Page 68 of The Pack Next Door
“I’m going somewhere hours from here.” There was a challenge in her gaze. “Somewhere away from the trials, the town, the Hart pack. You won’t be able to prepare for the next trial.”
“Don’t care.”
I wish I had Mads’ casual attitude about these things, but nope, a thin tendril of habitual fear slid up my spine. The wolf bared its fangs at it, because we were in charge, not my emotions.
“If that’s what you need, then we’re going with you,” I replied.
“In my little car?” She shook her head. “I won’t stop you, but you’re gonna find it cramped.”
“Our car is big enough for all of us to fit comfortably.”
Gideon moved around to her boot and opened it, grabbing both her bags before she could protest. She had a few things to say as we walked back to our house, but was pretty much accepting her fate when he shoved them and my bag into the back of our car.
“Give me a second to grab some clothes,” he told her, “and to get changed. No more than ten minutes.”
She was going to protest, but that time limit seemed to settle her.
“Ten minutes.” I may have looked as she crossed her arms, noting the way her breasts plumped upwards. “Any longer than that and you get left behind.”
“So where are we headed?” I asked, pulling up the map app on my phone as my brothers gathered supplies. She rattled off the name of a place three hours away. “Pretty country up there.”
“The best,” she replied with a sigh. “I was going to stay in the guest house for a day or two to get my head straight.”
“Head straight.” I stepped closer, finally letting my finger trail down her sternum. No talk of living separate lives now. She shivered at my touch, her nipples pressing hard against the thin cotton of her t-shirt. “Multiple orgasms. Potato, potahto.”
“No one actually says that…” she breathed, right as the guys returned.
I snatched the keys from Gideon’s grip, sliding into the front seat and starting the car as everyone got in.
And that’s when I realised I’d been played.
Thinking I’d have our mate beside me the entire trip, I’d volunteered to drive, but Mads steered Briar towards the back seat. Gideon followed along as if led by a string, resulting in her wedged in the middle between them.
“Not sure if everyone needs to be in the back seat,” I grumbled.
But no one listened to me, did they? If I was cursing my life decisions, Gideon had it worse. He stared down at our omega as if seeing her for the first time, utterly transfixed.
We were one hundred percent completely fucked, yet somehow I grinned as our parents came stumbling out of the house, wondering what was going on. No time to stop and discuss it, I could see the futility in that when I spied their sour expressions. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, that’s what Mads always said, so I took a leaf from his book. I sketched them a cheery wave as I drove past.
Chapter 33
Briar
“You’re getting close again,” Mads said.
I was, and that’s why I needed to leave this morning.
Jacinta had stepped in to help and while there were some initial grumbles from Mum, the two of them started planning the next phase of the garden revitalisation process, leaving me free to go.
Not quite free. My heat was getting worse.
It wasn’t just waking up in a pool of sweat. That was par for the course in summer. My eyes flicking open as I gasped, the fevered touch of my dream lovers still having my body shuddering through the waves of a dream orgasm, wasn’t.
I knew what was happening.
Mads had tried to help me keep the heat at bay, but each gap seemed to get shorter and shorter. I was prepared to white-knuckle it to Honey’s and Tom’s. My heat would abate, but my business wouldn’t. If I just… My eyes slid sideways, noting that not one, but two alphas were joining me in the back.
Mads shot me a knowing smile. If I was going to try to mask what was happening to me, half jumping out of my skin becausehis leg pressed against mine made clear that wasn’t going to happen. His hand landed on my knee, anchoring me to the seat, right as the other car door opened.
