Page 31 of The Pack Next Door
Take another step, my body begged, another and another, but that wasn’t my destiny. Mum appeared at our side with a broad smile on her face.
“Found all the plants,” she announced. “There’s this new rose cultivar that’s incredibly resistant to black spot…”
I nodded and smiled and pretended like I was hearing everything she said, even when my focus was trained entirely on the men around me. The alphas flanked us on each side, escorting us towards the sales desk, but when Jace tried to pull out his wallet, I waved him away.
“Save your money for people that need it,” I said, my black credit card making a snapping sound as I placed it on the counter for the sales assistant to tap. “Competing to become alphas of Moon River could be expensive.”
The sales girl looked at the two of us, not wanting to touch my card as the alphas just stared. I grabbed the card myself, tapping the machine to make the sale and then put it away when the receipt was printed.
When we got home, I thought I was off the hook. Mum could tell the alphas where she wanted the plants and I could retire to the shower, easing the tension inside me, quickly and quietly. Instead, she looked quite pale as she got out of the car, myself and Gideon moving forward to give her a hand, but she refused help.
“I think I’m going to go inside and have a little rest.”
There was no arguing with her drawn expression. I had the door unlocked and was helping her inside, when Mads spoke.
“We’ll get the garden sorted for you, Maggie.” He looked around at the front yard. “If we put the roses in a line by the fence, then a line of lavender…”
That was not how a garden like Mum’s should be set out. It wasn’t a formal one full of sharp angles.
“Straight lines…?” I stepped away from my mother. “The roses need to go in the centre of each section of the garden beds.” I gestured vaguely at the yard. “Then the lavender and salvia placed around that.”
“Lavender closest to the roses. Salvias along the edging. You can help the boys work out the placement, can’t you, dear?”
With a pat of my hand, Mum sealed my fate. I couldn’t refuse as my mother hobbled inside, only to collapse down on the couch.
“Sound alright with you, omega?” Mads asked with a grin.
“It’s not omega.” I sounded ridiculously snippy, but I couldn’t seem to hold that back. “I’m more than my designation.” Before they could say something stupid, I turned for the door. “I just need to grab a hat and some sunscreen and then I’ll help you lay out the garden.”
Another omega’s alphas, I thought once I got inside my room, my hands shaking as I drew a broad-brimmed hat and some oversized sunglasses out. But as my hand smoothed over my body, I found that I didn’t care much about some man or woman I’d never met. It was far too easy for me to imagine my little hands replaced by far bigger ones. The hat was jammed on my head, my glasses hiding my overheated expression as I marched back downstairs.
“Tell the alphas that I’ll make them some lunch.” Mum was lying on the couch, her eyes falling half closed, even as the TV blared. “I’ll make them some nice sandwiches and homemade lemonade.”
“Of course, Mum. Just… get some rest.”
Her head nodded even as her eyes closed, right before I opened the door and stepped out.
Chapter 16
Jace
“Briar’s going into heat.”
Her scent was delicious when I first breathed it in, but now? It was like a hand around my already swelling knot, giving it a tug.
“Yes.” Gideon didn’t look surprised at all by that knowledge. Instead, his eyes quested upwards, scanning the facade of the house before landing on one of the windows. “And her scent is deepening fast.”
“What?” Mads stepped between our brother and the building. “How do you know that?”
“I notice things.” Gideon’s voice became clipped and cool, the one thing that seemed to piss Mads right off. I sighed, raking my hands through my damp hair. “Briar’s scent changed last night.”
“When?” Mads looked at me as I shouldered forward. “We were all there at dinner and didn’t pick up anything unusual.”
Gideon lost for words wasn’t something we saw often, but that sidelong look, the way he pursed his lips, told us everything we needed to know.
“Something happen when you escorted Briar home, brother?” I asked, my voice a low growl. The wolf wanted that question answered too.
“Not on the walk home.” Mads grinned, a wolfish thing full of fangs. “Afterwards.”
