22. Pack Bros & Todd
Chapter twenty-two
Pack Bros & Todd
Callum Morris, NPHL Network Analyst:"Fifteen games in, and the Titans are looking every bit the contender we expected.
Carter Reynolds has the offense humming despite injury fears as Blackwater enters its toughest road swing of the season sitting atop the Atlantic.
Chicago, St. Louis and Minnesota will be a measuring stick—but right now, this is the team everyone else is trying to catch. "
Jonas hoots, glancing over his shoulder and wiggling his eyebrows at me. “Damn, this is fancy. Did you see this? That’s genuine leather. Real deal shit.”
He lifts my bag and slots it into an overhead locker. The charcoal leather coating is embossed with the Titans logo.
Everything is embossed with the Titans logo. If I tested the undoubtedly perfect bathroom, I’d probably see it stamped in the middle of my forehead. Jonas settles his hands on my shoulders, squeezing before he lets go. “Got everything you need?”
“Yep.” Someone calls his name from the back of the plane, and he’s gone before I can say anything else. As he passes Lauren, their eyes meet before she ducks her head with a small smile.
I slide into my own seat. Carter is a few rows away from my allocated spot, his hoody yanked up and headphones in. His eyes are closed.
“Liam!” The alpha in question pauses beside me as Martin calls down the aisle. “Need you up here. Got some things to run through.”
His eyes sweep over me, indecisive. He taps his hands on the back of my chair.
“Did I fucking stutter?” Martin upgrades his yell to a roar. “Move your ass, Kessler!”
“Fucks’ sake,” Liam mutters. He gives me a warning glance. “Keep your one single hair on, coach. I’m coming.”
Behind him, Ryker snickers. He grins at me. “You feeling better, Ro? We’ve missed you in the locker room. It’s not the same when Benji wears your jersey to scent-mark everyone.”
Benji slaps the back of his head. “Her jersey wouldn’t fit my foot. Keep going, Todd. I want to talk to Rosie.”
“But I’m talking to—”
“Move. Now.” Ryker smartly decides to shift, saluting me before moving on. Benji drops into the empty seat opposite me and folds his arms.
“Todd?” I ask, when he doesn’t say anything.
He grunts. “Short for Toddler. Because all he does is eat, shit and throw tantrums.”
“I heard that,” Ryker calls back. “I do other things as well.”
“Yeah, but nobody wants to hear about you tugging your tiny wiener.” Benji shakes his head in disgust, but his eyes are glinting. “Can’t wait for him to turn eighteen and move out.”
“Liar. You love him really.” There’s humor somewhere in my chest. But it doesn’t reach me. It’s a strange feeling, as if it’s locked away in a compartment I can’t reach. “What did you want to talk about?”
The pilot’s voice echoes. “Prepare for take-off.”
I focus intently on the flight attendant’s safety demonstration, trying to ignore Benji’s eyes. Heat curls up my face as the plane taxis the runway. “Take a picture, Benj. It lasts longer.”
He doesn’t look amused when I peek at him. I watch Carter as we take off, but he doesn’t react at all. I think he’s asleep. “You want to talk about Cart?”
“No.”
Benji waits for the attendant to move the trolley past, but I flag her, in need of some added fortitude for this conversation. “Could I have a glass of wine, please? Red, if you have it.”
“Sure, hon.” The motherly-looking beta pours me the tiniest measure of merlot with a beaming smile. “Anything else?”
“A little more?” I try not to look as horrified as I feel.
Benji snorts as she moves off. I wrap my fingers around the glass and brace myself. “So…”
He taps his fingers against the armrest to an invisible beat. “Newbie seems nice. Lauren, is it?”
I choke on my wine. “Uh. I guess so.”
He nods, glancing out the window. “Yeah. A lot of people seem to like her.”
Ugh. I grimace. “She’s fine.”
For once, my words aren’t pulled directly from Liam’s mouth. “I’m not a dating hotline, Benj.”
He recoils. “Not where I was going with this. And don’t ask me about the wild one.”
This smile feels more natural. “Stop flexing your sexy goalie hips especially for Katie, then. Word is Ethan’s bought you matching pack bros t-shirt for when you finally get on board.”
He looks torn between amusement and horror. “Tell me you’re joking.”
