Page 84 of The Pack Next Door
“Nothing to tell,” I replied smoothly. “So, the trial?—”
“Trial, schmial, Briar.” His hands went to his hips. “Gimme the deets.”
“You first,” I replied.
That smile faded, and he looked across the field where his mates were coordinating the set up efforts.
“So being male and an omega is not such a big thing now. Who can argue with what fate ordained?” He nodded slowly. “When I was young? Lots of people. I was an aberration, a sign of the gods’ disfavour.”
“Damien…”
I squeezed his hand, but he forged on.
“My mates came through town and that caused a big flurry. April was one of the other omegas and a girl called… Cathy was the other one.” His free hand raked through his hair. “Cathy was a quiet, retiring girl. She ended up with a really nice pack that took over the running of the town all three of us were born into. But April?”
There was something very vulnerable, very real in his gaze.
“The Whitlocks had made clear that she was their mate, but being only three of them, she didn’t think her hopes of becoming ruling omega of a town were good with them.” His lips pursed. “Everyone saw the way my pack looked at me, because they dared to pay court to me in front of the whole town. People had a lot to say about that, some good, some bad, some just trying to adjust to this change in collective wisdom.But only April tried to slip into their rooms at the local pub and see if she could ‘compromise’ them, forcing them to mark her, not me.”
“That fucking bitch.” The violence of my response shocked me, but my head jerked up as I peered over the top of his head. “I’ll?—”
“Not do anything on my behalf.” His tone was firm as was the look he levelled at me. “I’ve had the singular pleasure of watching her try her damndest to get out of the hole that is Glen Hallow and see that no one has offered her and her pack a place. The fact that packs from that town are known for trying to overthrow the ruling pack the moment they can worked in my favour.” He winked at me. “I might’ve let the other ruling packs know just how far April is prepared to go to get what she wants. The other omegas refused to allow that viper into their nests, and so that’s where they stayed.”
We both looked across the field to where the dads were stepping away from the Whitlock pack.
“Her sons don’t seem to be anything like their snake of a mother, though. That’s why I approved their move to Moon River. I figured out from under her influence, they could be a solid pack that looks after the community it serves. So…” His grin was back. “How are the Whitlock serving you, Briar?”
Chapter 41
Gideon
“Looks like we’re playing the version of capture the flag where we all wear a flag.” I scanned the field, reducing each one of the packs I saw clustered around the perimeter into a series of stats. Height, weight, speed, strength. It felt like I had their numbers in seconds, my brain already powering forward, devising possible strategies. “That works better for us than protecting one massive flag.”
“Probably why the Harts chose to do it that way.” Mads nodded. “Helped keep the playing field as equal as possible.”
That’s when I grinned. The hot air played across my fangs, making me shiver in anticipation. The dads had been training us for just this moment since we were old enough to walk. Starting out as endless games of keep away, then progressing to the actual thing, we’d started playing a full-contact version before we left primary school.
“They should’ve opted for the one big flag.” I shot my brothers a sidelong look. “You know how we have to play this?”
“Smash ‘em.” The dads arrived, carrying a cooler full of ice and beer between them. “Knock ‘em off their feet and when you get them on the ground, keep ‘em there.”
Ned took a long sip of his beer.
“Those are the tactics we use back home…” Jace corrected himself. “At Glen Hallow. You sure that’s what we want to do here?”
I frowned, making clear what I thought, but before I could reply, Maddox spoke up. Of course he did. My brother was fractious, distant since the moment we returned. Not for the first time, I cursed the gods for making him part of my pack.
“Doesn’t seem smart.” He put his hands on his hips, unconsciously trying to make himself bigger. I straightened up, making clear what a mistake that was. “The bunny trial was?—”
“A fucking joke,” Greg said with a shake of his head. “Chasing a rabbit doesn’t tell you anything about a pack other than that they can catch you dinner if the crops fail.”
“Care.” There was a strained note to Maddox’s voice. “Strength used for the community, not against it.”
“That’s just the political bullshit alphas tell the betas to keep them compliant.” Ned turned his back on my brothers, focussing squarely on me. “You know what to do, son.” I nodded slowly, my fingers clenching and then flexing. “Win this trial and the leadership of this town is in the bag. Do that and get your mother the hell out of Glen Hallow.”
My smile faded, because it wasn’t hard to see it. The bruises on Mum’s arms, her piteous cries. Quiet and away from all of us, so we wouldn’t hear, but I did. Might equalled right in Glen Hallow, and the alphas there weren’t above lashing out at my mother to prove their point. It all stopped when I hit puberty. I shot up, growing taller, stronger than any other alpha in town. That’s when the dads really saw me, knowing I could do what they couldn’t.
“You got it,” I replied, then moved to huddle up with my brothers.
