Page 69 of Same Thing
“Why not?” Liam asked.
“First off, we aren’t supposed to form Packs outside the Elder’s structure, and second, whatever Pack moves into our old territory will have an issue with us living so close. They will for sure want to fight us for territory and—” Vic’s eyebrows raised and he paused. A grin flashed across his face. “Actually, that sounds fun, I’m in. Text me the address. Bye bye dickheads, annoy you soon.” His screen went blank.
“Well now I’m definitely not joining your pretend Pack,” Tabian griped. “No rules on Vic? Do you think that’s going to go well? He will be at the other Pack’s front door the second they move in, starting fights with them.”
“I am also in,” Dodger said, and his screen went dark.
Nory laughed. God, she loved these delinquents.
“Come on, man,” Liam said. “Where else are you going to go?”
“Anywhere else. I don’t like any of you.”
“Well, why don’t I send you some pictures of the territory, and you just think about it, and let me know.”
“I’m out,” Tabian said, shaking his head. His screen went blank as he hung up.
“Oh no,” Nory murmured.
Liam leaned over and kissed her on her forehead. “There was a lie in his voice. He’s in.”
Relief flooded her.
“What do you say, Second?” Liam asked Nate. It was just them on the video call now.
“You mean pretend Second?”
“It’ll be real to us. Fuck the Elders, and the big hunts, and the registrations.”
Nate chewed the corner of his lip and stared at Liam. “Would we run it like a real Pack?”
“Yep.”
“And when all this blows up in our face?”
“Whoever wants to leave, can take their home and go,” Liam said. “But…”
“But what?” Nate asked low.
Liam leaned closer to the phone, and cast a glance at Nory, and back to his Second. “I’m going to work my ass off to keep us all together. From the ground up. I’m going to build this. I need my Second.”
Nate ran his hand over his jaw and looked at Delta. “Why don’t you look surprised by any of this?”
“Because I knew,” she blurted out. “It’s been so hard to keep it secret. We didn’t want to say anything until Nory’s offer was accepted and they closed on the land. And Liam had to liquidate everything he had to come up with the down payment, and it was a chaotic, stressful week, and I want to go back, Nate. Please. I want to go somewhere they can’t take from us. I want to be with Nory, and with those stupid boys, and I want to be under Liam, and I want your rank back. You spin out without rank, and I am proud to be mate of the Second.” Delta got really excited and clenched her fists and closed her eyes and did this strange little shake, and then she gasped out, “I want to go make a home. I want to be Rogue Pack.”
Nate puffed air out of his cheeks and swung his gaze back to Liam. “I guess text me the address, man. We will come look at it at least, and price out some home options. I’ll see if I can get my old job back if Delta really wants to do this.”
Liam’s smile filled Nory’s heart. This right here was her new favorite smile.
He was happy. Truly happy.
“We’re going to figure this out,” Liam promised.
“We will see you soon.” And right before Nate hung up, he said, “Alpha.”
Liam hung up and rested his elbows on his knees, staring into the fire they’d made. His chest rose and fell with his quickened breath. He leaned forward and picked up a small, Y-shaped twig from the ground, and she knew what he was doing without him saying anything. He was keeping it for the memory box they were building. He wanted to remember this moment—the moment he called his Pack back to him, and they’d said yes to this life.
His thoughts and emotions must’ve been all over the place, so Nory got up and sat in his lap, slid her hands to his shoulders. “Your people are coming home.”