Page 112 of This Pack of Ours

Her mouth dropped open, and Lewis snickered.

“Shut up,” she snarled at him, and then turned back to me. Her head cocked to the side, and she took a step closer.

“You’re making a scene,Juniper.” Her voice was smooth, peppered with sympathy. “It’s so stressful to be this tense, right? Come back here, babe. You don’t want to be difficult.”

Her words were a weight sinking inside me. She was right, this was a big scene and I was so stressed. I should go back, because?—

What?

Oh fucking yes, I wanted to be difficult.

I blinked, feeling that slight swoop of adrenaline that came when I resisted a bark. Goodness knows I had enough practice. My eyes met hers, widening in shock. Her face twisted into a cold, predatory smirk.

“Look, boys, she’squick.” She examined her nails. “Usually takes you idiot knotsuckers, like, a whole week to figure out what’s going on. What was the record, Jake? A month?”

“Two,” he replied, grabbing more grapes.

“Yes, but Emma wasespeciallystupid,” snorted Lewis.

“So, who won this time? What was your bet, Rick, two days?” Valerie glanced back at him.

“You Gritch bitches always catch on quicker than the others,” Rick said, giving me a wink.

There was a horrible, swirling chasm opening in my stomach. This was a little beyond a personality difference. This was fucking messed up.

“Aw, it’s okay to be scared, babe. Don’t worry. Let your alphas protect you,” Valerie crooned, opening her arms. My heart was hammering in my chest, my adrenaline running, and yes, I was scared, and these were my?—

I was half a step towards her when I stopped myself.

Not mine.

The whole pack was laughing, and my face was turning red. She was fucking playing with me.

“You’re good,Juni. This is going to be fun. But I do seriously need you to come back here.”

There was no power in it this time, just a normal request, and I bit my lip as she waited.

Valerie was fucked up. But I’d known that might happen when I got into this. And every moment spent in my head was taking me back to the huge hole where Kit and the pack had been. Every single thread disconnected, frayed, bleeding pain as I stood here. I looked back up at Valerie, my face cool.

“Look,” I said. “I’ll come. But I have terms. You want me to be your little gold pack doll? Then you call me by my proper name. Or I’m walking away.”

Valerie gave a nasty laugh. “Oh, I don’t think so,Juni. You’re ours.”

She took a step toward me, her gaze so predatory that I took one step back. Exits. One behind me. I’d have to be fast, and maybe I could slow them down if I?—

“I think we all agree you’re alotmore fun like this. So no, I’m not taking your terms, and no, you’re not walking away. See, little gold pack omega. There’s always another way we can make you ours.”

Shit.

She reached up and took off her hoop earrings, tucking them into her pocket.

“Truth is— my brothers have always been a little jealous of these games I can play. They’ll be so pleased to have a littledollto follow all their orders, too.”

That was definitely a sickening, dark hunger settling onto the faces of the rest of her pack. My breathing felt shallow as Lewis bit his lip. Rick had shifted to the edge of his chair, ready to stand up.

“You wouldn’t.” I was stalling, trying to solidify my escape plan. “Everyone would know how fucked up you are if you dark bond me.”

“Oh come on. Leighton Winston dark bonded aregularomega last year, and no one thinks twice about it now. No one will fucking care.” Valerie gave a delighted laugh. “After all, who’s going to miss another dirty little gold pack slut?”

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