Page 2 of Pack Me Up

Riley’s pixie-cut hair and blue eyes shine as she steps forward with a kind smile.

“Absolutely,” Riley chimes in, her voice a melody of comfort. “It’s all yours if you want it. No strings attached, no expectations. Just a place to lay your head and maybe… I dunno, join us for some late-night ice cream therapy?” Her grin grows playfully mischievous, and I feel the warmth of her invitation.

“Thank you,” I murmur, the words barely above a whisper but heavy with meaning. A careful, grateful curve tugs at the corner of my lips.

“Anytime,” Oli responds, showing me how kind a person she is.

My body feels so tired, I’m barely holding myself up. “Thank you.”

Oli extends her hand with a reassuring smile. “C’mon, let’s get you settled in. We have another friend, Cate, who is here visiting and wants to meet you, too.”

I slip my hand into hers and murmur, “Thank you.”

For the first time in a long time, I feel a sense of hope.

“Hey, no need for thanks,” she replies with a wink. “We omegas gotta have each other’s backs, right?”

“Right,” I whisper.

I follow them into the hotel, Riley and Oli on either side of me. The alphas stay back, but I feel their presence around me.

“Welcome to the tour life,” Oli says, bumping my shoulder playfully. “It’s chaotic, loud, and absolutely the best kind of madness.”

“Sounds… exciting,” I say, the corner of my mouth lifting in the shadow of a grin.

“Exciting doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Riley chimes in, her blue eyes dancing with mischief. “Just wait until you see Oli on stage. She sets the world on fire.”

“Oh, please,” Oli scoffs. “I just do my thing and hope nobody throws tomatoes.”

They’re being playful and fun together, and I have the urge to try to join in.

“Tomatoes are so last century,” I tease back and worry that my words were stupid, but I relax when both of them laugh.

We reach the hotel room, and Oli and Riley both hug me. Oli hands me a bottle of descenter. “Use this while you’re here, and I’ll make sure all the alphas on the tour do, too.”

I nod and look back at Aiden Adams, who is awkwardly holding my bag behind Oli. He stays where he is, keeping a respectful distance while handing the bag to Oli, who passes it along to me. He steps back slowly and leaves us alone.

I take the bottle before going inside.

Once the door shuts behind me, I turn to look at my new home for the time being. The room is clean and opulent, with a gorgeous nest in the middle. It’s already full of blankets and pillows that I know I’ll love.

I’ve never had a nest before, and the urge to jump straight in and find some comfort overwhelms me.

As soon as I’m wrapped in the blankets, memories overwhelm me.

One second, I’m being dropped off at a strange mansion with one bag and watching my family drive away. Next, I’m being smacked around for disobedience by the pack I was sold to. When I ran, I knew I couldn’t go back to my family.

Instead, I put my trust in an omega I only met once.

And I can already tell it was the right decision.

Hunter

PHOENIX PACK SECURITY BRIEF #103

PACK HART SECURITY REMAINS BIGGEST CONCERN

April 8th