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“Okay, first up,” said Tony, “Jasper, any updates for your heat?”
Our omega shrugged and stacked some salmon lox onto his bagel. “I haven’t noticed any shifting yet. I have an appointment at the clinic in a couple weeks to see where things are at.”
“Good. We’ll circle back to your heat in a minute, but first I want to ask how everyone is feeling with the whole Nicky situation?”
I swivelled my gaze to Hana. I was fine with the trajectory of things, even if I was mostly on the outer edge of it, but Hana had had the least time to get to know Nicky so far, and I wanted to make sure she was comfortable.
Billie thrust their hand into the air, and Tony chuckled as he called on them.
“I like her,” said Billie. “Granted, I’m pretty big on crushes, but this one feels like it's ballooning since she got involved with more of us.”
“I like her, too,” said Tony.
“Me three,” said Jasper. “I’d like her to stick around.”
I set my hand on Hana's knee beneath the table. Knowing her, she would bow to the majority, but that wasn’t particularly fair no matter how much I was interested in getting to know Nicky more.
“Hana what do you think?” I asked.
She fidgeted with her glass, spinning it in between her hands. “Nicky seems genuine from what I can tell, and I enjoyed the time we spent together, but beyond that I haven’t finished forming my opinion. My priority is always going to be the pack. I’m worried about what will happen if her ex-boyfriend becomes a real problem.”
Most of my job involved de-escalation and protecting the vulnerable. Despite the fact that I have been a bouncer since Hana and I got together, she had never actually stopped worrying about my safety. The early makings of a stalker in Alphonse was putting her on edge, not that I blamed her. People were unpredictable, and while it didn’t sound like Alphonse had gotten physical in the past, that could always change.
“I understand your concern,” I said, taking her hand in mine, “but even if Nicky wasn’t on a trajectory to joining the pack, I still wouldn’t want her to face that alone. Regardless of who she ends up with—whether that's some of us, all of us, or none of us in the end—I still want her to be safe.”
Hana watched me carefully, her amber eyes focused on mine. “I wouldn’t suggest that we abandon her to an unhinged beta. I just don’t want it putting any of you in danger.”
“Hana, if you don’t like her you can just say so,” Billie grumbled. “You can be honest with us.”
“Iambeing honest with you,” said Hana. “Besides, if I genuinely didn’t like her, would that even stop you?”
Billie let out an indignant squawk.
Tony held up both hands to quiet us. “I think we’re getting a little off topic.”
“I don’t think we are,” I said. “Nicky is a big change for the pack no matter how far deep we are in things. Better to clarify things early than to wait until something is irreversible.”
The five of us were already bonded no matter where Billie's crushes led them, and that fact wouldn’t change. We had all built a life together and we were happy. Shifting things around warranted a real, proper conversation that wasn’t just momentary check-in's as we went—sooner rather than later, given how quickly Nicky was slipping into the empty spaces we hadn’t realized were there.
Billie took a long drink of their orange juice, eyes laser-focused on Hana. “If you really didn’t like her and weren’t comfortable having her around, then I would stop seeing her. It wouldsuck,but I would try because I love you and I love the life we have together. I just can’t shake the feeling that she belongs with us, too.”
Hana sighed. “I love you too, and I appreciate that you would try. I’m not going to ask you to do that, though. I’m just being a mother hen. I do need more time to get to know her, though.”
“That's fair.” Billie slipped out of their chair and climbed right onto Hana's lap. “I’m sorry if you felt rushed. I want you to be comfy with things.”
Our beta had always been touchy. Any uncertainty or conflict drove them straight into the nearest arms. Hana cradled them softly and kissed their cheek in reassurance.
The rest of the meeting went fairly smoothly, each of us giving updates on work and anything else that might influence our schedules, Tony adding in our shifts and classes to our family calendar.
“Okay, circling back, since we addressed the elephant in the room and since it might happen before our next meeting: Jasper,” Tony said, focusing on our omega, “do you want Nicky to be present for your heat?”
“If things keep going how they are, then I’d love to have her. You don’t think that will be too overwhelming for her?”
Tony's smile turned mischievous. “I think she’ll surprise you.”
“That sounds like someone hasgossip,” said Billie.
“Not gossip exactly, but we should make sure we’re topped up on our supply of paraffin candles.”
