Chapter Forty-Three
Carlos
My phone rang as I loaded the dishes into the dishwasher. Anita. My heart sped. I’d left her and my mom messages, like Dusty’s moms had instructed. But I hadn’t expected a call back so soon.
“It’s Anita,” I said to Hale and Dusty as we cleaned up the kitchen. The ladies had gone downstairs.
“You have to answer it,” Dusty said.
“I know.” I accepted the call. “Hi, Anita. Happy New Year. It’s a little late where you are, isn’t it?” Not that I knew where she was. But it was late here.
“It is. Happy New Year to you, too. We’ve crossed back into cell reception. You know, it's difficult to sleep when your phone won’t stop giving you notifications,” she said, the connection not great. “Is there anything you want to tell me?”
“I mean, I did leave you a message to call me.” My stomach twisted.
“I know. I’ve also gotten some very interesting messages from my manager. I can't download any of the videos, though. You and Dusty had an amazing time at the rave, I take it?” There was no judgement in her voice, but then she knew me and Dusty.
“We didn’t do anything crazy that will ruin your career. I promise. I also left Mamá a message that she should call me. I have exciting news,” I added, hoping they saw it as a good thing, like Dusty’s family.
“You know I had the satellite phone enabled, right?” she said.
“I know. Things have been a little hectic and I didn’t want to worry you, but you also needed to know…” My heart continued to speed.
“Take a deep breath. You’re not in trouble. Why don’t you just tell me what happened? Give me the real version, not whatever you’re telling Mamá,” she added.
I went upstairs to my room. Somebody had come this morning and done things to the bathroom, and my furniture had been set up. I’d chosen an absolutely ridiculously comfortable adjustable bed. Because I’d had my bed since I was a teenager.
Plopping down on it, I told Anita everything.
“I see,” my sister replied. “I thought you might be seeing someone. Considering you didn’t tell anyone, I thought that perhaps you’d gotten back with your ex.
You have a pack! I’m so happy for you. I can’t wait to meet them.
I can see how some people are a little concerned, but I have faith in you.
Mamá will, too, and I’m sure Dusty’s family does. ”
“We went over tonight for dinner to see them, before we went to Dimitri’s party, and it went really well,” I added, staring up at the skylight. Hopefully Fiona’s parents will grow to love us.
I should put glow in the dark star stickers up there. Oooh, or a fiber optic ceiling with constellations.
“The whole thing about adding an alpha sounds like something out of one of those dating reality shows.” She laughed. “Packs are work, but you and Dusty have never been afraid of putting in the work.”
“True.”
“You’ll be moving into our place? You should tell Beatriz soon, because I think she warmed up to the idea of moving into it during the cruise. She's still kind of mad at me, but in a Beatriz way,” she added.
“Yeah… so about that…” I told her about buying a townhouse.
“You’re allowed to move out. I’m allowed to move out. We can still be a family, even if we’re in different places. Beatriz will live,” she assured.
A weight lifted from my shoulders. “I needed to hear that. The cruise went well?”
“We're having so much fun. I wish you could have come. Maybe during the off-season we can do something fun together with your new pack,” she suggested.
“Oooh, Dusty is hoping to play Feral Ratville.”
“While I’ve always wanted to go, that does not sound kid-friendly,” she replied. “But I’d love to go to Greece.”
“I mean, they do have Feral Kidville, which is run like day camp,” I replied. My friend who was a DJ often worked it for the networking opportunities. She was a teacher when she wasn’t DJing.
“We’ll come up with something.”
“Absolutely. We’ll have a mating party during the off-season, probably combined with a wedding,” I said, laying back on the bed. There were a whole bunch of little decorative pillows on it that Fiona had chosen.
Someone had hung up the curtains, too. They were all nice little touches that made the room even more comfortable.
Fatigue pressed down on me. It had been a long day, and I had a game in a few hours.
“I’ll encourage Mamá to call you in the morning, so that you can tell her yourself. You’re not going to call yourselves Pack Himbo, are you?” She laughed.
“I might have ordered us some Pack Himbo T-shirts, but that’s more just for fun. I want to get one for Dusty that says Carlos’ not-husband on it, too,” I added, loving that. Anders had come up with it.
