Chapter 42 Jo
forty-two
Jo
Mabel crosses her arms as she looks at my brother’s pack. “I agreed to give you five minutes.”
Declan looks at Nolan, Rory, and Aidan before standing. Nolan won’t even look at Mabel, while Rory has this wide-eyed, hopeful expression on his face. Aidan looks stoic, as usual, but I sense an undercurrent of trepidation.
From my spot behind the guys where they sit on their couch, I’m out of the way but still visible to Mabel if she needs my support.
I’m not going to ask Aidan for help with the file the Vasiliev twins gave me on my mama’s death yet. I’ll probably wait until after this thing with Mabel has had some time to settle. It feels…wrong, asking them to do something so personal for me while they’re in such a rough place emotionally.
“We were never trying to hide it from you or get to you under false pretenses,” Declan says earnestly.
“Each of us have felt drawn to you from the moment I carried you out of that underground lab. Nolan shielded you with his body when we were being shot at during the escape. Rory’s been obsessed, and you saw Aidan’s reaction to Kole touching you firsthand.
” He lets out a breath, looking at her pleadingly.
“What else could explain that besides a true scent match?”
Mabel sighs, looking between the guys, a resigned expression on her face. “Is that all?”
Nolan, his jaw tight, snaps, “What do you mean, is that all? What else is there?”
Mabel flinches slightly at his tone, but holds her ground. “I mean…is that the only reason you want me to stay? Because you have this idea in your head that we’re true scent matches?”
“It’s not an idea,” Rory jumps in, “we can feel it—you’re ours.”
“Yours.” Her voice goes flat. “If that’s all you have, then I think it’s time for me to go—”
“You said five minutes,” Declan pleads.
“Fine,” she snaps, allowing me a glimpse at a Mabel I’ve never seen before.
Gone is my timid baby sister, and in her place is an omega that’s been to hell and back and will no longer be pushed around.
“Allow me to fill the time. If you can give one genuine reason for bein’ interested in me beyond the scent match, I’ll consider stayin’.
Somethin’ real. Nothin’ to do with my looks, and nothin’ you figure out by watchin’ me for ten seconds. ”
“This is bullshit,” Nolan mutters, crossing his arms. “You haven’t let them close enough to get to know you.” I blink, staring at the back of the alpha’s head. What the hell happened in the last three days to cause such a change in his attitude?
Mabel crosses her own arms, mirroring his stance.
“Let me put somthin’ out there for y’all.
” She swallows, her throat bobbing. “I spent six months bein’ tricked into fallin’ in love with the pack who bought me from my daddy, only for them to force-bond me during my first heat.
After that, I endured a year and a half of their cruelty.
” She meets their eyes. “I do not intend to be owned by anyone ever again. Even if we were scent matches, I would not be yours.” She gives Rory a scathing look, who shrinks back slightly.
“So if you cannot give me a reason you want to be with me other than the claim you feel over me due to this…’true scent match’, we have nothin’ to talk about. ”
She turns to leave, but Declan’s broken voice has her halting. “I’m sorry.”
Mabel sighs. She doesn’t turn around when she says, “Maybe…maybe if we had met a year or two down the line things would’ve been different. I woulda had time to heal. But you…you’re not equipped to give me the time or space I need before thinkin’ about anythin’ like a pack.”
When nothing but silence greets her, her shoulders slump slightly before she leaves.
Sighing, I push myself off the wall. “Sorry guys.” I frown, taking in everyone’s dejected looks. “I tried.”
“I know, Jo.” Declan’s voice is rough. “I know.”
Rory leans back. “I’ll wait.”
Aidan looks at him. “What do you mean?”
He shrugs. “She said maybe if we had met a year or two down the line, things would’ve been different. Well. I don't know about you guys, but I don’t want any other omega. I’ll wait the two years and then try again.”
I frown. “I don’t think that’s what she was sayin’.”
“He’s joking.” Declan glares at him.
“Right.” Rory nods, giving Declan an exaggerated wink. “Joking.”
I roll my eyes. Considering everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, I’m more than willing to make this a “future Jo” problem.
“I told you it wouldn’t change anythin’, Jojo.” Mabel sighs, shoving another sweater into her suitcase. “Nolan is as hot and cold as a hot fudge sundae, Aidan agrees with me, and Rory and Declan wouldn’t know patience if it bit them in the rear end.”
I frown, watching as she zips the suitcase shut. “I know.” I try to choose my next words carefully. “I just…I just want to make sure you won’t regret this.”
