the left, a shuffleboard table, pool table, and a golf simulator. Claire acts enthused over this, but when we head the opposite direction of the hallway, she realizes where we are.
“My nest?” she gasps as she looks around the room.
There’s a massive skylight, and I can imagine that during the winter or rain, it has to be peaceful to lie on the bed and watch the different weather of the seasons.
“We have automatic curtains for any of the windows, that way you can enjoy your nest in and out of heat. There’s only the bed and the kitchenette right now, but we have a guy who can get whatever you need to make it perfect.
This room will be the priority but we can design the rest of the house any way you’d like,” Forrest says and she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his face.
The man smiles wide, happiness radiating out of him. For the first time since meeting this man, I don’t feel a pit of jealousy as she touches him. I feel kinship.
I know what I have to do.
I’m sweating after carrying an obscene amount of boxes inside the house. Claire has already enlisted Wells to help her organize her closet, and that leaves me and Forrest in the kitchen, both of us swallowing down water as we catch our breath.
I’m pretty sure Wells agreed to help her with the closet so he wouldn’t have to carry any more boxes. He’s smarter than I give him credit for.
The words feel caught in my throat, but I know if I don’t say them now, I’ll chicken out and probably change my mind. When pack lead was first brought up it felt like it was whoever had that title would be most important to Claire, but I know that’s not the case.
She doesn’t love one of us more than the other. There isn’t this need for jealousy, and I’m sure it will get easier once we bond. I think about Claire’s parents and how steady, calm, and assured Grayson is and I’ve realized that I’m not the one who should be in charge of the pack.
It’s a tough realization, but I think it came to me last night when I had my talk with Axel. I have everything I didn’t know I needed, and that title is definitely not something I need to be happy.
I tap on the countertop before the words finally fall out of my mouth.
“You’re right, you should be pack lead,” I tell him and he nearly chokes on his water.
“What?” he asks while blinking at me like I grew two heads.
I rub the back of my neck, looking around at this beautiful house, at what my life could look like if I make all the right choices and I know that this is the right decision for this pack.
“This pack wasn’t something I thought I wanted. I only knew that I wanted Claire. It’s blinded me. I don’t want to be jealous or competing over her attention. I want to be what Claire needs. I want to always put her first, and that means you should be pack lead.”
Forrest holds out his hand for me to shake and I slap my hand into his and we shake hands. In this house, with our Omega upstairs organizing her things, it feels like we’re truly on the same page.
“Pack brothers?” he says and I smirk.
“Pack brothers. But that doesn’t mean you don’t still get on my nerves sometimes,” I say and he pulls me closer.
“Same,” he replies, letting me go, and I let out a huff of irritation. “We make it official when she’s ready, and I’ll talk to Wells about making sure that everyone has their own time with Claire.”
I’m not sure if I should hate that I was right about him being pack lead or if I should reward my maturity.
“I’d appreciate it,” I say with a nod.
Forrest takes a deep breath, putting his hands on his hips.
“We still have another truck to unload,” he says with a groan.
It’s the reality of having a high maintenance Omega, but I know we wouldn’t change anything about her for the world.