Page 37

Tenzin

W e got some food and sat down at a shady picnic table. Gwen eyed the paper boats of ribs, chicken, brisket, corn, and biscuits. Several people stared at us. It could be because we were hockey players. Also, Clark and Gwen were adorable together. Those glasses of his really did it for me. That short-sleeved blue shirt looked nice on him.

She leaned on his shoulder, probably needing the extra touch after being fucked. I hadn’t expected that; I was going to get her to ride his leg. It was beautiful. Though all this was a bit fast.

Gwen took a sip of iced tea and made a face. “Why is my tea sweet?”

“We’re in the South, Firecracker. Now eat some barbecue.” And hopefully not get food on her pretty white dress.

We finished our meal and Clark went to grab us beers.

Gwen leaned into me. “Are you okay? I liked being with you in the funhouse.”

“I did as well. It’s all a little fast though,” I admitted. “But if you need to feel better, I want to be here for you.”

Yes, if she needed me, I’d be inside her in a moment.

She gave me a kiss. “I can go slow. I get it. My hormones got the best of me, but you two made me feel so good. I liked you watching us. Um, I’m not sure how this all works.”

“I liked watching you,” I growled into her neck. “You don’t need my permission to fuck him. Also, there’s no score. It’s not your job to see to my needs, it’s my responsibility to see to yours. ”

“Okay.” She leaned into me and I wrapped my arms around her.

It would be so easy to fall into whatever this was head first. Common sense urged me to take it slow, at least finish healing from Morgan.

“Let’s go.” Clark appeared with the beers.

We made our way over to the outdoor amphitheater. I got out our passes and hung them around everyone’s neck, then led us down to the VIP area.

Clark looked at his pass, giddiness covering his face. “Your sister’s in this band? You’re shitting my dick.”

“No beans. Better than a blowjob from a dinosaur, right?” Gwen put her arm around him.

What? Sometimes they made me feel so old.

While the venue had seats, there was also a lawn filled with people having picnics, a pit area so people could dance, and a VIP area with cabanas, food, and drinks.

“Tenzin.” Cash waved from the VIP area the band reserved for staff and family.

We entered the area and the slight omega male, dressed in white from head to toe, gave me a hug.

“Cash, this is Gwen and Clark, this is Cash, Zaya’s omega,” I introduced.

Gwen waved. “Hi.”

“Hi, Sugar.” Cash gave her a big smile. Like my sister, he was in his late-thirties, and very good looking, though in that soft omega way. His dark hair was back in a tail.

“It’s very nice to meet you. You’re not in the band?” Clark asked, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

“I’m a costumer. Zaya and I met when she needed to be dressed for an award show. I do all the costumes for the band,” Cash said. “What do you do? Farm boy, right?”

Clark’s cheeks pinked. “Only in summer. In the cold season, I play hockey.”

Cash gave him an appreciative nod. He was a huge flirt. “Another hockey boy. Oh, and you, Sugar,” his eyes focused on Gwen, “they’re both yours. Good for you. You’re a skater, aren’t you, with those legs?”

“Cash, stop, they’re not used to you.” I laughed. He could be a lot.

Gwen ducked her head. “Hockey player. I think I’ll keep them.”

My heart grew three sizes as she said that. We got food and took our seats. Cash and I caught up as the opening act played.

“I’ve got the dinosaur costume if you want it for the last song, maybe? Shoot some T–shirts?” Cash took a sip of whiskey.

“You should absolutely do it,” one of the band’s assistants said. She looked at us. “I might have T-shirt cannons for all of you.”

“Oooh. We should,” Gwen said. She leaned over me. “Cash, do you have pictures of teenage Tenzin?”

I pulled her to me and growled in her ear. “If you see them, you need to stop using better than a blowjob from a dinosaur.”

I’d spent a lot of time in that dinosaur costume.

She giggled. “I suppose.”

He showed her some pictures of me. A song Gwen liked came on. She took Clark’s hand and dragged him off.

Cash gave me a smug look. “You go to New York and get yourself a pack in a couple of weeks? Gwen is delicious. You should get her a different hat for that dress.”

“Cooter picked it out.” Pack? There definitely was a pull between the three of us. Was I ready for a pack? No. No, I wasn’t.

Were they my pack? Or at least the start of it?

I think they were.

Cash started laughing. “Cooter’s not dating any more singers, is he?”

I laughed. “After having two different ones make post-breakup songs about him, I think he’s done.”

“The kids miss you. I’m sorry they’re not here for this,” he told me.

“Me, too,” I replied, as he showed me a bunch of pictures. Most I’d already gotten from Zaya.

The opening act finished, and more people came by to say hello. My sister and her band, The Lonely Cowgirl Club, came on, opening strong with The Stars and Me, which was one of their most popular songs.

Clark and Gwen dragged me up toward the front of the stage and I found myself line dancing.

A song perfect for two stepping started, and I took Gwen’s hand and danced with her, careful of everyone else. Clark watched us, a hungry look in his eyes. I spun her out, but instead of bringing her back in, Clark grabbed her hand and spun her into him, taking over. They looked beautiful among the lights and hay bales.

