Chapter 11
I didn’t know what I expected when my pack mate finally returned home with Juniper in tow, but I certainly didn’t expect the tiny omega to come stomping through the living room, plop herself down at the kitchen counter, and glower at Dylan, who was following her. She was once again a mess, with her soggy curls sticking to her head, and her eyes were red-rimmed like she’d been crying. Instantly, I wanted to fix it, but I kept doing what I was doing in the kitchen because I knew that would be the biggest comfort to her.
"You didn’t have to be such a grumpy bastard about it." Juniper glowered at Dylan.
He merely smirked. "You’re the one who went for an adventure all on your own, trouble . I can be as grumpy as I want to be when I have to leave the nice, warm cabin to come rescue your ass.”
"I don’t like you," Juniper said with a sullen tone.
"Well, I’m not the biggest fan of you, either, trouble , " Dylan shot back with a smirk.
I frowned. Dylan was smirking. He was the grumpiest out of all of us—Juniper had that part right—but he really wasn't one for smirking. Then again, he loved a brat. We’d always known that if we ever did find an omega, it needed to be someone who could push back against Dylan’s overpowering nature. We had been isolated for too long, if we were even thinking about this poor girl that way. She had clearly been to hell and back. We didn’t know where she came from or how old she was. We shouldn’t be thinking dirty thoughts about her.
I stirred the pot on the stove, debating whether I should ask why she’d tried to run or leave it be. Tipping the saucepan into a mug, I handed the warm drink over to Juniper, who looked down at it with curiosity.
If I knew anything about omegas, it was that most of them adored sweet treats. I had never met an omega who didn’t love sugary foods, so hot chocolate made with the thickest dark chocolate, ribbons and ribbons of thick cream, and plenty of sugar was just what the doctor ordered. Was it healthy? No. My inner medic was crying that she needed protein, whole wheat carbs, healthy fats, and vegetables. But the alpha in me wanted to make her happy, so hot chocolate it was.
"I’ve also got marshmallows," I said as I pointed to the mug. "Do you want any?"
Juniper looked at the mug for a moment, almost baffled, before shaking her head. "N-n-no," she said. "This is perfect. Thank you."
I grinned, pleased she liked what I’d made. "Drink up," I said. "There’s plenty more where that came from."
I put the pot in the sink and turned to Dylan. "Does Mr. Grumpy Pants want hot chocolate too?"
He glowered at me and I chuckled. "I’m going to get a shower," he said in a sullen tone, stalking off towards the back of the cabin. Thankfully, we had a generator, so showers, baths, and lights all worked perfectly, even during blackouts.
I walked over to the cupboard, grabbed a packet of cookies, and set them in front of Juniper. Despite her soggy nature, she was letting off the most delicious strawberry scent. If we were back in the city, I would have gone and bought some strawberries and made a strawberry shortcake or something like that. Just being around her was giving me a craving for it. For now, I would just have to make do with smelling the most delicious omega.
"So, you’re staying with us for a bit," I said with a cheerful smile as she sipped her hot chocolate.
She pouted and glared at me, but there was zero heat to the gesture."Well, I’ve got no choice, do I?"
"How far did you get?" I asked playfully.
"I don’t know," she admitted with a frown.
Before she could open her mouth and speak again, the door opened, and Carter walked in, waving at us both. "I’m gonna go clean up," he said, disappearing to the back of the cabin without another word, leaving me alone with Juniper.
"You know," Juniper said, turning to face me, "Dylan said I could have a weapon, you know, to feel safe."
I raised my eyebrows. That was something that Carter or I would do, but I highly doubted the security conscious Dylan would. "I think I know my pack mates a little better than that, miss," I said with a falsely stern glare.
Juniper huffed. "It was worth a try."
"Oh, it totally was," I agreed, laughing. "If you’d asked me or Carter, we probably would have given you a knife in a heartbeat."
Her eyes brightened and widened. "Oh, in that case, can I have a knife?" she asked with a smile, still clutching the mug of hot chocolate like her life depended on it.
I barked out a laugh. "I’m not going to give you a knife after Dylan already said no. I am not about to go behind my pack mate’s back. That’s not how packs work."
Juniper nodded. "I used to live in a pack—my mother and father’s. I even had some brothers," she said wistfully, stirring the hot chocolate with a spoon.
"Did you ever have a pack of your own?" I asked.
She shook her head. "No. Everything happened when I was still young, so…" She trailed off.
"How old are you?"
Juniper frowned. "I guess that depends… What date is it?"
I stilled, looking at her. "Are you saying you don’t know the date? Do you even know what year it is?"
She shook her head. "I think I know, but I’m not certain."
I resisted the urge to curse. How could she not know what year it was? Where had she been? And for how long? Clearly, this wasn’t a short-term thing she had endured. My pack mates and I would have to tread carefully, so we wouldn’t upset her too much.
I rattled off the date, and Juniper perked up, smiling. "In that case, I’m twenty-three. I think I’m turning twenty-four in a few months," she said with a smile.
I shook my head lightly. She didn’t look anywhere near that age. She looked a hell of a lot younger, but that could be because she was so underweight. She didn’t exactly have any curves or look that mature—that was something I was going to have to remedy quickly.
"Well, Miss Juniper, I look forward to wishing you a happy birthday in a few month’s time because we’re gonna be stuck here for a good three months. Unfortunately."
Juniper nodded. "I’m slowly coming to accept that sad fact," she said with a dramatic sigh.
I gasped in mock outrage. " Sad fact? Are you saying you’re not enticed by the idea of spending several months with me? " Waving my hand, I gestured to my body indignantly. "I’ll have you know, I am a delight!"
Juniper chuckled, her smile lighting up the entire cabin. "I’ll admit," she said, "you’re not awful. Dylan’s a grumpy sod, though," she added with a glower.
I nodded. "I have to agree with you there."