Chapter 30 Cole
Cole
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who had trouble sleeping around here. I’d been drifting in and out for hours before I heard my omega leave her room. I didn’t even have a chance to say anything before she was moving into North’s nest.
Despite the soundproofing, I could hear everything.
The sounds of them satisfying my omega were pure fucking torture. I’d been hard as a rock for hours.
Eventually, to clear my head, I ran out to get breakfast. I settled on North’s bakery, hoping the familiar place would chase away the fog of unease that was lingering around me.
I’d only met Judy a time or two, but I think North would be proud at how warmly she greeted me. Once I had the pastries in hand, I finally went back home.
I only had twenty-four hours before I was forced to face my fathers. Men that I hadn’t seen in at least ten years. I liked to think that I was over it, that I was unaffected. There was nothing anyone could do to change them now, not that I ever planned to try.
I simply wished things were different.
The house was still quiet when I walked back inside. Considering the rest of my pack was enjoying each other’s company until early in the morning, I was unsurprised.
“There you are,” Aspen’s voice startled me, her soft laughter echoing out as I clutched my chest.
“Woman, make some noise!”
“I figured you saw me when you didn’t say anything,” she teased. “Not the most observant, now are we?”
“In my defense, the house was quiet. I assumed you’d be asleep for several more hours.”
“Sleep is still not my friend,” she admitted with a sigh. I could see the dark circles now and I frowned. “I got a few hours after spending some time with North and Jack, and when I woke up, you were already gone. I’m worried about you, Cole.”
She set her mug on the counter and walked forward. She had a robe tied around her, hair hanging loose, face open and vulnerable. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look more beautiful than right now.
Her delicate arms wrapped around me as if she could hold me together.
“I’m just a little nervous is all,” I said as I held her close to me, soaking in her sweet and tart scent. My alpha didn’t even mind that she smelled like the others.
They were pack, too.
“That’s understandable. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“You already are,” I breathed out as I rested my cheek against the top of her head, holding her like my life depended on it. “This is exactly what I needed.”
“Me, too,” she admitted.
My hands ran up and down her arms, eventually resting on the side of her neck. She shuddered, and I froze at the feel of the ridged skin there. A bite mark, a complete one from the way it was healing.
She realized I froze and leaned back to look up at me.
“North and I claimed each other,” she explained, as if bracing herself for my reaction.
I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “I love that you found each other,” I reassured her. “Though I have to admit, the alpha in me is a little bit jealous that he got to claim you first.”
“Don’t worry. There’s plenty of time for you to claim me, too,” she teased, leaning up and offering her lips to me.
I didn’t hesitate to kiss my omega. I’d never considered myself the type to enjoy kissing for hours, and yet I could absolutely kiss this omega for days and still never tire of it.
“You smell like them,” I teased as I pulled away, my nose skimming down her throat and making her shudder, despite the fact that my omega should be more than satisfied.
We pulled apart as footsteps echoed down the main staircase.
“He just had to cock-block me, didn’t he?” she said with a laugh as Jack approached.
“Yeah, I know that I really have no right to interupt you like this, but I do take satisfaction in it. At least there’s a good reason,” Jack tacked on at the end.
When I turned around and shot him a withering glare, he held up his hands, but he didn’t look a damn bit sorry.
“Asshole.”
He huffed, but forged ahead. “I have a lead on that place in town, and if we get our asses in gear and get out there in fifteen minutes, you can look at it. She’s got some buyers coming in tomorrow, but if we slip in there and an offer goes up, it’s first come, first serve,” Jack pointed out.
North was behind him, both of them dressed and ready to go, which really only left our girl.
“I’m on it!” she squeaked out, running up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
In her absence, my attention shifted to the other two. I didn’t miss the way they were leaning into each other as we waited for her.
Or the fresh marks on both of their shoulders. North was wearing two that were currently on display with his loose shirt, and Jack’s was right on his wrist.
“I’m so happy for you guys.”
Of course, my brother looked at me like I’d lost my mind, but North’s smile softened.
“Thank you. I was worried you might be upset,” Jack admitted. “I didn’t claim her yet.”
“She’s a person. I don’t exactly have stakes over what she does. It’s better this way, that it happens when it’s natural and in moments that matter. It’s what our girl deserves. What you both deserve,” I said, my eyes shifting to North.
He bit his lip and nodded, then opened his mouth and closed it. I simply waited until he got his thoughts together.
“I was thinking,” North started. “That it might be nice to have you bite me, too. I know it’ll hurt more than with everyone else, but I want our pack to be strong. Our bond needs to be complete. You’re a brother to me.”
