35. Shiloh
Chapter 35
Shiloh
I didn’t think I could be sad when the Eagles are winning, but my family proved me wrong.
I truly don’t get it. My Gran is the most loving person in the world. Why is my mother like this? And now that I’m bonded, sure I realize the connection there is something unexplainable, but if we had a child? They would be the center of our world.
If they aren’t willing to work on this relationship, then neither am I.
“Oh, look who made it,” my mother says, and I pinch the bridge off my nose.
Did she invite a friend without even checking with me first?
When I turn around and see that it’s Danny, any semblance of fixing this fractured relationship with my parents is gone. They’re dead to me.
I’m usually pretty calm, pretty nice, but when I feel the rage of all my pack mates, something in me changes.
I stand up, pointing at my mother. “You fucking invited him?” I say, causing a scene and, to be honest, I don’t give a single shit.
Jonah, Cole, and Mack are all surrounding me like an Alpha shield, ready to jump in at any moment. Cole and Jonah in particular look like they’re about to jump over these chairs and beat the shit out of Danny.
“Just hear him out Shiloh. He wants to join your pack, he’s made some mistakes, but he loves you,” she says, in an attempt at innocence.
Danny just stands there looking like a complete dipshit and I can’t believe I was ever into this asshole.
“They wouldn’t bond with me. I flew across the country by myself and went into heat mid flight. As if that wasn’t stressful enough, he and his band wrote a song about me that went viral. Not to mention this freak sent me jizz stained clothes. So no. I won’t hear him out and I won’t hear you out either. You were never the parents you were supposed to be. I’d never treat my child the way you treated me, so as far as I’m concerned we’re no longer family. Get the fuck out.”
My cheeks are flaming red, my hands are shaking, and my stomach feels like it’s going to fall out of my ass, but God it feels good. Not just saying that all out loud, but the amount of pride that floods through the bond.
“Shiloh, this is—” my father starts.
“Get. The. Fuck. Out,” Cole says, pointing at my father.
Properly scolded, but looking pissed as hell, my parents stand up. My mother’s mouth is pinched, and she holds her chin high.
“Mother, are you coming?” she says to my Gran, who has her ass perched in her chair.
“Nope,” she replies, sipping her beer.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I brought him because he misses you. He has money, has influence. You can travel the world.”
“Lady, if you don’t get the fuck out of here in a matter of seconds…” Cole says.
Danny just stands there, like a complete moron, as my parents walk past him.
“Shiloh, can we still talk?” Danny asks.
“No,” Jonah says gruffly next to me.
“We’ve gotta hang out with Jonah and his pack more,” I hear Claire whisper as everyone watches the messy family reunion going down at Lincoln Financial Field.
“Seriously, every moment has been entertaining,” Axel replies.
Jonah glares at his siblings as I take a step forward.
“You want to talk, Danny? Fine,” I say, my anger is boiling over at this point. I’ve taken so many hits to who I am as a person because of these people and I’m over it. My emotions are heightened times ten and truthfully I’d love nothing more than to connect my fist to Danny’s face right now, but I know words will hurt more.
“I hate you, Danny. You fucking disgust me. When you sent that box to my house, I nearly threw up. Your scent revolts me, your face haunts me. If I never see you again, that wouldn’t be long enough. You were a bystander to me being emotionally abused, and you tried to play off like you were the nice guy. If you cared about me, truly, you would have never let me get on that plane. At the very least you could’ve flown me home, but you didn’t. You could have quit the band before they wrote that song about me. You could’ve warned me, but you didn’t. You don’t love me, you don’t want me, you don’t even know me. You’re the worst kind of man: pathetic. Is that enough for you?”
Danny blinks at me as his fist clenches at his side. I realize then that he’s off kilter. I knew that I kept that pack sane, but I don’t think I realized by how much.
“I loved you. I gave you everything you wanted!”
Cole goes to step forward, and I place a hand on his chest.
“You see these marks on my neck,” I say, pointing at them dramatically. “You see them wearing the hats I made. Do you see how much healthier I look? This is all I ever wanted. I don’t want you, and we have a restraining order,” I tell him.
“Because your pack made you. They’re poisoning you against me, don’t you see that?”
I stare at him, contemplating how I ever had sex with this idiot. It’s then I notice the dark circles under his eyes, and the way he seems like he’s almost shaking.
“You need to leave,” Mack’s voice says behind me.
I can feel the rage between my three Alphas and it has something wholly familiar licking up my spine. My skin feels sticky, and all I want to do is crawl into a little ball in my nest.
Today was supposed to be fun and yet, again, the people who have treated me the worst in my life are here, ruining what are supposed to be happy moments.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Cole asks, his voice as sweet as I’ve heard it tonight.
“I think I just want to go home.”
