Page 81 of Pack Plus Three

“Jeremy deserves better than a selfish omega who would put him in danger. I dumbly thought you were a semi-competent woman, but apparently not. Now, I've realized my packmate is bonded to a reckless idiot. You’re about to be a mother, how the fu?—"

I was cut off as her hand landed on my cheek with considerable force. My head whipped to the side and my vision blurred from the impact.

She’d slapped me.

“Don’t you dare question my ability as a mother, Nathaniel Adler. I don't know what fucking high horse you think you rode in on, but I refuse to listen to it. If I want anyone’s opinions, I’ll ask my mate, you self-righteous pig.”

Her eyes held nothing but fury and tears as she stormed out of the room, leaving me shell-shocked in the middle of the kitchen.

Chapter 32

Jeremy

“What the fuck is your problem?” I thundered as I barrelled into Nate’s office, fully prepared to punch the arrogant fucker.

I had hurried home after the game, expecting to find my heavily pregnant omega curled up in her nest, resting. Something had felt off in my chest. Our bond was new, so I couldn’t tell if the distress was hers or my own. She was indeed curled up in her nest, but she wasn't resting. Her eyes had been red and swollen, and she had clearly been crying for a while.

It had taken a few minutes to coax what had happened out of her, and even then, I got the impression that she gave me a lighter version of events.

My pregnant omega was having twins, and Nate had the audacity to treat her badly?

As soon as I had comforted my omega until she had dropped off into a fitful sleep, I hunted down Nate. “You better have a fucking good reason for talking to my bonded mate like that.”

“Look, I didn’t mean to upset her, but she’s being so fucking reckless. Did she tell you what she did?”

I stared at him in disbelief. “You are projecting or some bullshit right now. She just went to the shop to get some candy, for god’s sake! I’m not going to stand by and let you treat her like shit.”

“I have every right to be upset if she’s acting like a whiny brat who’s putting my packmates in danger!”

“You are the one who is acting like a whiny brat, Nathaniel. I have sacrificed for everyone in this family, including you. The fucking least you could do is treat the woman I love with some care and consideration. I’m not fucking blind. It’s clear that you have feelings for her as well.”

I’d seen the way he looked at her when he thought no one was watching. He was just as enamored with her as Devon and me; he just refused to admit it.

“What the fuck have you sacrificed for me and Devon?” he spat. “We’ve supported you in every single one of your career choices. We moved here when you got signed to support you! We did that because we care, unlike your precious omega. What if that bus had crashed in the rain? Then where would you be?”

“Nate...” I shook my head. I had been surprised at his hateful words, but something clicked in my mind. He wasn't shouting out of anger. He was shouting out of fear. “Daisy isn’t Jilly,” I said through gritted teeth.

“I know that,” Nate snarled.

“Do you?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes, I do! Jesus.” He shook his head. The man looked a mess, bloodshot eyes and sandy hair sticking up at all angles. “I’m doing everything to keep this family together, and she’s risking it all!”

My own anger was only growing. We needed to have a fucking adult conversation, but my packmate was clearly lost in his own fear. My heart twisted in agony that Nate was hurting the one thing I held most precious. Daisy was my bonded mate. She was it for me, now. No matter what happened for the rest of my life, Daisy would be by my side. If Nate couldn't accept that, then he didn't belong in the pack—and that thought hurt. I loved him like a brother, and I didn't want him to go anywhere, but I couldn't stand by while he hurt the woman I loved.

“Nate, this family is a mess. I fucking hate hockey. I don’t want to be playing it. I’m only playing it for you!” I roared the last word, letting every bit of my fury seep into my words.

Nate’s brow creased as he glared at me, dumbstruck, like he couldn’t compute what I had just said. “What the fuck do you mean? You took on a $1,000,000 contract to help me? We were doing just fine financially. It’s not like we needed the money, so that’s bullshit.”

I took a deep breath. I could feel my body shaking as I tried to calm down. Rage simmered under my skin as I resisted the urge to just punch my packmate.

He needed to know the truth.

“Sure, we had enough money for our house and to live off of, but you know what we didn’t have enough money for? Your severing sickness meds! I never would have taken the contract if it didn’t have such good health insurance. Fuck it. I would happily walk away from hockey tomorrow. But that would make it difficult for you to get the medication you need to fucking live. And you are my family, and I make sacrifices for my family, just like Daisy is my family and those children are mine!”

Nate’s face drained of color, and he staggered back like I had actually punched him. “You’re lying. There’s no way. You love hockey,” he said in a weak voice.

“I loved it when I was a kid.” I shrugged, all the fight leaving me. “Look, I understand you're terrified. What happened between you and Jilly was a nightmare. But I can't let you hurt my mate because you’re scared.”

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