29. Shiloh
Chapter 29
Shiloh
I hate that I feel guilty for not having breakfast with Jonah’s parents, even though I’m not the one who cancelled the plans.
We’re all in the SUV, driving back home.
Home.
Holy shit, did I just reference their house as my home? I sure did, and I don’t hate it one bit. Jonah’s driving, and Cole is in the backseat with me. I grab his hand and squeeze it tightly.
“I’m excited to be going back home,” I tell him, and his eyes light up.
“Me too.”
“Can we grab something to eat soon?” I ask and Jonah looks at me in the rearview with a nod.
He’s been quiet since last night, and I’m trying not to read too much into it. When we’re alone, I’ll ask him what’s bothering him. I hate that I always feel like I’m at fault for someone’s mood. Maybe it’s an Omega thing, or maybe it’s the way my exes and parents made me feel. Either way, I’ve got to stop over-analyzing everything.
We’re a pack, that’s clear, and I feel stable in that. Everyone is allowed a bad day that has nothing to do with me.
“Wawa good?” Jonah says and I grin. Damn, it’s been a minute.
We drive for another twenty minutes or so before he pulls into a parking lot. I’m wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, the guys wearing the same thing. Definitely a far cry from how we were dressed last night, but I think I prefer this better.
Cole holds my hand as we walk in and head over to the kiosk to place our order. Mack goes first, and orders a massive hoagie, even though it’s only ten in the morning. I memorize their orders for future reference as I place my drink order and grab a bacon, egg, and cheese sizzli from the to go food section.
An eerie sensation tingles against my back, like someone is watching me, and when I turn around, I can tell this girl has her phone not so discreetly pointed in my direction.
Fucking awesome.
I use my hair as a curtain and Cole’s big frame as a shield, holding on to his hoodie as we wait for our food. He instinctively wraps his arm around me, holding me close. Mack pets down my hair and looks around with a sigh, clearly seeing the girl taping us.
“Why don’t you two go wait in the car while we get the food. Do you want anything else?” he asks.
I shake my head no and glance over at Jonah, who’s glaring at the woman so hard her face goes red and she slides the phone in her pocket. I hand Mack my food as Cole and I go back to the car.
Just how bad is the press from last night that a simple Wawa run turns into us being recorded? When we’re back in the car, I turn to Cole.
“How bad is it?” I ask him, and he winces, but quickly tries to cover it up. “How bad, Cole?”
“The video is everywhere; your image is everywhere. The media are turning it into some sort of pack rivalry storyline.”
I rub my neck and tug at the collar of my hoodie. Is it hot in here or is it me?
“Jonah seems mad,” I say, needing to get it off my chest.
“He’s mad in the same way I am. What those bland-ass, Blink-182-wannabe-fuckers said and how they treated you, along with the fact the media is talking about our Omega. We would never be mad at you, Shy. You know that, right? We’re frustrated with the situation, never you.”
I snuggle up to his side, loving the way Cole holds me. From the moment Cole touched me, he brought me comfort, and it hasn’t stopped since that moment. Part of me wants to climb on his lap and beg him to bond me, but the last thing I want to do is scare him off.
“I think it’s best if you stay off social media. Let this storyline run its course and then we can go back to normal.”
“What about any of this has been normal?” I ask, and he laughs, his chest rumbling with a slight purr as he holds me.
“None of it, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Mack and Jonah get into the car, handing out drinks and food.
“You okay?” Jonah asks, patting my thigh from the front seat.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
He doesn’t look happy with that answer, but makes a sound of agreement, anyway.
“Maybe we should all lie low for a while. I’ll take a break from streaming. We don’t have any pressing events we have to go to. Just let this whole thing settle,” Mack says.
“A staycation. You can order all the stuff for your nest to be delivered and we can work together on it as a pack,” Cole suggests.
My little Omega heart is fully melted on the floor as I smile.
“I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”
I take a bite of my breakfast bagel and panic seems to seep away from me the rest of the ride home. We’re just going to ignore the problem and live in our own pack bubble till this blows over.
I can definitely do that.
“Give me the fucking Allen wrench,” Jonah complains and I hide my face with the directions as Cole lets out a huff, tossing the Allen wrench to the floor before throwing his hands in the air and leaving the nest to cool down.
Both of them have been in a shitty mood today, and I can’t figure out why.
I can really only blame the fact that I chose the most complicated nest frame known to man with the way these two have been arguing over how to put it together.
It’s only slightly off the ground, with built-in storage drawers for blankets and other items.
Jonah’s cursing under his breath as I put the directions down and climb onto his lap. My ankle is feeling so much better, and I’ve gotten far more used to the boot as I scratch my fingers through his hair.
“What’s going on?” I ask him.
He leans forward, kissing me softly as his large hands grip my hips. “I want to kill people, but it’s illegal,” he says and I laugh.
“What? The inventor of this bedframe?”
“No,” he says casually, twirling a piece of my hair in his fingers.
“I thought we agreed to not look at what people are saying online?” I reply and he groans, placing his nose against my neck and squeezing me so tight, like he’s afraid of losing me.
“Jonah, what is it?” I ask, feeling worried now.
“I don’t want to lose you,” he says softly, which has me pulling back and cradling his face.
“Why in the world would you lose me?”
He takes a deep breath, pulling out his phone from his pocket, finds what he’s looking for before handing me the device.
The headline has my eyes widening.
Smash Knot No More As Danny Levits Leaves Fractured Band
I glance up at Jonah and shake my head. “You think I care about this?”
“Keep reading,” he says.
I skim the intro and get to the meat of the story.
Everyone has seen the footage that transpired a week ago at the Omega Fund Fundraiser between up-and-coming risers Smash Knot and socialite pack S?rensen, not to be confused with the infamous S?rensen pack featured in Omega’s Obsession.
