Page 17 of Claiming the Pack’s Omega (Riverwell Omegaverse #2)

Reyna

“ I s 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.

“Of course.”

I flash my family my best attempt at a reassuring smile as I climb into the van and take one of the last two available seats.

Theo takes a seat next to me, his thigh brushing against mine.

Killian starts the van up and I swallow hard. This is it. I take one last longing look at our small, old, run-down home and feel my chest squeeze. It didn’t matter how much the doors squeaked or how cold my garage room got: it’s the only home I’ve ever known.

Theo presses his thick thigh against mine and I blink up at him. He’s staring out the window, pretending to ignore my gaze.

“I’m fine,” I huff, even though the omega part of me is thrilled to have the kind, considerate attention of an alpha.

“I know,” Theo murmurs. “You strike me as someone who says they’re fine, even if you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

My jaw clenches. He’s right. Fuck his stupid lawyer attentiveness.

I stare out of the window, not really taking in anything I’m seeing. I’m so distracted, I don’t even realize when Killian pulls into the driveway of a cute house in a suburban neighborhood much fancier than anything I’m used to.

“We’re here,” Killian says.

We all pile out of the car and start grabbing our stuff from the back of the van. It’s not much, enough for all of us to bring it inside in one trip.

“Here are the keys. It’s fully furnished, but it’s rather small,” Killian says to me in the living room as Daisy and Eli start running around through the house, the rest of my family following slowly behind them, taking it all in.

“You call this small?” I say, letting out a soft huff of laughter, staring at the white walls and modern furniture that wasn’t thrown in the back of my dad’s old pickup from the side of the road, the keys he just handed me clenched in my fist.

“It is only 1,700 square feet,” he says.

“That’s almost double our house. Our... Our old house, I guess.”

“We’ll try to get you something better when we take a look at the market.”

“No.”

“No?” Killian asks me. His raised eyebrow of surprise only makes me feel cheap. I may have demanded my family gets a house in exchange for my cooperation, but I’m not that much of a gold digger where I’d ask for a mansion when this already feels like one in comparison to what we’re used to.

“You said this is one of your pack’s rental properties, right?” I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest, needing the extra layer of defense between us.

“Yes, this is one of our rentals.”

“Is it available for my family long term?”

“If you’d like it to be.”

“I do.” I hear Daisy and Eli’s laughter from further in the house and I feel my chest squeeze tight. I’m making the right decision. “I do,” I repeat softly.

Daisy runs into the living room, her socks sliding on the sleek wooden floors. She crashes into me, making me stumble backwards as I wrap my arms around her.

“What’s up, Daisy?” I laugh.

“Dad said I can get my own room, but there’re only four, so where’re you going to sleep, Rey?” She looks up at me with her big gray eyes and pouts.

I pat the top of her head and give her a tight-lipped smile. “I’m an adult, Daisy, I’m going to be staying somewhere else. This house is for you and the family.”

“But—but you are family!” She says, her bottom lip wobbling. “I don’t want my own room if that means you don’t get to live here!”

I close my eyes, feeling the sting of my own tears behind my lids as I crouch down and pull her into my arms.

“Shhh, it’ll be okay, Daisy. You’re a big girl.”

She clings onto the fabric of my hoodie like keeping her hands fisted into the fabric will keep me from leaving her.

“You—you don’t have to leave tonight, do you?” She asks, her voice muffled by my hair.

I glance up at Killian. The lines around his eyes have gone soft. Much softer than I’ve seen him look tonight.

“We’ll pick you up tomorrow morning at 11 AM,” he says. “So you can have the night with your family.”

I swallow hard before nodding. “Thanks.”

“So you get to stay?” Daisy says looking up at me.

“I do! It’s super late for you, so how about you get focused on getting ready for bed, I’ll be right behind you, sound good?”

“Yeah!” She says, heading down the hall.

Theo and Milo stand by the front door, finished with unloading the stuff from the van into the house.

“Hey, uh, Rey?” Milo asks, shuffling hesitantly from foot to foot.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

Milo is shorter than the rest of his pack, but he’s still a full head taller than me, not that that’s particularly hard considering I’m pretty short. He’s also a lot more lean than the rest of them. His gunmetal scent is strangely comforting.

“It would probably be a good idea if you had our contact info, in case you need to reach us.” His voice is still soft and a bit unsure, like he’s prepared for me to say no and spit on him.

It makes my brows draw down in concern. He doesn’t act like any alpha I’ve ever met before.

“Sure, yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” I say, handing him my phone. “Here, could you enter it in?”

“Of—of course.”

“Thanks.”

He taps away at my phone before handing it back, his hands flexing nervously by his side. “I added all four of our contacts.”

