Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
“She’s on your left!”
I squeal as DJ’s voice rings out from behind the barrier, darting away as quickly as I can.
Luckily for me, a family of five—two betas and their kids—move out from their hiding place at the last second and target the alphas.
The sound of pretend shots echoes from their laser guns as I speed away to safety, panting as I finally get to an alcove where I can stop and assess the situation.
When the guys suggested laser tag, I was ecstatic.
Not only has it been ages since I’ve done this, but it was one of our favorite things to do when Casey and I were growing up.
In our hometown, there wasn’t a lot to do.
We’d go to local football games, seasonal festivals, but the one thing that all the kids loved was laser tag.
No matter how things were in school, every kid at laser tag was friends with everyone else. Until the end of the game, at least.
I turn around, looking around the corner, but then I feel fingertips on my hips, and I just barely retain the scream that wants to fly out. Casey’s chai scent alerts me to his presence, albeit too late, and I turn to scowl at him.
“Casey! You scared me!”
His lips are curved as he tries his best to keep his laughter quiet. “I thought you would know it’s me! You left me in the dust back there.”
I wince. “Sorry. They spotted me.”
“Good thing that family was thirsty for blood or they would have found me too.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “They were rather eager, weren’t they?”
“You should have seen the guys’ faces. They were so stunned.”
We both fall into laughter, shushing each other to stay quiet as we hide in our own little world.
When the laughter dies down, I suddenly realize how close Casey is. We’re practically breathing each other’s air, our lips just millimeters apart. He must notice, too, because his breath becomes heavy, his eyes darting down and staying there.
I place my finger over his lips—his soft freaking lips—and push him away. “Don’t kiss me.”
He pouts. “Why not? It’s not like they’re going to care.”
“I think we should let them in on this”—I pause, thinking of the word—“development before we start with the public displays of affection.”
He ponders for a moment before nodding. “Okay, then when are we going to tell them?” he asks, his gaze trailing to my lips again.
I hit him in the shoulder. “Don’t look at me like that! We’re in the middle of an all-out war.”
He snorts. “You and DJ are one and the same.”
I arch a brow. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re both super competitive—” He’s cut off before he can finish, a war cry sounding out from around the corner. DJ is close, and we have to split up. “Just watch. You’ll see.”
Then Casey is flying out from around the corner, hauling up his laser gun and pointing in the direction of the alphas who have undoubtedly found us.
It’s obviously not hard for them, considering our scents are beacons to them at this point, but Casey gives me an in to evade their defenses.
I crouch lower, darting behind one of the dividers, and look around the corner.
They’re all distracted by Casey running in the other direction, but Raivat spots me, leaving his spot to come closer.
I decide not to risk it. Instead of fleeing, I jump up from my position and catch him by surprise. The light in his chest flickers before going out with a sad and pitiful beep.
Despite that, he looks anything but disappointed. “I knew I saw your beautiful white hair.”
My lips turn up in triumph. “I’m a sharpshooter, Raivat. You should have seen it coming.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for the next game.”
When his chest armor starts to blink, his life being revived, I flash him a grin.
“Later!” Before he can say anything in return, I zip around the corner and zoom away.
I feel like I’m alone for ages, scouring the empty darkness as I look for anyone I can mark, but then there’s a familiar haircut up ahead, his black hair a beacon as I aim and shoot.
DJ turns around, his eyes like saucers. “You didn’t!”
I laugh in victory before running away from him. I hear his steps behind me, but I dart through the barriers, losing him quickly. He may be a soccer star, but I have the agility of a rat.
That’s probably not the best analogy, but it’s definitely the most accurate.
I get in about ten more shots between the alphas, each of them just as surprised by me. When we get out and see our scores, DJ and I are in first and second place, but with a significant difference in shots taken which pushed me right to the top.
Brodie is still laughing about it as we enter Coal’s Diner, a staple in our little college town. “You beat our asses, El.”
There’s checkerboard all over every surface, and the walls are covered in timeless trinkets and posters. I slide into one of the booths, the red leather squeaky but soft beneath me. I flash Brodie a smile. “Don’t underestimate me next time.”
Casey laughs, climbing into the booth beside me. “I may be sassy, but this one is cutthroat.”
“Agreed,” the alpha says with a smirk that makes me lose my breath a little bit. “I’ll no longer think otherwise. Our Elsie is a badass.”
“Thank you,” I say exasperatedly.
The waitress comes over quickly, taking our order. We all order milkshakes, which is customary when you come to Coal’s, and a variety of burgers, except for DJ, who orders a tuna melt. The guys promptly make fun of him, but he doesn’t let that get him down. He never does, always a ray of sunshine.
“I’m surprised you’re so okay with that loss you just went through,” I tease, and the other alphas make noises under their breaths.
DJ just beams, crossing his arms over the table. “I’m more excited that I finally have a formidable opponent.”
He holds my gaze, and the heat in his eyes does something to my insides. Liquid fire burns deep, but then one of the guys lets out an offended gasp.
“And what are we? Chopped liver?” Brodie asks.
“Chopped celery?” Raivat adds.
“Just chopped in general,” DJ answers.
Casey snorts as the guys gasp. “You both set yourself up for that.”