She laughed again. “I love it. I’m going back to sleep. I just wanted to call you and see what was going on. Oh, I can’t tell you how happy I am to get an omega sister-in-law.”
“I’m excited for you to meet them. Thank you for calling. I wasn’t trying to hide this from anyone. I just didn’t feel like it was an emergency-emergency,” I replied. “Also, I should go to bed, too.”
“If you have any questions about pack relationships, please talk to us before you become a reality show. I mean, you know everything our pack has been through. But if they do end up adding an alpha, I’m bringing a film crew,” she teased.
I thought for a moment. “Honestly, I feel like that would be the only way to do it. But Fiona’s dads aren’t going to have the chance, because we are going to do this! Functional adults can still have fun.”
“They can. I think you’re going to have this really fun, but slightly chaotic pack. You’ll do fine. We all believe in you. Beatriz will have opinions, but you know that.”
“She will. Especially about me moving. In case you haven’t figured it out, the one bedroom I’ll fix up for you to have as your local place is my apartment,” I added.
“Oh, that makes so much sense. I really am going to sleep now. Good night.” She ended the call.
Hale appeared in the doorway, concern on his face. “Is everything okay?”
“Just my older sister finally getting phone reception.” I sat up. He came in and sat down on the bed next to me.
“Good or bad?” Hale put an arm around me.
I leaned my head on his shoulder. “This is the omega sister that rolls with everything. Beatriz is the beta judgmental one, but she’s judgmental out of love and gets over herself fairly quickly. Dulce is also a beta, she’s at the university, and I’m not sure she has an opinion?”
“Anita is Grace and Beatriz is Verity.” He nodded.
“I think Beatriz is higher-strung than Verity. She doesn’t make adorable treats, but she is as good of a cook as Mamá. But we’ll never tell her that, or she won’t let us forget it,” I told him.
He looked around. “Your room looks nice. Will you help me assemble my bed so that I can sleep? I’m guessing Fiona’s staying with Saoirse tonight?”
Hale seemed like he was still a little drunk, but in a functional way.
“You can just sleep in here if you want. I don’t mind,” I replied. “There will probably be lots of times Fiona stays with Saoirse.”
“There will be times she’ll want to be just with you. I mean, you two were a thing before I came into the picture,” he added. Anxiousness shot through the bond.
“Probably. There will also be times that she’ll just want to be with you.” It was a little late. I wasn’t sober enough for this particular discussion.
Maybe this was the perfect time.
I took a deep breath. “How do you want things to function between us?”
We’d never been together just us.
“It’s fine if we’re only a thing when she’s there, though I really did like it when you wore my shirt and kissed me at the game,” I admitted.
“I want to be with you when it’s just us, too. I don’t know what that looks like. I don’t know what taking care of a non-omega partner really looks like, other than my beta dad and omega dad,” he blurted.
I ran my fingers through his long hair. “I didn’t grow up in a pack. We’ll just have to talk about things. Also, you know the whole thing with the shirt at the game was just all fun and teasing. You don’t always have to wear my name. I’m not possessive like that.”
“It made me feel pretty special. Not to mention my brother, Creed, who is an actual hockey fan, is beside himself that we keep packing up with hockey players.” Hale grinned.
“That’s the one that lives in Rockland and works with rich big sister? There’s a team in Rockland. He should get himself his own hockey player.” I chuckled.
“Maybe. He was an ice skater.” Hale thought for a moment. “Communication is good. Like actually talking and listening, not shouting. Oooh, you know what? We should come up with a hobby or something we can do together.”
“I think we should take up dirt bike racing,” I replied. “That was something I did for a little while when I was with the Bantams and it was a lot of fun.”
Hale sucked in a breath. “That sounds amazing. You know, having you there when I was doing Manhattan After Midnight was incredible. We could make all sorts of cool videos.”
The possibilities made me giddy. “We should see what kind of car racing they have out here.”
I was going to end up getting a car, wasn’t I? Some sort of supercar like a number of my teammates had.
“How would I fit a supercar in the garage?” I frowned.
“Maybe if we move their motorcycles to the atrium? We’ll take measurements.
You might need one of the smaller ones? I’m a little surprised that you don’t have a car.
I mean, I know it’s New York, and you can get along just fine without one, but are you the only person on your team that doesn’t have one? ”
I thought for a moment. “Clark doesn’t have a car right now.