I glance down at my screen and see all of their names. My thumb freezes over the contact for Stone Graylock. I guess that’s Obsidian’s real name.

“Stone probably won’t be able to answer any of your calls since he’s in the hospital. And ‘cause the phone he was using was broken. So if you need something, make sure to call one of us,” Theo says, pulling the door open.

“We’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Killian says, striding past me and leaving me in a cloud of his expensive black tea scent.

“W—Wait,” I say, reaching out and jerking the door back open as Killian starts to close it.

They glance up at me, surprised.

“I—Thank you,” I say. “For this. For saving my family, I know you didn’t have to.”

“Of course,” Killian says.

“And really, we should be the ones thanking you, spitfire,” Theo says, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Sleep well,” Milo says, giving me a small wave.

I swallow hard, giving them a jerky nod before closing the door softly, clicking the deadbolt into place.

I rest my forehead against the cool wood. I flinch when I feel a soft touch against my shoulder.

I turn to see my mom, her soft subtle scent of clean laundry washing over me like a comforting wave. She holds her arms out for me and I curl up into her. She’s a bit taller than I am, which only adds to how I’ve been feeling around her recently. I feel like a child.

God, I wish I could be carefree like a little kid.

“I have no idea what you’ve had to go through all these years,” Mom whispers, stroking my hair. “But you’re so strong. You’ve always been so strong, I’m so sorry I didn’t see what you were going through.”

“Don’t—don’t apologize, Mom, it’s not your fault you didn’t know.”

I basically did everything I could to keep her from finding out. From anyone in my family finding out.

I feel Dad’s strong arms wrap around the both of us, his thunderstorm scent swirling in a protective cloud.

“Are—are you guys disappointed in me?” I whisper, keeping my face buried in Mom’s shirt.

“Hell no,” Dad whispers. “We’re just glad you’re safe now.”

I finally have the courage to lift my head and look up at both of them. “Are—are you guys happy about the house?”

They glance at each other, sharing a look that normal-me would be able to decipher in a split second. But I’m tired.

“This house is beautiful,” Mom says. “And of course we’re grateful, we both just wish it didn’t have to come at the cost of you.”

I shrug, flashing them a watery smile. “It’s okay, I’m just glad you like it.”

I can’t bring myself to say I’m used to it. That would tear them apart.

“You should get ready for bed,” My dad says, squeezing my shoulder. “Your sister is waiting for you in the room at the end of the hall.”

“Okay, goodnight guys,” I say, taking one last breath, soaking in their hug before pulling away.

I grab my two duffel bags and make my way to the bedroom at the end of the hall. Daisy is back in her pajamas, splayed out on the queen sized bed.

She lifts her head up at me, blinking sleepily.

“I’ll be in bed soon,” I whisper. “Just gotta get ready and get off this makeup.”

“Okay,” she says, smiling at me before yawning and closing her eyes.

I grab a pair of pajama shorts and an old t-shirt and go to the bathroom down the hall. When I’m all done getting ready for bed, I head back and slide into bed next to Daisy.

“I love you,” She murmurs.

“Love you too, peanut.”

I stare up at the ceiling. I’m so tempted to grab my phone and scroll, I’m not super tired yet. Normally, I prepare to stay up a lot later than three in the morning on nights I’m supposed to be working.

The door creaks open and I sit up in bed, the unexpected noise in the unfamiliar room setting me on edge.

I relax when I see the outline of my brother.

“Hey, Eli,” I whisper. “What’s up?”

He shuffles over to the bed. “Can—can I sleep with you guys tonight? I know I’m old now?—”

“You’re never too old for something like that,” I say, interrupting him. “Come on in.”

I scoot over and lift up the comforter for him to come in. He reaches for my hand and I give him a little squeeze.

“The other room just felt too big,” he says.

“Yeah, I get that.”

“Are—are you going to be okay?”

I swallow hard. “Yeah, kiddo, I’m gonna be okay. And you’ll be okay too.”

The door creaks open again.

Savannah freezes in the doorway when she sees all of us already in bed, but I beckon her in.

“I can go,” she says. She still pads her way to the bed.

I’m not gonna turn any of my siblings away on the last night I’m going to be living with them.

“Hell no,” I say.

“Is there space?”

“Of course there’s space, we’ve just gotta cuddle,” I say, shifting so Eli and Daisy are under my arms.

Savannah settles in next to Eli, throwing her arm across his back.

“I love you guys,” I say, soaking in their warmth.

Surrounded by all of my siblings, the room feels less cold and foreign.

My next inhale is a little unsteady, despite my best attempts at breathing normally. As I close my eyes, a single tear drifts down.