Chapter 9 #2
Standing, he loudly stomped outside to the stack that was on the front porch. I noted Stark let out a silent sigh of relief the moment he was gone.
Footsteps on the stairs drew my attention then. It seemed after a brief pep talk, Colt had managed to coax Gavin downstairs. The boy’s face was flushed and his hands were nervously shoved deep inside his pockets as he rounded the couch and sat in the now empty seat near Stark.
Flint returned with the wood then and thankfully didn’t make mention of Gavin’s arrival. Instead, he set about stoking the fire as Colt caught us up on one of his many adventures, this one in Thailand.
When I felt Millie begin to droop exhaustedly against my side, I said into the shell of her ear, “Why don’t you head upstairs and take a nice long shower. You’ve had a long day and I’m sure you’re ready for bed. I won’t be far behind you.”
Nodding, Millie excused herself and everyone said goodnight. Flint didn’t even make any rude comments as she left.
After she was gone, I caught the pack up to speed about what had happened over the last few days and why I’d called them all here. They knew I’d been waiting for Millie to go to bed before I rehashed all the shit she’d been through. No need for my mate to relive all of that trauma all over again.
“You’re sure it’s the Tupilaq pack doing this?” Colt posed, intently sitting forward as he waited for me to finish my thoughts.
“No, I’m not sure of anything,” I admitted. “But that’s my best guess. With Milie’s mother being one of their few omegas, and her coming of age, it makes sense why they’d want to drag her back into the fold. They want her for themselves.”
“But if that’s why they’re coming for Millie,” Colt reasoned out loud, “why not have her mother reach out and try to lure her back in herself? It seems like that might make the most sense, as she’s her only remaining living relative.
Scary messages sent from a stranger doesn’t seem to be the smartest tactic.
It might only serve to alienate Millie from the pack long term. ”
I’d thought about that myself. There were certainly pieces to this complex puzzle we didn’t know yet.
“That’s why I don’t think Millie’s mother is behind this push to drag her back into the Tupilaq pack.
I think it might just be the work of a single individual, or select individuals, that somehow found out she exists.
I think they’re attempting to force Millie back to Alaska with fear, because her mother isn’t part of the plan and they’re out of other options. ”
“If they’re stupid enough to try that shit, they deserve the bullet that’s coming their way,” Flint piped up, his electric green eyes conveying exactly how much he’d enjoy delivering his brand of justice to anyone who messed with his family.
His protectiveness of Millie made me remember exactly why I considered this man my brother.
“Flint, have you reached out to your contacts about Millie’s mom yet?” If he hadn’t, it might be best to hold off until we unmasked the texter.
“I did, but I haven’t heard back from anyone yet. When I do, I’ll give you a complete run-down of my intel,” Flint assured me.
“Sounds good,” I told him, as I glanced toward the stairs, fear gnawing at my gut over the thought of anything bad happening to my mate.
Millie
I got up early the next morning because I’d accepted an extra shift at the coffee shop to make some cash. Starving after skipping dinner last night, I headed downstairs, not willing to wait for Ethan to get out of the shower to get some breakfast.
As I came down the stairs, I noticed that someone had already beat me to it. My heart dropped when I saw Gavin pouring himself a steaming cup of black coffee at the kitchen counter.
We both stilled when our eyes locked and I did a sort of stutter-step motion that betrayed how emotionally uncertain I was feeling about his presence.
“Millie,” Gavin stammered, spilling the coffee onto his hand and burning it. “Damn it!”
Taking a deep breath, I decided this was inevitable. I mean, we were living in the same house. Sooner or later, we were going to be alone together. Might as well rip the Band-Aid off and get it over with now.
Walking over to the sink, I flipped on the cold water and said, “Run it under the water. It will take the sting out of the burn.”
Without questioning me, Gavin approached the faucet and placed his hand under the running water.
“Do you mind if I have a cup of coffee?” I politely asked, as I moved toward the cabinet with the mugs.
“Of course not,” Gavin quickly approved, watching me with a guilt-ridden expression the entire time I filled my cup.
“Gavin,” I began, needing to do something about how awkward things had become between us or else forever be doomed to more of these types of encounters in the future, “We need to talk about what happened the night we met.”
Switching off the faucet, Gavin joined me at the kitchen table and took a seat.
“I’m so sorry, Millie. You can’t imagine how embarrassed I am about how I behaved.
