Silas stifles a sigh and says, "We already talked about them before we left the hospital, Kade. Let's not scare Riot off already with your rules."
"Rules are important, though," I find myself defending the pack alpha. "Vivian shouldn't be alone right now, and we should have at least another person with us if we go into town. Especially not until I can track the leader of this group down and put an end to them."
Glancing around Silas, I check on Vivian. She's staring out the window with her arms wrapped around her midsection. Is she hurting? She's not due for painkillers for another hour. "Do you understand, Firefly? You need to be careful."
At my insistence, she stiffens. Then, to my displeasure, she gives me a thumbs up without looking at me.
"Little Omega," Kade growls with warning. "Don't roll your eyes. This is important. Do you understand?"
Hmm, she rolled her eyes at me, did she? Girl has some sass. I shouldn't be surprised, considering all the danger she put herself in during our stay in hell.
I watch her shoulders rise and fall with a deep inhale. She turns and catches Kade's gaze in the mirror. "Yes, Alpha," she says with strength.
"Riot was the one talking to you, Vivie," Kade reminds her.
She takes another deep inhale before turning to look at me. I swear she steals the breath from my fucking lungs every time she gives me her attention.
"Yes, Riot," she grits out.
The punch to my gut when I realize she called me just by my name is surprising. I need to figure my feelings out fast.
The whiplash I get from being around these people makes me anxious and annoyed. I don't talk to people, I don't share, and I certainly don't wonder what it would be like to be accepted as one of theirs.
I've never beensomeone's.
"We're here. Vivian, I'll come around and get you," Jarek announces and hops out of the truck as soon as we come to a stop.
Absently, I hear Vivian hiss as her alpha helps her out of the tall truck. I'm quickly distracted by the pure wonder that is their home.
"We built it," Silas murmurs, standing beside me a few minutes later. "We own a company that designs and structures homes to be suitable for pack life."
"What does that mean?"
Silas gives me a thoughtful look, but I'm focused on making sure Kade and Jarek get Vivian up the porch steps safely. When she glances over her shoulder at me, I know for a fact I'm following her inside. She draws me in like a moth to a flame.
"Come, I'll show you." Silas starts walking toward the house, and I have no choice but to follow.
Moving through the motions of walking up their steps and taking my dirty shoes off on the porch, I soak in the comfort their home already provides just from the outside.
"Kitchen's over here, living room..."
Silas is talking, but I've just gotten slammed in the fucking soul by the scent of their pack. The fresh rain mixed with floralsand something thicker that reminds me of Kade almost makes me stumble.
Why is it so...so...perfect?
The details of the layout don't matter to me, especially when I catch sight of Vivian being lowered into a small nest beneath a window to the porch. Her soft sniffles and winces of pain force me to swallow my growl.They're hurting her. They need to be more gentle. Why is she crying?
"Riot, breathe," Silas mutters, coming to stand in front of me. The way he blocks my view of my omega has me grinding my teeth.
I can't fucking breathe because every damn whiff screamshome. Clearing my throat, I close my good eye and try to get myself under control. Once her whimpering stops, I try again.
She's already dozing in her pile of blankets, and her mates are doting on her. Swallowing, I realize I need some space. Just a little because I don't think I'll ever actually be able to be away from her for long.
"Where am I sleeping?"
Ten
Jarek
