My beta answers the door and chats for a little while, while I start eating. Nachos only stay fresh for so long, so I need to eat them as soon as possible. Clearly, Shaggy isn’t the only one who got food spoiled with treats during our trip, and I chide myself that I’ll need to get back to the gym this week and work off some of the weight I gained from overindulging on vacation. I’m almost done with the cheesy goodness when Greg comes back, carrying a box. “Hey, you got a package from Mississippi. Guesswho it’s from!” His eyebrows waggle at me as he sets it on the coffee table next to his food while I almost spill nachos over the floor, scrambling to pull it into my lap and peel off excessive layers of tape. Seriously, who wrapped this thing?
There’s a note lying on top of brown paper. The penmanship is neat and professional.
Dear Sarah,
I am loath to admit how much we have all missed you, but Spence insists I be honest with myself and you. We’ve all been thinking of you, myself included. I’m not obsessively retrofitting a bedroom and ripping out carpet for a rabbit run like he is. Nor am I mooning about like a kicked puppy while also meal planning for when you visit again, as Paul is. However, I shall say that the house feels quieter and too big without you here. I never got a chance to discuss literature with you, or to show you some of my favorite books…or the space I cleared for you and Greg to put your own in the library. It feels odd to be admitting this after such a short time, but I’ve apparently grown rather fond of your outbursts, though I’ll hardly say that in front of Spencer.
He wanted to send you something special, and we weren’t sure what your favorite animal was; a rabbit seemed too obvious. Also, clearly they don’t purr, so that was twice as superfluous. Regardless, I hope this finds you well. Paul is on the right hand, I am on the left, and Spencer took both the feet since he can’t seem to stop purring to save his life. I figured we might as well use that to our advantage.
Best wishes, Omega, and I hope we can see you again soon.
Sincerely,
Alistair Miller
Paul has signed below, his own signature nearly illegible in short, spikey letters. Spence also signed at the bottom with huge looping script that took up the lower third of the page.
My hands fumble, pulling out the brown paper to see what they could have sent me that purrs. My fingers close around something furry and soft with a hard center. Spence’s loud purr rumbles to life as soon as I tighten them to pull it out.
A stuffed paw appears first, then a leg, followed by a butt with a stubby tail. I pull harder, excited by the plushy, purring gift that will let me feel closer to them—then scream and nearly throw it at Greg when the stuffed bear pops the rest of the way out of the fucking box. Yes, even stuffed bears freak me the fuck out. It doesn’t have to look realistic; bears are just horrifying.
The purr tapers off after a few more seconds, while I’m attempting to climb over the arm of the couch and escape. Greg is laughing so hard that he starts to choke on his own hoagie sandwich. Serves him right for eating that many carbs in front of meandlaughing at my fear of an animal that can legitimately rip your head off. I know it’s the thought that counts, but right now my mind can’t decide if it wants to send a thank-you letter to the alphas, or return this monstrosity in pieces…after I take out the sound boxes so I can sleep with them close by.
Chapter 86
Greg made a group chat to thank us for sending the teddy bear to Sarah. He said she loves how it sounds. He also said she has ursaphobia, which I think means she loves bears…so it’s a win no matter which way you look at it. I’ll have to keep a note of that so that I can get her more bear stuff for her birthday. I have to find out when her birthday is too, since it’s gonna be a while before I can do anything for Christmas.
I wish we could see her, though. I miss her and Greg and their rabbit. It’s so cute, and I think I have its room just about ready. Of course, they can change up their rooms to be whatever they want, but I had to go online and do a lot of research for what makes the perfect bunny room and run area. Sam helped me by building a little house; it’s really cute. Plus, he let me have the run panels he had built for their visit, or at least let me keep them here in case she comes to visit.
His idea was that when she does come back, she’ll probably be staying with us instead of him, and I really hope he’s right. I’m glad she agreed to let us court her, but other than sending presents and video chatting, I don’t know what we can do. Oh, maybe we can call tonight…once I figure out the time difference and I can purr for her to help her sleep. Is that stupid? I should have done that instead of sending her the bear…but she likes the bear. And it can be there for her while we’re at work and stuff.
I wonder if Teddy would give me time off to go see her, not that we can afford to do it often ’cause plane tickets are expensive. How would we even get in? I’m not sure how security works for these sorts of things. They probably don’t let any ol’ pack of alphas in off the street. Maybe we could sneak in? Unless that could get her in trouble for talking to us afterwards, I don’t want her in trouble.