“That’s nothing.” I lean forward conspiratorially. “Wait until you see what Katie’s bought you—”
“We’re getting off topic,” he interrupts. His ears are red, and I snicker. Benji raises an eyebrow. “Been a while since we heard that sound.”
“What?” I take a sip of wine. Wine really does help, I decide. “The sound of pure brilliance? You can hear that anytime I open my mouth.”
“You. Laughing.” Benji meets my eyes steadily. “You can talk to me, Rosie.”
My mouth snaps shut. Shit.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say after a moment. “I’m fine.”
“Heard that enough.” He glances down the luxury, carpeted aisle and taps his biker boot. “Quite a few times recently, actually.”
I can feel Liam’s eyes boring into the back of my head. I fight to keep my spine straight, to meet Benji’s gaze instead of dropping it. “What, you want me to not be fine?”
“I’m fine is what people say when they’re not.” He doesn’t falter at my inhale. Benji’s voice gentles. “I don’t think you’re fine, Rosie. You’re my friend. I’m worried about you. Tell me I shouldn’t be.”
I can’t help it. My head twists, searching him out. Liam is sitting away from me with Ryker beside him, arms folded as they listen to Martin. There’s a board on the table between them topped with little foam hockey players that Martin pushes around with a pen.
Jonas has claimed the empty seat beside Lauren. My lips part as I watch them talk, heads close together.
It… doesn’t hurt. In fact, I don’t feel anything at all.
Turning back to Benji, I shrug. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Benj. All good here.”
“Mind if I steal my girl, Laine?”
We both jolt at the interruption. Jonas leans over us, his smile showing off the dimple in his cheek. His hand finds the nape of my neck, massaging it gently. “Done talking shop for a bit.”
“Sure.” Benji slowly stands, shifting to let Jonas slip into his seat. He looks between us. “Remember what I said. I’ve got wine if you need it.”
Jonas huffs a laugh. “The last thing she needs is wine.”
Benji’s eyes slide to my empty glass, taking in my white-knuckled grip. “See you later.”
After he’s gone, I frown at Jonas. “What’s up?”
He smiles easily. “Figured you could use some company. That allowed?”
The warmth I’m used to is still missing. It has been since the night I dragged his scent match around by the hair and accused him of keeping his balls in Liam’s pocket. I suck on my cheek at the memory. “Of course.”
Awkwardness is the third participant in this conversation, closely followed by its close friend, silence. My eyes shift past him. Jonas pushes himself to the edge of his seat, his hands reaching out for my knees and gripping them.
“Don’t,” he snaps. “They’re only talking.”
Lauren has slipped into the seat beside Carter. His headphones are pushed back, eyes narrowed as he listens to whatever she’s dripping into his ear. Her hands move, gesturing in time with her words.
It looks easy. Effortless, even.
“Everything is good, you know? But she has to get to know him.” Jonas draws my attention back.
His thumbs rub circles against my knees that I’m sure are supposed to be comforting, but the touch grates at my senses.
When I move back, he only follows, his hands tightening.
“Come on, Ro. You can’t make a scene here. ”
Come on?
Come on?
“I didn’t say anything.” Bile creeps up my throat as I turn to look out of the window instead.
Anywhere instead of his face or their conversation.
My nails dig into the armrests on either side of me so tightly that I know the leather will bear my marks after we leave.
“All good here. Peachy, in fact. Can you get my headphones from my bag please?”
I need his hands away from me. I tip my head back against the headrest as he pulls my bag from above our heads, digging around in it and handing over my pods. “Thanks.”
One hand settles on my stomach, squeezing the skin as if I might be able to tear the heaviness free. Yank it out of my body and throw it at them all. Turning the music up, I block out Jonas’s presence and close my eyes.
I don’t open them again until the freshness of Lauren’s scent sweeps past as she returns to her seat. Carter’s watching me.
You okay? He mouths. He points to the empty seat beside him in silent invitation.
Bass rumbles in my eardrums, settling into my bloodstream. It makes me feel more alive—more human—than I have for days.
I don’t want to think about my pack right now. Any of them.
I’m so fucking tired of being trapped inside my own head. Shaking my head silently in response to Carter’s invitation, I offer him a small smile and close my eyes again.
Easier not to talk at all.