“Please, Shiloh, please. Let me be in your heat again, let me?—”
He doesn’t finish his sentence as Jonah’s fist collides with his face and Danny tumbles to the floor.
“Fuck. I never thought he would shut up. Elliot, can you handle this? Let the authorities know that he broke the restraining order. Axel, Claire, will you make sure Shiloh’s Gran gets home safe? We need to get Shiloh home,” Jonah says, putting everything into motion.
I’m not sure what’s said between everyone, as Cole holds me against his chest. His familiar and safe scent of honeysuckle soothing me along with the soothing rumble of his purring chest.
I know Claire and Gran say something to me, but I don’t absorb it. I just want to be home in my nest and forget today ever happened.
In the past, I would have had a breakdown after a day like today, but honestly, I’m relieved. For the first time in my life, I stuck up for myself and my pack had my back, only intervening when necessary.
There’s no way I’m going to let my family or Danny ruin what I know is about to happen. I’ve known since before we even bonded that my heat was on the horizon, but all the heightened emotions and adrenaline must have accelerated the timeline.
My shitty mom, my shitty ex-boyfriend, tried to take something else away from me, but I won’t let them.
I won’t give them the power to mess up this moment for me. For the first time since I designated, I feel completely safe with my heat partners. I know without a doubt I’ll be fulfilled during my heat with these Alphas—my Alphas.
I’m scooped up in Cole’s arms, bridal style, resting my nose against his neck as he carries me all throughout the stadium and to the car. At least one positive is that it’s only the third quarter and the Eagles are kicking ass, so none of the fans are rushing to get out of here. Post game traffic is a nightmare.
Cole and Mack sit in the back with me as Jonah tugs off his hat and grips the steering wheel for dear life. His knuckles look like they're bruised and I hate it and love it at the same time. He protected me, while still letting me make my peace with the situation. As soon as I touch his shoulder, his posture eases as he taps my hand.
“You okay, princess? We’ll be home in twenty-five minutes. We’re going to take care of you.”
I squeeze his shoulder and nod.
It doesn’t feel as severe as the last time I went into heat on the plane, but there are still the telltale symptoms. Fever, confusion, need, and, my least favorite, body aches.
I groan, resting my head against the headrest as Mack rubs my back and Cole holds my hand.
“We could take the edge off?” I say, peering over at Cole.
“Twenty-five minutes. I know you can wait that long, princess. Then we’re going to take you to your nest and you’re finally going to have your perfect heat.”
Part of me wants to throw a tantrum, but the other part of me knows he’s right. I don’t want him to touch me and I go full feral omega in this car. It’s going to feel so good for them to comfort me during my heat in my nest. The same nest they built for me that I curated, and they bonded me in.
The thought alone has some of my symptoms easing.
“Gotta say, watching you stand up for yourself had me hard as a rock,” Cole says and I snort.
“Really?” I whisper, appreciating the distraction. Right now, I could really use a knot and a ton of Alpha kisses.
“It made me proud,” he responds back.
It’s at that moment all bets are off as I climb into his lap.
“God dammit,” Jonah hisses up front.
I play with the strands of Cole’s hair at the nape of his neck. The cab of the car smells mostly of my lemony scent with the mix of the people I love most in the world. Of course, minus my Gran, who I’m very proud of for sticking up for me as well.
Cole rubs his thumb over my bond mark and I feel like I might explode if I don’t get some relief soon.
“I can’t wait to see you spread out, your pussy dripping all over the blankets you bought while I fill you up with my knot and cum,” Cole says.
“How is this helpful?” Mack says, and I glare at him. “How am I in trouble? We want your heat to be perfect, and captain Mackardy over here is riling you up.”
Mack doesn’t help because then all I can think about is Cole back in his pilot uniform.
“Do you still have your uniform?” I ask Cole and he barks out a laugh, before nuzzling my neck, scent marking me.
“I’ll wear it for you whenever you want,” he promises, his tongue licking up the side of my throat.
He continues giving me little touches, marking me all over the place, but not filling the ache. I grip his hair and pull his face back, a seductive grin on his handsome face.
“My impatient Omega. You just have to take what your Alpha gives you.”
I moan at the words, remembering the last time he said them. At least then I had a knot inside of me.
“Fuck. We’re home. Do you know how hard it is to drive with a boner in jeans?” Jonah complains, grabbing me from Cole and tossing me over his shoulder.
The air is knocked out of me, but I can’t help but laugh as all the blood rushes to my head. We take the elevator up to my nest and Jonah places me gently on my nest bed. I look up at the three of them and feel at peace, ready to completely let go. Finally, I’ll have a heat without suffering.
“You can let go, baby. You’re safe,” Mack says.
So I do just that, I leave my care in their hands, knowing that for the first time in my adult life, I’ll be taken care of.