“Or you or Luisa,” I insisted. I wanted to tell her I considered her Pack already, despite the lack of bonding marks.
She nodded. “Of course, Alpha. I know the type of men who like to inflict violence on those who are helpless. You aren’t one of them.”
I snorted, because she was right. I would never hurt anyone who was weaker than me. But during my teenage years, I’d enjoyed the violence of putting other Alphas in their place, usually with my fists. Seven and I were a lot alike in that respect.
I went back to cutting the timber, not focusing on Naja as I said this next bit. “I lived with my mother until she died when I was twelve. I have that in common with Ellar—we both grew up human. But when you grow up human and you’re Manix, no matter where you are or what you do, you just feel wrong.”
I swallowed hard, grabbing some sandpaper and stroking it along the wood in long, even swipes. “After she died, my father came and collected me. I’d never met the man before, and his power threatened to swamp me completely. He brought me back, and for a little while, he was happy to have a son. I was just happy to finally fit in somewhere. I believed him when he said he hadn’t known that I existed. Then I hit puberty, and my Alpha power manifested. And he went from loving me to hating me overnight. I went from beloved son to pariah. I got kicked to the boarding rooms at the high school, at least until Finlo’s parents took me in.” I stopped and looked at her, and her eyes were so filled with sympathy that I hated myself. I didn’t want her to look at me like that. I’d accept love, or lust, or happiness. But not pity. “I don’t want your sympathy, Omega. I just want you to know why my father is a touchy subject.”
She nodded, shifting up so she was kneeling on the stool and we were the same height. She gripped my cheeks hard. “The only thing I feel for you right now is overwhelmingly horny.” She leaned in and bit my nose gently. “And if I did feel anything else, it’s regret over not kicking your dad in the nuts when I had the chance.”
I kissed her then, picking her up by the waist and putting her on the workbench. I plunged my tongue into her mouth and she kissed me back with the same ferocity. Pulling away, I grinned at her, marvelling at her ability to make me feel better even though I was airing my fuckingfeelings.
“I can help with the former feeling, but the latter might have to wait.”
She grinned and it stole my breath. “Don’t worry Alpha, I’ve got a long memory.”
Then she kissed me until I forgot about everything but her.
34
Naja
Iwas going to have to ease up on the orgies otherwise I was going to be walking like a cowboy, all bowlegged. Worth it though. This whole thing had been worth it.
I hadn’t heard fromhim,and I was hopeful that we were safe here now. Though Gatlin looked stressed out, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out they were hiding stuff from me.
But you know what? I. Did. Not. Care.
I was happy to live in blissful ignorance just for a little while, like a vacation from the harsh reality of my life. I assumed they’d tell me if it got too bad, and then I’d deal with it. But if they wanted to play big bad Alpha and take care of everything, then I was happy to play damsel in distress for the first time in my life. I’d been strong for long enough. I’d been the brave badass who threw herself into danger.
Right now, I just wanted to revel in the knowledge that there was someone else here who was as capable as me, who could take care of this shit for me.
It was a heady and addictive feeling, this co-dependence.
I knew eventually reality would creep back in, and the stress would come tumbling down on top of me, probably worse than ever because I was no longer living in that heightened sense of fight or flight mode, but it was worth it. These moments would be the ones that would get me through dark days.
Lying with Raiden on the couch, I rested my hand on what was now a tiny baby bump. It blew my mind. I turned my head in his lap and kissed it. Raiden watched me, stroking my hair.
“You guys have made me lazy, you know? Ellar gets me all my meals, you all do baby duty, Finlo or Gatlin are there to lift anything heavy, or hell, lift me.”
“And give you that good dick,” Raiden added, and I flushed pink.
“You all do that.”
Raiden tilted his head, as if he was listening to something in another room. His whole body stiffened. “Hey, let's go and check on Luisa, see if she's awake from her nap.”
I frowned because I wasn’t an idiot; I knew something was wrong. “Raiden, what is it?”
Had I been wrong? Had he found us? I knew I shouldn’t have even insinuated that I was happy, because if there was a way for Karma to kick me in the box, she’d find it, and she didn’t need suggestions.
“It’s just another Pack, not Luisa’s father.”
I chewed my lower lip. “Then I’m not hiding.” He looked vexed, and I raised an eyebrow. “Maybe you should go and check Luisa. You’re the one carrying the precious cargo.”
He gave me a grumpy look, and I knew he was just going to drop me in Luisa’s room and run back out to figure out what the other Pack needed.
Nope. That wasn’t going to fly with me.
