Page 13 of Hunted Pack (Her Vicious Pack #7)

Jorge

Like hell I’m going to let Caleb and the others meet up with her when I’m not there. I don’t like that they’re going to be staying at our place for I don’t know how long, and nobody else seems to be bothered by it, but I don’t like it.

“We’re not going to go with Derrick to pick up Erika. Derrick is going with a small group of people, just to drive the cars over and to keep them safe. That’s it.” Caleb looks exasperated. “We’re not joining them.” He gives Vera and Mathew a level look. “We’re not.”

Vera shrugs, like whatever Caleb is saying doesn’t apply to her.

“I haven’t seen her in months and months.

She’s my friend, of course I’m going to pick her up.

It would be rude not to. And once she’s here, it’s going to be all about work and responsibilities again, I just want to chat Omega-to-Omega for a while.

” She slides a thin jacket over her shoulders.

If Caleb thought that he could stop his cute little Omega with reasoning, he’s very wrong. And I wonder why he even tries because it’s obvious she’s not going to listen right now.

“And she’s staying at my place, she’s here because I invited her, it would be rude not to be there to greet her. I’ve got to be a good host, make a good first impression.” Mathew finishes brushing his hair and puts his brush aside.

“We’re not going. We’re staying here .” Caleb lets out a deep sigh, but it’s clear that he’s given up going against his Omegas and I wonder if he’s giving in so easily because it’s his ex they’re going to pick up, if he might still have lingering feelings for her.

“Jorge!” Riley pushes at my shoulder. “Stop being a kid.” It’s then that I notice the growl in my chest and the note of anger in my pheromones. “Seriously.”

Then she turns to Caleb. “I owe Erika a lot and she’s the one who sent me here in the first place. Plus, Nathan’s bringing some of my stuff over, it would only be right for me to at least help them carry some of it.”

Caleb looks at me. “So, we’ll be staying here with Luca and the others?”

“Like hell.” I shake my head. “If they’re going, I’m going too.” I’m not letting anyone from my pack meet her without me there. Even if Caleb isn’t going, I’m not letting any of the others meet her alone either.

“You’re acting like a kid, Jorge.” Mathew gives me a tired look.

“I don’t want to hear that from you. You’re younger than me.” It’s only a few weeks, but he is younger than me.

I know that me reacting like this to Caleb’s ex is childish, but I can’t help it. From the first time Caleb told me about her , this fiery and angry sensation has bubbled up in me and I can’t help it. It makes me act in ways that I’m not used to. In ways I don’t even recognise from myself.

And knowing that she’s going to stay here for a while is making that feeling even worse.

“Fine. I’ll talk to Derrick, but if we’re going, we’re not going into the airport.

We’re going to wait in the car so that Derrick doesn’t have to take ten times the number of people he would otherwise have to take.

Good?” He looks around to each of us and we all nod.

“Okay. Stay here while I talk to Derrick. No going anywhere! If he says no, the whole plan is off.”

He stomps down the stairs as Luca appears in the doorway to the pack bedroom, wearing a mask and looking pretty good for being around Vera and Caleb’s pheromones.

“Do you want to come too?” I step closer to him, kind of not wanting to leave him behind if he’s the only one of our pack who’d be staying here, but if he’s not going then I might be convinced to stay too.

“I know today has been really busy and all over the place, so I understand if you’d just want to go to bed and sleep. ”

“You’re going to meet the person who’s going to help my family, right?” He looks at me and then at Riley, who nods. “Then I’d like to properly greet her and thank her.”

“Then it’s settled.” Mathew takes Vera’s hand and on his way out of the room he grabs Luca’s hand too, dragging the two after him as he races down the hallway. “Let’s gooo!”

I glance at Riley, who’s still giving me an annoyed look.

“If you do anything to embarrass or upset Erika, you will regret it. Understand?” Her pheromones turn spiky, an anger I don’t usually get directed at me.

“I understand.” All my pack members being so protective of someone who isn’t even part of our pack does bad things to me. I don’t like it.

But I guess I’ll have to learn to deal with it.

I’ll do it for my pack.

The airport is super quiet, which isn’t unexpected, it’s nearly midnight and there aren’t a lot of planes arriving or leaving at this time. The airport isn’t super big, so most of the larger planes use the airport four hours away.

The other people waiting for arrivals are all keeping their distance from us, which I don’t blame them for.

We’ve got our pack, including Caleb and Riley, who are both pretty intimidating, and Derrick’s security team is basically two people for every one of us.

Though, as I count again, actually, it’s two and a half people for each one of us.

If I wasn’t part of our pack, I would also keep my distance from us. We look fucking scary and imposing like this. I guess I now understand why Caleb didn’t want us to go. We attract a lot of attention, something we kind of shouldn’t do right now.

I guess I’ll have to make it up to him later. He was right that all of us being here would make Derrick’s job a lot harder.

