Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
GRIFFIN
W e couldn’t tell Vaughn about his dad and Terry. That was something that we would also need to let Clover know not to talk about either. She wouldn’t mean to upset him, but hearing that they were at the game was a sure fire way to bring Vaughn back into a spiral.
He was just starting to get better. It was like they knew that he was doing well and had to show up to ruin everything.
Why would his father think that it was okay to show up?
Terry was a bitch. Her showing up was par for the course.It wasn’t enough for her to break Vaughn’s heart. She wanted to rub it in at every chance that she got..
His father? That just seemed like a low blow to pull on your son. Especially since he had tried to talk to his son before.
Vaughn had been close to his family, too. They had sort of the white picket lifestyle that made me a bit jealous growing up. It was all a facade obviously. Things had fallen apart spectacularly over the summer. It had nearly broken my best friend. I would never let them hurt him like that again.
Of course, now Clover is going into preheat.
Of course it was the weekend Apollo wasn’t around to be reasonable and Vaughn wasn’t acting like his usual reasonable self.
He had licked her. Which had made me nearly combust because I also wanted to taste the sweet Omega.
Maybe I should wipe out my cup and jockstrap between periods just in case it really is giving me jock itch. I don’t want to have her seeing me looking like a mess.
“You’re up.” Coach taps my head and I’m jumping over the barrier, racing down the ice where the defenseman is knocking the puck over the redline.
My skates dig into the ice, snicking sounds as snow is left in my wake. My eyes just focused on where the puck is going and if I can get there without it going offsides.
It hits the blade of my skate and I dig in harder, turning as someone races towards me. The tip of my stick gets hold of the black disk as I feel the adrenaline washing over me. It’s this hot feeling that feels like a blanket going over my head. Closing out the sounds around me as I focus on the moment.
I have a breakaway opportunity.
Dangling the puck forward, the goaltender follows the move. He’s tracking me as I shift my weight, trying to get him to commit to one side and open up a slot for me to aim for. It’s seconds that feel like minutes as I watch him over extend to his left and I follow him for a second to make him think that’s where I’m aiming. I toss the puck back, between my skates, whirling my blade around to pick it up.
This could go top shelf.
He moves his position. The blocker glove coming up, towards the top shelf left where I had been thinking of slapping it home. It opens up the right bottom corner since he over extended himself further with this move.
Snapping the blade back and then forward, the puck sails over his leg, hitting the back of the net.
A goal horn goes off, the red light lights up as my team skates towards me to celebrate the goal.
I wish Clover was here to see it. I would have skated over and kissed the glass in front of her so everyone would have known this show was all for her benefit. Instead I skate back towards the bench, giving everyone fist bumps before skating to take the face off.
My eyes lift to the clock to check how much time is left in the third period.
Fourteen minutes to go. We’re up by three goals. I already know this game is going to feel like another hour.
They think that I can’t be serious. That I don’t take things as seriously as I should. I know that life isn’t a game. Though I want to play an actual game for a living.
The game ends and we get out of the arena quicker than ever before. Jumping in the car and heading home without even chatting with our teammates. It’s a couple minute walk but, since we had Clover in mind we drove wanting to make sure she was comfortable. Terrible plan since she already left and we’re now stuck in post-game traffic.
Mick is going over all these things he found on his phone using a search tool. Going on and on about Omega’s in pre-heat and what to do for her.
He’s also ignored the several texts in the group chat and the two calls from Apollo.
The Beta may be good at planning and trying to fix things, but he is shit at telling a lie. He won’t be able to keep his mouth shut about how Clover is in pre-heat. Which will freak out the lead Alpha and have him home on the next plane or driving overnight at breakneck speeds to get home to her.
It’s kind of cute how much he cares.
“So we just have to touch her a lot, make sure she is eating and drinking, and just be super attentive to her?” Vaughn asks, like he is double checking his class notes.
Gold star for him.
This all seems like stuff we do everyday with her so I don’t get the big deal.
Mick is scanning his phone confirming that is what it says.
“She might need to come.” We’re all quiet at this. Mick wants to wait for Apollo to touch her. They can kiss and stuff. Making her come is something that he isn’t going to be able to do without his partner.
