Page 23 of Pack Favero

“Well, yeah, she does. But I mean, what’s the smell coming from in here,” Alek mumbles, fists still in his eyes like he’s trying to rub his eyesight back to normal. Bloody idiot.

Hiding my smile behind my hand, I watch Alek just as the omega in question laughs loudly, and Alek drops his hands suddenly, eyes now wide with shock. “Holy shit. Zira.”

“Dumbass,” Ford snickers, entering the kitchen, seemingly recovering faster than his brother and Alek. He doesn’t hesitate as he steps close to Zira, offering her a quick hug as she dries her hands, and says, “Morning, pretty girl. What brings you here?”

I can see from the knowing gleam in his eye that he’s already aware, and I roll my own as I realize he, too, knew Zira was planning on unleashing us from the doghouse.

“You’re both shitheads,” I declare, and Ford sends me a smug look that makes Zira laugh and swat him with a towel.

“I made my apology with words and food. Dig in beforeit gets cold,” she commands sternly, and it lights something in my chest that I never want extinguished. Absolutely maddening. “I have an hour to get to the gym and set up, so enjoy your breakfast, guys.”

She flashes us a pleased grin, happy with herself now that she’s offered her apology and cooked us a feast, and folds the tea towel and replaces it before folding her now empty tote bag and tucking it beneath her arm.

“Woah, wait, you’re going to the gym?” Alek blurts, eyeing the food and then Zira.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she nods and explains, “I teach a class before working out on weekends.”

Interest sparks in my packmates eyes, and I know what he’s about to ask before he voices his question. “Would you mind if I tagged along?”

“But we have a—” Mac starts, right before Alek reaches for a hash brown and stuffs it into the twin’s mouth. Then, when he turns back to a wide-eyed and highly amused Zira, he says, “Ignore him. I’d love to join you if you’re up for company.”

Zira checks her watch and shrugs, giving in much easier than I would have expected. “Sure. If you can eat fast enough without being sick, then you’re welcome to come with.”

I swear on all that is good in the world, I’ve never seen the Viking devour so much food so quickly in all of the years I’ve known him. Which is saying a lot, because I’ve known him for over a decade after meeting at North Five university where I used to be a professor of business and he was a fresh student studying his craft of architecture. In all those years, I’ve never seen him inhale his food quite like he does now, and I’m all too amused as I watch Zira battle her amusement while the rest of us eat at a normal pace with her pinching small pieces of food from each of our plates while she waits.

When Ford playfully swats her hand away and shelaughs, I realize that this is the best morning I’ve had in eons. And I decide, here and now, that I will fight tooth and nail to have more of them, with my pack, and with Zira.

So, with that in mind, I finish the scrumptious breakfast and brush my hands off before asking, “Reckon there’s room for another on this trip to the gym?”

Zira’s smiling big as she shrugs. “I don’t know what you guys find so interesting about me going to the gym, but sure, the more the merrier, right?”

Famous last words, because we’re all dressing for the gym the next moment, soon following Zira out of the house and behind her car as she drives to the gym with us tucked in Alek’s truck directly behind her.

What a morning, indeed.

Chapter 8

Zira

Waking up Monday morning is a different affair than it usually is, and I have no doubt it’s because I spent most of my weekend with the pack, the pack I was determined to ignore before I realized I was being an idiot, when I wasn’t teaching class or visiting Mom

Instead, I spent yesterday morning at the gym, teaching a group of young girls gymnastics while I had an audience that tried and failed to pretend like they weren’t watching me and faking their workout routines. It was fun and hilarious, turning my head and catching them all watching before they darted their eyes away. The only thing missing was a false jaunty tune that would give away their watchful ways.

Even funnier was how they abandoned their workout routines entirely once class was over and the little Olympians-in-the-making went home for the day, to watch me openly, leaving me to my own workouts that consisted of stretching, pilates, and a heap load of jumps, tumbles, and varying other tricks I learned as a child. It’s the only thing in the world, besides playing the piano and reading, that Mom understood meant a lot to me. It calmed me, stole a lot of pent-up energy I’ve always been riddled with, and kept me sane during the tougher times of my childhood. So, even though we had very little money to get by with, Mom always somehow scraped up enough to continue my gymnastics lessons. Piano was a different story, though I continued learning with the use of tutorials and such instead of paying a tutor like I once had.

Lying in my clean and fresh nest, I laugh at Alek’s reaction the moment I was done, breathless and panting for airafter a vigorous workout.

“So, we have a gym at our house if you ever want to work out with me,”he’d said, entirely too impressed.“Maybe teach me how the fuck you did the splits standing up.”

Since my martial arts class is next weekend, he didn’t witness the badassery I’m actually capable of, so, of course, I accepted the invite to use his gym and work out with him, if for nothing other than to kick his ass at some point. It’ll be a funny little surprise for them all, and I'll get to brag that I downed the beastly Viking. There’s something exhilarating about the prospect.

Smiling widely, I jump out of bed and begin my morning routine, excited to get back to work after a week away. I’ve missed the library, my safe place other than my apartment. I miss seeing some of the kids, I miss being surrounded by books, and, most importantly but very secretively, I miss my daily visits from Barnes. Even when I was doing my best to be angry with him, he’d stop by and try to talk. I feel guilty, now, for icing him out, but I have found myself appreciating the way he’d been there every day without fail, hoping I’d give him the time of day again.

Anticipation thrums through me as I shower, dress, and style my hair. Donning a pair of above-the-ankle-length slacks and a chiffon shirt the same shade as Lazarus’s eyes, and styling my hair into loose waves with my outgrown bangs pinned behind my ears, I look myself over and nod, happy with today’s outfit.

By the time I have my four-inch pumps on and my purse slung over my shoulder, I’m practically vibrating with the need to get out of my apartment and back to the solitude of the library that has quickly become one of my favorite places in the world.

It takes very little time to get to work, only making a pit stop atGabby’sfor a freshly made iced coffee and a croissantfor breakfast, and the moment I’m seated behind my desk, surrounded by the scent of worn books, I find my zen. I’m in the zone and, with only a few waves at the students I’ve gotten to know over the months, I’m left to go about my morning without interruptions.

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