Page 56 of This Pack of Ours

“I’m sorry, grandmother,” I said. Again.

She sniffed. “You’ve always been selfish. What was it this time? Too busyenjoyingyourself with that new pack? Don’t think I didn’t see them go into your apartment.”

I flinched, looking down at my untouched beer. She was on her third martini.

Breathe Kit.Just like Dee had taught me.Don’t get pulled into her nonsense.

“It’s not like that,” I said, and she snorted, wagging a yellowed finger at me.

“Come now. You have to stop wasting your time on packs like that.”

“Like what?” I asked, but I knew what she meant. The Argo pack hardly screamed money. She curled her lip in a sneer.

“For god’s sake, Kristofer, they were driving aminivan. You need to secure a rich pack bond while you still can. Your looks won’t last forever, and we both know you don’t have anything else to offer.”

I sat in the chair, her words dragging me back down into that horrible pit I’d never really escaped from. I had been very, very wrong. This wasmuchmore awful than I remembered.

“They’re my scent match,” I said quietly, squeezing my hands on my lap.

“Sit up straight and stop muttering, for god’s sake." Her voice cracked like a whip, and I obeyed on instinct. I met her eyes, trying to keep my chin up.

“They’re my scent match,” I repeated, louder, trying to channel some of Juniper’s energy.

She blinked, and then laughed, the awful sound burning in my ears.

“So, what, you’re going to bond them?” she sneered. “Live happily ever after? You’re just like your foolish mother. Thinks she’s inlove, then gets knocked up with you. And who’s saddled with the consequences of her actions? Me! Having to give up my life to raise another ungrateful child. And despite my best efforts, you turn out to be just as much of a disappointment.”

My hands were squeezing so tight my skin was whitening, my eyes prickling.

Pathetic. Real men don’t snivel like that.

“And then you perfume, and I think,finally, because if there’s one thing you’re good at, it’s being a pansy. So, I pay for you to go to that omega school, to give you a chance most people woulddiefor. But heaven forbid you do something right.”

There was nothing, no escape, just this. My shame. The stark reality of my failures. The lump in my throat was painful, my hands shaking, my face burning.

“Howembarrassing,for me to have to explain to everyone that my grandson couldn’t cut it. No, he didn’t get a golden ticket. He’s whoring himself out for his heats to get by. That I’m now still saddled with that debt, living in poverty, and you’ve given menothing.”

“I’m paying that back?—”

“Don’tinterrupt me, Kristofer. You want to make things right? Go find a pack withmoneyand lock them down.”

I couldn’t fucking breathe. I was going to break down right here; I was pathetic and I needed to pull myself together. I needed my nest, I needed to disappear into a giant pile of blankets and cry. I needed?—

“That’s quite enough of that.”

The voice shot through me like an arrow, and my eyes flew up to the figure standing next to our table.

Juniper.

JUNIPER

After lunch with Ez, he’d sent me back to bed, and I’d napped. My head was still aching as I rolled over and gave a yawn, but it did feel better.

What time was it? I grabbed my phone and froze when I saw the message banner on the screen.

Kit: Juni, I may be back late. grandmother took me out to Alto’s.

What?

---