Chapter 14
Wren
The alphas are back in my room and I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it. Their presence should be stifling, but somehow, their scents and closeness combine to make something that feels strangely like a weighted blanket instead of a smothering force.
Maybe it helps that Teddy vacated the bed to go retrieve them, and when he came back, stayed with the other alphas. It’s like I’m a queen, sat on my throne—err, mattress—holding court for my knights.
“So, that’s it?” My eyes are wide as I look around the room.
“They’re just…in jail? For what?” I’ve updated them on what happened with my parents after Teddy left that night, but I doubt the police would arrest Pack Caruso on a third-party testimony of buying an omega—besides, if that were the case, my parents would be in jail too.
And besides, I…I fucking stabbed one of them. Shouldn’t I be facing some kind of repercussions for that? Sure, it was in self-defense, but I’d never even so much as slapped someone before that.
Is it weird I don’t even feel bad about it? The alpha took every opportunity to torment me in the short time that I was there, and based on what they were trying to do, it was clearly self-defense.
Regardless of all that though, I feel like this is all just a little bit too easy.
“Right now, it’s for kidnapping you.” Ethan says shrugging.
“Jasper is getting released from the hospital today, and is going straight into police custody. I would guess that your parents somehow got word of what happened—and how we framed it as a ‘pack dispute gone wrong’—and didn’t want any blame falling back on them.
Their trial isn’t until later this month, and I’ve been going through their security footage of the last three years to see if we can get anything else on them besides what they did to you.
We need to know for sure if you were the first omega they abused, or if there were others before you.
We were already going to turn them in—even if we let them think we wouldn’t—but your parents throwing them under the bus gives us the advantage of time. ”
I swallow. So they know Pack Caruso abused me…do they know everything? “Are you referring to how they drugged me?”
Maverick rumbles. “Yes. But…what else did they do?”
Brennan leans forward quickly. “You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to—”
“But it’ll ‘elp make combin’ through three years of foo’age easier,” Teddy finishes.
Swallowing, I nod. The duties Pack Caruso gave me are nothing compared to them drugging me and trying to induce a heat.
My fingers tighten in my blankets. “They, um…created a ‘rewards system’ for me. If I did my duties, I’d earn a nest item. If I failed, they would take one away.”
Growls rip out around the room, making me fold in on myself, but I continue, looking down. “I…I was good at cleaning, I suppose, but not so much the cooking—”
“Hey.” Brennan’s voice has me freezing, and I look up to see him standing in front of the bed, his gentle eyes on me.
“The growling…it wasn’t meant for you. We just…
we can’t stand the thought of Pack Caruso—or anyone—treating you with anything less than the respect you deserve.
We…we’ll try to keep a rein on our emotions, okay? ”
“Okay.” My voice is quiet as I nod, and he gives me a small smile.
I’m so used to being the punching bag, it’s strange to have people getting angry on my behalf.
The others—Teddy, Ethan, and Maverick, all nod in agreement.
The sight gives me the confidence I need to keep going.
“They told me I ruined breakfast when I made a perfectly acceptable scramble. It was almost like…” I trail off, trying to put the thought into words.
“It’s almost like they were going to say it was horrible no matter what I did… like they had a routine.”
Ethan nods. “So we might be right about you not being their first omega.” He stands quickly.
“Alright, I’ve already been working on a code to filter out blank footage and isolate frames that have females under five-foot-five in them…
that should narrow it down. If we can anonymously send condemning footage to the judge before their trial, we can have them put away for a long time. ”
He disappears without another word.
My mouth opens to call after him, but…what would I even say?
“Ethan! Get your ass back here!” Maverick’s voice is the one that barks at the other alpha, his eyes intent on me. Ethan appears back in the doorway, the question evident on his face. Maverick is still looking at me. “What did you need, Baby Girl?”
Gods, is this what it’s like to have someone care about my needs, my wants? For me to not have to say a word because they read the intent in my expression?
“I, uh…wanted to talk about the true scent match…if you all have a minute.”
“We’re all ‘ere for you, Dove.” Teddy grins at me.
“Of course,” Ethan says quickly, sitting back down in his chair. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking—”
“It’s okay,” I let out a little laugh, holding out my hands.
“I just…it’ll probably be quick. It’s just that…
you all know that I presented late, right?
” At the nods that go around the room, I take a deep breath.
“Well, that being said, I never even dreamed of having a pack before. When I was a beta, I figured maybe I’d meet a nice guy I kind of liked.
After presenting…the only pack life I knew of was the ones my parents wanted to try to force on me.
So…I know that I’m probably not what you had envisioned—if you had ever even wanted an omega, that is—but since we’re all true scent matches… ”
I’m really dancing around the subject. “I talked to Teddy, and he wanted me even before we knew…” Fuck, stop rambling.
“I just…all I mean is…I’d like to…get to know you all?
If I could. I know we’re all fated or whatever, but I also know that doesn’t really matter if you don’t like the person.
Or if you guys don’t want to be a pack with each other. ”
A nervous laugh leaves me as I shake my head. Holy fuck, somebody please shut me up. “Woah, that was presumptuous as fuck. I’m not just assuming you want to be a pack for me—”
“Wren.” It’s Maverick’s gruff voice that takes me out of my rambling.
My throat bobs as I swallow, and I look at the alpha, his dark brown eyes seeing way too much.
“We’ve had a few days to talk it out amongst ourselves.
We all agreed—that as long as it was something you wanted—we’d want to try our hand as a pack. With you.”
I blink.
Did I hear him right? They…they want to court me?
These alphas, who are nothing like the stick-up-their-asses packs my parents tried to pair me off with, want…me? The socially-inept virgin who can hardly even speak to them without it turning into a ten minute, self-doubting monologue?
