Chapter 82
Before I can finish my current bite and reply—or throw myself across the counter at the sexy alpha—Spence comes back in, drying his hands on his sweatpants.
Paul throws an exasperated look his way before sliding a less cheesy omelet onto a plate and passing it to the bigger alpha.
Spence takes it and nods in thanks before turning his attention to me.
“You’ll love Josh and Billy; they’re super cool!
Josh has been my best friend since elementary school; he’s how I met Paul.
Him and Billy have been together since forever, even before we graduated high school.
Which is kind of how I’m in a pack with Paul since he’s my brother by way of Josh.
” The big alpha’s grin is infectious as he shoves a bite of egg into his mouth before turning back to Paul.
“Shit, I forgot to say thank you. Thank you, this is really good.”
Paul just nods, still smiling and starting on another omelet.
His brows raise at me as I scrape the last of the melty goodness from my plate, silently asking if I want another.
I shake my head, and he goes to the fridge to pull out a carton of mushrooms and a tomato, slicing everything up while the eggs finish cooking.
He slides it onto a plate with a fork and sets it to the side before continuing on with the fancier fare.
I’m not expecting his voice, and the rich baritone surprises me in the silent kitchen.
“Sorry, I got sidetracked. But my brother should be here shortly. Greg said he thought your favorite toast is made with cinnamon raisin bread and honey butter, so they’re supposed to bring that with everything else and I can fix some up for you.
But if you need anything while we wait, lemme know.
I’m happy to get you whatever you want.”
My chest tightens at the simple offer. Greg feeds me as much as I’ll let him, but it still feels nice to have someone besides my scent match want to take care of me.
“I appreciate it, but last I checked, you were a cop, not a short order cook.” Greg walks in, grabs the prepared plate, and leans against the counter beside me to eat.
“Though you wouldn’t know it looking around here.
Seriously, that was amazing, but I’m not sure if I should have the toast…
carbs and I have a love-hate relationship.
I love to eat them, and they hate me enough to stick around for the duration.
” I try to smile to play the self-deprecation off as a joke, but three sets of eyes turn my way, making me squirm.
“I just mean…I have trouble with my weight, ok? I gain it way too easily and losing it is like pulling teeth unless I just stop eating.” Spence sputters beside me, and Paul’s easy smile is replaced with a frown and drawn brows.
Greg sets his plate down and pulls me in for a hug.
He rocks me back and forth on the stool, kissing the top of my head.
Shit, I hate when I make things awkward.
Greg’s voice is muffled against my hair.
“You’re beautiful. You could be as round as you are tall, and I’d still think you were beautiful.
Though I would worry about your health. Is there anything I can do to help?
Some way I can show you?” Spence is nodding off to the side, but I can’t meet the alpha’s eyes right now, so I bury my face against my beta and shake my head back and forth.
It’s hard to believe that anybody can find me attractive after all the shit I’ve heard.
“I won’t lie and say that pheromones don’t help matters along, but I can say that we wouldn’t have spent the last five days banging your brains out if we didn’t find you attractive.
Do with that what you will.” Paul’s words sound reasonable enough, logical even, and they make me squirm, though with discomfort or desire, I’m not sure.
Seriously, my desire should be all tapped out by now.
Feet scuff behind me and I turn to see Al shuffle in.
His slutty little glasses are hanging askew on his nose and he pulls them off before wiping his hands down his face.
He sets a book face down on the counter and puts the glasses on top before muttering a curse and stumbling back out only to return a moment later with his cup of probably cold coffee.
Paul slides the fancy omelet onto a plate and Al snags it on his way by, nodding in thanks and making a beeline for the coffee maker to top off his drink.
He takes a long sip, grimacing before looking at the four of us.
His voice has a gravely edge from just waking up.
“Groceries should be here soon.” He nods, staring into his cup like he’s deep in thought.
“Paul is…not wrong in his assessment.” Well, that’s a ringing endorsement.
His hand comes up to stop me before I can snark.
“You are attractive, Sarah. You’re smarter than you let on.
