Page 121 of Pack Choice

“What?” he says and the older woman, gaze flicking between the two of us, rests her hand on Colten’s shoulder, excusing herself, going to join River and the others.

“You’re married. You have a family.”

“I’m not married and–”

“It doesn’t matter if there’s no ring. You have a child with her. How could you do that to them? How could you do it to me?”

Mr. Red Flag has the audacity to look outraged rather than ashamed. “Do you really think so little of me, Omega? Do you really think I’d do that?”

“What am I meant to believe? You haven’t told me anything. You never said you had a daughter. You wanted to keep me away from the house and–”

He grabs me by the upper arm and yanks me inside, marching us down the hallway.

“Me and Harper’s mom, we aren’t together.”

I stare at him. Trying to make sense of his words. “You aren’t?”

“No. In fact, we were together for less than a month. It was a summer fling. I …” He scrubs his fingers through his beard. It’s grown longer, a little unruly. “I didn’t even know she was pregnant. Not until after Harper was born.”

“What?” I say.

“You think I’d cheat on the mother of my child, you think I’d cheat on you?”

More tears cascade down my cheeks. Shameful tears. I bury my face in my hands. “You left. You left without saying goodbye.” My entire body shakes as the sobs wrack through my body. “I didn’t know what to think. I’m sorry.”

His arms snake around me, and he tugs me against the warmth of his body, nuzzling the crown of my head. “Molly, it’s okay. I’m sorry. I’m sorry too. You’re right. I shouldn’t have left. I should have explained. It’s just …”

“You needed to see your daughter,” I whisper.

“Yes,” he says. “I’ve never been that long away from her before.”

I cry even harder, sobbing right into his shirt, making it damp with my tears. “Why didn’t you tell me about her?”

He inhales, his rib cage expanding against my cheek, then puffs out a torrent of air. “I didn’t know how you’d react. I thought it might act as another red flag against me.”

“You think so little ofme,” I whisper.

“No, Molly, I don’t. But …”

“But?” I peer up at him.

“It’s been my experience in the past. Why do you think I have no pack?”

“Because you’re a lone wolf.” Isn’t that what he’s told me often enough?

“Because no pack will have us. Nobody wants a kid hanging around. Not when they’re out searching for their omega. Not when the first few years of being with an omega is meant to be red hot and X-rated. Nobody wants a kid hanging around for that.”

“I want you for my pack,” I whisper. Because, damnit, isn’t it true. I want them all.

He hugs me tighter. “Molly, you can’t just say that.”

“Why?”

“Because I come as a package deal. And that is a responsibility. Not something you commit to on the spur of the moment.”

“I’m just telling you the way I feel. I want to be in a pack with you, Colten, and if your daughter is the thing holding you back–”

“You haven’t met Harper properly yet, sweetheart. She’s unruly, crazy and throws more temper tantrums than a gorilla without a steady supply of bananas.”