Page 8 of Lost and Pound

“I have an hour before I need to be at the community center. Want to get a shower while I badly wrap some gifts for one of the pack kids? If you come, I can introduce you to people and you can have some cake.” I turned the rig down the main road, making my way to our little gated community.

“I don’t know if I’ll be great company… Screaming kids may not be up my alley at the moment.” I rubbed my shoulder anxiously and earned a dark chuckle in response.

“Awesome. Keep that energy. We can use it to leave early,” I said, giving him a conspiratorial laugh. “Love them to death, but screaming kids aren’t my deal, either.”

Nico’s posture drooped a little from what I could tell from the corner of my eye, relaxing at the knowledge he didn’t have to stay. “Shower it is!”

I took another turn and pulled up to the brick gateposts before reaching up to prod the opener. The metal gates scrolled open, and I rolled forward. “Well, me casa, es su casa.”

Nico sat up and glanced around, eyeballing all the cookie cutter houses and up the street where the apartment complex had been built.Singles’ housing.It was also attached to the community center, giving it a somewhat industrial appearance.

“That one your house?” He pointed toward the complex, and I laughed.

“No, those are the apartments. I live there.” I pointed off to the side as I rolled in to the end of the road and up a roundabout drive. The only difference between my house and the others was the space for parking a rig and the plot. Since my lot was used for a lot of functions, it was bigger. Also, it gave the kids an area to run in that the other adults didn’t have to mow.

He stared at the house, brow furrowed, and I pulled up to the driveway and up the circle drive. “Go ahead and ask.”

“Why don’t— Sorry, I don’t want to judge…” He shrank and quieted, curling up small in the seat.

“Why don’t I have a big fancy house?” He chuckled. “And you’ll probably be shocked I have a job.”

His head whipped to the side, eyes wide.

“We’re not a traditional pack. I’m alpha enough to keep the council happy. We’re kinda a big family. Families have heads, not wardens. Alphas aren’t royalty. Besides, if I live frugally, it means there’s more for everyone else.” I relaxed in my seat and shot him a half grin. “I never got off on the wholealpha lordthing.”

The concept seemed to shock him, and I waited for the interest he’d showed in me earlier to fade away. Omegas wanted powerful and successful alphas—and I wasn’t the showboat of an alpha he’d come to expect. Frankly, it was the reason I’d not sought out a mate. The best chance an omega had at happinesswas often at the hands of the wealthy and powerful. Though, as I studied his face, his posture and scent—under the cloying surface of baby wipe was still the slight interest.

As an omega, his instincts would tell him to yield to me, and he did. “That’s so nice.”

I grinned. “My pack thinks so.”

He followed my lead and hopped out of the truck, sliding from the height to walk on unsteady feet. I circled around and offered him a hand, pleased when he leaned on my arm for a moment before righting himself. “Thanks.”

I guided him toward the front door, opening up for him before I went back into the car to get the gifts and cake. When I brought them back in, he stood in the entryway, frozen with uncertainty, as I gestured him toward the bathroom. “Feel free to use anything in there.”

We parted ways, and I had to admit I gave him a subtle look up and down as he slipped by me. Likewise, I think he glanced my way a little, pale eyes darkening over his shoulder. If he had any skill at seduction, he wasn’t flaunting it, but the shy interest heated me more than any sort of salacious flirtation an educated omega could give.

“Thanks again, really.” He gave me a shy smile and closed himself off in the restroom, and within moments, I could have sworn I heard a grateful moan when the water turned on.

I had gifts to wrap… Well, to stuff in bags with some tissue.

Glancing around my home, the place neat and clean, as I paid one of the disabled pack members to tidy up when she was having good days. It helped her immensely, and I didn’t have to live in chaos. Admittedly, it did have its downsides—like not knowing where my fucking scissors were.

It must have taken a while, but by the time I found my scissors, Nico stepped out of the bathroom, blond hair layingflat, and ended up curling. The towel around his shoulders surrounded him like the ruff of his wolf.

Nico approached me without caution, a sign of his trust as he took the scissors from my hand to snip a tag. The shoes I’d found had a hang tag stuck to them and far more glitter than any shoe I’d ever wear. A coy smile stretched his lips as he helped me bag the presents and pack tufts of tissue into the right places. Admittedly, it was far better of a job than I would have done, and it made me smile. “Thank you. I’m sure Kenny will love it.”

“A boy?” Nico frowned, and I nodded.

“Yeah. Cutest little brunette. Parents joined the pack two years ago to give him a better start. Loves glitter, the little magpie.” The cake had a substantial amount of pink icing on it, but I didn’t draw attention to it. Kenny liked pink, and while some of the kids at his human school poked fun at him about it, the wolves didn’t. Sexuality, gender, and identity had little to do with colors. Also, his reason for it was rather more in tune with his wolf.

As if on cue, my front door opened and excited little boy footsteps charged through. Blake walked behind him as Kenny raced into my kitchen, eyes wide, face split into a gap-toothed grin.

“Pink!” At nine years old, Kenny could scream at a pitch that made my ears ring. I winced as he danced around excitedly. “Meat-colored caaaaake!”

Aaaand there the crux of it lay. Wolves liked meat. Meat was pink, for the most part.

The reaction curbed when Kenny spied Nico, little nose twitching as his freckled face stilled. “Hi! Who’re you?”

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