Page 196 of Claiming the Pack's Omega
"Let's get some food in you," he nods.
There's quite a bit of chaos as everyone walks through the kitchen, building their own burgers and hot dogs before settling in at the dining table. We have to pull over a couple of barstools to fit all ten of us, and my mom and siblings are all squished along a bench that should only hold two people, but we make it work.
There's something homey, looking at all of us squeezed around a table that's a little too small to fit a group this big.
"The food is delicious," Theo says after his first bite. "Thank you for hosting!"
"Of course, you're always welcome," Mom says.
"We wouldn't want to impose?—"
"I mean it," glancing at the five of us.
Damn. She's smart.
She knows. Or at least she suspects.
"I hear you've got some news for the family," Dad says, clearing his throat.
"I do," I say, setting down my half-eaten burger and wiping my hands on a paper towel. I guess there are certain things my mom doesn't want to splurge on, even though they can all afford to live on the Northside now.
Killian nudges his thigh against mine reassuringly, as a reminder that I'm not alone. He's been doing that a lot, since that dinner with his family. I'm certainly not complaining.
"So, to start from the beginning, I was taking suppressants ever since I turned 18 because I didn't want my heat," I say. I'm toning down all the parts of the story not fit for my younger siblings to hear, but I think it's important for everyone to know the context. "They were from the black market, so they fucked with my hormones and apparently... that can affect your scent."
My parents nod slowly, hanging on my every word. Daisy and Eli are more consumed with seeing how much of a hot dog they can fit in their mouths, but I can see in the way they're glancing between me and my guys that they're also curious what I'm about to say.
"Long story short, the members of the Graylock Pack are my scent-matched mates. I didn't know because my hormones were jacked up when I first met them, but now, I know."
"Holy shit, no way!" Sav says, jumping up from her seat, a bright smile on her face. She immediately turns to my guys. "So you guys are basically going to become our brothers-in-laws? That's so cool!"
Eli and Daisy jump up, following Sav.
"No way, I've always wanted a brother!" He says. "Wait, so now I get four? That's so cool!"
"Yeah!" Daisy says, jumping up to her feet too.
"This is so exciting," Mom says, her eyes twinkling.
"You knew, huh?"
"I suspected," she shrugs. "You'd have to be blind to miss the way these four tend to you."
"So, you four are her fated mates, huh?" Dad says, his voice gruff as he stares down my guys.
"Yes, sir," Killian nods, his tone firm.
All four of them, even Milo, hold my Dad's intense stare. I don't know what kind of macho alpha dominance measuring contest they're doing, but my guys seem to win.
"I would say you better take care of her, or else, but you all have already proven you're more than capable of doing so," he says, gesturing to the house around us. "If it weren't for you, none of us would have any of this."
"Actually, if it weren't for Reyna, none of this would have happened," Theo adds in. "Making sure that you all were taken care of was her first demand, before anything to do with herself."
"Yeah, but it's your guys's money and resources," I huff. "It's really not like I did very much."
"Just take the compliment, Wildflower," Stone chuckles softly. "You were the one that brought us all together. We're more than happy to make sure that all of you are taken care of."
"And it's not like we're bankrolling you for all of eternity," Killian adds, nodding towards my Dad. "I get the impression that a strong work ethic is genetic in this family, so I'm sure you all will be fine."
