21. Then – Kennedy
Then – Kennedy
F iddling with the edge of my shirt, I lean into Jake. His arm immediately lifts, tucking me beneath him as we watch Brett slide a wicker basket into the back of the truck from the kitchen window.
Jake’s thumb strokes over my shoulder, back and forth. It’s something he does often, I’ve noticed. Something I’ve found that I like a little too much.
I’m liking all of these alphas a little too much.
Most of them.
“I still don’t understand why we’re not all going.” Biting down on my lip, I look up at Jake. His brow is slightly furrowed as he watches Brett, but he doesn’t say anything.
“Maybe he’s planning on stealing you away.” Theo’s scent rises up from my other side as he appears on my right, and I breathe him in. But despite the teasing note, he’s not smiling either. Twisting, I look between them as Jake and Theo exchange a glance over the top of my head.
My arms fold as I duck out from under Jake, already missing the feel of his touch as I tap my foot, glaring. “What’s going on? You know I hate secrets.”
“Who has a secret?” Lips press to my cheek, a brief kiss and then gone as Max slips past me. He bites down on an apple as he glances out of the window. “Where’s Brett going?”
“He’s taking me on a picnic,” I say slowly, still eyeing the others. “Up on the mountain.”
Theo offers me a smile. But it doesn’t seem to reach his eyes. “Pretty sure he just wants to spend some time with you, Kenny.”
Brett always wants to spend time with me. It’s something that’s becoming… noticeable. I seem to always end up sitting beside him wherever we are, his arm wrapped around me. And he snapped at Theo last week when he invited me over for a movie, because he had to go to an appointment with his dad and wasn’t going to be here.
And then there was the graduation ball. An evening that was supposed to be all of us, having fun, together. Because tomorrow, Brett, Theo, Oscar and I are leaving .
And Max and Jake are staying here.
Max already has his arms out when I step forward. He wraps them around me, his hand cupping the back of my head. “No tears. We’ll be back and forth as much as we can, Ken. We’ll make it work, okay?”
I bury my nose into his chest. It’s stupid, to feel this connected to them. To feel this need for them that I can’t seem to shake off.
I don’t know how I’m going to survive when Max and Jake aren’t around. Maybe it sounds dramatic, but I don’t know how I survived so long without them.
A cough behind me. “Kenny, did you have breakfast?”
Case in point. Oscar’s hands land on my shoulders, rubbing gently. “There’s plenty left.”
“She had three pancakes. And an orange.” Jake never misses a trick.
“And an apple.” Theo chimes in, but he sounds distracted.
I snort as Oscar deftly steals me away from a pouting Max. He looks out of the window over the top of my head – and his body stiffens, just slightly, but enough for me to feel the tension.
His quiet murmur is just for me. “You don’t have to go, you know.”
Sniffing, I pull back. “Don’t be silly.”
He studies me. Oscar always feels like the movement of the ocean on a calm day to me. Behind his black glasses, his dark eyes seem to see straight through me. “I mean it.”
I frown. “Is something wrong?”
Because they’re all acting… weird.
“Ready.” I can tell the moment Brett steps into the kitchen. “Hands off my omega, Oz.”
He sounds amused. But there’s an undercurrent to his words that has that tension between them ratcheting up. Oscar’s hold tightens, instead of loosening. “Your omega?”
“For today,” Brett says easily. “Kennedy?”
“It’s fine,” I whisper. Although I’m not sure why I’m reassuring them. Why they all look so… stiff? “We’ll be back soon. Lots to do before tomorrow, right?”
Oscar watches me again, with that small crease between his brows that only appears when he’s trying to fix a problem. Then he turns to Brett.
Brett doesn’t move, but he straightens. “Problem, Oz?”
God, his dominance levels are strong. Instinctively, I flinch back against Oscar. His hand slips into mine, squeezes. “I don’t know. Is there?”
A low noise sounds in Brett’s throat. “Careful.”
Whatever this is, it passes. Oscar’s head lowers. “Bring her back safely.”
Brett only rolls his eyes before he turns, not even acknowledging the others. I find my tension leeching away, replaced by bubbling laughter as Jake scoops me up. The stubble that he can’t seem to get rid of scrapes against my neck as he buries his face in my skin. Squirming, I laugh again, but it turns to a shiver as his lips brush over the sensitive area.
Jake sets me down, but his hands slide to my face. “You know how much I’m gonna miss you, right?”
I swallow. “I know.”
Then his fingers lift my chin. “But you’re gonna do amazing, Kenny. All of you will.”
“And we’ll be waiting for you,” Max murmurs behind me. His lip is tilted up when I turn, and he wiggles his eyebrows. “Jake and I have a secret project to work on while you’re gone.”
“On the house?”
Jake only mimes his lips zipping closed.
“Kennedy!”
I just – just – hold back my flinch. They won’t let me go if they see it. And it’ll end up in an argument.
“Kenny,” Theo says quietly. He’s watching me. He always does, green eyes following me wherever I go.
It’s funny how Theo’s eyes make me feel safe. He and Brett are almost identical, but Brett’s pale green eyes don’t give me the same feeling.
They make me feel… hunted .
“Yeah?” I pull away from Oscar with reluctance, heading to the doorway where he stands. “We’ll be back later. We’re having dinner with your mom and dad, right?”
I see the grimace before he wipes it away. “Yeah. But—,”
“I’ll be fine,” I say softly. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
He hesitates. But then he’s shifting, letting me slip past him.
Brett is already in the car. He doesn’t look at me when I slide in, his lips pressed together in a thin line that signals his irritation. “What took you so damn long?”
“Sorry.” My voice quietens as he pulls away. He prefers it softer. “We were just sorting out dinner arrangements.”
The switch is almost instant. The shadows pass out of his face, replaced by a grin as he rakes his hand through his hair. “At least I get you to myself for a while. I wanted to talk to you, anyway.”
I glance at the wing mirror. Oscar is standing in the doorway, watching us leave. “What about?”
“You’ll see.” Whistling, Brett turns up the radio.
I can’t help staring at him. “I don’t like surprises. You know that.”
I’ve been surprised too many times in my life to enjoy them. Came home more than once to find our bags packed, Rick already in the truck and hollering for me to get a move on before he upended my life again.
This is the longest we’ve stayed in one place since I was a kid. But I’m not a kid anymore. I turned eighteen last week.
And I get to stay , this time. I get to stay with Jake and Max, with Theo and Oscar.
And with Brett.
My teeth sink into my lower lip. Even with Brett. I get to build a life and go to college.
I get a family, and maybe… maybe a pack. My stomach does a little flip at the thought of it. At being theirs. They haven’t officially asked me, but they will. I trust them.
I won’t be alone anymore.
“You’ll like this surprise.” Brett’s teeth flash. “Trust me.”
It doesn’t sound reassuring.