Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
“You really don’t have to help me, you know,” I say to Nick as I open my apartment door, glancing at the alpha, smiling when he lifts his brow.
“I know,” he replies as I open the door and step inside.
I tried to argue that I could handle driving myself here, but Nick insisted on giving me a ride and helping me pack up.
It’s cute though, and I like the way he keeps touching me.
Physical and emotional intimacy is something I’ve struggled with since Kai left me, but ever since I scent-marked the alphas, things have felt different between us—easier, lighter.
It’s comfortable. I don’t flinch away from them or resist their affection.
“You look more relaxed this morning,” Nick comments, and I toss my keys on my counter.
“I feel more relaxed too,” I confess. “Come on, let's make this quick, before Kai shows up or something equally unpleasant.”
We haven’t even been here for half an hour when someone knocks on my apartment door. I’m confused for all of five seconds until I realize exactly who’s out there. Who else could it be?
I haven't seen the beta since yesterday at the charity event, and I really don’t want to right now. Is he going to rub his donation in my face? Flaunt his money a little more?
“Don’t answer that!” I yell, but Nick’s already pulling the door open, and I don’t have to see Kai to know he’s there.
“Kai,” Nick says bluntly, confirming my worst fears as he tilts his head before glancing over at me. “Something you need?”
“Nick,” I can practically hear the smirk that’s on Kai’s stupid face. Motherfucker. I stomp to the door, yanking it out of Nick’s hold, and swing it open fully to glare at the beta.
Oh shit.
Fuck me, and fuck him.
He’s fucking shirtless in just light gray sweat shorts. Who shows up at someone else’s door half fucking naked? The audacity of this man is unmatched.
“Objectifying me, Sweet Plum? Very naughty.” Kai’s damn smirk makes me want to slam the door in his face; instead, I slide in against Nick’s body and wrap my arms around the alpha.
“No. I was just surprised to see you.” I shrug, feigning a lack of care for his arrival by rubbing my cheek against Nick’s chest. “My alpha was just helping me pack my stuff, since I’ll be staying with them for a while.”
When I say ‘my alpha,’ Nick’s chest rumbles with a low growl, his hold on me tightening. It doesn’t matter what our agreement is; he’s still an alpha, and saying things like that will always rile up an alpha’s instincts.
“I bet.” Kai’s stupid fucking smirk is still firmly in place, and I dig my nails into Nick’s side to prevent myself from catching an attempted murder charge.
“Why are you here?” I ask through gritted teeth and a clearly fake smile.
His scent hits me then, stronger and heavier than I remember it ever being, and as it soaks into my system, I shiver against Nick. Why the fuck is Kai’s beta scent so damn potent to me? Other betas have muted scents, especially compared to alphas and even other omegas. Not Kai’s though.
The man smells like a fragrance bottle got knocked over and soaked into everything, clogging up the whole room with the scent for weeks.
Memories of my one and only heat flood my mind, and I shove the pain to the back of my head, along with the mental image of clinging to Kai’s forgotten shirt on my bedroom floor as my fever consumed me and the cramps made my life a living hell.
That was two days after he left me.
Fuck.
Put it in the box. Light the box on fire, and bury the box in hell.
“I wanted to invite you to dinner tonight,” Kai says with a confident smile. My mouth pops open, ready to reject the offer, but he talks over my protest. “My mom will be there. She said she misses you, and I told her I’d ask you to join us.”
Well, fuck. He’s using Bee against me…
KAI
My mom is an incredible woman, and she's loved Plum since the day she met her. How could she not? Plum is amazing. Everyone that gets to know her likes her.
She’s a lot like Bee in that regard.
My mom is a badass old lady, and I hate knowing she’s trying to be strong for everyone else all alone. So, I’m here. Even if she does bitch daily about the house I bought her being too nice and complains the maid, chef, and driver I hired are an ‘extravagant expense not to be wasted on me.’
As if she’s not the best fucking mom alive.
They keep her company, and each of them has known her their whole lives too, so I know she’s in good hands despite her complaining like it’s her job. That’s just Mom.
“You’re lying,” Plum says cautiously, narrowing her eyes at me.
Nick’s also watching like I’ll snatch her away from him at any moment.
That’s not why I’m here, luckily for him.
If he and Benson make her happy, then I won’t try to get in the way of that.
I just need to convince them I’d be the perfect addition to their blossoming pack.
I need to show Plum she can have everything she wants and more while convincing the alphas I’m worthy.
I’ve considered locking Benson and Nick in a dungeon until Plum agrees to be mine again as a last resort, though. Mostly unseriously, but…
“Here. Proof.” I pull up the text thread between my mother and me, burying the thoughts of locking her alphas away. I only show her the last three messages, where Mom says she misses Plum, and I say I’ll invite her to dinner. I hide the reply Mom sent, telling me not to bother her.
“I haven’t seen her since Halloween,” Plum murmurs, nibbling her bottom lip. She shifts on her feet, her legging-covered thighs looking damn enticing.
Did her alphas have them wrapped around their heads last night? Lucky fuckers.
I’m slightly regretful that I didn’t take Val’s advice and install those cameras in here, but I’m not trying to invade her privacy. Okay, I’m not trying to violate her privacy. I’m definitely trying to invade it. Wouldn’t mind invading it right this second, actually.
I know she’d probably bury me in a shallow grave if she knew the thoughts running through my head, so I keep them to myself.
“Bring your alphas too,” I offer, grinning up at Nick, snorting when he glares back.
He’s only a few inches taller than me, and I don’t miss the way his muscles flex as he holds Plum just a little tighter.
His scent is doing its darnedest to drown mine out.
I can tell just by the look in her eyes that it’s not working.