“Is that something you’d be interested in?” Maverick looks almost…bashful. “I know…I know I’m probably ten years older than you, so I wouldn’t blame you if you didn't want me to be a part of your pack—”
A sound that I’ve never heard before rips out of my throat as my eyes go wide. The alphas respond immediately, almost as if they can’t help it, and before I know it, I have four alphas surrounding my mattress.
“I—” I shake my head, my cheeks flaming for the fiftieth time since waking up. “I don’t know what that was.”
“An omega whine,” Brennan says roughly, his fingers twitching at his sides. “It’s a uh…distress call to your alphas. I’m assuming…I’m assuming you didn’t like Maverick talking about not being a part of your pack.”
My mouth opens slightly to argue. Because…wouldn’t that make me desperate? But then my eyes catch on Maverick, and I can tell he’s holding himself back from something.
He really is just like a teddy bear, despite his hardened demeanor.
Before I realize what’s happening, my bottom lip juts out slightly, and I nod.
And then, just like back in the Caruso Pack house, my omega takes charge.
That’s the only way to explain how I have the courage to reach my hand out, my fingers brushing against his.
The contact sets something off in Maverick, and he grabs my hand, pulling me towards him before gathering me in his arms, and sitting on the edge of the mattress with me in his lap.
His arms around my waist make me feel like I’m the most precious thing in the world, and it takes less than half a second for me to relax into his hold, his leather and lemongrass scent soothing me.
Looks like I’m getting used to the whole “physical affection” thing really quick.
In fact, I find myself already wanting to snuggle with both Brennan and Ethan too.
I guess it’s kind of like how you don’t realize how thirsty you are until you get that single drop of water, and then you can’t get enough.
“Please don’t talk like that again.” I don’t know where the confidence to voice my wants comes from.
Maybe it’s how Maverick’s holding me, or maybe it’s how Teddy, Ethan, and Brennan are all looking at me like they wish I was in their arms instead.
But…something inside clicks into place. I can feel it, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is my pack.
“I’m sorry,” Maverick murmurs, pressing a kiss to my hair. Then he freezes. “Was…was that okay?”
A small giggle leaves me. Finally, someone who seems just as nervous about this whole thing as I feel. I turn my head, looking up at the alpha. “That was more than okay.”
A small smile tilts at his lips, and then Brennan is clearing his throat. “Since we’re all on the same page now, I—”
Teddy harrumphs, glaring at Brennan.
Brennan sighs. “Teddy and I, wanted to present you with your first courting present.”
My brows shoot up. When would they have had time to get me a courting present?
In a flash, Brennan runs from the room and returns, holding two items. The first is a c-shaped pillow, with a weird triangle shape jutting out of the top, and the second is a box, a bit bigger than a cell phone.
“You can use it while you’re sitting in bed, on the couch, or wherever—” Brennan demonstrates, putting the pillow around his waist like a belt. “And then—your phone, book, e-reader, whatever—is propped up on this bit.” He points to the triangle shape.
I almost want to laugh, the vision of Brennan—this ripped, tough-looking alpha—wearing a pink polka-dot pillow is too cute to handle.
But more than that though, is the incredible feeling of warmth that spreads through my chest. Even when I would receive gifts for my birthday, it was never anything I wanted, or that anyone who actually knew me would think I wanted.
Right after I presented, I received a book on how to be the “Perfect Omega”.
Before that, death-trap high heels.
Etiquette lessons.
More scratchy-as-fuck dresses.
But never something like this. Something completely frivolous, unrefined, and enabling lazy behavior.
I fucking love it.
My jaw drops. “Oh my gods.”
“That’s not all,” Teddy grins, holding up the box I noticed earlier. “This li’tle beauty is equipped with thir’y ‘ours of screen life per charge, a subscription to that romance book site you’ve been talkin’ ‘bout, and a protective case.”
“An e-reader?” My eyes grow wide. “Really?”
Teddy grins, nodding. “That’s right, Dove. I know you’re gonna miss your books, but—oof!”
I’ve scrambled out of Maverick’s lap and launched myself into Teddy’s arms. “Thank you!” I all but squeal, before turning to Brennan and putting my arms around him as well.
“Thank you so much—” Then I realize I’ve thrown myself at him when we haven’t even so much as shaken hands yet.
“Fuck, I’m sorry.” I try to take a step back, but Brennan returns my embrace, and my face presses against his chest. Vetiver and blood orange have me melting, and my heart sings mine.
“I think we’re all in agreement,” Brennan murmurs, pulling back and cupping my face in his hands, “that we will gladly soak up whatever affection you’re willing to give us, Song Bird.”
Song Bird.
“Hate to break it to you,” I mutter, looking down, “but I can’t sing for shit.”
I can hear the smile in his voice. “I’ve never heard you sing, but I don’t need to. Just your voice alone is like listening to the sweetest song I’ve ever heard.”
When I look back up at him, my face warm, I don’t know what to say. Luckily, I’m saved from having to respond to the ridiculously sweet statement by Teddy. “Oi, Bren, cut it! You’re makin’ the rest of us look bad.”
As usual, Teddy’s antics make my head fall back on a laugh. He chuckles along with me, and when I look around the room, all eyes are on me.
“I don’t know, Brennan,” Ethan murmurs as he comes up next to the alpha, staring down at me. My throat goes dry. “I think that might be the sweetest song I’ve ever heard.”
Clearing my throat, I step away, fanning myself. “You all are going to make me die of heat stroke.”
Maverick barks out a sharp laugh, the sound both shocking and welcome. A small giggle breaks out of me, and then Teddy, Ethan, and Brennan are chuckling as well.
As warmth curls in my chest, I can see it. A real future, free from my parents, with this pack by my side.