Page 134 of Packed in the Fire house

As young teenagers, we would often joke that Storm was going to deck the first guy I got serious about dating. The memory made me chuckle as I thought about him trying to punch Rune, who was easily twice his size.

“Luckily for me, I'm dating a pack that includes a giant.”

Storm looked at me for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. “When I heard what happened to Luka, I swear to God, it took five years off my life.”

Looking at the ground, I blinked rapidly to try and stop the flow of tears that were threatening to spill over. “Yeah, this isn't something I'm going to forget anytime soon.”

“Can you promise no more secrets? If you've got any more skeletons in the closet, can you just tell me now so it's out in the open? I don't think I could take any more surprises.”

Walking around the counter, I put my arm around Storm and pulled him in close. “No more secrets. I’m serious,” I muttered, squeezing him tightly.

When we pulled apart, he smirked at me, that usual glee back on his face. “Luckily for me, I've made friends with your pack mates, so they’re on my side and more than happy to help me out.”

“That’s not fair!”

“That’s family.” He laughed as I threw one of the bags of marshmallows that was sitting on the counter at him.

After the emotional exhaustion of dealing with my brother, I had opted to take a long nap in my nest. Instead of leaving, my brother had lingered, saying he wanted to hang out with his nephew and his new brothers-in-law.

Having him around did make me feel that little bit more secure.

Eventually Luka had joined me in the nest for a nap. We were both exhausted, and he had been starting to fuss. We hadn't been asleep for long, only an hour or two at most.

Luka had woken before me, and Walker had come into the bedroom and plucked him out of my arms, insisting I get a bit more rest. In my half-sleepy state, I had listened to him, rolled over, and gone back to sleep.

I was starting to regret that now.

There were people in my house.

Not my usual people, but different ones. I could just make out a feminine voice.

Biting my lip, I shuffled down the stairs.

“Sunny!” Kennedy’s happy voice called out, right before I was engulfed in a tight hug. “How are you?” she asked, pulling back, holding me by the upper arms as she took me in. Her violet and vanilla scent hit me right in the face, and my hands itched to pull her in for another hug. Omegas were just made to be cuddly, and their scent was especially soothing to other omegas. Kennedy was also part of my family, so her scent was just good vibes all around.

“O-okay,” I stammered. “Why are you here?”

Kennedy scrunched her nose. “Girl, I mean this in the nicest way, but you stink. Why aren’t you hiding in your nest while your guys service your every need?”

“It’s notthatbad,” I mumbled.

Kennedy matched my expression. “You look like death warmed up because you are putting off going into heat. It looks like I came just in time.”

“Why are you here?” I asked.

Kennedy bit her lip. “I think I'll let your pack explain,” she said, grabbing my hand and dragging me into the kitchen, where everyone was gathered.

Storm and his pack, Blaze’s mom, and even Kennedy’s best friend Beth, who I hadn’t seen in a long time or even hardly spoken to, were standing in the kitchen, snacking on all the treats Rune had, no doubt, spread across the counters.

I looked questioningly at Walker, who was leaning against the kitchen counter, a bottle of beer in hand as he talked with Eli. I couldn’t make out their conversation, but they seemed happy enough.

“Sunshine!” Blaze shouted, spotting me. “How are you feeling?”

“O-okay. I would like an explanation as to why our house is so full of people.”

“We’re here for your heat!” Kennedy exclaimed, bouncing on the spot next to me. “Well, we're not here for you, technically. We are all here to keep an eye on Luka.”

I looked at her with a blank expression, unable to form words. “W-what do you mean?”

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