“Hey, I like chopped celery,” I tell them, causing them to smile wide once more.
There are more laughs and quips as we get our food, engulfing our meals after the long day we had. There’s barely a bite left when we’re done, and Casey orders another serving of fries and more milkshakes.
“I can’t possibly eat anymore,” I say, my stomach hurting.
“I know, but you think these guys are done?” Casey asks, pointing at the three neanderthals. Raivat is eating his last fry, trying to get all the ketchup, and Brodie is scooping the last bit of ice cream with a spoon.
“You’re right,” I whisper to him, laughing.
He catches my eyes then, nudging his head toward the three alphas across from us. “We should tell them.”
My stomach drops, but I give a nod. “Fine.”
When we look up, the guys are already looking at us. “What’s up?” Raivat asks first, inquisitive as ever.
I take a deep breath, feeling more nervous than I probably should. “We wanted to tell you guys something.”
They all nod, giving us their full attention.
Casey sits up straighter, the first sign of anxiousness that I’ve seen from him all day. “We haven’t been completely honest. You guys know that Elsie and I have been friends for a long time.”
“Best friends,” DJ points out.
“Yes, exactly,” I say, placing my nervous hands on the table. “Well, recently we discovered that we… well…”
Casey places his hand over mine, squeezing before he rips the band-aid off. “We love each other.”
He looks at them, confident, but I can’t. I keep my gaze toward the table. “We’ve decided that we want to date one another, as well as you three.”
I gulp slightly, but then I look at their faces. They don’t look surprised. In fact, they’re all… smiling?
“What’s happening?” Casey whispers to me.
I shake my head, unsure. “They look happy.”
Raivat laughs. “Of course we’re happy. Did you guys think we’d be upset?”
I blink. That’s exactly what we thought. I mean, that’s what I thought, at least.
“You’re not?” I ask.
They all simultaneously shake their heads as Brodie says, “Not at all.”
“Honestly, finally,” DJ retorts, gesturing between us. “We all knew something was going on between you two, but we didn’t know what for sure. This is amazing news!”
Casey and I glance at each other, confused. His brows are scrunched as he leans back in the booth. “Huh.”
“I guess we’re the only ones that didn’t know,” I say, my cheeks heating.
“It’s much easier to see things from an outside perspective,” Raivat tells us.
“So… you’re not worried about having two omegas? Or having two omegas who are also into each other?”
“If anything, it’s better,” Brodie confesses. “Why would we not want the two people we love to also love each other?”
I breathe in sharply at the proclamation, my heart skipping in my chest. Casey must feel it too if the slight sweetness in his scent is anything to go by.
Instead of focusing on Brodie’s use of the L word, Raivat continues. “We were always going to have two omegas. Now, we have two omegas who also have each other. It’s the best-case scenario.”
Casey huffs out a breath. “It’s going to be a lot of work for you guys, though. No?”
“Why would it be?”
I bite my lip. “Well, we both have heat cycles to attend to now. So—”
“That’s like seven to eight heats a year,” Brodie realizes, his eyes wide. “That’s…”
“Fucking awesome?” DJ says, his smile blooming.
They all look at each other, sharing in that excitement. Casey and I are floored.
“Look at it this way,” Brodie starts. “We all wanted to help omegas in need. Now we have our own omegas to take care of.”
Raivat leans onto the table, looking at me. “We’re blessed that we were chosen to help you. And now, we can help you both.”
When Casey and I look at each other now, there’s only relief.
For years we wondered if this was something we could have, wanting nothing more than to be together in any way we could, and now we don’t have to choose.
We can have our alphas and each other. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that.
“Now we just need to decide what to call us,” Brodie says.
Our new milkshakes are dropped off, and the waitress smiles at us. “Will the check be altogether or divided?”
“Together,” Brodie tells her.
She steps away and DJ looks around the table. “I guess we could start going by our pack name. So people know how to refer to us.”
“Wouldn’t we just be Pack Prescott?” I ask.
Brodie wiggles his shoulders. “I’m not sure, it doesn’t feel right.”
“We’ve been a pack forever, but we’ve never had a name,” Raivat says. “Brodie is a little bit uncomfortable with being considered the official leader.”
DJ nods. “So, what do we do? Go by one of our omegas’ names?”
That statement lingers for a moment before I shake my head. “Not mine, please. I don’t really feel comfortable with that either.”
There’s silence, all three of them thinking.
“I think we should go by Pack Fleiss then,” Brodie announces.
My eyes widen, my gaze darting to Casey. He blinks, shock all over his features. “But… that’s my name.”
He nods. “It is.”
My best friend swallows, the sound rough. “But you’re the prime.”
“I may be the prime, but I’m not the one in charge,” he quips on a laugh. The other two nod in agreement, their demeanors just as serious.
Casey’s face morphs, his eyes shining with unspoken emotion. I put my hand on my mouth, amazed by this moment. He’s stunned, but I know he’s happy. I can see just how happy he is by the unexpected emotion rolling right off him.
He clears his throat and finally says, “I’d like that.”
“Then it’s settled. We’re officially Pack Fleiss.” Brodie raises his milkshake to pull us into a pack cheers.
And somehow, I know it’ll be the first of many.