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While Gage was still sleepy, his packmates were clearly revelling in the urge to care for me. Kane, without saying a word had sliced some apples and strawberries, placed them in a small bowl and put them in front of me before walking away. I gave him a shy, appreciative look, picking up a strawberry and popping it into my mouth with a smile.
“Archer is going to be with you today,” Gage informed me around a mouthful of sausage. I resisted making a sausage joke. He was being friendly enough but he was clearly still tired—how much did he actually sleep?
“A new documentary dropped yesterday, the one about the guy that murdered couples hooking up in their cars in abandoned car parks. I’m thinking gummy bears and a marathon?”
“Sounds good,” I nodded. I wasn’t lying, that sounded like a perfect day to me.
Archer and I got along well, we would often have virtual movie nights watching these documentaries back when I was at the Haven.
I sighed. I wanted to resist Archer, to fight and scream at him but I would be punishing myself as well as him.
“Though, I now think you had ulterior motives for those damn gummy bears,” I grumbled.
“Whatever do you mean, Lavvy girl?” he asked his eyes wide in an overly exaggerated, fake innocent expression.
I just snorted. The fucker knewexactlywhat he had done… and I wasn’t too angry about it anymore.
* * *
Lazy. I felt like a lazy, lethargic lump. Curled up in the nest, Archer on the armchair next to me we had spent all day watching true crime documentaries. Archer was always close, and every few minutes he would find an excuse to touch me, checking my temperature, passing me a snack, or even moving a blanket for me.
We had just finished an episode and were waiting for a new one to load when he spoke.
“Do you really hate me?”
Such a simple question for such a complex answer.
“Ultimately I don’t, and I think you know that,” I said, fiddling with the duvet cover, unable to meet his eyes. I didn’t have it in me to hash out all the details at that point.
His only answer was to grin and turn back to the TV.
ChapterEighteen
Kane
Iwas pissed. I knew it was irrational, and I did my best to hide it from the others, but I could hardly restrain the urge to throttle Gage.
All three of those fuckers had been by Lavender’s side the last few days while her temperature subsided. Yes, I was also there, but it was different.Iwasn’t spoken for. Fuck it, if I wanted to pursue Lavender, I could. There was nothing stopping me, unlike the others who were meant for my sister.
The last time I had seen Lavender she had been sitting up in the nest, bowl of soup in hand. The nest that wasmeantto belong to my sister. I didn’t know what the fuck possessed me, telling the others to put her in here, I just couldn’t watch her suffer. She looked a lot better. The colour had returned to her face, and she looked a lot more alert. I was shocked that I didn’t mind the sight of her in the room that was meant to be Juniper’s and somehow that only fueled my rage further. Lavender had been sick, and I know Juniper would have had my nuts for tennis balls if she knew I let an omega suffer needlessly.
I would be lying to myself if I told myself the only reason I did it was because I knew my sister would judge me. The sight of Lavender so sick hurt me so intensely. I was only human, and an alpha at that. I was raised with omegas, and I hated that I didn’t realise that there was something that she needed. When she joined us all for breakfast a few days prior my body had moved on auto pilot, cutting up a bowl of fruit and handing it to her before I could even think about it.
She was getting familiar with the others though, and it was irritating me. It was obvious and I couldn’t hide it, so when it was my turn to bring her some food, she called me out on it.
I put the food on her bedside table, not meeting her eye. She had just showered, and was sitting on the bed having stopped sleeping in the nest a day or two ago, wearing fresh pyjamas. Her damp hair was making the pyjama top ever so slightly damp.
“You’re pissed.” she observed. “Why are you pissed?”
“I’m not,” I said as I collected the empty plate from the other side of the bed. The movement was a little too forceful and the plate clattered loudly.
“Kane, you’ve been stomping around the last twenty-four hours like someone tinkled in your cereal. And you won’t look me in the eye.”
I turned to leave, not bothering to reply when I heard her rustling behind me, her feet slapping on the floor as she came up to me with a surprising speed. Her small hand grabbed my bicep and my skin felt electrified where she touched it.
“Don’t.” I growled.
“Tell me,” she frowned. “What have I done to upset you?”