She gives me a sad smile. “Regret rejectin’ a pack who think they’re my true scent match? Or regret goin’ to work at a sex club?”
“The first one,” I laugh. “Though the second one does seem out of character for you. Not that there’s anythin’ wrong with it if that’s what you want to do.”
“Want is a strong word,” she admits. “I just…I just don’t know what else to do.”
“I suppose you don’t have to stay there forever,” I shrug. Then, checking the time, I ask, “What time are y’all supposed to leave?”
She frowns. “Not until four. But I just..want to be ready.”
I grin. It’s not even noon yet. “Perfect. Come with me to meet Addie?”
She falters. “Oh…I don’t know, Jo…”
“Aw, come on, please?” I give her my best puppy dog eyes. “Roland called a few hours ago—she and the baby are both perfectly fine and healthy. They just got settled at Saint Joseph’s down the road.”
That was a fun call to get at one in the morning—that Adela had gone into labor.
I couldn’t get a lick of sleep after that.
Sam had to physically lay on top of me to keep me from getting out of bed and going down to the hospital myself.
Never mind the fact that she was still at the one all the way by Thornfield.
When she still doesn’t say yes, I pout. “I want you to meet my best friend before you leave. She kept me sane at Thornfield, and the baby is gonna call me auntie, you know.”
She stares at me for a moment before shaking her head, sighing. “Fine. But I wanna be back here by three.” There’s no mistaking the small smile at the corner of her lips, though.
I grin. “We’ll be back by two.”
How could something so tiny be a real human?
“Am I holdin’ him right?” I ask nervously, making sure his head is propped up.
“Put your elbow up just a little bit,” Roland directs, and when I do, he smiles. “Perfect. You’re a natural.”
“What are you namin’ him, Addie?” I ask my friend, who is staring out the window. I frown, taking a step closer. “Addie?”
She jumps. “Oh, sorry, Jo. What were you saying?”
“I asked if you knew what you were gonna name him,” I say gently, shooting Hayden a worried look. It must be hard to feel joy in a new life when you’re grieving a loved one. She’s more responsive than she was last night, but it’s going to be a long road to “normal”. Whatever that looks like.
Vander gave his life for them, even if it was partially his own fault.
She blinks. “Oh. I…I haven’t decided yet. Vander and I were between Leo and Aaron. But now…” She sniffs, looking out the window again.
Mabel grasps Addie’s hand at her bedside. The two of them seem to have connected instantly, a silent understanding passing between them as they bring comfort to one another. A kind of sisterhood I’m in no place to take full part of right now.
It should make me sad. But really…it makes my heart happy to see the two women closest to me forming a bond.
When Sam asks if he can hold the baby, Addie nods, and I pass him along.
It should be illegal for a man to look that good holding a baby.
“Whoa, Addie,” Hayden whispers, staring at the little guy. “You literally grew an entire person. You’re like a…human 3D printer.”
Addie snorts, the first real sign of anything other than sadness since I got here. “I missed you, Hayden.”
Mabel smiles. “He’s a good big brother, ain’t he?”
My pyro flushes, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah, well, you know…”
I laugh, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “You’re so cute when you blush, darlin’.”
“Mabel?” Roland says suddenly, looking between my sister and my friend. “Is it alright if I talk to you guys alone for a minute?”
Mabel’s eyes widen as she nods, and exchanging a curious look, the guys and I excuse ourselves, waiting in the empty hallway.
“What do you think that’s about?” West mutters after closing the door behind him.
“I’m not sure,” I frown.
“So we’re not going to talk about it?” Hayden asks suddenly, looking perplexed.
“Talk about what, Darlin’?”
“How fucking hot you look holding a baby.” He says it like it should be obvious. “Fuck, and now all I can think about is getting you home so we can plant our own babies inside you.”
I bite my lip, grinning. “Is that right? My good boy wants to breed me?”
Hayden groans, and Sam huffs. “I mean, I’m pretty sure we all do, but at least I had the foresight to not start the conversation in a damn hospital hallway.” He glances around, making sure there’s nobody around to scandalize.
“What do you think, then?” I look between the guys. “I’m not ready right this very second for kids…maybe in another year, but I’m all for…practicin’.”
“Fuck, I love you,” Sam murmurs before leaning down and kissing me.
“I, for one, love practicing.” Kole grins, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
“I’m ready whenever you are, Siren.” West takes my hand.
“I think I already made my stance on this very clear,” Hayden deadpans.
“Well, since we’re on the topic of the future…” I trail off, looking between them. “I wanna run somethin’ by you guys.”
“Shoot.” Sam grins.