Page 29 of Dream Girl
Jett looked at his phone, sighed, and stood. “Work. Sorry.”
“Will you tell mewhyyou brought home a stray? I’d like to understand.” Brennan opened the fridge as Jett left the kitchen. “Eggs?”
How much did I tell him? He wasn’t familiar with parallel world theories. He didn’t even like multiverse movies or read fantasy novels.
“Eggs would be great. I’m starving. Honestly, there’s something about her. I looked at her bruises and wanted to punch someone. She smelledright.Also, I didn’t want her to go to a homeless shelter when she couldn’t remember her name.” I sighed, trying to articulate my feelings in a way that didn’t reveal things that weren’t mine to tell.
Maybe I was getting it through my bond with Wes. Maybe I was attracted to her all on my own.
“But she does now, which is good. Her being brought to your Center, meeting you, all of this is very suspicious.” Brennan got out some vegetables and cheese.
I got out a pan and rolled my eyes. “It’s Lexi’s case. You know why she brought her to the Center.”
“Given Grace now knows her name, I want her gone. We’ll still help her. But I don’t like people here.” Brennan was a territorial introvert. Our home was a castle. A private castle. We didn’t even have a housekeeper–we rotated chores.
No. Her leaving wasn’t going to work for me.
“Are you afraid that this will be like Caroline? Wes asked me if I was okay last night so many times I was ready to smack him. Grace isn’t trying to worm her way into the pack or use us. She’s scared and needs help. I’m sorry for bringing her home without running it by everyone, but the circumstances were extenuating, and this is where she needs to be,” I replied.
“We don’t know her–or anything about her. I want her gone from the house.” Brennan sighed as he cooked.
“Just meet her.” I knew she’d fit right in with us if they gave her a chance.
“He’s right, I should go.” Grace tumbled into the kitchen, hair soaking wet, feet bare, wearing some too-big shorts and a shirt that smelled of Wes.
“Peaches, where are you going to go?” I poured her some coffee while watching Brennan’s reaction, as he took in the bruises on her face and arms.
“There’s a domestic violence shelter on the other side of town that owes me a favor, I’ll call them. Do you remember who hurt you? Was it your husband? Wife? Alpha? Parents?” Brennan continued to cook.
Grace looked up at me, lower lip quivering. “I kissed him. I’m so sorry, Evan. You’ve been nothing but kind to me and…” Shesobbed. “I’m going to wreck everything. He’s not mine anymore. I don’t belong here.”
“Hey, it’s okay.” I brought her to my chest, comforting her. Mmmm, she used Wes’ body wash.
“What?” Turning off the stove, Brennan spun around, eyes flashing. “How dare you walk intomypack and pull something like that? Evan was kind enough tobring you home with him,and you act like this? We’re not looking for members, and you can’t whore your way into our money,” he growled.
She burst out of my arms and marched over to him, looking fierce, not scared. Grace’s hand flew out as she smacked him across the face. “You have no right to speak to me like that. I’m not a whore. Or a slut.”
Wow, there was a lot to unpack there. I enjoyed seeing this fierceness in her. Her scent flared with anger, filling the kitchen with spicy peaches.
It was a stark contrast to her crying a moment ago.
Brennan growled. I stepped between the two of them, because if she came from a world with no alphas, like Wes said, she had no idea what she’d done.
Either that or shewasa gamma. Part of what made being a gamma dangerous is that they didn’t always respond like omegas or betas–like an alpha would expect–and in a volatile situation that could end badly.
Wes had said that her world didn’t have designations, but maybe they just used different words. If someone hurt her so badly that sheforgot her mate,it could halt the genetic process of becoming an omega and make her a gamma. I could absolutely believe her being an omega. Most scent matches were alpha and omega, but not all.
“Brennan, stop. There’s a lot going on here that you don’t understand,” I told him.
“She came into our home and kissed your alpha, and you’re okay with it? Because I’m not.” His pine scent went spicy with anger, as I caught his frustration through our bond.
“She’s not Caroline, so stop projecting. I’m okay with it,” I fired back. “She fucking needs him right now, not a shelter,him.”
Her head bowed. “Whatever Wes and I had was a long time ago. He loves you, Evan. I can see it. The last thing I want is to come between you or to hurt you. You’re so kind. I’ll leave.”
“Good,” Brennan growled.
I was torn between whom to comfort. While I could feel his anger, his conflict, I could smell how scared and confused she was. “Bren–”
