Chapter 31 Sam
thirty-one
Sam
Turnip chitters at me as I whisk the chocolate pancake mixture together.
“What?” My brows furrow as I watch her go to the package of bacon on the counter. “No.” I shake my head. “I’m going to make the bacon when I’m done with this. Be patient.”
Last night was rough. Between waking up to that scream, and then watching all the shit go down between Mabel and Declan’s pack, I feel like I could use about five more hours of sleep.
At least it seems like Mabel is catching up on some much-needed rest, considering it’s ten in the morning and last I checked, both omegas were dead asleep.
I’m jolted out of my thoughts by Turnip squeaking at me again as she grabs the corner of the plastic with her little claws.
I frown, looking from the bacon to the bowl in my hand. She squeaks louder as if to say, “Now you’re getting it, dumbass!”
Tilting my head, I grab the package from the counter. “You want me to put bacon…inside the pancakes?”
She chitters happily, scurrying up my arm and onto my shoulder. I sigh. “Fine. But if Jo hates it, I’m blaming you.”
“What in the Ratatouille did I just walk in on?” Hayden’s voice has me scowling, even as I pull the bacon from the package and start chopping it into bite-size pieces.
He comes over, using his finger to scratch Turnip under the chin.
“No fucking way. Are you going to put bacon bits and chocolate chips in the pancakes?”
I can’t help but grin. “Yep, it was all—”
Turnip squeaks defiantly.
“—Turnip’s idea,” I finish lamely.
“You’re talking to animals now?” Nolan comes into the kitchen, making himself at home at one of the stools by the island.
“What are you doing here?” I snap. “Mabel and Jo could be up any minute. You don’t need to be here when she wakes.”
“I didn’t have any idea about any kind of true scent match bullshit.” Nolan grits his teeth. “I never made a move on her, nothing. I just wanted to come by and apologize for my pack’s behavior, and let her know I’ve made them all promise to stay away.”
“Thank you.” Mabel’s small voice cuts through the room. Looking over, I see her standing in the doorway to the kitchen, Jo at her side. “I won’t be in your hair for long. As soon as Thornfield is taken down, I’m outta here.”
“Where will you go?” He frowns, his eyes shining with concern. “And what will you do? It’s not like you’ve ever had to provide for yourself.”
A small snarl rips out of Jo, and Nolan blanches, seemingly realizing just how shitty his words sound. “I mean—”
“You’re right.” Mabel sniffs once. “I haven’t. I was too busy bein’ sold off to a pack, force bonded, and then experimented on for three years. I haven’t exactly had time to hold down a job. But…I’m no stranger to hard work.”
Nolan appropriately looks like he’s swallowed his own foot. “Right. Well, I just wanted—”
“We heard,” Jo snaps, crossing her arms.
“Right.” He says again, running a hand through his hair.
“I’ll be going now then.” He moves to walk out of the kitchen, but pauses right in front of Mabel.
“I just want you to know…they wouldn’t lie to you.
If they say shit about a scent match, it’s because they genuinely believe it, not because they’re trying to pull the wool over your eyes. ”
She eyes him warily. “You don’t believe it?”
He gives a sad smile. “It doesn’t matter what I believe. Take care of yourself, okay?”
Mabel nods once, not meeting his eyes as he leaves the house.
“We really need to get a deadbolt or somethin’,” my omega sighs, rubbing her eyes.
Hayden walks over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “You sleep okay?”
She smiles up at him. “I sure did. What about you?”
He smirks. “I slept like a damn baby, minus the fact I woke up to Daddy-O’s morning wood poking me in the thigh.”
I scowl as I move the bacon to the stove. “It wouldn’t have been on your thigh if you hadn’t thrown your leg over me in the middle of the night.”
In truth, it wasn’t sleeping in the same bed as the guys that made it hard to sleep. It was knowing that Jo was just down the hall and not with us.
Mabel’s cheeks are red, but she lets out a shocked laugh. Hayden does a double take, before going to her and covering her ears with his hands. Jo rolls her eyes at his antics as Mabel’s eyes double in size. “Sam!” he whisper-shouts. “No talking about B-O-N-E-R-S in front of the S-I-S-T-E-R!”
“You said it first, dipshit.”
“Hayden, do you think I don’t know how to spell?” Mabel asks, her brows furrowing.
Hayden sighs, his head falling back as he drops his hands from her ears. “Just wishful thinking, Mabes. Damn wishful thinking.”
Jo smirks, shaking her head. “Mabel was a straight-A student, Darlin’.” Her gaze catches on me draining the bacon grease from the pan and adding the meat to the pancake batter. “Uh, Sammy? Whatcha doin’?”
Hayden grins. “Have you ever seen the movie ‘Ratatouille?’”
Fifteen minutes later, we’re all sitting around the kitchen table, West and Kole looking skeptical as they cut into their bacon chocolate chip pancakes. Mabel took her pancakes to-go, walking back to the omega housing in a hurry.
“If you don’t like it, blame Turnip.” I shrug, taking a bite of my own.
That’s surprisingly…good.
“Holy shit,” Hayden moans, his eyes closing as he chews. “This is the best damn pancake I’ve ever had. What are we gonna call them? Bacon-chocolate. Bocolate Chip? Chacon?”
“The Sammy-Special.” Jo winks, her voice lilting in a way that goes straight to my groin. My chest puffs up at the fact that I’m the one feeding her, providing for her.
But then Turnip scurries in front of her plate, chittering defiantly like she’s fucking tattling on me.
My chest deflates.
“Sounds like it has to be the Turnip Special,” West smirks. “Considering you were going to blame her if they sucked, it only seems fair that it’s named after her.”
Kole nods, chewing slowly. “It is delicious, Turnip, well done.”
The rat preens at the praise.
“What a smart girl you are,” Hayden coos.
“You guys are assholes,” I mutter, stabbing another piece of pancake.
“Yeah, but you love ‘em anyway, right?” Jo grins, leaning into me slightly.
I can’t help but smile. There’s nothing but affection for my pack lighting up the bond right now, and they all know it.
“They’re fine, I guess.”
Hayden winks at me, chewing. “Right back at you, Daddy-O.”