The Wardens might be off-limits, but a girl could dream.
Chapter
Eight
Lana
It was clear, another week into my stay, when everybody had fallen back into a routine again, that my brother had warned them away from me. Lennon all but avoided me. Wilder was friendly, but would barely make eye contact. Mason was the only one who seemed willing to talk to me, his constant flirting something I found I actually enjoyed. He even made me blush a few times, something that didn’t usually happen.
Growing up with my parents meant you learned pretty early on to not let embarrassment get to you.
Cade was always sort of quiet, and Kieran was friendly, but barely more than cordial. He never let it get too far. I accidentally brushed my hand against his once and he avoided me for two days.
The house was always full of activity, but at the same time, I was starting to feel isolated again.
My nose twitched. The scent of something burning filled the air. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I rushed to the kitchen. Maybe someone accidentally left the oven on. I wasn’t expecting them to be home for another several hours, and was shocked tofind Lennon in the kitchen, throwing a smoking pan onto the patio outside and scowling.
“What happened?” I asked, more than a little concerned.
“I was trying to cook,” he grunted out. A hint of embarrassment had his peppery scent charring around the edges. “The others are stuck in some team meeting.”
“How did you get out of it?” I asked.
He gave me a pointed look. “Conrad said I was the safest option.”
I snorted. “Iknewhe warned you guys away from me.”
“Of course he did,” he said as if it was obvious. “You’re no longer bonded, omega. Mason can’t fucking help himself, and the others are falling all over themselves to take care of you. I tried to tell them that you’re a grown-ass woman and you can take care of yourself, but no one in this house fucking listens.”
“I can,” I confirmed. I was also relieved their distance wasn’t just in my head. “And despite your dislike for me, I do appreciate that you don’t let the others smother me.”
He snorted. “It’s not that I dislike you. I just don’t care for omegas.” More blunt honesty. It was so damn refreshing.
“Ouch. Sounds like I’m not the only one who got into a shitty relationship.” If possible, his face twisted into even more of a scowl.
“Why don’t you worry about yourself instead of bothering me?” he bit out. He wouldn’t even look at me, but I wasn’t giving up that easily. Not when he was the only one willing to answer my questions.
“Why are you not at this meeting? I get that he said you’re the safest, but for what? I hardly need babysitting.”
“I don’t know, princess,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Maybe because you’re a touch-starved omega who’s just now strong enough to take care of herself again.”
I narrowed my eyes, my jaw tightening as I fought off words that would turn this into a real argument.
“Okay, fine. How about, what are you trying to accomplish here?” I tried again, gesturing to the kitchen.
“I was told to feed you.”
For the first time, Lennon looked uncomfortable. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that this delta had no idea how to cook.
“How did you guys survive before I moved in?”
“They put me on grocery runs, not cooking. They said some shit about me not being capable and to just order today, and I tried to prove them wrong.”
“Tried and failed,” I snorted. When he glared, I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing even harder. “I can help you.”
“No, because if you do it, how is that me proving them wrong?” he argued. He was so adamant on doing it himself that I couldn’t find it in me to argue with that logic.
“What were you trying to cook, Mr. Independent?”
