Page 15

Beth

I wasn’t an idiot—I understood that the headaches weren’t good.

Although I’d been wanting to get them checked out since they started happening, any recommended neurological tests would be too expensive.

And I couldn’t deal with the chaos that would ensue if I went to my family doctor back home.

To say my dads didn’t do well with health scares was a vast understatement.

Joey had already been in bed, so I’d decided to curl up on the sofa and watch some TV. Since the guys wouldn’t be home for a while, I’d decided to make myself comfortable. I’d only gotten a few minutes into the TV show when the scalp-splitting pain started.

Closing my eyes, I had lain back and prayed to the gods above that the pain would subside before I had to go home.

Even though I had the car now, the guys still insisted on driving me home, especially when they got home late.

It usually felt like overkill, but I was secretly thankful now, since my head was pounding.

Usually Cullen drove my car home if one of the others was taking me back.

It was a lot, but fighting them seemed futile.

I couldn’t lose two days to another headache.

I had work and classes, and I was only a few weeks away from my midterm exams. Plus, I was supposed to be babysitting Joey tomorrow.

I’d only just started working for Pack Noble, and there was no way I could mess it up so soon.

Sometimes I could get through the headaches if I took some over-the-counter pain medication and just endured.

Working for them had been rather pleasant.

Cullen was keeping his distance, but he kept feeding me all the same.

The meals he left in the fridge from his restaurant were excellent, and I was pleasantly surprised when I found the creamy pesto gnocchi that I had ordered on my abysmal date that was cut short and never got to try.

It was just as good as I had imagined.

Working for Pack Noble was so shockingly easy, sometimes I felt bad for taking their money when I enjoyed being around Joey, anyway. They grossly overpaid me… but at the same time, I was more financially secure than I had been in years, and I intended to roll with that.

When Gideon had come home, I had wanted to fight him, but I had been too weak. Before I knew it, I was curled up in bed, being hooked up to an IV that Jensen insisted on, even though I did as he asked and ate, then passing out for the night.

The pack house smelled of pure comfort, and usually when I had a migraine, getting restful sleep was difficult. Surrounded by the warm scents, though, I drifted into a quick, easy sleep, filled with dreams of alpha snuggles.

“Time for your next dose,” a voice said from the doorway. It was the next day, and I really wasn’t feeling all that much better.

Turning, I resisted the urge to glower at Gideon as he stood in the doorway, a glass of water and pills in hand.

I hated pills.

“I’m feeling much better. I don’t need them,” I said, trying to plaster on a smile that was undoubtedly fake-looking.

Gideon gave me a stern look, his eyes dark and his posture unmoving.

“Fine,” I huffed, holding out my hand. “This is mean.”

He sat down on the edge of the bed as I sat up. Close up, the scent of old books and blackcurrant was so strong, I instinctively leaned into it. His scent was the kind of smell that screamed comfort, warmth, and protection.

Safety.

Most alpha scents were comforting to some degree, but Pack Noble had something unique about them.

I had once gone on a date with an alpha who smelled like wet leaves, and not in a good way. Getting through a meal sitting across from that scent had been almost impossible.

Gideon, on the other hand…I wanted to curl up in his scent and bask in it. I was probably far from the kind of omega they wanted. I was immature, too young for them. They probably wanted someone mature and elegant.

I still had a few stuffed animals in my nest.

His eyes raked over me, taking in my undoubtedly disheveled state as he handed me the pills and waited until I put them in my mouth to hand me the water.

“You need sleep,” he murmured.

I snorted lightly, downing the glass of water. “I’m much too busy for sleep.”

He didn’t smile. “Why are you working so much? Joey mentioned that you come from a pack family. Why aren’t they supporting you through college?”

I grimaced. I could understand why he was asking. It was highly unusual for a pack to not financially support their children.

“My fathers didn’t want me to leave for college,” I said, choosing my words slowly. “They made it clear they would only support me going to a local community college and staying at home, but I wanted a full university course load, and I wanted to live independently for a bit.”

“Joey mentioned you don’t have a mother.”

I nodded. “Just two dads and three brothers.”

“And you wanted to leave them? I don’t know how I would feel about Joey wanting to go halfway across the country…”

I shook my head. “Joey won’t have my reasons for leaving. You guys are excellent fathers, and I get the feeling she isn’t going to veer far when the time comes.”

“So why did you choose to leave? You have to admit, it’s unusual for an omega to move so far from home.”

“It is,” I agreed. “My mother passed when I was a little older than Joey, and my fathers…well, they were a mess. Despite my age, I ended up taking over a lot of the household duties.”

Gideon’s eyebrow rose. “I’m assuming your brothers also took on extra duties?”

A small snort escaped me as I gave him a disbelieving look.

“Unfortunately, I come from the kind of family that thinks housekeeping is woman’s work.

They profess how much they love me and yet have me run myself ragged looking after them all.

And although I love them—they’re my family—when it came time to pick my university, I wanted a bit more freedom. ”

“That’s…just wrong.” Gideon’s words were laced with confusion.

“It is, but you can’t change family. I always just assumed that was the way things were.

Then I moved out and realized how much different life could be.

Being able to come home and not have a pile of laundry or a pile of dishes to do that my brothers or fathers have left behind is a type of freedom I adore.

So, if the price of that freedom is working a lot, then I’m going to do it. ”

Gideon cocked his head to the side. “I know you love your family, but they should be ashamed of themselves.”

I shrugged. “It is what it is. What would you do if Joey wanted to move states away for college?”

Gideon stared into the distance for a moment, deep in thought.

“Well, I haven’t had time to fully plan for that.

I assume we would set her up with a sizable trust fund so she can afford anything she wants while she’s away, and one of us would move our work so we were somewhat near.

Not so near we were crowding her, but near enough that we would be there if she ever needed us. ”

“You would just uproot your lives for her?”

“Of course. She’s our daughter. That’s what parents are supposed to do.”

“I think—ow.” I broke off with a groan, my hand going to my temple as splitting pain ricocheted through my skull.

Gideon grimaced, eyes raking over me. “Get some more rest. Cullen is cooking us some food. It will be an hour at least, and hopefully by then, the pills will have kicked in.” Gideon lifted the blanket as I nestled down.

“You’re being too nice,” I grumbled.

“I’ll be mean to you tomorrow if you want.” He chuckled, but I was already falling asleep and unable to respond.