“You're coming.” I bump his shoulder.
He grunts and turns away, but I grab his arm before he can leave the room. Shaking his head, he pulls away from me and takes a few steps, his coffee spilling over the edge of his mug.
“The invite is for Pack Bentley. You are Pack Bentley.”
He shrugs, but now I feel him again. He’s letting his emotions flow through the pack bond. He’s worried. He thinks that the omega—Harley—will see he’s different and reject the pack. He’s said this before, and it’s not true. I can tell already that she will love Zayd as much as we do.
“No, listen to me. If you don't go, we all don't go.” I see his eyes widen a little, but I don't look away. He needs to know. We all do this as a pack. He shakes his head, and I put my hand up stopping him.
“I’m not going to listen to you think about yourself like this. We are a pack. We all go, or none of us go.”
I know he wants us to go without him; he doesn't need to speak aloud to let us know that. He's been pushing us away all week. I let him have his space, but no more. We have the invite. This is happening.
Knight emerges from his room and pauses to look at us. He’s a little less feral and more himself since seeing Harley. He has a recording that he plays over and over. It’s like seeing her is helping him for the first time in years.
“You have to go, Zayd.” Knight smiles over at him. “We need one good-looking alpha in attendance.” He winks over at Zayd, and I can see his cheeks darken in a blush. Well that’s new.
Zayd shakes his head with a shy smile and points at Knight, who chuckles.
“Yeah, I know. The second-best-looking needs to be there, but I can’t. I don’t think I will be able to hold this back for that long.”
Fuck, I didn’t think of his scent, since he’s improved so much this week. I’ve barely smelled the burn in the air. But if they scent that outside with all those guards and government there… they will take him from us without a care. He will be gone forever.
“You’ve been doing so well,” I tell him.
Knight shakes his head. “I won’t risk the pack. So many alphas and government officials there. They’ll catch one whiff, and I’ll be gone. The chance to ever get an omega for the pack is taken away. Hell, you’ll all be charged for hiding my status.”
I know it’s true, but I don’t want us to do this without him. As soon as Ace is back, I’ll let him know it’s today. Minus Knight.
Seeing him like this breaks me. When he first came to us, it was for a job interview at my mechanic shop. He was young and cocky...good looking. It didn't take long for him to worm his way into our hearts. After a year, we made him pack.
At twenty-three, he’s the youngest of us all. Hell, I’m three years off forty. I’m practically an old man. It was months after that trip to Riverton with his fathers that we started noticing subtle changes. He was losing his temper easily, and the cocky swagger deflated. It was almost as if he’d changed overnight. He was scared, but he was never alone. For the last four years, we have been caring for him. Hiding him from the authorities. But it's hard on the whole pack.
One of us has to stay home with him, help care for him. That's two fewer incomes, fewer tickets for the lottery that can save him from this. It’s a double-edged sword.
Dash quit his job. He was a delivery driver, but pay equality is bad here in the city. Betas get paid less than alphas. We didn't even put in a vote; he just did it on his own and told us that he would take care of Knight.
Dash had only been with us for a few months at that time, but in that moment, I knew we’d made the right choice in our beta. He’s one very special beta.
I hear a door open, and I don't have to look. I know it’s Dash. I’d know his scent anywhere. His warm body meets my back, and his arms wrap around my torso, hugging me to his bare chest as he places a kiss on my spine.
“Good morning,” he mutters.
I place my hand over his and squeeze. Taking a deep breath, I turn in his arms, noticing the dark rings under his eyes. Last night was a long night. I’ve been so worried about the invitation, Knight, and Zayd pulling away that I barely slept. And Ace has been working in the shop overtime, trying to make as much money as he can. Plus trying to keep busy while we waited for the invite. And Dash has been up with me, fussing as he always does.
I tell him not to fuss and he will wave his hand at me as if I’ve just wasted my breath. Which really… I have. Because as much as I tell him not to… I secretly love how much he takes care of me and the others. Especially Knight.
“We got the invite,” I whisper down at him, nodding toward the coffee table, where it sits in the red envelope with the gold foil lettering. Hell to even apply for this meeting it cost us. But its one step closer. To buy a ticket and meet our omega.
Because I know she’s gonna be ours.
I feel his happiness through the bond. It’s not the same for the others. I bit Dash one night when I was in a rut, claiming him as my mate. I felt terrible. We hadn’t talked about claiming bonds, it happens between alphas and betas who have an intimate relationship. It doesn’t stop an alpha going feral but it gives you a stronger connection with your mate. While you still have time… waiting for an omega or the end. Mostly the end.
But with Dash, I did it without asking. Dash wasn’t upset with me. He’d told me. But now I feel the bond between us. It’s weaker compared to the others, not that I had to bite in my alpha pack. Those bonds just form from the connections we have with each other, until all I can feel is them. But Dash, he’s mine alone.
“Do you think the uprising is still gonna happen?” he asks.
With everything else going on, I’d almost forgotten all about that. The fact that two beta-born are in the lottery makes me think the government is trying to stop something from happening. But the crackle in the air has had me tense for months, and I don’t think their plan is going to work. It’s too little too late.