Page 49 of This Pack of Ours

“So now we’re working for them for free?” asked Vander.

“It’ll be good for you to keep busy," said Jhin, not looking up. They’d both been a bit short with each other this morning.

Jhin sat down next to Kit and helped him take notes, occasionally giving me his full, intense gaze as I spoke.

He was reviewing everything at the end, clicking through my documents, when he opened the budget spreadsheet I’d been on.

His eyes scanned the page, eyebrows furrowing, lips pressing together, but thankfully didn’t say anything as I snatched the laptop back.

“Hey, are there any visits planned for this week?” Kit asked, giving me a hopeful look. One of the key parts of the Safe House was convincing omegas they could trust us, and it was where Kit shone.

“Oh, just one or two. I’m going to do them later this week,” I lied. We couldn’t afford to bring on anyone new now. Couldn’t make promises we couldn’t keep.

“Oh, I just thought I should follow up with Elsie,” he continued. “I promised I’d see her again this week."

“No, I’ve got it,” I replied, not meeting his eyes. I knew he’d be hurt. Kit didn’t know how much trouble we were in, and I didn’t want him worrying. It was probably a good thing he’d leave with his pack soon, so he wouldn’t have to watch it all fall apart. Plus, he wouldn’t need it anymore, anyway.

I chewed my lip, lost in thought. Maybe I should start encouraging the regulars to try to find a pack as well.

“If I do well today, can I help?” he asked. I sighed.

“It’s not about you, Kit, it’s just something I have to do right now.”

“Um, okay,” he replied, but he still looked crestfallen.

NINE

EZ

“You gotta put ham in that, too. And mustard.”

Juniper was sitting on one of the bar stools, giving me a cute frown as she coached me through making her a grilled cheese.

“You are a cruel, cruel mistress.” I went back to the fridge and opened it again.

“Funny. Kit says the same thing,” she sighed, and I grinned at her.

I layered up the ingredients. Gonna make this lady the best grilled cheese she’s ever had.

“How old are you anyway?” she asked. “Jhin said you were younger than them all?”

“Twenty-four,” I replied, taking some slices of cheese and popping them into my mouth.

“Oh, you’re the same age as me and Kit.”

“Sick. They’ve always outnumbered me, but now it’s 3v3,” I quipped happily. Her expression twitched for a second, and she looked down. What was that about? It was true.

“How did you end up with them? As a pack?” she asked.

“Oh, well Adrian’s my half-brother,” I explained. “Vander and Jhin go, like,wayback, and Adrian made friends with them when we all lived in the same complex. They didn’t mind me tagging along with them. I just thought Vander was so cool. And Jhin, well, you know. He’d always take me seriously; not like I was just some dumb kid following them around.Respect.”

I put the sandwiches in the pan and turned back to her.

“Can you cut up some peppers and cucumbers? And grab the baby carrots?” she asked, giving me a little smile. Or maybe not? It was that weird thing where her eyes were tricking me into thinking her mouth was smiling. It was cute either way.

“Couldn’t say no to that face,” I said, and went back to the fridge, grabbing the vegetables. I was about to start chopping them, and she aggressively passed me a chopping board.

“It’s nice we got you.” I started chopping the cucumber. Never done it before, but I thought it looked right. Just cut it into cute little dollars. “Jhin’s already the pack dad, and now we have a pack mom, too.”

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