Page 47 of Omega's Triplets

He wasn’t sure he believed himself.

Yes, he wanted to work things out. He was sure his brothers did too. But, how could they? These weren’t superficial disagreements they were having. His brothers were questioning his morality, and Mark was beginning to see things in them he didn’t like. Jamie was too self-righteous, and Harley was too indecisive, too noncommittal. The only stance he’d managed to take was that he didn’t want them to be fighting.Very bold.

Mark would have given a great deal to make peace within the pack, but he didn’t even know where to start.

Chapter Twelve

Anew routine was establishedfairly quickly, and it surprised Maddy to see how well everyone settled into it. Everyone still ate meals together, as if refusing to concede to the tension that had gripped the house, but as soon as their plates had been cleared, the men scattered—Jamie to work, Harley to the garage, and Mark into the woods. The younger members of the pack worked on their homeschooling with varying degrees of dedication; although, now that the house was more often than not empty of alphas, they tended to spend more time reading novels or playing cards.

Maddy had been ordered to stay inside, but she hadn’t yet felt the powerful force of an alpha’s command. She supposed that would come in due course. One of these days one of the men would order her to do something—ornotto do something—and she would feel compelled to obey. And on that day, she would know that she was fully and irrevocably a member of the Hell’s Wolves.

For now, though, she was still just a guest.

Although she wasn’t compelled to obey the order to stay inside, she had decided to do so. There was still a chance—although it seemed to diminish with each passing day—that the Death Fangs might find her here. The last thing she wanted was to be alone in the woods and come upon one of them.

Besides, there was plenty to keep her occupied.

Specifically, her men.

Harley had explained the concept of imprinting to her. Although Maddy had been appalled to learn that no one had ever asked an omega what the experience felt like, she was glad to know that there was a name for what had happened. That someone had been through it before. It legitimized it somehow, and when her conversation with Harley turned physical, Maddy was only too pleased to go along with it. They made love every day that week, and in every room of the house. He found her in the pantry when she was looking for a snack. She came upon him on the porch one night, smoking a cigarette and regarding the stars, and he flicked it away and took her in his arms instead.

With Mark, it was different. Mark came to her bedroom every time he wanted her, and she grew accustomed to waking up in the night to a hand on her arm or a leg wrapping around hers. She took to sleeping naked, expecting him, eager for him, wanting him to know he was welcome.

By week’s end, Maddy felt giddy with the constant rush of endorphins. She walked around the house feeling messy and happy, and Amy gave her knowing looks whenever they were in the same room. If this was being an omega, she decided, it wasn’t so bad. This was better than anything the Death Fangs had ever given her. This was even better than the life she’d had as a child.

And then, early one morning, before anyone else was up, she ran into Jamie in the kitchen making coffee.

Maddy hovered in the doorway, anxious. Jamie was the one member of the Hell’s Wolves she had almost no relationship with. The younger pack members had grown friendly enough, inviting her to play cards with them and sharing their books when they’d finished reading them, but Jamie still treated Maddy like a stranger in the house. He was cordial, always polite, but very distant.

Now, he looked up and saw her standing in the doorway. “Would you like a cup of coffee?” he asked.

“Am I allowed coffee?”

He looked confused. “Sure, you are.”

Caffeine had always been strictly off limits before, but Maddy supposed this was something like the conversation she’d had with Harley about the chocolate cake. She accepted a cup of coffee and thanked Jamie.

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