Page 36 of The Pack Next Door
“Dinner then.” Maggie gave us a definite nod. “Nothing like a home-cooked meal. I’ll bring a casserole over in the evening.”
“That would be lovely.”
Gideon gave her hand a squeeze and then made for the gate, leaving us to trail behind him. That’s when his ‘pep talk’ started.
“Everyone needs a shower.” I rolled my eyes and glanced over at Jace. As if we hadn’t mastered the art of self-care at our age. “Clean and well presented. Button down shirts?—”
“In this weather?” Jace eyed the sky. “I guess, if you want us rocking up to the alpha compound a sweaty mess.”
“Tailored shorts then,” Gideon said with a nod. “Short sleeve shirts.”
“No leather boat shoes?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow. Gideon didn’t reply, jerking open the front door when it was unlocked, making clear we needed to get inside. “Yeah, because dressing preppy is what’s going to convince the Hart pack we should become their heirs.”
After a shower, I was standing in my bedroom, digging through my suitcase, looking for an old t-shirt. The more holes, the better, I thought, right as a floral scent was brought in through the window. That had me moving towards it, hands resting on the frames as I stared across the gap between Briar’s house and ours.
My cock thickened. Couldn’t help it, because that scent of rose wasn’t coming from the newly planted bushes, but her. The way Briar felt in my arms, that shuddering breath as I stroked her throat. Under me, arched up and taking every inch and begging for more. It would be so damn sweet when she finally surrendered.
But not yet.
Worthy, I needed to be worthy of her, and that had me pushing away from the window and going back to the suitcase. A pair of dress shorts and a linen shirt would hopefully impress the Hart pack. Gideon noticed every single wrinkle, then shook his head, heading downstairs.
“Do you think Gideon will get more chill or less if we become the ruling pack in Moon River?” Jace asked as we followed him out of the house.
“Can he get any more uptight?” I hissed back.
We were about to find out.
He slid behind the steering wheel, because there was no chance either of us would be allowed to drive, and then eased the car out onto the road.
“The Whitlock pack.”Omega Hart wasn’t like a lot of omegas I’d met, content to be a pleasant presence in the background. His alphas smiled as the wiry man stepped up and thrust out his hand. Firm grip, I found that I could squeeze back without fearing I’d hurt him, then he walked past me to get to the rest of our pack. “The town noted your response to one of our omegas.” His hands went to his hips as he stared us down. “So… what are your intentions with regards to Briar?”
Chapter 19
Gideon
“So… what are your intentions with Briar?”
I blinked and stared at Omega Hart and wondered how the hell he couldn’t see it. For the first time in my life, it seemed like every damn thing I felt was being broadcasted to the world by my expression. My eyes followed Briar wherever she went, my feet bringing me to her side moments later. That night in the forest, when we ran together in fur. Pack bullshit, my parents’ expectations, everything, was replaced by this. Her breath in my lungs, our hearts beating in time as we ran faster and faster for the sheer joy of it. I wanted to tell the Hart pack all of that, but when I opened my mouth, all that came out was, “Briar is our mate.”
“Mate…” I watched Omega Hart’s hand go to his chest, and it wasn’t just me who noted the flutter of his fingers. His mates clustered closer. One’s hands went to his shoulders, another taking his free hand as the last held him close. “You’re her…” His head whipped up as he stared into his alphas’ eyes. “They’re Briar’s mates.”
“We heard him,” Kieran said, smiling down at his omega. I watched him stroke his mate’s arms hungrily, and I knew when Briar accepted the bond, I’d do the same thing to her any time she was upset.
“Well, where the hell was your pack fifteen years ago?”
Damien meant that as a joke, but I looked across at my brothers before answering.
“Just starting high school.”
“What?” Everything was going so well seconds before. The omega seemed almost misty eyed at the idea of Briar finding her mates, but now he stiffened. Pulling free of his alphas’ embrace, he blinked and peered at the lot of us. “How old are you?” He didn’t give us a chance to answer, turning to his mates. “How old is the Whitlock pack?”
Maddox stepped forward, crossing his arms. I wanted to tell him to drop them, to stop coming across as aggressive.
“We’re twenty-eight.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Is that a problem?”
I expected a lot of reactions from Damien, but not this. He burst out laughing, and just like that, all the tension in the room disappeared.
“Briar gets the hot, young alphas.” Omega Hart thought we were attractive. My muscles tensed, unsure of how to respond to that. “She’s going to die when she finds out she’s a cougar.”
