Page 33 of The Pack Next Door (The Wolfverse #4)

“Yum!” Jace pounced, snagging some cheese and cabana threaded onto a toothpick. Before he put it in his mouth, he remembered me. “Shit, you first, Briar.”

I shook my head as he offered me his food, selecting a piece of melon wrapped with prosciutto.

The dads came piling out, everyone descending on the platter as I took a bite of my food.

My eyes went wide as the sweet of the melon combined with the salty umami of the thinly sliced meat, each taste making the other more flavourful.

“That’s amazing!” I said after I’d swallowed.

“Not bad.” April had untied her apron and came outside. “The deli back at home slices the meat so thin you can almost see through it.”

“Who knew translucency was a desirable quality in meat.” Mads winked as he sat down beside me. “Want another?”

As his fingers moved, poised to grab me something else to eat, it wasn’t hard to remember when he’d said something very similar, right before he did something far less socially acceptable with his hand.

His wink made clear that it was deliberate.

I matched his smile, settling back in my chair and said, “Sure.” His fingers brushed against mine and despite his ‘remedy’ from earlier on in the day, I found myself shivering.

That was masked by a quick sip of my wine.

Setting the melon down on my plate, I surveyed the table.

The dads were catering to April now, filling her glass and her plate with delicious things.

She sat there like a queen, and I had to wonder what that would be like.

I wouldn’t ever know that pleasure, because the price she had to pay?

I couldn’t afford. That had me placing my hands on the table and leaning forward.

If it was just the four of us, I would’ve had the same conversation. The fact that the guys’ parents seemed to need to bear witness was irrelevant. They’d tell their family what I said, or April and her pack could hear it from my lips.

“Before dinner starts…” Because I might not be sticking around for it. “I think we need to get on the same page.”

“About how to deal with your behaviour?” April’s tart reply was masked by the fact she lifted her glass and took a sip. “Good idea. I know you’re currently… indisposed, which believe me, is a strange thing. Omegas usually go into heat when they mate with their alphas, not before.”

She sucked in a breath, ready to deliver a lecture, but remembering what Mum said, I cut her off.

“No, not that.” My eyes flicked from one to the other that told me they were my mates. “I mean, it is a state that needs managing, but I think Jace, Mads, and I have come to an agreement in that respect.”

“But not Gideon…?”

April asked Ned that, not me. I ignored that and forged on.

“Because I think that we all want different things.” There was a strange feeling in my chest and that got the wolf whining.

She paced back and forth, threatening to burst forth and take over.

My fangs ground together, because this was going to be tough, but waiting wouldn’t help.

“It’s obvious that you want to make a play for becoming the next ruling pack of the town, and I…

” A sip of wine did nothing to help my dry throat.

“And I’m heading back to the city as soon as I possibly can. ”

“The city…”

Gideon looked stricken at that news. Did he really think I was gonna come on board with his great and glorious plan? How on earth could Fate decide he was the man for me?

“What about your mother?” April snapped.

“She’s made clear that she’s an adult and is still capable of making her own decisions.

” A glance over at the house made clear there were limits to that.

“So I’ll make sure she has all the help with the garden and the house she needs.

Mum has her life and I have mine.” I surveyed all of them in turn.

“And once I’ve got supports in place to help her, I’ll get back to it. ”

My fingers played with the melon on my plate, but I made no move to eat it.

“That’s what I came over here to tell you.

I’ll stay in town long enough for my heat to break.

In return for…” Gods, as if this wasn’t awkward enough.

I had to allude to the Whitlock’s getting me off to their parents.

With a shake of my head, I forged on. Whatever weird family dynamic they had was none of my business.

“Helping me out.” Ned’s grin spread slowly.

Gag. “I’ll make sure to help you as best I can to get through the alpha trials. ”

This was where I explained that I was going on a trip and would be back in a few days.

That the next trial would happen when I got back and if they texted me the details, I’d work out a way to help.

Where we carefully, clinically dealt with a difficult situation, because whatever fate decided, we were strangers to each other.

“Briar—”

Gideon looked so pale as his hand slid across the table, ready to take mine. There was a hunger there, a desperation that I frankly wondered where it came from. He had something to say, but before he could get a word out, April cut across everyone.

“Leaving town?” she spluttered. “Helping out? An omega’s place is with her alphas!”

“Mum—” Jace growled as I shoved my chair backwards. Getting to my feet, I remembered exactly what Mum said.

“It’s 2025, April,” I said in my very best supercilious tone. “An omega’s place is wherever the hell she thinks is best.”

In my case, it’d be on the road at first light, I thought as I leapt off the deck, crossing their yard in quick steps. I heard my name called out, some shouting, but I paid it little mind.

“Didn’t go well?” Mum asked when I appeared in the lounge room moments later.

“No.” My lips thinned. “How do you feel about having Jacinta come to stay for a few days?”