Page 46 of Claiming the Pack's Omega

CHAPTER 14

Reyna

“Is that everything?” Killian asks, putting the last loose trash bag of our stuff into the back of their Sprinter van.

“Everything we could grab,” I sigh, staring back at the house wistfully. If I could take everything in it, I would, but we don’t have the time or space for it.

“We can see if we can find time to come back and grab more of your things another time,” Killian says softly. “We just need to make sure you and your family are safe and secure first.”

I bite my bottom lip to keep it from shaking. “Okay, got it.”

“Time to go guys,” Theo says, calling from around the side of the van. “Everyone’s getting settled.”

“Time to go, I guess,” I whisper, walking numbly towards the entrance to the van.

Killian reaches out and grips my wrist. I freeze at the feel of his touch. He oozes this dangerous sort of control, like he expects the world to bend to his whim. I’m not surprised. Even with his dominance kept in strict control, there’s an undeniable air of confidence and strength he carries. I felt it when I first entered the van, when he stared down my dad—who was two seconds from losing it, and I feel it now.

“Thank you, Reyna, for making the sacrifice you’re making. I promise we’ll make it worthwhile for you.” His thumb traces a small circle on the pulse point on my inner wrist and I suppress a shudder.

Fuck. There’s no way he can’t feel how my heart is racing. I seem to have no defenses around any of the Graylock pack.

“Sure,” I cough out, pulling my hand out of his hold. “Just keep up your end of the bargain. I want my family taken care of.”

“You speak much of how you want your family taken care of, but little about yourself,” he hums. “That needs to be fixed.”

“Me loving my family isn’t something that has to be fixed,” I scoff. “I don’t know how you were raised, but I was raised with love and I’m not going to abandon the people I love when I can help them.”

For the first time, I see Killian’s careful mask of control slip. His jaw ticks, and his lip curls into an almost angry smirk. “Some may think your dedication is admirable. But for all you know, you’re willingly throwing yourself to the wolves.” He stalks towards me and I take a stumbling step backward, my back pressing against the cold metal of the van. “I wonder why you don’t use that fire to defend yourself.”

I blink up at him, my gaze darting nervously between his piercing green eyes that seem to glow in the flickering light from the street lamp above us.

My jaw clenches and my face starts to grow hot with my frustration. “I know exactly what I’m doing,” I hiss. “And if throwing myself to the wolves means my family is taken care of, then so be it. You may think your pack are wolves, but I’ve looked into the eyes of actual monsters and I’m still standing.”

His eyes narrow at my mention of my past. An alpha like him probably thinks I’m disgusting for what I’ve had to do to make sure my family can survive, but I don’t care.

His expression shifts. Well shit, his mask is even better than mine. And I’ve spent years perfecting the walls I put up around my heart and mind.

I can barely read anything in his expression. “There it is, keep that fire up. You’ll need it.”

“For what? For the trial? Or to keep up with your pack?”

He pauses in thought for split second, like I’ve caught him off guard. “Both.”

He turns and waves a hand over his shoulder. “We should get going.”

I feel the coldness that seeps into my bones the moment he steps away from me, and I curse my omega genetics. Because obviously that’s why I crave his closeness, his touch. Not because he’s hot as sin.

Also, now that I’m thinking about it, his strange comments about me caring a lot about my family but not caring about myself seemed to come from a place of… frustration? Frustration over me not doing enough for myself?

That’s awfully… fairytale alpha of him.

I stand and start walking to the passenger’s side door when I hear Killian open the driver’s door. Wouldn’t want to be left behind.

Theo waits by the door, his gaze sharp and assessing. Was he listening to the conversation Killian and I just had? Probably. Not surprising.

Maybe that’s a lawyer thing, being so attentive and detail-oriented nothing slips through the cracks. If he approaches his clients, or even his opponents with the same almost sweet sort of personality he’s used with me, it’s no surprise how he’s able to dominate the courtroom.

“You waiting for me?” I ask as I ignore his extended arm again.