He had a motorcycle, but was in an accident, and hasn’t gotten another.
But yeah, other than that, I think everybody on the team has a car–at least a pack one.
If we’re going to race cars, then I should get one we can race.
If we’re doing stuff with dirt bikes, we need something that we could haul dirt bikes with. ”
Fuck. Where were we going to park a trailer? Anita’s side yard? Storage?
“I like the way you think.” His look turned serious. “If you ever feel neglected, please tell me. It’s in my nature to gravitate towards the omega, but you’re important, too, even though we don’t quite have the romantic basis you and Fiona do, please…” Hale’s voice trailed off.
There was so much anxiety and awkward adorableness coming through the bond that I couldn’t stand it.
Grabbing him, I kissed him. His arms tightened around me as he kissed me back.
“You’ve got this. I’ll tell you if I’m neglected or if I need attention. Sure, we haven’t been dating for months like me and Fiona, but it doesn’t feel weird. I believe in us,” I added, stroking his face.
“You do? I’m sorry for kissing you at the game. I never asked you if it was alright to be with you like that in public–especially in front of your team,” he apologized.
“I literally mentioned you in the press statement. Why would I not be okay with it?” I asked.
“I feel like I’ve assumed too much as it is.” His shoulders slumped.
“None of that or I will have to spank you.” I laughed.
“Oh yes, please spank me, Kappa.” He laughed, getting on all fours and waggling his ass. Hale looked up at me. “At some point, we should talk about what you like. I know I took charge, but is that really what you need?”
“I don’t mind if you’re the top,” I replied. “I do like a little thrill seeking. The first time Fiona and I had sex, it was at the wild animal park, on the rooftop walk, at night. We almost got caught.”
“I figured, given the whole fucking in the speeding car. Do you like it when I kiss you?” Hale got into a sitting position and kissed me.
“Do you like it when I do this?” I pushed him down on the bed and kissed him back.
“What about this?” He flipped me over, pinning my arms over my head.
Something about that made me hard. “Fucking shit, I like that.”
“Do I need to give you a hand necklace and call you a good boy like in one of my sister’s romances?” His voice went serious.
“Huh. That’s not something I’ve tried. Do you like to tie people up and stuff?”
“I actually don’t know how. It would be fun to learn that elaborate, fancy stuff,” he admitted, letting my wrists go, but keeping me pinned.
“Maybe we should take a class. Fiona can be our model,” I replied.
At some point she’d probably tie us both up, then leave to go shopping, but why not?
“I like it. Have you ever fucked someone in the locker room?” he asked.
“You can get fines for that, especially if it makes you late. But it absolutely happens.” I was pretty certain his sister had been railed in a storage closet more than once, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.
“You know, it was so fucking hot when you went down on me at the club. Maybe I should return the favor?” He let go of me and started unbuttoning my pants.
His hand ran over my cock through the fabric, which was hard.
“I’m glad I turn you on. You’ve excited me since the first time I met you at Taco Hut, when we had that taco eating contest after the blizzard,” he added.
“Yes, the one where Gwen brought Marty the tiger cat.” I laughed. “Oh, that was where Verity said we couldn’t be friends.”
“She didn’t mean it. We just give her anxiety. I think most things do. But if she can be an alpha to two omegas, I think I can handle you and Fiona.” He gave me a smile.
“I think you can, too.” I grabbed a pillow and stuffed it under my head as he pulled off my pants.
His hand wrapped around my cock, and he gazed at it like it was a delicious treat.
“Now, where were we?” Hale positioned himself over me on the bed and took my dick in his mouth.
His head pumped up and down as he played with my balls. I sucked in a breath. He certainly knew what he was doing. My hands tangled in his hair.
“That feels so good, Alpha,” I breathed, meaning every word.
Pleasure rushed over me in waves as he devoured me.
“I think I’m gonna cum.” Shit. I didn’t have any tissues.
He gripped me hard, not letting me move. As I came in his mouth, he sucked me down. I wasn’t expecting that. I looked up at him, and he climbed on top of me, and kissed me, lips salty with my own essence.
“Stay with me tonight?” My voice shook a little.
“I’d like that more than anything.” He curled up next to me, cuddling me to him, as his forehead pressed to mine.
I had me an alpha who raced cars and loved fun as much as I did. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.