Page 54 of Pack Baines

“Why do I?” I counter, and we find ourselves grinning at one another, mirror expressions that the others laugh at.

“Oh my god, she’s literally a clone of him in chick form,” Aero laughs, relaxing in his seat like that explains everything. Because, truthfully, I don’t know why I’m comfortable enough to share food with Munro. I suppose it’s a ‘kindred spirit’ thing. We’ve not known each other long, but I already know he’s more like me than anyone else in the world.

“Literally Munro with tits. This is fucking trippy,” Haze snickers, biting into his burger. He waits until he swallows before muttering humorously, “Wait until we tell Pace. He’s not going to believe it.”

Rolling his eyes at the banter, Munro murmurs, “My pack, if you hadn’t already put two and two together.”

“Oh, no, I guessed as much when you told Aero to fuck off. I’m not as stupid as you look,” I quip, biting into my own burger before I almost choke on a laugh when he throws a fry at me. His lips are twitching, like he’s suppressing a smile, and it sets the table off once more.

Aero is shaking his head with a beaming smile by the time it quietens down again. “I like you, Female Munro. You can stay.”

“Gee, thanks,” I laugh, and that’s how the rest of lunch goes. Filled with banter and ribbing, getting to know Munro and his pack better, and finding myself enjoying the playful camaraderie. It makes me realize what I’ve been missing all these years, the friendships, the fun, the general comfort of spending time with people you like and seem to like you back.

By the time school lets up and I leave my last class with Munro at my side, I’ve already decided that I’m going to help them inany way I can. I’ll talk to the guys, see if they have any ideas on what we could do. I’ll look for places nearby for the pack, maybe offer them my dorm room since the guys already made me a nest in their house. Although… that might be a little presumptuous, since they haven’t asked me to move in or anything. Not that I expect them to. Or that I would say no if they did. But it could be a ‘when you’re here, you have a room’ kind of deal and not a ‘we made you a nest and want you to move in right this second. Or ever. Or… oh my god, is it warm in here? I feel warm.

“Why are you all flustered?” Munro asks, eyeing my rosy cheeks that feel hot to the touch.

Grimacing, I blurt, “My inner thoughts just sent me on a spiral. It’s nothing.”

He raises an eyebrow, and I shake my head with a groan, “I’m trying to think of ways to help you guys, and thought of possibly offering my dorm room and I’ll stay with my pack, but then I fell down a spiral because that sounds like I’m inviting myself to move in, and they haven’t asked, but they built me a nest, and I just want to help, but now I made it weird in my head.”

I’m damn near breathless by the time I’m down spewing words at Munro’s feet, and the guy simply stares at me for the longest time before he’s suddenly laughing so hard that I freeze as I stare at him in utter shock.

“I’m glad my troubles amuse you,” I blandly mutter, waiting for the dick to calm down.

It takes a minute, an obnoxious one at that, before he finally stops laughing. With a smile, he says, “Don’t overthink it, J. If they made you a nest in their house, then they obviously want you with them.”

“But we only just found each other again. There hasn’t been anywhere near enough time for the whole ‘move in with me’ spiel. And, in case your laughing jig made you forget, they haven’t asked me to move in so I’m not just going to invite myself to stay there,”I point out, feeling stupid for this whole thing. That’s what I get for trying to help; embarrassment and a boatload of overthinking.

“When did they make the nest?” Munro questions, raising an eyebrow.

I clear my throat. “Before I found them. They made one in their childhood home, too, while I was gone.”

The look I receive after that calls me several shades of dumbass, and it doesn’t go appreciated, but I get the point. I see what he’s saying without words, and I groan once more. “I get it. Wipe that look off your face. Anyway, I’m going to help you guys, I just need a brainstorming sesh. Do you mind if I talk to the guys about it? More heads are better than our two, right? If we can help make sure you guys don’t end up on the street, then we will.”

Munro shrugs, a seriousness overcoming him. “I guess. Could do with the help at this point. We got the notice a few days ago, and although Pace is trying his best, things are looking pretty bleak.”

Nodding, I offer a friendly bump of my shoulder and say, “I’ll talk to my pack. Maybe we can all have a brainstorm sesh over pizza or something.”

“Sounds good, J. I appreciate it,” he says with a bone-tired sigh.

With a parting smile, he leaves me to my musings, and I decide to head back to my dorm room to gather clothes for a sleepover Geo coerced me into. Not that I put up a fight, because it was Geo and we were naked, and there were a lot of orgasms, but still.

Pulling my cell out of my pocket, I tap my messages and open the group chat with the guys, typing out a quick message.

JUNO:Any plans for dinner?

Messages come in pretty quickly, like they usually do when I reach out to them, and I’m snickering as I wander along the path that will eventually spit me out at the dorms.

EVRON:Are you an option on the menu?

CREEK:You can choose, so long as you’re eating with us.

GEO:She’s sleeping over. I was very convincing in my efforts to get her to stay the night, so she’s definitely eating with us.

EVRON:Hell yeah! Sleep over!

LEYLAN:LOL I’m easy. What takes your fancy, Juju?

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