My chest tightened at his request. The familiar guilt started to rise up for abandoning them, but then it disappeared just as quickly. I didn’t want to hold onto it anymore. He was offering me so much here, and I wanted to take it.
I wanted to do right by them.
“I’d be honored,” I said firmly.
His smile brightened even more at my agreement. He was crazy if he thought I was going to say no. I was learning that there was so much more to packs than just the usual traditions. The bond of brotherhood was equally as important to make us strong.
Our mate was back in record time, another ridiculous Christmas sweater that I was starting to love. This one had an alpaca on the front wearing a Santa hat, jingle bells adorning his fur.
“This one might be my favorite,” I told her.
She spun around and posed for me, her laughter bright and relaxed. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pride that we had brought that out in her. She deserved nothing but the best.
After that shitty pack treated her the way they did, I wanted to hunt them down and ruin them for ever thinking that they deserved her.
I let my excitement build as we drove through town. I knew this just might be the final piece that we needed for our pack to settle down.
Like most of the buildings downtown, the one we pulled up to was quaint.
It sat right on the corner like she promised.
It had large windows and an old wooden door that showed a bit of wear and tear.
The brick on the facade was clean, red and brown shining through.
They must’ve done some work to it to get it ready for sale.
A woman was waiting out front. The beta eyed Jack the moment he climbed out. Her whole body seemed to light up, and then deflated as the rest of us joined, the two omegas claiming each of his arms.
Shit. I hoped this didn’t affect the sale.
She put a smile on her face, but it was much more strained now.
“Hello, Ivy,” Jack greeted, clearly not reading between the lines here. “We think this place might be incredible for my brother. He’s wanting to open up a business here.”
Her eyes flickered to me, and again they were hopeful. I wasn’t sure how to take that, so I plastered a smile on my face.
“Thank you for meeting us last minute. I hope it’s a good fit.”
“Prime locations like this don’t open up often,” she said with a sweet smile that would work on most alphas.
“The previous owner bought it in hopes to turn it over. I think he put a lot of work into it, but nobody was biting. He just lowered the price and a few more offers rolled in, so you definitely want to get yours in now.”
She unlocked the front doors and gestured for us to go inside.
“I think I’ll give you a minute to get acquainted with the place, and I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk beyond that.”
Aspen let go of Jack as he and North walked in and instead held her hand out to me. I truly didn’t care if this woman was put out by the gesture. She’d see a whole lot more of us if she lived in this town.
We walked inside and I soaked in every nuance of this building.
Ivy was right about the previous owner putting in the work. There was brand new sleek hardwood throughout. The walls were painted a dull white, but that was something that could easily be changed.
There were two bathrooms, a break room with a full kitchen, and enough space and windows to create a solid office space out of it.
“I can already picture it,” Aspen said, walking to one corner of the room where there was a cluster of windows.
“You could block off this entire area and make a big office for yourself. You can have those light boards that you need for the prints for the magazine, and one of those big lawyer desks.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” I agreed, pointing out another space. “This would make a good conference room, big enough to hold any of the big corporate board meetings that we might have come up. There’s another few office spaces. An assistant could go right here.”
The more I talked it out, the more I could picture it, everything was coming together.
Someone let out a shaky breath, and I turned, startled to find that it was Jack. Though, North didn’t look like he was doing much better.
“What’s wrong?” I questioned, startled at the change.
“It’s just finally sinking in that you’re staying,” Jack managed, getting choked up again.
Aspen rushed over and wrapped her arms around him.
“We’re pack,” Aspen said. “We couldn’t leave you.”
“I’m one of your alphas,” I said firmly, looking at North. “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that my omegas both have what they need.”
“Right now, what we need the most is to be together,” Aspen agreed.
That was enough for North to break out into a full-on sob. I was startled, but Aspen just chuckled and held him close.
“Omega hormones are a bitch, aren’t they?” she teased.
“They are,” North wailed, laughing through the sobs.
Jack and I shared a look, unsure how to handle any of this insane moment.
“Is everything okay in here?” Ivy’s voice was alarmed now as she poked her head in.
North’s outburst seemed to have helped Jack get it together and quickly reassured her. We were more than alright now that we had a proper solution.
If this holiday taught me anything, it was that family was everything. They were too important to risk. My pack was my future, and my legacy, even more so than Pack & Co.
“I think I’d like to talk about those numbers now.”
“Of course,” Ivy said, all business now.
We spent a few hours discussing all the finer details. I quickly put my financial and legal team in charge, expressing how important it was that this go through without a hitch.
I might be jumping the gun and the board might not be happy about this change, but I truly didn’t care. This wasn’t a choice that they got to make for me.
It was mine and mine alone.
I would do anything it took to convince them, because the sooner I moved back to Pine Ridge, the better.