I’ve never met a female ware before you and I reacted like an absolute animal.
I’ve got everything under control now, and it will never happen again. I swear.”
Despite everything, I believed him. “If you’re willing to start over, so am I.”
Blowing out a pent-up breath, Gavin nodded. “Thank you. I really appreciate that, Millie. I don’t deserve a second chance, but I’m grateful you’re willing to give me one.”
We sat in painful silence for a few seconds before I said, “So what gets you up so early in the morning?”
Thankful for the change in conversation, Gavin smiled. “I’m so used to the schedule at Cascia House that I can’t shake it. I used to get up early to help the younger kids get ready for school. It was my favorite part of my day.”
Despite all that had happened, I sensed that Gavin was actually a very sweet and kind person.
While I definitely didn’t feel bad about judging him for the way he’d reacted to me that first night, I might have to admit that was quite out of character for the seemingly shy, thoughtful boy in front of me now.
Well, boy might be a bit of a misnomer. Gavin seemed to be about eighteen or nineteen years old.
With his light brown hair and sparkling blue eyes, he was conventionally good looking, with a slim but muscular build.
The dimple in his right cheek lent him a particularly boyish charm that was hard to ignore.
I’m sure he’d turned quite a few heads back in Alaska.
Like all the men of Cascia House, he had a mysterious quality to him that made a girl want to get to know him better.
Blowing on my coffee, I asked, “Do you have a job here in Montana?”
Worrying his mug between two large hands, Gavin nodded.
“Yeah, Ethan got me one working construction over in Karlsville. Not that I have to tell you as much, but Ethan’s the best. He’s offered me a place to stay, money in my pocket, food in my belly, and a chance to earn a pretty decent living.
Without guys like him from the group home, I’m pretty sure I would have ended up on drugs and stealing to make ends meet. ”
I swallowed the large lump in my throat that had formed over his honest statement.
He was right. Once you lost your family, it was so easy to become unmoored and lose your way in life.
I know it felt like that for me after losing my dad.
Some days, it was still hard to get out of bed.
Ethan coming back into my life helped alleviate that crushing agony more than I could ever say.
“I didn’t know your pops, Millie, but I hear he was a lot like Ethan. Kind. Caring. Would lend a helping hand whenever one of us Cascia Home boys needed him. Without people like him and Ethan, most of us would end up on the streets or dead,” Gavin darkly prophesied.
My eyes blurred with tears that I had to fight to hold in. “Yeah, my dad was pretty great. The best,” I said, taking a long sip of my coffee.
Flint entered the house through the front door then, cutting our conversation short.
“What’s this?” He asked, looking between both me and Gavin. “Is Ethan aware of this little tete-a-tete?”
“Gavin and I are just getting to know one another, Flint. Don’t start trouble,” I warned, giving the brash ware a knowing glare.
Luckily, Ethan had finished up his shower and was already on his way downstairs before Flint could start harassing Gavin further.
“I see you’re dressed in your work uniform,” My mate observed, kissing my cheek before going to retrieve himself his own mug of coffee.
“Yes. As we discussed yesterday, I’m working three days in a row this week,” I explained matter-of-factly. “I know you’re busy, so don’t worry about hanging around today. I’m confident everything will be fine.”
“Not a chance,” Ethan returned, coming to sit beside me with his steaming mug. “One of us has to be with you at all times. That’s why Flint is going to do coffee house duty today.”
Oh, joy. Flint and I were going to get more time together. “Flint?” I repeated, like he’d just dropped a prison sentence on me.
Ethan frowned, though I know he secretly enjoyed my sass. It gave him yet another reason to spank me, which I knew he loved. “Yes, Flint. We’re all going to be taking turns protecting you at work. That’s why everyone came home.”
Great. Now I felt like an ungrateful brat. Here everyone was, uprooting their lives to help me out, and I was whining about it.
“It’s just going to be you and me, kid,” Flint said then, a sly grin on his handsome face.
“Can’t wait,” I replied dead pan, as I glanced at Ethan for moral support.
Shaking something shiny and black in his hand, Flint said, “Don’t look so down, Princess. I’ve got a gift for you.”
Standing, I came to check out his unconventional peace offering. “You got me a phone?”
“Yup. One hundred percent untraceable and free of stalkers,” he jested as he handed it over.