Chapter 21
Brennan
Asmall grunt leaves me as I let all the gear I packed fall off my back and into the sand. Two beach chairs, a large blanket, an umbrella, two towels, sunscreen, sand toys, and a cooler of drinks and snacks.
Teddy had joked that I must have lived in another life as a pack mule as we left the cabin.
He might be right.
I’m barely winded as I open both chairs, setting them up to face the lake. My Song Bird immediately grabs the large blanket and starts to lay it out in front of the chairs. And that is the heaviest thing she’ll be lifting today.
“Nope,” I shake my head as she tries to grab the umbrella from the sand, “take a seat, Beautiful.”
She frowns. “But you carried those all the way here—”
I shrug. “Song Bird, it was a five-minute walk, and I’m biologically designed to be able to take care of every single whim my omega possesses.
” I grin as her cheeks flush pink. “I’m sure the gods included ‘handling beach set-up’ when creating alphas.
You don’t need to worry about it. So, sit, or relax or something? I’ll take care of the rest.”
She huffs before nodding, and even though I’m not thrilled that she’s annoyed, the fact that she’s willing to show how she’s feeling tells me just how far the five of us have come in the last few days.
My omega peels off the billowy sun dress that I ordered with the bathing suit last night. As she tosses it onto the blanket, her gorgeous figure on display, a hard-to-accept fact hits me.
I might have set myself up for failure with this date idea.
Because as I watch Wren grab the sunscreen and start applying it to her legs, I immediately sport a semi.
And that’s not very gentlemanly at all.
Wren continues, her sun-hat and sunglasses making her look like a summer-goddess—despite the fact it’s only March. I knew I made the right call when I ordered all the little extras that people never think of until they get to the beach. Not that this is a beach, but the same concept applies.
But just like I thought, there’s no movement from the cabins surrounding the lake. I don’t think anyone would recognize her, but better safe than sorry. Plus, you know, the whole not-wanting-others-to-see-my-omega-in-a-bathing-suit thing.
Her hands run over her arms next, and my eyes trail the path her fingers leave behind, and…shit.
I shake my head, clearing my throat as I grab the umbrella and jam it into the sand. I was just ogling her like a horny teenager.
Hopefully she didn’t notice.
Straightening, I mentally double-check the snack to drink ratio in the cooler. I can’t have my omega going hungry or thirsty on our date.
It has to be perfect. I’m the only one who hasn’t made a move on her yet—physically, at least—and I don’t want her to doubt for a second just how serious I am.
Placing the cooler between the two chairs, I scan the set up, trying to see if I forgot anything.
Shit. The umbrella is still closed.
I get on my ass in the sand, realizing that I should have opened it before setting it in the sand, but I’m not about to pull it out now. My hands reach underneath, searching for the little mechanism to open it.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful as hell that my buddy keeps the cabin stocked with all the shit needed for a lake day, but couldn’t he have bought a less fussy umbrella? I swear this is harder than trying to unhook a bra.
“Um, Brennan?” Her sweet voice calls my attention, and I glance at her. “I think I can help—”
“Song Bird,” I huff, shaking my head. “I can handle opening an umbrella.” What kind of alpha would I be for my omega if I can’t even set up beach equipment?
“But—”
My hands still search under the canopy, and I’m getting increasingly frustrated. But there’s no way I’m going to risk looking like an idiot by having to take it out of the sand. “Wren—”
“Look, it’s—”
“I’ve got it!” Why won’t she let me try to take care of her?
“Fucking hell, Brennan!” she shouts, and my jaw drops. She just…yelled at me? “It’s right fucking here!” She reaches down, jamming her finger into the pole down near the sand.
The canopy snaps open.
It expands so quickly, we’re both caught off guard. The material smacks me in the face, throwing off my balance as my hands fly up, making me land on my back. Wren jumps back so quickly she trips and lands on her ass. Her sunglasses tumble from her face, landing right in the sand.
There’s silence for a moment.
I blink up at the clear blue sky, wondering how I managed to fuck up this date so…so…royally.
The whole thing is so ridiculous. I was in the damn Marines for fuck’s sake. I’m a certified sharp-shooter. I’ve taken down more men than I can count, and a damn umbrella makes me lose my cool?
Wren breaks the silence first. “I yelled at you,” she gasps softly, horror in her voice. “Oh my gods, Brennan, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean—”
She’s cut off by my burst of laughter.