It makes sense since they do have an established relationship. They will love her individually as well as a pair.
Vaughn and I can make the Omega come. We shouldn’t have any problem having her squirming and soaked from all the orgasms we can give her. We’ve already made her come a couple times. It might be fun to do it together.
“No sex until this passes. We want to make sure she can consent and we can talk about her actual upcoming heat.” Vaughn has some of his logic back.
Of course it’s about things I want to ignore, but I can’t win them all.
My phone rings with Apollo’s name coming up again. We’re going to have to answer him or he’s going to have a meltdown and show up. There is only so much ignoring will do before he decides that we all died in a carbon monoxide leak in the house and comes home to check on us.
Can’t risk having dad get mad at us.
“I’m answering it.”
“Don’t!” Mick dives at me too late. I’m already swiping the accept call button.
“Hey man, what’s up?”
“Don’t you fucking hey man me! I’ve been calling and texting you three and haven’t got a hi, hello, or a go fuck myself. What is going on?”
Well . He’s mad.
Saw that one coming from a mile away.
“Oh, we had a game tonight. Kind of hard to text when we’re skating. Don’t think the coach would like that.” I have no problem pissing him off. “It actually went really well and-”
“Is Clover with you? I’ve texted her and tried to FaceTime. She hasn’t answered. Does that mean she’s with you and her phone just died?”
My eyes meet Vaughn as we pull up to the house.
Operation pacify Apollo needed to commence. It’s my job to talk him off whatever ledge he has himself on.
“She rode home with your Mama. We’re pulling up now. Why don’t I have her reach out to you? She wore Vaughn’s jersey tonight. Looked hot as fuck.” I hear the growl of his annoyance and know it’s working.
Clover did look hot as fuck.
Would have looked even hotter if she was wearing my jersey. Just my jersey as she stared at me from her knees.
Can’t let myself think like that.
“If I find out something is going on and you all aren’t telling me I’m going to kill you. Do you understand that Griffin? Are you willing to risk your life to lie to me?”
Yes .
“Why would I lie to you?”
“This isn’t a game, Griffin. You’re making me even angrier. I’m not there. I just need to know that everyone is okay.” He isn’t here and feels like he is missing out. He wants time with the Omega like the rest of us. The distance must be fucking with his head.
I can understand that.
He’s on speaker so everyone can hear him threatening me. It makes it easy to flip out of the call, to my photo album. I took a couple pictures of Clover before we left for the game. She is wearing the jersey and smiling up at me from the couch she was sitting on.
If someone sent me this picture I would feel better.
Clover is beyond beautiful. It’s the way she smiles. There is mischief and joy in the way that she is looking at the camera.
I hear a sigh from the other end of the phone.
“Thank you for sending that, Griff. Sorry for being so hard on you. Just not hearing from anyone and not being there. It’s harder than I expected it to be.”
Do I feel bad lying to Apollo?
No.
Not even a little.
He has no chill. If I told him the truth of what was happening it’s possible he would go completely gray and have a nervous breakdown. We can’t have our pack lead having a nervous breakdown.
It’s best for everyone to just not let him know.
Apologize when he gets home and realizes what happened.
“I’m going in the house now. I’ll have our Omega reach out to you. Love you Apollo.”
Hanging up, I look at the other guys in the car. They’re tense and all seem to be worried about leaving the car and going in there to see Clover.
I don’t have that issue.
I want to be near her. I also need to see where her phone is so I can text Apollo from it so he can calm down a little. What he doesn’t know can’t hurt him. If I just send him a message from her it will be fine.
Everything will be fine.
The house is thick with her scent. It punches me in the face as soon as I walk through the door. My eyes water and I have to rub at my eyes to try and focus.
Fuck .
Glad I got that rut booster or else I’d be at risk of losing my mind.
Her scent is so syrup thick. It’s rich as I breathe in. My tongue tastes her in the air. It’s like heaven. To have every breath I take feeling like I’m breathing in our Omega. It’s everything. I always want the house to smell like this.
Always .