I glanced up at my sister, who smirked from her place onstage.

“Come on, we need you,” the band’s assistant finally said at the end of their set, bringing the three of us backstage. I put on an inflatable dinosaur costume and Gwen and Clark were taught how to use a T-shirt cannon.

“We should shoot snacks, like Team Mom does at the Maimer’s games,” Gwen said.

“That sounds perfect for festivals,” the young assistant said.

That sounded dangerous.

The band played their last song, then left the stage, the crowd shouting one more song .

“You in a dinosaur costume always amuses me,” Zaya said, holding her guitar, sweat dripping down her face. My alpha big sister looked so much like our mother, with her long, dark hair and striking features.

“It was your idea.” Okay, it was because I’d lost a bet. At fourteen, I thought I knew everything. Not to mention, Nashville was so strange compared to our life in the mountains.

“Most of the good ideas are.” She laughed.

Like she pushed me to keep up with hockey and did everything she could to support me in it, even if it was costly and took a lot of time.

Zaya gave me a little push. “Now get out there.”

“Come on, we’ve got to get them to yell louder,” I told Gwen and Clark.

As soon as I walked onto the stage, the heat of the lights brought me back to the very first time I’d done this. Once I even got Cooter on stage with me in an inflatable unicorn costume.

The crowd went wild. From offstage, Zaya played a little tune, and I danced around as Clark and Gwen shot T-shirts at the crowd. The music got louder and louder as the tune continued, then turned into the song everyone wanted to hear.

The band came bounding back on, playing Reasons I Hate My Family, a very fun, silly song. I continued to dance around, and Gwen and Clark shot shirts at the crowd, until they were out, then traded them for more.

“Thanks for coming out. Special thanks to our helpers and my baby brother, Tenzin, who is in the dinosaur costume,” Zaya shouted as the song ended.

I got Gwen and Clark’s hands, then dragged them off the stage, while my sister and her band finished their bows and I got out of the costume.

“That was amazing. My sisters can’t believe I’m here.” Clark grinned.

The band came off stage and my sweaty sister wrapped her arms around me. “Tenny.”

“Hey, Zaya. I finally made it.” I hugged her back. Usually I came to more concerts, but this summer had been weird.

Her eyes danced. “New York looks good on you.”

Did it?

Zaya grinned. “Let me get cleaned up. While I’ve heard all about Gwen, I need to know about glasses guy.”

We ended up at a bar given the fair was closing for the night. Gwen danced with Clark and Cash. I sat with my big sister, as I told her all about the two of them.

“Okay, so what’s the problem, then? You’re twenty-seven. That’s not a bad time to get packed up,” she told me.

“It’s fast.” I took a sip of beer.

She looked at Cash as he twirled Gwen. “It can happen quickly.”

“Yeah, but Cash is an omega.” I was grasping here. “You’d been with your band for a while.” Not all her band members were in her pack, but some were.

Zaya frowned. “Gwen’s not a tall omega on suppressants?”

I shook my head. “No. She’s incredible, though.”

“Huh. No doubt she’s remarkable. Still, love can be fast, Tenny. Sometimes you need to take risks,” she goaded. She was the risk taker, not me.

“I know. But Clark or I could be traded at any time. Gwen could end up anywhere next year,” I confessed. “Cooter says I’m overthinking.”

“You are. You’d be a dumbass not to go after them, simply because you’re afraid they’ll end up somewhere else. If you feel like they’re your pack, you need to act on it somehow, so you don’t lose them. Even if you’re not ready for everything. You’re an alpha. Your job is to support her, Tenny. Support her career, support her dreams, support her love. Keep lines of communication open and see what she wants. It was pretty clear from onstage that she’s madly in love with both of you,” Zaya told me. “You three are adorable together.”

Your job is to support her.

Zaya was right. With everything in Gwen’s life, that was really the best thing I could do for her. Support her. Love her. Care for her. I watched as Clark took Gwen in his arms and they swayed to the music.

No, I didn’t want to lose them.

“Also, he’s not going anywhere. Even if he’s traded, he’s yours. If he was an omega, I’d tell you to lock it down quick.” She grinned.

I’d told her that in regard to Cash.

“What you have with them is so different from Morgan. It’s palpable. Do it. When Gwen comes to you, excited that she got signed to France or whatever, swing her around, tell her how proud of her you are, take her to dinner, then have a talk about what you three look like while she’s abroad. While things might be a little different, I’m pretty sure she’s not going to break it off,” Zaya told me. “Same thing if you or he gets traded. Sure, shit happens, and Morgan fucked you up. But this…”

She gestured to Clark and Gwen, who were now being silly, spinning each other around. “This is real, Tenny. You might have to go with the flow, but you’ve got this. You’ve found two sweet hockey players that are going to run you ragged, but are worth it.”

I laughed. “They’re very high energy.”

“Just love and support them, and they’ll do that for you in return. I’m so glad you moved to New York and found them.” She smirked and finished her beer.

“Well, you did tell me it was time for a change.” I didn’t think it would look like them. Yet here I was.

And happier for it.

Zaya grinned. “As your big sister, I’m always right.”