Paul’s hand lands heavily on my shoulder, jarring me out of my thoughts. “You ok there, Spence? You look like you’re deep in thought.” He’s not wrong, and his worry makes sense. I usually leave the deep thinking to him and Al, or Tiffany or Kay…sometimes Claire or Penny…they’re all smarter than I am. Like real-world knowledge stuff. Stuff that’s useful, and also strange random stuff that doesn’t always make sense.
Al knows so much about history. Although he’s a teacher, so that makes sense too, but Paul’s really smart about math and science and survival stuff. Not that we need to know a lot about survival stuff, but he really likes camping and building shelters and starting fires with flint and stuff like that. His family took me camping with them a few times when I was younger, but it’s not really my thing. I like my comforts, and soft bed and food that I haven’t burnt to a crisp over an open fire. Plus, there are no microwavable burritos in the wild, so I’d probably starve to death once I ran out of peanut butter.
Paul squeezes my arm again, and I realize I’ve already wandered back down my mental rabbit hole. “Oh, no. Sorry. I was wondering how to sneak into the omega center to see Sarah.” The look he gives me tells me I shouldn’t be telling him I’m trying to figure out how to break trespassing laws, even if it is outside his jurisdiction. I wave my hands so I can clarify. “I miss her, and I wanna go see her. Even if she says she’s ok, I still worry. Would she tell us if something was wrong? I’ve added her to my friends online, but she doesn’t update much; mostly pictures from the gym. She doesn’t even talk about her rabbit…though I think that’s ’cause she’s not supposed to have him in her room, so I guess it makes sense.”
He nods along with the safer topic that doesn’t involve me committing crimes. “We could…go see her, I mean. Teddy would probably let you off work, and I have a three-day weekend coming up soon. Alistair would be the only one in question, and he would probably want to go too. Maybe he could check in with his family since he’ll be in the area. It’s been a few years since he saw ’em.” I nod along frantically, excited with this plan option.
“I’ll need to find a dress and wig that’s big enough for him, and…do they still make chocolate-scented body spray? Or should I just like, get him some melting chocolate to smear on so he smells like a praline? Oh, and shoes, he has big feet and none of his work shoes are gonna match any sort of dress…it’ll probably be warm enough and I can ask Kay to take him for a pedicure and I’m sure he’ll rock some open toed sandals, but not high heels, he needs to look petite.” Paul stares at me, shocked for a moment before he bursts out laughing right as the guy I’m thinking of walks in.
Al looks from me to Paul and back again, a small smile dancing at the edge of his lips. “What’s so funny?” Paul can’t answer because he’s doubled over wheezing, and I was serious, so I’m not sure what struck his funny bone so much. He hits theground hard, gasping and coughing before smacking me on the leg repeatedly as he tries to regain his breath. By the time he can talk again, Al and I are both annoyed with him. “Spence…Spence is trying to figure out how to sneak into the omega center. He has a plan that involves coating you with chocolate and dressing you in drag to pass you off as an omega.” He starts giggling again, and I’m starting to feel offended. It was a good plan.
Al sighs, mostly looking annoyed before holding his hand up. “Spencer…answer me this, without thinking too hard. Who is your boss?”
“Teddy,” I say automatically, trying not to go into the fact that it’s also Kelly, Garret, and Steve…plus Sam to a lesser extent since they co-own the gym, but he’s never there. Still, it was Teddy’s idea.
“Very good…and Teddy is an…” He trails off, waving his hand in circles for me to fill in the blank.
“Omega?” My words are more of a question since I’m not sure what he wants. Teddy plays the guitar and lifts weights; he’s also bisexual…but none of those start with a vowel, and since he used the word “an” instead of “a,” they wouldn’t sound right.
Al clasps his hands together, pointer fingers aimed at me. “Very good. So, since Teddy is your boss, and an omega, not to mention a man who originally came from the same center Sarah is at. Doesn’t it stand to reason that they have male omegas in residence and therefore I would not need to dress in drag to get smuggled in?”
Al watches me closely for a minute as he waits for me to figure something out, and it’s like someone just flicked a light switch on. He’s absolutely right! Though I’d still have to smear him in chocolate, unless I can find that body spray. I smile up at our pack-lead. This is why he’s in charge; he’s super smart.
“Great! Paul’s got this weekend off, and we’re pretty sure that Teddy will let me take off too. I’m gonna go book our flight andfigure out how to make you smell like an omega so we can go see her!”