You put up a tough front, and I have no doubt you could deliver if necessary, but I don’t think you want to.
And that’s not just because your chosen animal companion is a small, soft creature that requires the ability to be tender and gentle.
I think you like soft things too, as much as you don’t want to admit it.
It’s not just your omega nature; it’s the fact that you’ve had to be hard for so long that you need a rest, a place for respite.
A place where you can be whichever version of yourself that you feel like at any given moment, whether it involves carbs or not. ”
He chuckles quietly to himself, like he’s the only one in on a joke.
“Regardless, I don’t think even you could misunderstand that we find you attractive, in all your variations.
When I state that we would like to court you.
..well. This is a formal request, of course, feel free to refuse if you feel so inclined.
” He delivers the words easily, but his shoulders are tense, and the coffee in his mug vibrates slightly with the shaking of his hands.
I pull back from Greg, looking around at the other alphas in the room.
They’re both staring at me, and I turn my face up to Greg to avoid eye contact with them as well as gauge his reaction, but he’s just grinning like a smug bastard.
My big beta leans down, rubbing his nose against mine.
“I don’t want to move to Mississippi.” He sighs, letting his shoulders drop.
“But you know I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth…
even—ugh—back to the South. But I’m still going to avoid my family and pretend we’re in Los Angeles if they call.
” Wait, his family lives around here…he has family?
How have I not heard about this before? “They aren’t here; they’re a bit farther north.
Border of Arkansas and Tennessee. You know I don’t do country music. ”
My breath comes out in a choked snort at his reasoning.
“Meh, that’s fair. Just as long as you’re with me, I’m good.
” His arms give me enough room to turn and face the alphas in the room.
“While we’re on the subject of courting, let me just say that we need to have a discussion about maintaining your omega during her heat.
I never really was a fan of bukkake films, and waking up feeling like I’ve been stuck in one for three days is off-putting.
Do you have any idea how many times I had to wash my hair to get it to lay back down? ”
Paul laughs around a fork—I guess he finally got his own breakfast—while Al snorts into his coffee cup.
Spence has his hand raised like he wants to ask a question, but Paul is the one who finally speaks.
“You don’t remember Spence knotting you in the shower on Sunday or Wednesday?
Sugar, you scratched the shit out of his chest and he almost lost his balance.
After that he had to turn you towards the wall to keep your stubby little nails out of his skin.
Greg was there. He helped wash your hair while you were… indisposed.”
Well…damn, I always wanted to try shower sex, and now I don’t even remember it…
Shit. The one on campus is too small but maybe I can talk Greg into trying soon while I’m coherent enough to enjoy it.
He’s grinning at me like he knows exactly what’s on my mind, that or he’s enjoying watching me pout.
I wave my hands at all of them. “Ok…fine, just…next time maybe we can have some wet wipes or something on hand. You know, just in case.” None of them are smiling now, and Spence leans so far towards us that he slides right off the edge of his barstool.
Of course, he's not going to fall, his feet already reach the ground.
The big alpha’s voice is choked as he rises to his full height, looming over Greg and me. “Does that mean…that…that…we can try…to make this work? That you’ll stay?”
Ah…shit.
“No…no I have to go back, I mean, all my stuff’s there.
Even if I wanted to stay, I have things I have to take care of, and there’s paperwork.
I was only supposed to be here for a week.
I have to have permission from my alphas or my family to move off campus.
Not to mention John.” All the males in attendance stiffen at the name of my briefly forgotten scent match.
“Fuck, why couldn’t I have met you last year before all this shit…
Not you, Pretty Boy, you’re perfect.” I pat Greg on the chest.
Spence’s shoulders droop, and his voice is sulky.
“That’s stupid. It should be your decision what you want to do with your life.
They’re stupid.” While I can appreciate the sentiment, and it certainly scores points in his favor to think that way, it’s still illegal.
But before we can tackle the intricacies of omega protection laws, the doorbell rings.
Paul puts his empty plate in the sink before heading for the hall to the living room. “Brace yourself, Sugar, it’s time to meet the family.”
Fuck!