Page 49 of Packed Up In Vegas

Diego’s sentiments echoed mine exactly. She was it for me. This sweet, beautiful omega that welcomed me into her life and her body. My mate.

Kai and Diego followed me around the pack house like a pair of pups. It was cute as hell, and I felt almost ridiculously safe to have them flanking me wherever I went.

We had stayed in the nest most of yesterday, emerging to eat, but otherwise I was too ridiculously comfortable with them to consider doing much more. I still had to figure out a lot of my life, but at least I had a nest that made me purr just looking at it and two alphas who were all too willing to attend to my every whim.

When we came down for lunch, Miles was sitting at the island with his tablet, his brow pinched as he stared at the screen.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

“Just trying to figure out the schedule. I can’t officially take the pack off it right now, so I’ve just been pushing their shows and communicating with other performers to make sure all the slots get filled.”

I frowned. “I made things harder on you.”

Miles’s gaze snapped toward me. “No.” He sighed. “No, Callie, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

I inched closer, turning back briefly to discover that Kai and Diego had vanished. Apparently I was spending time with Miles now. A refreshing crispness hung in the air around him. It reminded me a bit of the forests around Seattle where I’d grown up, with the conifers and moss-covered ground, moisture thick in the air. I got nearer, trying to discreetly sniff, realizing his scent blockers must have finally vacated his system.

Warmth rippled down my torso when he turned more fully to me, sending a cloud of that clean, mountain air scent toward me.

“Everything all right?” he asked.

“You smell nice.” My cheeks toasted as I said it, but it was the truth.

Miles glanced down at himself like he hadn’t quite realized the scent was coming from him. “Oh, yeah, my scent finally came back during the night. I take a pretty hefty dose of the blockers so I can be clearheaded to manage the heats.”

“Do you have to go back on them?” I glided toward him like I was magnetized, stopping mere inches away. “For work?”

“Ah, no. There are other methods I can use.”

I sat down on the barstool next to him. “Good.”

“Are you hungry?” Miles asked after a beat of silence. “I can make you something. Or we can order in?”

“What’s your go-to?”

“If I’m not making it, Thai food. If I’m in the kitchen, then, um, grilled cheese?”

He was so stiff, nerves practically radiating off him. It was strange how different he was now than when I’d met him and we’d talked together so easily. Maybe he didn’t know how to handle me when I wasn’t in crisis mode.

“I love grilled cheese. With tomato soup for dipping, of course. Can’t separate the food sisters.”

“We only have canned soup,” he said carefully. “But I could pick up fresh tomatoes.”

I snorted. “Miles, I’m not above canned soup. Why are you being so weird?”

“Because.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “It’s my fault you’re in this situation and frankly I’m worried you’re going to hate me forever for it.”

I tapped my fingers on the counter. “Listen, it’s not ideal by any means, but, Miles…my life was pretty fucked before you got your paws on it. You gave me a new future to work toward right when I thought there was nothing left for me. Besides, you didn’t do it on purpose, right?”

“God, no.”

“Then I could never hate you. We’re all just doing our best, I think.”

Tension leaked out of him like a punctured balloon. “I just want everyone to be okay, and there’s still a lot we need to sort and fix, but I’m glad you don’t hate me.”

I nudged him with my elbow. “Should we get started on that lunch, then?”

“I suppose we should.” He offered a tentative smile. “Can’t have our omega going hungry.”

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