Not that Caleb had much of a choice. By the time he was done talking to Derrick, we were all waiting in one of the vans, strapped in, Mathew behind the wheel. We were going to the airport, no matter what Derrick was going to say.

“Ohh!” Vera bounces up and down next to me. “Their baggage is now coming out, they’ll be here soon!” She’s so excited that I nearly forget who we’re here to meet. She rarely gets this excited over people who aren’t part of the pack.

I quickly suppress my growl, but not fast enough as Riley jabs her elbow in my side.

I know I’m acting like a jealous bastard. I never act like this normally. I’ve never acted this way around Mathew’s sex partners. I’ve never acted like this around some of the people Riley’s been intimate with. This isn’t normal for me either.

The doors open and we all hold our breath, but the two men in suits that come out keep walking to the exit, too deep in conversation to even notice us.

Well, that was anti-climactic.

The doors open again and a pack with young kids come out. The kids keep glancing behind them, their eyes wide, until they notice us and their eyes somehow go even bigger.

A group of older people call their names, possibly their grandparents, and they quickly make their way over to them. The parents talk to the grandparents in hushed tones, before they make their way to the exit as quickly as possible while still being polite.

They’re technically not fleeing, but they’re definitely fleeing.

I wonder what’s going on, until the doors open again and don’t have to wonder any longer.

Three guys in the same outfits as Derrick’s security team come through the doors first, quickly followed by a short woman in a dress that looks comfortable, but —having known Vera and Riley long enough— I know that the fit allows her to hide multiple weapons underneath it without anyone noticing.

She’s flanked by two tall guys, both probably in their late teens, one of them has the same sharp eyes as the woman. Behind them are another younger guy and three guys around the same age as the woman.

Finally, more people in similar outfits as Derrick’s team, a mix of men and women, step through the doors. They all look like they could kill you with one glance.

Oh. Wow.

Wow.

Vera lets out a squee and starts racing at the older woman, whose face lights up, opening her arms to catch my Omega.

For a moment I worry that the three security in front are going to stop Vera and I notice that Miles and Derrick have both moved into position so they can protect Vera instantly.

But the three security step aside automatically, smiling softly, before they focus their attention on the rest of the arrival hall, and then on us.

When I lock eyes with one of them, a chill goes down my spine.

Fuck.

I’ve known everyone from Mathew’s security team for years, so I don’t think much of it, but these people are pretty freaking scary. Damn.

I don’t even know how else to describe it. They definitely make an impression, and they’re not only for show, these people are deadly.

The group comes over and everyone starts greeting the short woman, until she’s in front of me.

“You must be Jorge. I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Erika.” She holds out her hand and I can only stare at her, lost for words.

Erika is nothing like what I expected. She’s short and soft in the same way as Vera is, but she holds herself with the same confidence as Riley or Mathew, which probably means she’s just as deadly as those three.

But, above all, she looks warm and welcoming, protective.

She makes you want to trust her but also feels like she’ll never break that trust.

Then I become very aware of how quiet things have gotten around us, and from the corner of my eyes, I notice everyone’s eyes on me. Crap. “Jorge.” I stumble over my own name… “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” She lets go of my hand but keeps my gaze for a few moment longer. “I’m not as scary as you thought I’d be? No longer scared I’m going to steal your pack?”

My face heats up in embarrassment and I quickly cover it with my hands. “Please, kill me now.”

She lets out a warm laugh, her hand on my arm. “I won’t. That would make some people who are very dear to me very sad.”

Riley wraps her arm around my shoulders, leaning close. “Things better now?”

“Yes.” I grumble. “I know I was being childish. You don’t have to remind me.”

“I’m not.” Her dark rose pheromones are filled with understanding and comfort. “Alpha instincts can be tricky and unreasonable. Now, let me introduce you to the rest of her pack, and the next generation.”

One of the younger guys makes a scoffing sound and Riley rumbles her happy deep laugh. She’s so easy around them, like family, which I’ve never seen Riley like before.

But, before we can do much more introductions, Derrick starts herding us in the direction of the exit and so does Erika’s security team. Their eyes constantly shifting around, focused on each person, on every entrance and exit.

Right.

We can’t stay here too long. There’s too much danger.

Luca walks next to me, Erika on his other side, as the two talk about about all sorts of things, mostly about how Luca has never flown before and Erika explains that she’s flown more than she would prefer, but that seeing other parts of the world is also special.

I’m constantly aware of the potential for danger around us, how we attract a lot of attention and that the Hearts could be on their way here right now.

While people seem to be keeping up light conversation all around me, I can’t join in, my mind too focused on our surroundings, too focused on the danger, too focused on getting home safely and in one piece.

This is weird, and scary, and I wonder how Mathew could always be so nonchalant about going out for dinner with me when he knew there was a bounty on him, how he could take it so lightly.

Because I don’t like this. Not at all.

I don’t like being hunted.