Page 77 of Patiently Yours
“Of course I did.” I give a reassuring nod. “And when you have finished books, I’ll read those too. I’ll have a whole shelf dedicated to your work.”
“Atlas.” My name on her lips is music to my ears, her tone affectionate and soft. I look at her, and my heart skips a beat at the adoration on her face.
“Do you want me to read one, or maybe something else? I have fantasy, young adult, thrillers…”
“Nonfiction?”
I give her an incredulous look. “I mean, technicallyyes. But… you’re making fun of me right?”
She can’t keep her face straight, a laugh escaping. It’s something the rest of the pack would joke about, and it makes me smile.
Stacia bites her lip, thinking it over. “Which one’s your favorite? That you’ve seen me read.”
I look at the selection, and the historical romance sticks out to me. “This one, definitely.” I pick it up and fall back under the covers beside her. “I love the political intrigue and drama. And the side characters. Their humor really makes this one for me.”
She reads the title and gives a happy nod. “I really like this one, too. There’s a sequel coming out. Maybe we can read it together.”
She looks at me with hopeful eyes, as if she actually thinks I’d saynoto that.
“I would love that.” She settles back on my chest as I open the book and begin from chapter one.
Just as I’m getting to the third chapter, there’s a soft knock on my door. On the other side is our pack, peeking in to check on us after being isolated for so long. When they see us, they each breathe a sigh of relief before opening the door further and stepping inside.
“Sorry for intruding,” Uriah murmurs at the same time Kendall says, “We missed you two.”
I can feel Stacia’s happiness even without a bond. I slap a hand down on the empty space beside me. “Come join us, then.”
Ciro is the first one to hop onto the bed with us, making himself at home under my covers. He secures his spot beside Stacia as she maneuvers to her back. Kendall takes up the spot beside me, propping his head up as he lies on his side. Then Uriah comes up last, eyeing the way we’re all tangled up together before crawling up the front of the bed and placing himself right on top of our omega. She preens, lacing her fingers in his hair as he closes his eyes and rubs against her chest.
“Is Coach pissed off that I bailed?”
Kendall gives me a smile of disbelief. “Surprisingly, no. I mean, he was really pissed off at first but after he learned the reason why, he understood.”
I tilt my head at him, then look to Uriah to confirm. He’s giving me the same expression, nodding with wonderment. “He said he’d handle the press. Also, an agent was there tonight to see you, one of Coach’s friends. He said he’d explain the situation to him, too.”
I swallow down the curse wanting to come out. I don’t regret what happened on the ice, especially not after the night I had with my omega. Hockey is the only career I’ve ever wanted. Play professionally for a few years, then coach after retirement. It’s the only path for me, and I almost blew it tonight.
“Why is it suddenly okay?” Stacia chirps softly, looking between us three. “I’m not sure how hockey politics work butwouldn’t it be a bigger deal that the captain got into a fight with his own teammate?”
“It’ll be a big deal, definitely. But considering the circumstances, it won’t be as black and white for most.”
“Circumstances?” she asks.
Uriah gives her collarbones a light kiss. “That you’re our omega. Ourscent matchedomega. That changes things for people. It becomes an argument of instincts v.s. logic. And most people have experienced it themselves to know that it’s not so easy to control.”
She squints at that, likely thinking it over. “I guess I never considered it. I have beta parents. They’re not big fans of other designations, so I didn’t interact with many alphas or omegas growing up.”
The information is new, and is something I never thought about before. “Did they not support you when you presented?”
She coughs and tries to give a casual shrug. “Not really. They were disappointed when they found out I wasn’t a beta. Up until then, I had heard every derogatory thing in the book about omegas and why they were awful. After I presented as one, those insults were turned on me.”
I could feel my blood boiling, possibly even more than it did on the ice with Derek. I start to take some discreet breaths to calm myself, but Uriah lets out a grunt of disapproval. “They sound like shitty parents. Do you still see them?”
She caresses his hair, fingers moving thoughtfully. “I talk to them every once in a while. They’ll call, ask me about my grades. They pay for my rent and tuition. I’m just trying to stay off their radar.”
There’s a moment of silence following her words, all five of us sitting in thought. The air around us exudes with our discomfort but our exhaustion is keeping it at bay. A moment later, Kendall looks at the book in my hands.
“What are you reading?” he asks just before he sees the cover, “Oh fuck! This is one of my favorites.”
