Page 134 of Scent of Home

“That’s your answer to everything, isn’t it? Let it go, say nothing?” Lia is furious, her face turning red, but her eyes are full of pain, too. What the fuck happens to kids when their parents get famous?

The tension at the table skyrockets.

“Enough!” I bark. “Ryn, would making waves against Alpha Labels hurt you?”

Ryn hesitates.

“Then we do nothing for now and see how things turn out in the future.”

“You can’t make that decision,” Ryn growls.

“I can. I’m Locke’s alpha, but I’m also a contract lawyer, and I’m well-versed in how they operate. Trust me. This is the best outcome, leave it alone.”

Ryn blinks at me and then looks away.

I stand up. “It was nice to meet you, but I don’t want to be away from Locke long, and it’s already been an uncomfortable amount of time.”

They murmur goodbyes, and I leave them to argue amongst themselves.

When I go back in, Locke is lying on his side, his face buried in Finn’s throat. Brayson is curled up behind him, spooning him, and Shane is beside him, reading a book.

“Come here, Alpha,” Shane rumbles. He crooks a finger. I crawl up on the bed and into his arms. I lay against his chest while he continues reading. “Is it all sorted?”

“It's sorted,” I murmur.

Shane pulls the blankets up over us and sets his book down. He shifts his weight, moving us so we’re laying down, my form draped over his body.

“They’re okay,” he whispers.

“They’re okay,” Brayson murmurs back.

“We’re okay,” I answer them both. “Everything is going to be fine.”

Today is the daywe go back home, but the minute I step onto the stairs to leave the hotel, everything feels weird. I’m cautious as I step towards the first floor, but then I see the balloons and all the people.

As soon as Locke follows me, the crowd bursts into a loud shout of “Surprise!”

I force a smile as I spot Alma, Eustice, Doctor James. Old Martin and his surly brother Poldark. On and on, I see all the people that I’ve met in the last couple of weeks, including Locke’s four cousins. Holly, Jess, and her mother. Willy and Sanderson.

Locke quickly leaves my side, smiling as he’s pulled from person to person. Finn, the perfect collie for this purpose, smiles and gracefully ferries him around, while I linger in the shadows with Shane and Bray.

It takes me a moment to notice the change in the air. Brayson has been stroking my hip, but somewhere in the last few seconds, it changed from a gentle soothing touch into a teasing stroking that makes me catch my breath.

“Bray,” I warn.

“What’s the matter, Alpha?” he murmurs in my ear.

I shudder, which catches Shane’s attention. He growls and grips my waist, lifts me off my feet and, with a furtive look, carries me out the back. I barely have a chance to blink in the light before I’m roughly thrown up against a wall. His tongue invades my mouth, his kiss aggressive and full of need. Shane almost tears my jeans off me and lets out a growl when he finds me wet.

“No more jeans,” he snarls. “I hate them.”

I pant, rocking my hips against his fingers as they thrust in and out and curl up into me.

“Brayson!” I pant out.

He just shrugs with a wicked grin on his face.

“What if someone sees?”

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