Page 11 of Pack Coffey

"So, what time are you guys going to be done here?" Saint asks.

"Oh crap!" I exclaim, spinning on my heel and sprinting back into the studio. I shut the door behind me so they don't feel the need to be quiet on my behalf. Going to let silence fill the air and get fired my first night all because I got distracted by a couple of pretty faces. Luckily, the last song hasn't run its course yet. I made it just in time.

Waiting for the last note, I flip over to the microphone. "And that, my fellow North U comrades, means I'm out for the night. See you next Friday here on WPOQ. Don't do anything spooky with the rest of your weekend. Or do."

Clicking the mic back off, I find the playlist that I was shown to use as the filler until Dante gets here in the morning. Once I make sure that it's playing, and it doesn't look like anything can go wrong, I grab my jacket off the back of my chair and my phone off the desk. Shutting off the lights, I pull the door closed behind me.

They're all exactly where I left them, making those nerves come back as they all turn to me again. I'm sure I look like a deer in the headlights since it's rendering me speechless.

Saint takes pity and saves me. "Ready to go?"

I consider backing out for a second. Using the old ‘got to wash my hair’ excuse. Then Lawrence holds out his hand to me with that lopsided tug of his lips, and I know that I'm not going to. When I take it, he gives it a short squeeze of assurance, and I smile up at him. The rest of them turn and start walking toward the door, but I catch Henry glancing at our joined hands before he does the same. There's something oddly familiar about him. Seems to be happening a lot lately. Maybe I'm in some sort of déjà vu loophole or something.

"So, where are we going?" I ask once we're outside and walking toward the only two vehicles in the lot that belong to Lawrence and Saint.

"Just to grab a few beers and listen to people sing some karaoke," Lawrence answers.

Keaton slides in on my other side and bumps my shoulder with his. The scent of a warm campfire settles over me in the same way that Lawrence's latte does. He's a beta just like him. With all of them standing together, I wasn't able to pick out certain scents. They all just mesh so well together that it was difficult separating them in a small space.

"Lawrence, here, can belt out a good tune when he gets enough drinks in him," he tells me.

"That so?" I ask, casually turning my face to the man in question.

He shrugs. "Takes more than a few drinks."

"He's lying," Keaton whispers with a smile in his voice. Looking back to him, I find his brown eyes watching me, taking in every one of my features. "Doesn't take much. You should hear him in the shower."

I laugh, making a few heads turn our way. "And here I was told that Banks was the jokester."

Lawrence snorts softly. "Yeah, I forgot to mention that they both are. Keaton is a little less intense than Banks."

Keaton places a hand over his heart. "That was almost a compliment, Lawrence. I'm proud of you."

They both laugh and I can't help but join in. It's addicting. I let Lawrence lead us to his car since he’s still got my hand in his. Henry and Saint are already loading up in the front of the SUV, but Banks stops and looks toward Lawrence’s car.

He glances back at us. “Yeah, I’m riding with you guys.”

Lawrence shakes his head with his half smile, switching his attention to Keaton. “Guess you’re riding with us, too?”

His reply is an easy grin.

We load up in the car, and I get a full blast of Bank’s alpha scent as soon as the doors close around us. The only way I know how to describe it is the tropical tanning lotion that I use in the summertime when I’m attempting some kind of tan. It smells like pineapple and coconut and maybe a hint of banana thrown in. It gives me the warm and fuzzies inside, making me seriously miss summer like I never do. I’m an autumn girl, through and through. Banks may have just changed my mind about that. The three of them together is like sitting around a bonfire at the lake with a latte in hand, after laying out sun tanning all day. I can only imagine what it’d be like to have Saint’s sweet cinnamon in here with us, too. Which makes me curious as to what Henry smells like. If it’s anything like his packmates, it’s going to attract me like a moth to a flame like the rest of them.

Banks and Keaton talk non-stop on the way to the bar. Not just to me, either. They easily include all of us in conversation and keep it flowing. From what I’ve witnessed so far, they are the perfect balance to Lawrence’s quiet and Saint’s seriousness.

When we get to the bar, there seem to be a ton of cars in the parking lot. "Wow, this is a pretty popular place, huh?"

Banks chuckles and leans through the middle into the front seat. "Sometimes, but it's first responders’ appreciation night."

My face is turned toward him as he speaks and gives his eyebrows a quick couple raises. It makes me grin, and his eyes flick there before slowly working back up. I shouldn't because I just met him and all, but I have the strongest urge to kiss him. His scent surrounds me, making my stomach do flips again.

Lawrence clears his throat and brings us both back to the car where the other two are waiting for whatever that just was to end. Saint and Henry are already out of the SUV and arestanding in front of the car looking in. Saint's hands are down in his pockets, and his cap is hiding his eyes. Henry’s expression says enough for both of them. A combination of curiosity and need.

A rush of blood goes straight to my cheeks as I fumble around trying to get out of my seatbelt and out the door. In my rush, I almost leave my small bag with my phone and ID on the floor. I grab it quickly and shut the door, moving to stand with Saint and Henry between them. l get my first good hint of the latter as I do. Books. Like, a new bookstore the moment you first walk in. The way that it presses against my skin, I know one hundred percent for sure that he's an alpha, too.

I'm saved from leaning into the relaxing feeling that his scent brings by us turning to walk inside with Banks and Keaton in the lead.

"Stay with us in here," Saint commands without using his bark. "It's busy and there are a lot of people in here."

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