“We’re just there,” I point to the house that my pack and I have claimed, then move down the line, “that’s guard housin’, Declan’s pack house, and then that’s the house where the omegas we rescued, along with Maeve and Helaena, are stayin’.”
“That’s where I’ll be?” Roland frowns, glancing at the pile of trash bags in the bed of his truck where he stashed all of his nest items.
“Don’t worry,” I give him a gentle smile. “There’s plenty of room, you’ll have your own space.”
Swallowing, he nods right as Christopher and Whitney exit their vehicle.
“Well, isn’t that something,” Whitney gasps as she takes in the area and walks to my side. “You’re all so close together, don’t you need…” she lowers her voice before leaning down, “privacy?”
“Mom,” West groans, running a hand over his face.
“What?” She raises her hands. “I’m not oblivious to how packs work, and it’s bound to get…loud.”
Her brazen honesty shocks a laugh out of me, but I can appreciate the fact that she’s not trying to pretend like we’re no different than a beta couple.
“I soundproofed everything,” Declan says, walking down the steps of his house. “Comes with the territory of having your little sister move in next door with her pack. I’d rather my ears didn’t bleed every night.”
“You two…are siblings?” Christopher looks between Declan and me.
“He’s my older brother,” I nod, “he’s around West’s age.”
“So…how come you have a Southern accent and he doesn’t?” Whitney tilts her head in question.
“Oh, we didn’t grow up together.” I shift from foot to foot. “We only share a daddy. My mama was his stepmama for a few years, but left when she realized she was pregnant with me. We only…reconnected around five years ago.”
“Reconnected” isn’t really the right word for him finding me after I called him because the man I grew up believing was my daddy sold my sister, resulting in me killing him, but we don’t need to go into all those details right now.
“Jo grew up in Georgia,” Declan adds, crossing his arms, “and I grew up in New York with…our dad.” He turns to the male omega, seemingly desperate to remove himself from this interview. “Roland, Can I show you where you’ll be staying?”
Roland nods in agreement, and the two of them walk over to the house where the omegas are housed. Curious eyes peek out of the windows, looking to see who their new roommate will be.
“Fireball!” I’m nearly knocked off my feet by a whirlwind of smoky pepper enveloping me. Hayden’s arms wrap around me tight, and he presses a fierce kiss to my head. “I didnotlike beingleft behind. Next time, Kole and I are coming in the pizza van. And don’t think I don’t know how you let Kole claim you before you left because let me tell you, the nest smells fucking—”
“Ah, Darlin’?” I let out a breathy laugh, looking up at him. “Have you met Christopher and Whitney? West’s parents?”
He doesn’t even act embarrassed. Keeping one arm around my shoulders, he turns to the pair of them, a charming smile on his face. “Doctor Mom, Doctor Dad. It’s so nice to meet you, I’m Hayden Pierce.” I glance down, and yep, he’s wearing pants now.
They barely have a chance to register his name before Kole’s hulking presence presses behind me. “I am Kole Vasiliev. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Their eyes widen comically. “Oh! You must be the son—”
“Bastard son,” Kole corrects, then laughs at their reddening faces. “It is not embarrassing. I would rather it be known that my mother was a wonderful woman—not the shrew that birthed my brothers. Though now I am the bastardbrotherof the leaders of the Russian Mafia, not son. My father is dead.”
Christopher swallows roughly. “It is…nice to meet you too. I admit,” he lets out a nervous laugh, “this is all rather…a lot. You’re very large. And we weren’t expecting to meet…well…”
“My pack?” West ventures, joining us.
“Oh!” Whitney shocks me, her finger pointing in Hayden’s direction. “HaydenPierce!Your father—”
“Don’t hold it against me,” he winces, “I was not his favorite son, and he wasn’t my favorite dad.”
I frown at him. “You were hisonlyson. And you only had one dad.”
He nods. “Which tells you just how much we hated each other.”
“Is it true?” Whitney asks, eyes wide. “That he was involved with…trafficking omegas?”
“Unfortunately.”
