Page 53 of Claiming the Pack's Omega

When will he stop being stupid-hot, stupid-nice, or stupid-considerate and just be hot, nice and considerate?

It’s these ridiculous alpha pheromones in the air. They’re messing with my brain.

Jess takes a breath, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth before she steps forward and wraps her arms around me.

I stiffen in her hold.

“Wha—”

“Thank you so much,” she breathes out, taking a shaky breath in. “For saving Officer Stone. We’ve worked together for years, and he’s a really good guy.”

I have to bite back a snarl of jealousy that rears its head so suddenly, even I’m surprised.

Instead, I take her words for what they are: a show of gratitude for me saving her friend.

I’m pretty good at telling what people are feeling, my jobs require it—well, I guess technically they’re my old jobs now—and the only thing I can sense is platonic feelings between this woman and Obsidian.

I sigh before lifting my arms to hug her back.

“You’re welcome,” I say, a bit awkwardly.

After another second, she pulls back with a smile.

I hear the front door slam behind me and turn to find my Dad, his hair still mussed from sleep, coming out of the house in a white T-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts.

“Everything okay, Rey-Rey?” He asks, coming up to stand behind me.

“Good morning, Mr. Carver,” Killian says as he steps out of the car, slamming the car door behind him.

What is it with alphas and slamming doors this morning?

Milo is the last to exit the car, but he just awkwardly stands next to the back passenger door he stepped out of, his hands clasped nervously in front of him.

For some reason, that eases my nerves a bit and I edge closer to him.

Theo doesn’t miss it and there’s a flash of disappointment as I move away from him, but he quickly masks it.

“Ah, so you’re Mr. Carver,” Jess says, stepping up to my dad and extending her hand out for him to shake. “My name is Jess.I’m an officer for the Northside Police Department. I’ll be your liaison throughout the case, so it’s my job to get you and your family settled.”

“Nice to meet you, Jess. Call me Rick,” my dad says, giving her hand a firm shake before crossing his arms over his chest. He returns his attention to the Graylock pack, his gaze assessing. “And you lot are here to take my daughter from us?”

Jess freezes as my dad’s dominance starts to swirl in the crisp morning air, making it smell like a thunderstorm is approaching.

“Yes,” Killian nods. “There are more appealing ways to word that, but I believe you’re a man who respects honesty.”

See? Irritating.

The man could lie to my dad and say “nooo, this is just for a little bit while we figure things out for her.” Why the hell is he saying “yes” like that? That’s just going to piss my dad off?—

“Fine,” my dad sighs, his shoulders curling in on themselves in a way I’ve never seen as he tucks his hands into his pockets.

He almost looks defeated.

My dad.

Defeated.

That sentence literally doesn’t compute in my brain. Well, it wouldn’t compute if my Dad weren’t standing in front of me as living proof of that statement.