Page 97 of The Packaged Deal
“Well, I’d lock the house down, make sure we have supplies, and get ready to fuck our omega until she can’t see straight.”
Kandi sniffs. “Sounds easy.”
“Yeah,” I say, but I don’t disagree with her, not out-loud.
I walk out of the room and pick up my phone, ringing Simon. “Hey, Si, I need a favour. No, it’s a big one.”
“Whatever you need, Ads.”
“If Onyx hears about this, and I get in trouble, we’re going to have a problem.” Falcon’s voice comes through the line, cold and strong.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at his posturing.
“Onyx has a problem with protecting a vulnerable omega while she’s in heat? Really?” I ask with bitter rage. These packs are chalking up warnings left, right, and center.
“Don’t test me, Adrian,” Falcon snaps back.
There’s a tussle for the phone, and then another male voice comes through, this one smoother and not quite as cold. “Onyx is okay with you using our security. Just protect Jade.”
“And Raptore?” I ask Dylan warily.
“They’ll understand when they calm down. We don’t leave people in trouble.”
“Okay, thank you, Dylan.” I can’t describe the relief I feel knowing that someone will have our back while we’re in the nest.
“You’re welcome. You can thank your brother. He’s invaluable to our pack. He’s our family. And he’s never asked us for a favour before. We’d do anything for him!” Dylan says calmly. “And for you, Adrian. You are our family, too.”
And I know he’s laid down the line in the sand not just for me but for his alphas, too. A heavy feeling on my shoulders lifts.
I close my eyes, hating to drag my brother into my business. “Thank you,” I choke out.
“You’re welcome,” Dylan says. “Please, look after Kandi. She’s a valuable friend of the girls.”
“I will. She’s…” I hesitate, and then with a gusty exhale, say the words that have been on the tip of my tongue, “she’s family.”
Dylan is quiet, but I get the impression that it’s a softer quiet than the previous one. “Well, have fun.”
I choke on a laugh. “Uh, thanks.”
Dylan ends the phone call before I can.
I let my phone hit the desk beside me and let my head fall back on my chair. All around me are the certificates of my successful career. The long years of loneliness. There’s an unsettled feeling deep in my gut. How can I trust this to stay? How can I have happiness when there is something so wrong with me? All I’ve ever had to depend upon is myself. The packs offering their assistance is unexpected. I anticipated a fight. But that was…that was an olive branch.
Dare I reach for it? Dare I not?
No one has even wanted to be friends with me, and here are three of the most incredible people I’ve ever met wanting more. Wanting a pack. Wanting something of me I didn’t think I could give.
What if I fail?
What if I don’t?
I sit there, staring at the photo of my brother and his husband. He’s happier than he ever was with me. But even though times were hard with us, I at least knew that he loved me no matter what was said.
All these awards, they didn’t make me happy, but I chased them needing to be better, to be more, to be distracted from the empty home and the need for more. And the need, the hole inside me, the need to protect, to care for, to provide for someone, ate at me.
The omegas I met were like poison to my senses.
The betas had the appeal of soggy cardboard. Men and women alike, no one had anything that appealed. Until I met Sven.