Chapter 14
chapter
fourteen
Adrian has changed the name of this chat to The Messina Pack
Colt
Since when?
Dante
Yeah, Pops, we’ve been the Locke Pack forever.
Jesse
I told Adrian to change the name.
He’s the pack leader.
Adrian
You don’t have to like it.
But we need a name to present when we go out in public.
One of the tabloids called us Pack No Name this morning.
Dante
Fiiiiiiiiine
Colt
Whatever.
Jesse
Has anyone heard from Bridget today?
Adrian
She’s with her friend and she’ll be clearing space in her bedroom for our clothes later tonight.
Dante
Are we sure she has space for all of Colt’s baggage?
Colt has left this chat.
Dante
Oops.
“I.”
Whap.
“Cannot.”
Whap.
“Believe you!”
Whap, whap, whap .
I snatch the pillow from Emma’s hands and smack her back. “Okay, okay!” I giggle. “I’m sorry !”
My best friend’s green eyes widen to a comical size as she screeches, “You’ve been fake-engaged for over a year and you didn’t tell me ?! Friendship over!”
“Shhhhh!” I hiss, shoving the blue-patterned cushion into her face. “I told you—no one can find out. Not even your pack.”
I’m already regretting this, TBH. If the fretful way Emma nods and peeks at me over the top of her throw pillow is any indication, keeping a secret from her guys will not be easy. She swore she could handle it, though. And I really need someone who knows the truth.
That was always a very short list, but I used to have Alicia, at least. Now, after discussing the finer details with Adrian and the formerly-Locke Pack, we decided it was best to come up with a cover story for my sister, too.
She thinks things between the guys and me have progressed from fiction to reality. Jesse even volunteered to call and assure her that their plan to move in with me is one hundred percent genuine.
Ha.
Haha.
At the time, I felt relieved. Better him than me, right? But as the week has gone on… leading up to the dreaded move tomorrow…
Adrian has taken care of every detail. And I’ve allowed it, even though letting go is insanely out of character.
What is it about their pack alpha that makes me want to let him handle things?
I whisper the question to Em, and she shrugs, a goofy grin splitting her face.
“I don’t know. I’ve never been a badass like you, but, for me, it’s like my Omega knows Knox is my alpha and wants to let him prove he can take care of me.
It’s so easy to give in to the impulse, I guess I’ve never questioned it. ”
I fall back onto her bed, my nose twitching when an overwhelming waft of peppermint and pine tickles my sinuses.
Sheesh, these guys smell like Christmas. That would drive me crazy in March .
Emma obviously loves it. Which brings me to my point: “Yeah, but they’re your mates . It’s different for you guys.”
Em gives another carefree bounce of her shoulders. “Maybe it isn’t.”
You’ve gotta love the girl’s optimism. Even when all evidence points to overcast skies and endless rain, my best friend finds a silver lining.
“Yeah,” I pretend to agree, hiding my patronizing smile. “Maybe, babe.”
Someone starts to knock at the palatial bedroom door, but they’re cut off when another person hurtles into the room. I know without even glancing over that it’s Gunnar and Zane.
Zane will be barreling toward the bed, and Gunnar will be standing in the doorway with his fist cocked.
I laugh when Emma’s modelesque alpha does, in fact, leap onto the mattress beside her. Gunnar mumbles something under his breath, dragging his hand through his light brown hair and casting me an apologetic smile. “Hey, Bridget. Sorry to?—”
Their dog, McKinley, bursts into the room, chasing Zane onto the bed and flopping between Emma and me.
“—bust in.”
“Speak for yourself,” Zane quips, snapping Emma into an embrace and rolling onto his back as he peppers her face with kisses. “ I’m not sorry I couldn’t wait another minute to get to this sexy cinnamon bun.”
I hoist myself upright, finding that Gunnar and I are both rolling our eyes. He sits beside Zane’s crown, which the dark-featured alpha takes as an invitation. Emma’s chef scoots back to put his head in her hockey player’s lap and snuggles Emma into his tight white tank top.
Gunnar chuffs but smooths one hand over Zane’s hair while the other goes to Emma’s blonde curls. “These two have no pause button, I swear.”
“You love it,” Emma teases. “Keeps you young.”
“Keeps me something,” he grouses, shaking his head. He snaps his gray eyes to mine… and for a second, I think of Colt.
Gunnar’s gaze isn’t nearly as dark or mysterious as the alpha who can’t stand me, my house, or my scent. But the reminder isn’t ideal.
I’m lucky I’ve once again bathed in neutralizer and remembered to wear my scent-blocking panties. Surely, the Beckett Pack wouldn’t appreciate my acidic lemon perfume all over their bed.
“Anything new with you, Bridget?” Emma’s hockey-star alpha asks.
I swallow my shame and catch my best friend’s eye, noting the guilty way she bites her lip. And… yeah. I’m pretty much screwed. There’s no way she’ll be able to hold out for two whole months.
But that doesn’t stop me from faking a smile. “Nope,” I lie. “Nothing new.”