Page 32 of Pack Deception: Part One

As I'm nodding, I glance over to Ava to see what she thinks about Mason's revelation about a drug being used to harm omegas. It's hard to remember sometimes that Ava is an omega, too. She's the opposite of Summer in some ways, as much as she is her mirror. Ava, though incredibly kind to those she lets in to her life, has a hardness about her that most omegas don't. Where Summer is kind, she is alsosweet.Ava...

She's kind but undeniably tough. Gritty and controlled. In all things, but especially her emotions. That's why when I glance at her, I'm shocked to see her entire body is so tense, she looks like she's turned to stone. Her eyes have gone, vacant and her jaw is clenched.

Eyes wide, I gently take one of my hands off Summer to smack Hudson on the side of the head.

"Ouch," he grumbles. "What'd you do that for?" Hudson looks up at me as he rubs the side of his head, glaring. When he sees me raise my eyebrows in a gesture that screamslookand then nod toward the couch Ava is sitting on, his gaze follows mine.

She's in the same rigid pose still, and Hudson's mouth pops open in an 'O." By this point, Maverick and Mason have noticed where our attention has gone, and they're staring at Ava with bewildered looks in their eyes. We're all exchangingwhat the fuckglances. We've never seen her look like this before.

Say something,I mouth to Maverick.

You,he mouths back haughtily.

Mason rolls his eyes and in a voice barely above a whisper says, "Ava?"

Nothing.

I mimic his eye roll because of course she can't fucking hear him when he's whispering.

Louder,I mouth, completely aware of my hypocrisy. But sometimes there are real perks to being the pack alpha.

He clears his throat and then repeats himself a little louder. "Ava."

She jerks out of her daze like he slapped her. Her eyes dart frantically around at all of us, and it looks like she's just remembering where she is. I can see the moment she remembers, because she stands up rather abruptly. "I have to go. I'll talk to you guys later." Then she's walking toward the front door.

"Wait," I try to call without moving my chest so much, trying to not wake Summer. But she's also the reason I'm calling out to a retreating Ava. What will Summer think when she wakes up in a pack house without the friend she came with?

Ava turns back for the barest of seconds, her eyes soften just the slightest bit, and then she reads the question in my eyes. "I'll text her," she mumbles in answer.

A text. Better than nothing, I guess. I'm not ready to throw a fit over it though, because I am loving having her in my arms finally. I know we just found out she's our mate, but the past two weeks have been agony.

To make matters worse, Summer groans again from her spot on top of me. Only this time, it's not a scared noise in response to an aggressive alpha growl. This time, it sounds a little more like a moan, and then a hint of her perfume wafts up to me.

Hudson stiffens from his place on the floor while I hold back a moan. My pussy throbs in response to my mate's scent.

"She must be close to a heat," Hudson chokes out, sounding pained. I watch him adjust himself in his pants and have to agree. This definitely smells like a preheat hit. Like a shot of the strongest aphrodisiac straight to the vein. I can feel the burn of it spreading through my body.

"I'm just gonna...go take a cold shower," he grunts as another small wave hits us. Summer starts grinding on my leg, seeking relief in her sleep, and driving me absolutely wild with need.

Maverick chokes next and mumbles something about going to the gym. It's a brief distraction from the need coursing through me because now I'm thinking about how the old Mav would have grabbed Mason and pulled him into the nearest bedroom. To prove my point, Mason is staring at his retreating back with a longing expression. Those two need to get over whatever is happening. Since the rift between them started shortly after Summer came into our lives, it's not a big jump to assume she's the rift. But they're stupid for letting it be a thing to begin with.

Mason stands from the couch and walks toward the stairs, presumably going to his room. All of our rooms are on the second floor, with a few rooms downstairs being the offices. He's no doubt affected by Summer's perfume because he is her mate, too. But a beta's senses aren't as strong as an alphas or omegas, so he has a much better grip on himself right now than the rest of us. No, he's leaving to go stew over Maverick by himself. I sigh watching him go, but it isn't my business. Not unless it starts affecting Summer or this pack. For now, I'll let them work it out on their own.

Summer moans into my chest again. The heat from her mouth seeps through my shirt, tickling my skin and causing goosebumps to break out as she grinds against me once more.

I grit my teeth. This is going to be a long night.

Nineteen

Summer

I must be slowly coming backto consciousness, because I can tell how unbearably hot it is in my apartment, but I also haven't heard my alarm yet, so I want to enjoy however long I have left with my eyes closed. Before I have to get up and face the real world and leave the comfort of my bed. Even if I do have a slight sheen of sweat coating my entire body.

Why is it so hot? It's spring, so I stopped turning my heat on already. It should be almost chilly in here.Oh, well.This is a problem for after the alarm goes off. I burrow deeper into my hard mattress.

Wait.

I may not have splurged on the nicest of beds when I came to Chicago, but I didn't get the hardest, lumpiest one I could find. I lift my head a little squinting in the darkness. I'm still half-asleep so everything is blurry.

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