Page 92 of Pack Baines

“Got to get you something on your birthday. Get over it, kid,” Mack snorts, taking his child from me before inhaling. With a hungry rumble, he says, “I’m gonna see if any of that food is done. I’m fucking starving.”

He’s gone before I can utter a word, and I laugh at that particular familiarity. Peeking into the gift bag and finding two cases of cupcakes I know Gabby baked herself, I grin and run them into the house, hiding them from sight in case someone gets the crazy idea of stealing one. I will literally gnaw off their arm if they try, and since today is supposed to be a celebration, it’s probably best I hide them. I consider it my daily good deed. I mean, I’m basically saving someone's life, right?

Chuckling to myself, I start to make my way out of the kitchen, only pausing when the door opens and the twins come striding inside. They don’t see me at first, whispering to one another animatedly, and I lean against the counter as I watch them for a moment before clearing my throat. Both of them startle, and I grin at the pair when one grins back and the other playfully glares.

“That’s not cool,” Lowie grips, striding over to press a hard kiss to my mouth. When he pulls back, I’m still grinning, and he rolls his eyes with a lip twitch of a suppressed smile. “What are you doing in here, anyway? Don’t you have guests to mingle with?”

I shrug, accepting three consecutive kisses from Leylan, learning early on that they stand for ‘I love you’, before answering, “Mack ditched me because there was food. Silver is being a pain in my ass and teasing me with a gift that I know with certainty is too much, and I had a gift of Gabby-made cupcakes I had to hide. What are you guys up to?”

“It’s a surprise,” Leylan answers, winking before waltzing away without a care in the world.

“Alright then,” I drawl, shaking my head with a bemused laugh.

Lowie finally blesses me with a grin, and says, “It’s our gift to you. We figured we could get away with this one, since we didn’t actually spend money on it.”

My eyebrows pinch in confusion as I wonder what that could possibly mean, but then Lowie is taking my hand and dragging me back outside, leading me straight to the pack that quickly became my second family.

Rage and Haze stand and hug me at the same time as soon as I reach their little circle, offering me birthday wishes before claiming their seats again.

“We left your gift on the table over there,” Haze informs, and my head snaps up, my gaze landing on a table that holds several gifts already.

“Fuck my life,” I mutter, and Aero laughs as he yanks me into a tight hug, picking me off the ground and swinging me around like the dramatic little omega he is.

“Don’t be a stickler, hon. We’re allowed to buy you shit,” he teases, pressing a kiss to my temple before releasing me. “Anyway, only three of them were bought. The other was made with time, sweat, blood and anger. Also, a joint endeavor I never expected, but that’s all you’re getting out of me.”

“Alright then, you ominous dick,” I snicker, shoving him playfully out of the way, making him laugh as he dramatically falls back into his seat.

Pace replaces him the next second, side-hugging me tightly, his shoulder fixed up and good as new. He still holds some guilt over the accident, kidnapping, and attempted murder, but we’re working on it. “Happy birthday, June.”

“Thanks,” I grin, patting him on the back before releasing him and claiming a seat on Munro’s arm of the chair.

My platonic twin flame pats my leg and smiles up at me, a rare expression from the thundercloud beta, and asks, “How close to a conniption are you from all the gifts?”

“Too close, Ro. Too fucking close,” I breathe, shaking my head at his snort. “But thank you, anyway. Even though no one listened to me, it’s nice. I’m enjoying myself.”

“And that’s all that matters,” he volleys, flicking my hair from my face before taking a long draw of his beer.

Nodding, I lean into the chair and Munro’s shoulder before asking the whole pack, “So, have you guys figured out what you’re gonna do about the whole living situation? You know you’re all welcome here.”

Pace is already shaking his head, and I know the answer I’ll receive before he says it. “We’re not going to impose. You guys have only been bonded for, what, five weeks?”

“Six,” Munro and I correct at the same time, rolling our eyes at one another straight after.

“Whatever. We’re not moving here and bursting the little love bubble you guys have going on right now,” he finishes, shrugging like it’s no big deal.

I sigh, finishing my beer and placing the empty bottle at my feet. “Fine. I’m not getting into that argument again with you.”

The others laugh, already used to the bickering between Pace and I. No matter how many times me and the guys offer, we’re constantly rebuffed, despite the space we have here. It wouldn’t be a hardship to house pack Larsen until they get back on their feet, but Pace is as stubborn as I am and simply won’t go for it. Is it a pride thing? Fuck knows. It could be. But no matter what it is, he refuses my offer regardless.

Lost in thought, I run my eyes over the yard, finding Silver and her cousin laughing. I move on from them, still thinking, before a lightbulb goes off in my head and my gaze snaps back to my bubblegum bestie. An idea forms in my head, and I find myself blurting, “What about Silver’s place? She has way more room than us, and there’s only her living there. Pretty sure she mentioned posting an ad for roommates last week. That’s always an option.”

Munro goes stone still, but I ignore the prickly bastard, already used to the way he and Silver fight like cats and dogs. Pace, however, appears to mull over the idea while Aero looks over at Silver and narrows his eyes, the twins avoiding the conversation altogether.

Shrugging, I mutter, “Just think about it. Silver’s place is better than homeless, if you ask me. If you’re not going to accept my offer to stay here, then take the next best thing. I can even talk to Silver for you, if you’d like.”

When I don’t receive an answer, I sigh and decide to go mingle again.

“I’ll be back when the atmosphere doesn’t seem so strained,” I snicker, hugging Munro, who offers a squeeze back stiffly before letting me wander away.

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