Loud, raucous laughter, that has tears rolling down my cheeks.
My omega yelled at me, rightly so.
I was being a stubborn ass, more concerned about looking good than I was listening to her.
The little Song Bird, so scared and timid only a few days ago, yelled at me.
And that means that despite all my fuck ups, and the fact that I haven’t even kissed her yet, that I’ve done something right.
She feels safe with me.
“I’m sorry, Wren.” I wipe the tear from my eye as I sit up, turning to face her. She’s still flat on her ass, staring at me incredulously. “I…I got in my own head. Thank you for yelling at me. I was so determined to not be defeated by an umbrella that I acted like a complete jackass.”
“What about smacking you in the face with it?” she whispers, her knees drawing up close to her chest. “I’ve completely ruined our date.”
“Don’t you dare go back into your cage, Song Bird.” I slide forward on my ass through the sand until I’m next to her, and she watches me with a slightly amused expression. “The umbrella was apparently needed to knock some sense into me.”
A snort leaves her, and she quickly covers her mouth, her eyes wide. “I don’t know where that sound came from.”
Chuckling, I shake my head. “It was adorable. Now, I would love to continue on with our afternoon of relaxation, what do you think?”
Smiling, she lowers her hand from her mouth. “I would like that too.”
“Great.” I grin. “I just need to do one more thing.” Leaning forward, I take her face between my hands. Her eyes dart to my lips briefly before I’m pressing them against hers, reveling in the breathy little sound she lets out.
I’m instantly reminded of all the sounds I heard her make last night, but there’s plenty of time for that later.
When I pull back, her eyes are hooded, and her cheeks are flushed. “Now,” I grin, getting to my feet and holding out a hand to her, “are you ready for some lake fun?”
She bites back a smile as she takes my hand and gets to her feet. “So damn ready.”
“What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?” she asks thoughtfully, dragging her hands through the sand and gathering more into her pile.
“That’s a hard one,” I admit, digging a deeper hole to add to the pile of loose sand she’s using. “Do you mean strictly military? Or ever?”
“Wouldn’t the scariest thing be from your experience in the Marines?” She frowns, taking the castle mold from the sand toys and piling sand inside. She, apparently, has never built a sand castle. I want to wring her parents’ necks.
“Not even close, Song Bird.” I smile softly, shaking my head.
“If you want the scariest experience in the Marines, there was a situation overseas that involved me needing to take someone out, but they had my friend as a hostage—and a human shield.
I was nine-hundred and fifty-two meters away, and one move from my target could make the bullet pierce my friend's head instead.”
Her breath catches. “That sounds terrifying.”
“But it’s not the scariest thing that’s ever happened in my life.” I shrug. “I took the shot, my friend survived another day to go home to his pack and kids. He’s the one we have to thank for this cabin.”
“Oh,” she breathes, flipping the castle mold upside-down and plopping it into the sand. “That makes sense. But…if that’s not the scariest thing, then what is?”
My heart clenches, the memory rushing back to me.
“When we arrived at Pack Caruso’s house…
” Her hands still, and her gaze fixes on me.
“I kicked the door open, and I was hit with your scent. It was sour with distress, and there was something chemical in it…but I knew immediately that you were mine. And then…it registered that Victor was holding you by the throat, and I had no idea if the blood that was on your dress was yours or not…” A shiver runs through me.
“That brief bit of time between entering the house and then carrying you out in my arms…those were the scariest moments of my life. Worrying that I failed you before even meeting you. Not knowing how much damage had been done.”
“Brennan…” she whispers, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“But then,” I smile, shaking my head, “you peeked your eyes open at me, and I heard your voice. ‘Mine’, was all you said, but it was like something locked into place for me. You were mine—and no matter what I had to do, I would never fail you again.”
Her hand reaches out, grasping mine. “You’ve never failed me. Not once. You didn’t even know me.”
I give her a sad smile. “I’m afraid I haven’t been completely honest with you.”
She freezes. “About…what?”
“About the night you met Teddy. It’s the night we all met you too. And I…I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since the moment I heard your voice.” Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, but fuck, it’s too late now.
I huff a breath. “You know that Teddy was at your birthday party because we were looking into Pack Caruso, right?” We had sort of explained everything to her that first night.
“Yes?” She tilts her head, fear dancing in her eyes.