“You want me to come over to have dinner with you and your mother, and you want me to bring two other men with me?” she asks, staring at me like I’m insane. Which, okay, fair. But if anyone can win her over, it’s my mom.
“My mom misses you, and I just want to make her happy. If you don’t want to come alone, that's okay. Bring your boyfriends. Bee loves everyone…”
“No, she doesn’t,” the three of us say in unison, and her smile seems to break the tension in her just enough to let her guard down.
“Okay, she likes some and loves even fewer, but she’d be happy to share dinner with your alphas, especially if it means you’ll be there,” I add, lifting my left arm to rest against the doorframe and leaning into her doorway.
She swallows as her gaze follows the line of my body, pupils dilating.
“I’ll think about it,” Plum says, glancing down at her toes and getting lost in her head again. I wish I could lift her into my arms, stopping whatever dark thoughts are plaguing her.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Meet me here tonight at five,” I say, blowing her a kiss and shooting Nick a wink, smirking when he shakes his head at me. I leave before she can find an excuse to get out of it. Before she can ask about other things.
Plum didn’t mention the donation, thankfully, and I’m not about to bring it up.
I know she witnessed the disaster at the event, but I bailed before anyone else could thank me. It felt shitty and self-serving, like I did it for the praise, which couldn’t be more wrong. I did it because it was my girl's childhood dream, and I can finally make it come true.
I didn’t want Plum to know I was the one who made the anonymous donation. Which is why I fucking selected anonymous. I should've known I couldn’t trust that bitch, Tiffany, when she started sneering at me.
Once alone, back in my apartment, I dial Mom, lifting the phone to my ear. She already gave me an earful about what happened, so I’m hoping she's let it go by now.
“Oh, what do you want now, Kai? This is your fifth call today, and it’s not even two!
” Mom huffs, and I snort. I know she doesn’t mean it.
She’s a cactus on the outside, but on the inside my mom needs love and attention just as much as any omega.
The more I call her, the happier she sounds each time. Well, usually.
“Plum’s coming over for dinner tonight, and she’s bringing two alphas. Benson and Nick. She misses you, and I told her I’d convince you to have dinner with us,” I tell her while fiddling with the strings of my shorts, feeling just a little guilty for the half-lie I’ve told them both.
“You’re a pain in my butt, you know that?
” She lets out a long sigh. “Alright, but the four of you can come here for dinner tonight instead. I’ll tell Shelly.
She’s making me a Thai dish, and I’ve been looking forward to it for two days.
” Shelly being the cook I hired for her, the one that she complains is an unnecessary expense wasted on her.
“Okay, deal,” I say, scoffing when she hangs up on me. I stare at my screen with wide eyes, my mouth hanging open, when it beeps with a text.
Mom Pie: That was an accident, but a happy one. I’m trying to fix up at Sable’s shop.
Kai: Love you, Mom Pie.
Mom Pie: Love you too, Kai Pie.
Mom is the reason I like nicknames so much. She’s been calling me Kai Pie for as long as I can remember, and in return I call her Mom Pie. Is it childish? Yes. But it makes her happy, so who the fuck cares?
Kai: Mom wants us to eat at her house tonight, but we can meet here. I’ll show you how to get to her place. She’s excited to see you.
Plum: You fight fucking dirty. Don’t think I can’t see right through this plan of yours.
Kai: All's fair when you’re trying to get your girl back.
Plum: I’m not your girl, and I never will be again. You should give up now. I’m happy with Benson and Nick.
Kai: I cannot stress this enough, Sugarplum, but… Literally. Fucking. Never.
Plum: We’ll see.
Kai: Sure will, baby.
PLUM
“Gah! Men!” I growl, tossing my phone onto my bed, before flopping face-first onto my covers. Nick snorts at my outburst, and I can feel his eyes on me as I throw my little tantrum. After Kai left, we retreated to my bedroom to talk about the possibility of going to this dinner.
“What’s wrong?” Nick asks, and I grudgingly sit up.
“Here, just read it,” I tell him, handing my phone over. I watch as he reads the exchange, glaring when he chuckles.
“He’s persistent,” the alpha finally says, and my jaw drops open.
“What happened to beating someone up for hitting on me?”
“What? When the hell did I say that?” He stares at me with a wide-eyed frown.
“Okay, maybe I made that part up.” I huff, rolling over to flop on my back. “You’ve gotta stop him; he’s fighting dirty.”
He’s supposed to be my alpha shield keeping Kai away, isn’t he?
“I thought that's what we were doing?” Nick lifts a brow. “I can’t exactly beat up the best friend of my little sister’s mate. He is Bee’s son as well,” he says, and I roll my eyes dramatically.
Why must he be so reasonable?
“Ugh, fine!” I groan, covering my face with an arm.
“Now, if we were in a bar, and some stranger wasn’t taking no for an answer?
Yeah, I’d break that fucker’s jaw,” Nick adds casually, and I lift my arm up to glance back over at him.
“But Kai isn’t a stranger in a bar. He’s your ex and the best man in my sister’s wedding. Violence isn’t the answer. This time.”
“Unfortunately,” I grumble, not meaning it though. I don’t think I could stomach knowing I got Kai hurt or that I pushed Nick to hurt someone for me.
“You don’t mean that,” Nick says, echoing my thoughts, and the insightfulness is borderline infuriating. How can he know what I’m feeling when I’m barely sure about it?
“No, I don’t.” I roll onto my side and stare at him for a long moment, deciding it’s also sort of nice, being understood by someone after keeping everyone at distance for so long. “So, will you be my date for dinner tonight?” I ask.
“Of course, Sugarplum,” he agrees with zero hesitation.
“Guess we better call Benson.”