Page 14 of Pack Larsen

SILVER:How ever will you survive, you drama queen? Heading out in two minutes. I’m bringing a friend. Be nice.

His reply comes quickly.

ALEK:Oh. You’re not dead. So you’re deliberately ruining my life. Love that for me.

Shaking my head with a smile, I tuck my cell back in my pocket, lifting my head, only for my gaze to collide with an intense pair of honey-colored irises. Pace doesn’t look away. In fact, his eyes narrow slightly, as though he’s challenging me in some sort of way.

When I don’t speak, he relents and asks, “Am I allowed to ask where you’re taking my omega?”

Oh. No. I don’t like the fierce wave of fire that burns through my veins as soon as his words register, a nasty jealousy flooding me from head to toe. Where it came from would be anyone’s guess, but it’s there, burning a hole through my chest like acid, and my words come out in a harsher bite than I would have added had the green-eyed monster not caught me in its damned clutches. “How about you ask him yourself? I’m not his damned keeper. If he wants you to know, then he’ll tell you.”

Pace genuinely looks shocked, and it doesn’t escape me the way the twins share a look I can’t decipher. I ignore it all, doing my best to bottle the feelings that now rage inside me. Why does Aero being called Pace’s omega bother me so much? I mean, that’s what he is, right? They’re a pack, it makes sense. And yet, for some reason, my mind is screaming at me that it should be me that he should be calling his.

Which is fucking crazy.

Absolutely insane.

I’ve barely spoken to the guy, their beta hates my guts, and the twins are so beyond indifferent that they haven’t spared me a single word since they got here. Aero seems to be the only one of the five who actually likes me, who wants to be friends and get to know me.

So, why am I all bent out of shape over a single word?

Fucking hell, I need to get out of here.

Thankfully, Aero comes back, his sweats and white t-shirt still in place, only now he’s wearing a backwards hat that tames his inky hair which usually hangs in waves down to his shoulders and a pair of sneakers that look similar to mine. Great, it looks like we’re doing that weird ‘matching couple outfits’ thing. Alek is going to mock me so hard.

“Ready,” he proclaims the moment he’s back, grinning that same grin that rendered me dumbstruck earlier, but I shake myself out of it much quicker with that little monster still clinging to me.

“Let’s go,” I mutter, jerking my head toward the front door.

Before we take a step, Pace’s deep baritone stops us. “Hold up. Where the hell are you going?”

Aero turns with a grimace. “Did I forget to mention? I’m going with Silver to see her cousin and his pack.”

“You’re meeting Silver’s family?” Haze finally speaks, and his voice is like melted butter, warming me up from the inside out. Thankfully, my sudden ratty mood stops my body from releasing any perfume that would give any kind of arousal away, my body on lockdown while I continue to battle the green-eyed monster that won’t unlatch it’s fucking claws from my shoulders.

“I thought we were busy today?” Rage blandly wonders, his voice not quite as smooth as his brother’s, a slight rasp to his words that makes me shiver. I’m pretty sure he notices, too, because those stormy-ocean eyes fall on me and they darken before he drags his gaze back to Aero. “How are you allowed to play hooky?”

I have no idea what other plans they all had that might have included Aero, but I’ll be damned if they steal him from me now. I already told Alek I was bringing a friend, and I find that I actually want Aero’s company. I like talking to him, like his smiles and presence, and scent. Hell, I just like the fucking guy. So, he’s coming with me, come hell or high water.

Rolling my eyes, I reach for Aero’s hand and drag him with me as I begin stepping backward, declaring to the alphas in the room, “Get over it, losers. You’ve had him for years, so now it’s my turn. Learn to share.”

With that, I start dragging him away. It’s a slow endeavor, because Aero suddenly bursts into righteous laughter that makes me both roll my eyes and smile. It’s infectious enough that I accidentally snicker, but I don’t stop trying to pull him away.

We’re not even out of the kitchen before the jackass asks through his chuckles, “I thought you were ignoring them?”

“What the hell?” Pace blurts, and I turn my head to find him scowling at me now.

Haze and Rage are both looking puzzled, though the former looks more bothered than the other, before Haze asks, “Why are we being ignored?”

“Why aren’t you being ignored?” Rage asks Aero, avoiding my gaze completely.

“Because he isn’t an asshole who ignored my attempt to invite you to dinner last night. Enjoy the pizzas I bought you, they’re in the fridge. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a cousin to terrorize, food to taste, and a place to be that isn’t here with you thundering fuck sticks,” I snap back, forgetting again that I’m ignoring them.

With renewed strength, I finally begin to pull Aero away from the alphas who hurt my stupid, little feelings last night, ignoring the humored expression on his face. I already know what he’s going to say before he opens his mouth, and I cut him off before he utters a word. “Don’t. I already know. I’m not good at this ignoring thing.”

“No shit,” he snickers, linking our fingers before he starts walking of his own accord.

It doesn’t distract me from my new rotten mood, but there are new butterflies in my belly that I have to Google how to kill, and I don’t bother retracting my hand from his. The warmth is too nice, the comfort, and the strange familiarity. As though it’s a normal, regular occurrence between us both.

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