Page 134 of Mark & Don't Tell

“Is everything okay?” Worry filters down the line, but I don’t have time to waste.

Sighing, I gather up my things, using my shoulder to hold the phone in place. “I don’t know. I promise I’ll tell you everything once you’re here.” Tension rides me, and I prepare for some type of argument, some demand to tell him now. That’s not my pack, I remind myself, and Kai proves me right when he simply says, “Okay. I’ll see you in a minute.”

“Thanks.” I hang up and stop by Megan’s office. Knocking on her door, I peek my head inside. “Hey, Megan.”

She beams at me. “Daria! I’m sorry. I meant to stop by sooner, but I’m swamped. How’s everything?”

“Uh, okay.” I scrunch my forehead. “I hate to do this, but my little brother needs me, and he doesn’t have anyone else to come get him.”

“Family is important, and it’s almost the end of the day, anyway. Go ahead.”

“Thank you so much.”

Megan nods and puts her hand on her chest. “I hope everything is okay.”

I wave but don’t respond, for fear of word vomiting about my family drama. The elevator seems to take longer than usual. Unease swirls in my gut, nausea threatening to make me lose my lunch. Finally, the carriage reaches the lobby, and I push out of the elevator, shouting a hurried apology to everyone else and dashing out of the door.

Kai’s SUV is idling at the curb.

I wrench the door open, getting in in record time. “I need to go get my little brother. My mom is unhinged, and I’m scared, and we need to go now, okay?”

“What’s the address?” He taps into the map on his dash screen and types it in as I rattle it off.

“Take the quickest route, okay?”

His forehead lines with sympathy as he starts to drive, but before he can ask more, a call comes through. “It’s my mom. She’s been trying to get a hold of me for a while now.” He hits the answer button. “Hey, Mom.”

“Well, look who’s finally decided to take my calls.” The teasing is evident in her tone, and Kai chuckles.

“I’m sorry for taking so long to get back to you. How are you?”

“I’m fine. What has you so distracted? Is it an omega?”

His gaze flies to mine, one eyebrow lifting. Can I tell her?

I nod, chewing on my cheek and waiting for his mom’s reaction as he tells her they’ve been courting an omega. He omits some of the truth, like I had with Jane, because again, telling the world that we’re officially a pack is a decision we all need to make together.

“Well, she must be something if you’re ignoring my calls.” There’s no resentment in her words, only curiosity...and maybe hope?

“She’s amazing. The guys and I are honestly still wondering what she sees in us.”

“She’s nice to Vic?” his mom asks.

My chest clenches, hating that even Kai’s mother knows how shitty their ex was to the beta.

“She loves Vic,” Kai says, smiling at me. “And she’s listening to our call.”

“Malakai! You should have told me sooner.” His mom pauses. “Hello, mystery omega.”

“Hi,” I say with a soft laugh, thankful for the distraction as we drive to the shit show that’s no doubt waiting for us at my mom’s. “I’m Daria.”

“Daria, huh? That’s a pretty name. I’m Polly.”

“Nice to sort of meet you.”

She laughs. “I won’t keep you, but make sure you treat my son’s pack well. They need an omega who sees how wonderful they are.”

“They are pretty great,” I tell her. “And I promise they’re being taken care of.”

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