The bubble around Marie and I pops, and she squeezes my leg before stripping off her coat.
“Give me a gun, Lore,” she says softly. “I won’t have time to get mine.”
Leaning over to pull the gun velcroed underneath the table beside the couch, I hand it to her.
I watch as she pulls her holster from beneath a cushion and straps it to her thigh. My cock is very interested in how capable she is with a firearm, though she needs a few kinds of holsters depending on her outfit. Life can change on a dime, especially on the day you decide to wear a dress and look adorable.
Though I haven’t ever worn a dress and no one can call my huge ass adorable, I want Marie not to worry about these things. I’ll ask Storm to do some research on options.
The market is always changing for weapons and their accessories. There have to be ways to hide her weapons so that she has the element of surprise. For now, we’ll work with what we have.
I’m sure this is on my pack’s radar, but we’ve had a lot of shit that keeps being thrown at us. It’s difficult to do things like present your omega with pretty weapons of destruction when you’re also being fucked with a rusty pole by life.
“Don’t get in the middle of this unless you feel it’s absolutely necessary,” I grunt, standing.
“Don’t be a dickhead,” she replies, following my lead.
Fuck, I love this woman. I can’t promise not to be an ass, so I simply wait for my brother to be led through the house, grumbling about how annoying it is that they won’t tell him why he’s here alone without his core MC members.
“Hey, little brother,” I say, smirking as he stops dead in his footsteps. “Things are a little weird at the moment, so you’ll have to forgive the cloak and dagger, yeah?”
“Lore…” The gun is pulled as if it’s as easy as breathing, and for someone that attempts to avoid conflict, it’s impressive. Devon’s face is devoid of emotion outside of awe and a bit of fear. “Storm, did you bring home another wraith?”
“If he did, then the wraith can fuck like a god,” Ransom snorts. “Storm, is his cock any bigger than it was before?”
“I’m not gonna answer that. His ego is already big enough,” Storm grumbles, making my lips twitch.
Realizing I’m still wearing the neck gaiter, I yank it down, watching as my brother’s face moves through different emotions. Disbelief, grief so intense it makes me weave on my feet, and anger.
Yeah, I figured that’s the one he’d land on.
The idiot pulls the trigger just as I leap out of the way. Thankfully, Marie is able to avoid my body so I don’t take her out, and she rolls her eyes as she pulls her weapon. I’m scrambling off the ground as Marie steps in front of me with her small frame, and Ransom’s eyes widen in concern.
My pack is too far to pull her out of the way, and her finger is on the trigger, fully committed to shooting my brother if necessary. It’s not like I haven’t shot at him before, but we were younger and drunk as fuck so we didn’t hit anything but rocks. This time it’s different.
Fuck, Marie is different. She’s not going to take my brother’s shit, just because he’s grieving. I know about how he’s treated my omega, and I fully plan to beat his ass for it. Yet, I know she can take care of both herself and our pack if it comes down to it, so I play it the only way I know how.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I make sure I’m not restricting her movements as I raise my brow at my little brother. When in doubt, make a play with confidence and swagger. I’m keeping the bond wide fucking open between Ransom, Marie, and I, projecting my movements.
However, Wilder and Storm’s bodies remain stiff, not knowing what my next play is. This is when I wonder if I need to give up my secrets to complete a pack bond with them. My brain is a mass of snakes and worry, and I’ve never wanted to burden them with that.
A part of me enjoys that they believe I have my shit together. It’s my job to make sure everyone is taken care of, but to what end?
My secrets may not be worth keeping anymore. Who the fuck cares if they don’t think I’m indestructible? I very nearly died.
“I heard you’ve been mean to my girl,” I growl, my hand possessively squeezing Marie’s stomach. “As you can see, I’m not dead, and she has my full permission to shoot your ass for reparations to her honor.”
“Herhonor? Your pack fucking shot at me at your fucking funeral!” Devon roars at me. Yes, let’s shift that anger toward the ridiculous. That’s much safer than the grief filled one he held earlier.
“Ah, but it’s different when you deserve it, isn’t it?” Marie asks, smirking as she leans her body into my warmth. “You tried to twist what Lore and I have for your own selfish reasons. We were both hurting, Devon. I don’t have to be the enemy.”
“Enemy?” he snorts. “You’re this tiny omega?—”
Marie shoots at his feet, and I snort, only slightly concerned we’re going to have the cops called on us for shooting up the place.
“Want to try that again?” I ask him.
“I’m pretty sure he shot a hole in our new couch,” Marie sighs, playing into my hands. “Are we gonna make him pay for a replacement? We just bought it.”
