She’s already setting up her plans to leave this place behind, leaving everyone here to deal with the fallout she leaves behind.
I say nothing, getting in my car and heading home. My grip on the steering wheel is too tight and my windscreen wipers are squeaking heinously to wash away the rain.
Why am I so upset about her leaving? I told Lain and Greer to not get involved, that this was inevitable. It’s also not like she hasn’t made her intentions clear, that she’s here for the month and nothing else. Yet there’s this sinking feeling in my gut, something I’m not sure how to explain. Is there a part of me that would be disappointed if she left? Surely not.
When I pull up to the drive, I sigh as I head through the side door. Fergus doesn’t greet me, not a surprise. He’s probably in Lain’s room, damn dog might as well be his scent match with how often he sticks to his side.
Not surprisingly, Greer is still awake, watching something on television.
He says nothing as I take a seat next to him, my gaze directed toward the screen. Do I tell him what I saw?
“You’re home late,” he says, nursing a beer.
“Was helping Nan with some things.”
He grunts, clearly not fully believing my answer. I need to repair this; I know that. If I can’t get on the same page as Greer and Lain, then we won’t actually be a pack anymore. Even if I’ve been saying we aren’t a pack anymore, that was out of hurt, which I’ve only just caused more of.
“I think I’d like to try dating again,” I tell him.
He looks shocked as he turns to me. “You want to get to know Maisie?”
“What? No. I mean, when she leaves, we could start dating again. Or you and Lain could end things now before you’re too invested.”
He rakes a hand through his hair, before letting out an un-humorous laugh.
“Do you know how long Lain and I have waited for you to be ready? How patient we’ve been since Fiona left? I get you think that we’re being reckless, that this is a bad idea. Honestly, it probably fucking is because I already have feelings for her that I can’t explain. So while I’m glad to hear you’re ready to move on, I’m not. It’s your turn to be patient,” he says, standing up off the couch and staring at me with his hands on his hips. “I think maybe we need to reevaluate the pack.”
“What?” I say, getting up on my own feet to nearly match his height.
“I just think maybe we’re forcing it. Maybe we’re just meant to run the restaurant together and be friends.”
“Because what? I’m not falling in love with the pretty Omega like everyone else in this fucking town is?” I raise my voice.
“You can’t put this on her, Callum. It’s been two years of fucking tension in this house. Lain has been wanting to date this whole time and you’ve been dismissive. You don’t want to spend time with us anymore. You aren’t who you used to be, and I miss who my best friend was.”
“I’m still me,” I retaliate and Greer looks at me with pity.
“You’re not, mate. I can’t remember the last time I heard you crack a joke or play a prank on Lain.”
“This fucking Omega is getting between us.”
Greer looks up at the ceiling for patience before he speaks. “It’s not Maisie, it’s the big picture, Cal. You’ve been telling people we aren’t a pack for how long now? Maybe it’s what you really need.”
I’m breathing hard, because I didn’t intend for this conversation. I thought it would go the opposite way, that it would excite him that I’m ready to move on.
A sleepy shirtless Lain steps into the living room.
“What are you two going on about? It’s fucking late,” Lain complains.
“Greer wants me out of the pack,” I tell him, and Greer shakes his head.
“You what?” Lain says to Greer who shakes his head.
“I was just suggesting that maybe pack life isn’t for Callum, that maybe we’ve been forcing this on him,” Greer says and Lain groans, waving us off, like the conversation is pointless and pads back to his bedroom.
Greer looks back at me, and I see a lot of hurt; hurt I probably put there.
“Can we wait to make any decisions?”