Pack S?rensen 2.0 as we’re calling them, is comprised of Jonah S?rensen, the oldest son of the New York elite pack S?rensen. Former Air Force veteran Cole Mackardy, who is allegedly under investigation for misconduct with his former employer. And lastly, Mackenzie Mackardy, internet personality behind Mack’s Madness on Stitch Streaming Services.
What brought these two packs to physically brawl at a high end function? An Omega, of course, one by the name of Shiloh Hansen. Shiloh resided in LA with Smash Knot, living in their home in Agoura Hills for nearly two years, even though she wasn’t openly the band’s Omega.
I’m sure you’re wondering what happened to make this Omega fall into the arms of another pack and Knot Weekly has the scoop. We’re gracious enough to have Danny Levits take an exclusive interview with Knot Weekly to discuss the band splitting up and the rumors about their relationship with Shiloh Hansen.
I pause reading and look at Jonah. “I don’t need to read this.”
“Please read it,” he says, even though his face says the total opposite.
I glance back down at the phone and continue.
How long were you in a relationship with Shiloh?
For nearly two years, not bonding her is the deepest regret of my life.
Why didn’t it work out?
Nicky didn’t want the commitment of bonding, and as Pack Leader, we followed his lead. It’s what has led to us breaking up the band.
Are they going to find a new drummer for Smash Knot? Are you looking to join a new band?
Right now, I’m really just hoping to get Shiloh back. I couldn’t care less about what happens to Smash Knot. I just want to right my wrongs.
It appears after that night and what sources are saying, Shiloh seems happy with pack S?rensen. Is this interview an attempt to get her attention?
I won’t lie. It seems like my last choice. I’m not asking her to leave that pack. I’ll join them. I just want her back.
What is it that you love about her? Why do you want her back, and why should she even consider your plea?
The only time I was happy was when Shiloh was around. I feel lost and listless without her, like my skin is crawling. I know I wasn’t the best Alpha, and that’s on Nicky. I promise to do better; we had so many good times, and I want that back desperately.
I hand Jonah the phone back and he glances at me with bated breath as I throw my head back and laugh. When I’m done having my hysterical fit over the article, Jonah is blinking at me like I’m crazy.
“Oh my God, is this article why you two have been in such a shitty mood and Mack locked himself in his office?” I ask, and he bashfully nods his head. “Oh, Jonah,” I say, giving him a hug.
“If you wanted to give him a chance, we would try,” he says and I cup his face, giving him a messy kiss.
When we pull back from the kiss, the giant Alpha looks even more confused than ever.
“Danny misses having an Omega. He’s just now realizing how much I did for them and he wants that back. He doesn’t want me back, and I definitely don’t want him back. He could’ve stood up to them before that performance. He could have warned us beforehand, but didn’t. Being here, falling in love with you guys, has taught me so much more about myself and what I deserve. Why would I go back to that when I have the most perfect Alphas right in front of me?”
“Go back to that one part,” he says, and my cheeks hurt as I look at him and feel true happiness.
I thought I loved Nicky, Danny, and Ryan. But now that I know what this feels like, I know it wasn’t love; it was settling.
“I love you, Jonah.”
“Fuck,” he says, squeezing me so tight that I’m about to smack his shoulder for mercy, but he pulls back, his hands tangled in my hair. “I know this has been fast, a real fucking whirlwind, but the minute Cole pulled back that cart and I saw you sitting there looking so beautiful and scared I knew that you were special, that you were who I was waiting for. You’ve filled this place in my heart that was reserved for just you. I love you so damn much.”
We kiss for what feels like forever, promises of I love you’s in between as my heart pounds in my chest.
This is what it’s supposed to feel like. It’s supposed to be this easy.
“I want to bond you so fucking bad,” he says as he peppers kisses down my throat. “I want everything with you, princess.”
“I want that too,” I promise him. “But first we need to make my nest perfect,” I joke, handing him the Allen wrench again.
“I can do that,” he says with a smile, as relief and happiness fills his features.
“As soon as the nest is done, I want to do it. I want to bond with all of you before my next heat.”
I’m not sure why this feeling of needing this room complete is nagging me so much, but it is. It will be perfect, it will be everything I ever wanted. My dream nest, my dream pack. The best things in life are worth waiting for.
Plus, I think I just lit a fire under their asses to get this room done sooner than later.
“Let me go get my hard-working Alpha something to drink,” I coo at him, peppering kisses against his face.
“Thanks, princess,” he says with a wide grin, the dark cloud that was following him completely gone.
The article was jarring, but I don’t think much of it. I’m not sure what has Danny so desperate, but it’s pretty pathetic. Hopefully he realizes quickly that nothing he can say or do will win me back, I’m beyond happy where I am.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket, jolting me as I grab a glass from the cabinet. I smile, assuming my Gran wants to go to bingo or something else. But my mouth drops when I open the text.
Mom
Hey honey, Danny is really trying to get a hold of you. Give him a chance.
I stare down at the text and consider responding, explaining everything they did to me. Has she not seen the news?
One thing is for sure, she doesn’t give a single shit about me. She hasn’t checked on me once since I moved back home, not a single text, phone call, anything. The one time she decides to reach out it’s not only to talk about my ex, but to vouch for him, even when he’s been horrible.
“Hey, baby, you good?” Mack says, startling me. I put my phone back in my pocket and give him a sweet smile.
I’m done giving power to the people who hurt me the most. I leave the text unanswered and wrap my arms around Mack’s waist.
“Yeah, never better,” I say, and I mean it.
The past is irrelevant. This beautiful future in front of me is all that matters.