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My brow scrunches as I think about it. As an omega, it’s in my own nature to want to please my alphas. I feel that pull, that instinct, to soothe them any time their scents start to change or I feel their stress and anxiety. A purr will start to build in my chest without a thought from me. Is it so hard to imagine they’re following their instincts, too? And is it fair of me to deny them that because of my own issues and insecurities?
My eyes meet Mason’s to see him grinning triumphantly at me. Smug as can be. He knows exactly what he said. “Jerk,” I whisper, and pocket the card.
“Well, can I use yours tonight until I’ve had the chance to buy one?” I grumble, throwing my hands on my hips.
“Yes,” he laughs, pulling me into a hug and kissing the top of my head. My arms wrap around his body automatically, and I breathe in his scent. “Oh, wait. No. I have to work tonight, too.” He pulls back and frowns down at me. “The deadline for that grant is tonight. I have to finish edits on the pictures I took in Iceland.”
“Oh, well, that’s okay. I can do it some other night,” I pout.
“Don’t be ridiculous. We’ll just steal Mav’s computer. The asshole hasn’t touched it in months.” The frown that starts to pull at my face despite myself turns upside down, and a chuckle slips free when Mason grabs my hand and starts to guide me toward Maverick’s room. His warm hand feels smooth against mine. So unlike Maverick’s or Hudson’s tough ones. An artist’s hand.
With the ease of someone who has spent countless hours in this room, Mason ruffles through Maverick’s drawers and closet, pulling out a baggy shirt for me to slip into, an extra fuzzy blanket to wrap up in so his bed feels more like a nest, and Maverick’s laptop. Mason fusses over me, making sure I’m comfortable, for a solid ten minutes before he races out to find his own laptop and darts back into the room not two minutes later, panting slightly.
His body flies through the air as he leaps the last three feet, twisting in the air and hugging his laptop to his chest as he lands next to me on his back. The movement stirs the air, and his scent slaps me in the face, mixed a little with Maverick’s, as his body bounces a little before settling.
Mason locks eyes with me and waits…
“Seven and a half,” I announce solemnly.
He huffs his outrage. “That was atleastan eight.”
“I took off a half point for range. It would have been more impressive if you jumped from the door,” I sniff with an air of importance. When a look of pure determination flashes in his eyes and I see him move to get up, I throw a hand out to grab onto his shoulder and push him back down.
“Okay, okay. It was an eight!” I half-yell, which makes us both laugh. Him at me. “Oh, hush. Don’t you have work to do?” I grumble, and open Maverick’s laptop to do my own.
“You’re right. I’ll wait until Mav is here to see mybigmove… Did you just roll your eyes at me?”
“No. I was just overcome with a strong urge to stare at the ceiling for a moment.” I open Maverick’s laptop, not needing to enter a password because, apparently, he doesn’t have one.
Mason mumbles something that sounds a lot likeIook at the ceiling, my ass.
I turn my head to hide my grin, and we both fall silent as we lose ourselves in our work. Maverick comes in at some point, looking for all the world like he’s sleep-walking toward us, and crawls in between Mason and me, claiming that we’re in his room now so he gets the best spot. It’s so endearing, and he’s practically a dead man walking, so neither of us argue as Maverick hits the bed and falls straight to sleep, an arm draped over my legs and one of his legs slung over Mason’s.
When I feel my own eyes start to droop, I’m overcome with a feeling ofrightnesswhen I look over at my mates, close Maverick’s laptop, snuggle down under the covers next to him, and fall asleep.
Fourteen
Summer
The next fewdays fly by without incident. There are no more calls from Jade at work, though it doesn’t stop my heart from trying to fly out of my chest anytime it rings. No more parking garage bump-ins with any ex-girlfriends. Houston still drives me to work in silence, and Wells takes me home, jabbering my ear off the whole way about absolutely nothing. The pack falls into somewhat of a routine with everyone coming home straight after work so we can eat dinner and just exist together for a while.
I’ve fallen asleep in my nest, missing the warmth and comfort it brings my omega. Brooklyn spent one night with me and Hudson the next, while Maverick and Mason have been getting some alone time in, making up for the time they spent avoiding each other. Everything has felt perfect.
Too perfect… Almost suspicious.
With each day that I haven’t heard any news from Wells about Houston’s contact who was looking into the security cameras, any time I picked up my work phone, and it wasn’t Jade, my anxiety started to climb higher. Like a building block added each hour of every day that is starting to get so high, it feels like it’s going to tip over.
At this point, I’m hoping forsomethingto happen, some news–good or bad–to get rid of the what-ifs.
Part of me knows any extra time I spend worrying about what might happen, they win a little. So I throw myself into work, into my pack, and try to shove the uncertainty into the recesses of my brain. But Goddess, is it hard.
It’s four-thirty Friday evening, and I’ve got a shift at The Hog’s Head tonight, so I peek into Jerrick’s office. When I see he isn’t on the phone or in a meeting, I knock gently. His head pops up. “There’s nothing else on your schedule for the day. Do you mind if I take off?”
He checks his watch, and his brows pop up. “I didn’t realize it was this late already. Sorry, Summer. Yeah, you’re good to go. Have a great weekend.”
I frown a little. He seems a little off-kilter today. Distracted.He’s just your boss,I remind myself. Not any of my business. “Thanks. You, too,” I say, and head out to reception with my things in hand.
“Hop to, Summer bug. Hop to,” Wells claps as I head toward him. “Hurry up. I got a hot date tonight.” I huff, rolling my eyes.
