Page 33 of This Pack of Ours

“Thank you so much for saving Juni,” Kit said breathlessly. Vander’s expression was tense, looking almost panicked as Kit pulled away.

Kit rocked on his feet, his hands balling in his sleeves.

“Juni told me what happened. I’m not mad. I’m just glad she’s safe.”

“Whatever,” said Vander, not meeting Kit’s eyes.

God, I wanted to slap him.

“Um, hi,” Kit said, turning to greet the others, who were staring at him.

“Wow,” said Adrian.

“You look lovely,” piped Jhin, lifting Kit’s hand and pressing a kiss to it. Kit bit his lip.

“Lovely?” Ez lifted a brow momentarily. “You look so fucking hot, Kit.”

Adrian elbowed him.

“What!? Hedoes,” Ez said, folding his arms. He turned to me.

“Juniper. Rockin’ the casual look this evening. Still also lookin’ really f?—”

Adrian literally clamped his hand over Ez’s mouth as I gave him a glare. Ez wriggled out of his grip.

“Truth-haters,” he said with a scowl.

Jhin offered his hand to Kit, and Kit took it, shooting me a nervous but excited smile as Jhin pressed a kiss to the back of his hand. I gave what I hoped was an encouraging one in return as Jhin escorted him up the stairs to the door, Adrian right behind.

This was gonna suck.

Vander peeled himself off the wall to stalk up the stairs.

“M’lady,” Ez said, holding his hand out. For a second, I wondered if he was mocking me, but I didn’t honestly think he was capable of that.

“Oh, I’m okay,” I said, adjusting my laptop case.

“Aw please? I’ve always wanted to do this,” he said, his eyes shining with hope. I felt a little guilt tug at me for the way I’d snapped at him at the end of my heat.

“Fine,” I said, and he gave me that stunning grin. He straightened his back, gave a little bow, and took my arm to lead me up the stairs. I rolled my eyes even though I felt a flicker of happiness, but that quickly died as I remembered this was Kit’s date. Not mine.

Antonio’s was dimly lit, and one of the cleaner places to go around here. Neon signs adorned the walls and the TVs by the bar were showing the hockey game playing at Oxford Arena tonight. I tugged my arm out of Ez’s as we entered and waited to be seated at a separate table.

“You’re not sitting with us?” Ez asked. I shook my head.

“Got work to do,” I muttered.

“Okay, see you later!” Ez cheerily waved before stepping beside Kit and smoothly taking his hand. Jhin’s eyes flicked to me before I walked away. I got my own small table in a dark corner, where I could still see their booth, but not hear it over the low music and buzz of conversation that seeped through the place. The waitress came by, and I ordered water and a side of fries. I pulled out my laptop, forcing myself to run through this month’s numbers properly.

Shit. It was worse than I’d thought.

I hadn’t told anyone yet that I didn’t actually know how much longer we’d be able to run the Safe House. I’d started it with the inheritance my dad left me, and no matter what I did, we dug further and further into those funds each month.

Kit’s aunt, Dee, had done all the number stuff at the start. She had been amazing, the one to take my idea and make it into a reality. A safe haven for packless omegas in heat. But she’d passed two years earlier, and I’d been struggling ever since.

My cell phone buzzed, offering a mental reprieve from my depressing reality.

Daisy: How’s he doing?

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