Page 32 of Talk About… Secrets
Nolan and Hailey shared a look and he smiled softly. “Babe, I can’t stand seeing you miserable and you’ve been dreading this week for months. I’ve never seen you so stressed. That’s not what I want for my omega.”
“Let me pay, I’ll send you anywhere,” Beck offered.
“Italy?” Nolan offered, raising an eyebrow at her. Hailey’s dream was to visit at some point in her life. It was on her bucket list. Her alpha knew her well and it made me respect him even more for knowing her dream destination.
Beck didn’t even flinch as he pulled out his phone, starting to dial. “Is that your decision before I make the call?”
Hailey looked at me, eyes pleading, like she needed me to confirm I’d do this.
“I think you should go. Have your dream wedding and let us clean up this whole mess,” I said easily. “Just take pictures for me.”
“Have I ever told you that you’re the best sister in the whole world?” she asked with a sob, pulling me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight, and giving Beck a nod.
“I love you, too, sis. Now let’s go get you packed,” I said, steering her up the stairs just as tires sounded on the gravel road leading to the lodge. I didn’t let her turn around to see them arrive, leaving Beck and Nolan to handle that fiasco.
Hailey packed her things up in a trance, not saying much as she shoved her and Nolan’s things in their bags. We stacked them by the door, one by one, before she finally looked at me.
“So, are you going to tell me why you’ve been so off this week?” she demanded as she crossed her arms.
“Me? Off?” I asked, confused because how could my sister possibly know? We’d done everything right.
“Girl,” she leveled me with a disbelieving look. “I love you, but I alsoknowyou. You’re being extra helpful and perky and also have a backbone of steel where you usually just flew under the radar.”
“I couldn’t let them ruin your wedding. They never let us have anything and I refused for that to happen to you,” I said honestly. The pack had nothing to do with me keeping them in line.
“That’s part of it,” she agreed. Her eyes softened for a moment. “And I love you for that.”
“Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming?”
She snorted. “Just tell me or I’m not leaving.”
“You’re going to turn down Italy?” I scoffed. “You’re insane.”
“And you’re keeping secrets,” she accused, sounding hurt now.
I groaned as I started to pace. “Can you just let it go for now? I’ll tell you when you get back.”
“No,” she said with pure stubbornness. When she was like this, she always won.
“And if I say that it’s just wanting to put our family in their place?”
She rolled her eyes. “Then I’d call you a liar and say we promised never to do that.”
“I just wanted you to have the spotlight,” I said with defeat as I flopped onto the edge of the bed.
“And I have it. You guys are cleaning up our mess and giving us an escape. It’s going to be fucking incredible. This is the biggest fuck you in history, so we both win. Now, spill.”
“Spencer, Cade, and Beck are my scent matches.”
I closed my eyes, bracing myself. Then a weight flopped on me and a piercing squeal filled the air.
“Shut up! Seriously?!” Hailey screamed again as she squeezed the life out of me. My wheezing laughter echoed out before I shoved her off.
“Yes, we found out when we met,” I admitted. “Though, they might fight Drew for making moves on me.”
“Oh, a little jealousy just makes the sex better,” She snorted. “Oh my god, I can’t believe this.”
Then she hit me, her face incredulous.