Henrik and Jean are on the couch looking agitated. The scent of someone else’s Omega doesn’t affect them the same way it’s affecting me. They’re already bonded so even if it smells good it probably is giving them a migraine from how thick it is.
They look up at me and glare. Definitely not in a good mood from having to sit here and not have their Omega give them attention..
“Go to your Omega and send ours down here. If you can’t control her, call Martha. She’s supposed to fly in tomorrow and can come right here if you are that stupid.” Jean snarls, crossing his arms as he stands up.
He’s definitely done here.
I need to be polite though. They did take care of our Omega for us and I do appreciate that.
“Thank you for getting Clover home safe. I know that we’ve been leaving you all a lot lately. We appreciate you putting your life on hold so that we can start ours.” Thank fuck for Mick showing up. He always knows how to say things. He makes it seem so pretty.
Jean nods his head and it’s enough of a dismissal that we all head upstairs to see Clover.
The door to her room is closed. Her scent is even thicker now that getting closer to her space. It is making my already hard dick painful. My cock is sticky as it makes a mess of my boxers.
I want to be holding Clover in my arms, kissing those sweet lips of hers. Feeling her curl up against me. The way her little nose rubs against my throat to scent me.
Fuck .
McKinley was right about how she was perfect for us. I bet he would be absolutely insufferable about how he was right.
He’d get away with it too if the Omega stayed.
Vaughn reaches around me, knocking on the door.
“I can smell you. Come in, please.” Her voice sounds sleepy like she was just about to go to bed and we caught her drifting off..
When Vaughn pushes the door open, she is laying on the couch. She is in Apollo’s hoodie, the Otter’s logo across her chest with his number on the sleeve. Her head is on he arm as she lounges like the goddess she is.
Clover sits up, smiling at us when we come inside her space. Her eyes slightly hooded and her scent perfuming wildly.
Oh shit.
We were absolutely out of our depth with this one.
Mama Joy whispers something to her before she gives her a hug and starts walking towards us at the door. She grabs me.
Me .
As if I’m the adult in this situation and drags me into the hallway. I do not like to be away from Clover. Especially when she is smelling like she is now. Mama Joy must know that.
“Griffin, I need you to listen to me. I need you to look at me and hear what I’m saying.”
Oh shit.
This is a serious conversation and I have a boner.
Not my best showing.
“Clover needs you to lead as Alpha. McKinley won’t have the bark or purr to control her. Vaughn is still dealing with everything from his family and can’t guide her like she needs. Apollo isn’t here right now to take the lead and if he was I’m not sure he would come from a place that wasn’t pure emotion.” She is looking at me like I’m an Alpha.
I mean, I am an Alpha. I just haven’t ever had someone look at me like I was the one to make things better. I’m not pack lead material. To be the one who needs to lead now is giving me hives.
Mama Joy is waiting for me to reply.
“I care about Clover.” Licking my lips, I try to find the words that need to come out, “I’ll do whatever I can to make things easier for her. Is she lucid enough to consent to things? Or should we just treat it like she needs care?”
My heart is beating a million times a minute.
A nod of approval makes me finally take in a breath. I hadn’t realized that I hadn’t been breathing before that moment.
“I’d wait until tomorrow for her to consent. She’s been touch starved most of her life. You can do skin on skin contact and some light touches. She wants to feel you all. Just don’t go too far. If you care about her, really care about her, you’ll know the limits.”
Is this a test? It feels like this is some sort of test? And I hate it.
Of course I care about Clover.
Am I really that much of a fuck boy that people think I can’t have real feelings about someone? That doesn’t make me feel great.
A hand squeezes my arms and Mama Joy gives me a smile that eases some of the tension that I’m holding onto.
“I know you can do this, Griffin. I see the way you are with her. You’re a good Alpha to your Omega. Call me if you need anything. Okay? See you tomorrow.”
She leaves me alone in the hallway. I hear her leaving the house with her men and rub my eyes. I have to go into the room and take care of her. I need to step up and be the Alpha that she deserves.
It’s time to prove to everyone that I’m serious about this. It’s time to show Clover that I’m the right Alpha for her.