Page 37 of Rome's Mate: Hunted Omegas

“If it doesn’t come back for some protein. Where are you going?”

“I’m going to do a walk around, get to know some of the pack.”

“Have fun! I know a lot of them have been hoping to spend time with the alpha-mate,” Sheela said, smiling.

“Thanks.” Amelia held up her muffin and took a big bite before heading to the door.

She stopped on the porch; it was large and went from one corner of the pack house to the other, but only in the front. Rome had told her that she didn’t want a wraparound porch in the private space of his office. Saul and Theron had their own private spaces in the pack house and felt the same. The other brothers had dens that circled the pack lands. They were the first line of defense. She couldn’t imagine what they must have gone through in their long lifetimes.

Once the muffin was devoured, she started walking the pack lands with her bottle of juice in hand.

“Alpha-mate.” She couldn’t help but smile as Janice called for her and waved as if she’d missed her.

“Janice.”

“Can you sit for a while?”

“I can.” Janice’s porch was big enough for two rocking chairs and a small swing on the other side. By her rocking chair, she had a small pack-n-play for Ariella.

“Would you like to hold her?” The shock must have shown on her face, judging by the way Janice laughed at her. “You won’t hurt her, be careful though she likes to grab.”

“Hi, beautiful girl,” Amelia said after Janice handed the baby to her. “I keep calling you a baby, but you must be close to a year.”

“Ten months. I wonder to myself as I watch her grow, how has so much time passed?”

Amelia rocked Ariella, staring into her pretty brown eyes. “I wonder how the time flies. There was a time in my life when every day felt like a year and now, I’m here with Rome and each day seems to go faster while I’m screaming at them to slow down.”

“You love him.”

Amelia looked at Janice; she wanted her to see the truth in her eyes. “With every beat of my heart.”

Janice laughed, a happy sound that had her daughter cooing. “I had a feeling when I first met you.”

“Sure, you did.”

“I did. I’m not sure what it was. Maybe the way Alpha seemed so protective of you. I’ve never seen him act like that towards another female. He doesn’t have temporary flings with any of the female wolves or the males. We assume he scratches that itch in town and doesn’t talk about it. I’m happy to see that the two of you are together. You’re fated mates, you have to be.”

“We are.” Janice hummed a song while Amelia rocked Ariella. It was peaceful and Amelia could see herself on the porch rocking her child.

Janice’s song ended on a sour note and Amelia could feel the sudden tension in the air. She opened her eyes to see a young woman approaching.

“That’s Brittany, we took her in a year ago because she didn’t have anywhere to go.”

Brittany was the wolf that tripped Amelia’s wires when Rome called everyone together for a pack meeting.

“Hello alpha-mate and Janice. Alpha-mate, I’ve been wanting to meet you. I was beginning to think you didn’t like associating with the pack.”

It was official, she didn’t like Brittany. There was an air of elitism around her, like she was better than everyone in the pack.

“What would give you that idea? I’m out and about all the time.”

“True, but you always have one of them with you.” Brittany shuddered delicately.

Amelia’s eyes widened, but she didn’t think this was the time to address that statement.

“I’m here now. If it’s okay with Janice, you can have a seat.” Janice reached for Ariella, holding her close to her chest before nodding her head.

“Janice knows I don’t like babies. I mean, what are they good for?”

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