Page 39 of Rocked By the Alpha

“You’re late.”

“So I’ve been told. How’s it going?”

“Half an hour longer and they’re all going home. Next year, I’m paying for a magician.” She squeezes his arm. “You alright? You’ve been off radar.”

“I was helping an Omega through her heat.” He takes a swig of beer.

“An Omega?” His sister’s eyes go wide and she glances back at the kitchen. “Did you tell the others?”

His lips twitch. “Nah, left them guessing.”

“Do we know her?”

“You know of her.”

His sister examines his face. “You like her.”

He shrugs and she punches him on the bicep.

“Ah, you’ve got it bad. When do we get to meet her?”

“You four hags? Never. No way.”

She punches him again. “Just because you’re bigger than me now doesn’t mean I can’t whoop your ass.”

“Never doubted it for a minute.”

She gazes back towards the kitchen. “Those bitches could’ve come and helped me. At one point I had three kids stuck up a tree.”

“I think they were enjoying the show from in there.”

“Ash and Layla are coming in a bit — when all this lot are gone.”

“They are?” He ruffles his hand through his hair.

“I thought it might be nice for Layla to do something normal — instead of being dragged from one show biz thing to the next.”

“I don’t think she minds. Besides, she’s got art school.”

“Well,” his sister’s eyes are back on the kids, “they’re on their way.” She lifts her hand into the air. “Jayden! Put down the ketchup, now!”

After the cake, he makes himself scarce at the end of the yard, kicking around a soccer ball with his eldest niece, while the parents pick up their kids. At first, he didn’t mind chatting with strangers about his music or answering their questions about being a rock star. But now it’s infinitely old. Always the same thing, over and over.

At one point, a parent spies West and starts making a beeline for him, but Darlia’s husband spots it and steers him away.

When the yard is clear, Martha beckons to him and he joins his sisters on the patio chairs.

“Darlia says you were with an Omega,” Kaz says.

“For a heat,” Martha adds.

“Shit, Darlia,” he mutters.

“Are you seeing her again or was it just a hookup?” Kaz slices a knife through the remaining chunk of spiderman cake and balances a slice on a napkin.

“I’m taking her on a date.”

“Where?” Kaz asks.