Page 33 of Pack Apollo

I don't even have to think about it before shaking my head. "No, I don't. I'm sure there are skeletons in their closets that I can't possibly learn about in the little over a month we've been together, but they can't be worse than what I already know. I hope anyway. I don't think I have any reason to fear they'd do me like my mother's pack did to her."

"Oh, so you mean the two men I've personally seen fawning and tripping all over themselves for you aren't just magically going to fall out of love with you and leave, huh?" she teases.

I freeze so fast that she takes a few steps before she realizes that I'm not with her anymore. She's still talking, but her voice seems far away in a tunnel. I watch as she turns around with a quizzical stare and asks what's wrong.

"I don't think they love me yet," I say quietly, thinking I'm stating the obvious.

She guffaws so loud that people look our way. "Girl, you're truly in worse denial than I thought you were if you believe that."

Opening my mouth to say something, I close it just as fast and she jumps in, "I can only base my opinion on the ones of the pack that I've personally observed, but if the others are as smitten as they are, then yes, I do believe you've turned them head over heels."

"Ah, speaking of which," she adds with a quick nonchalant nod of her head behind me.

Glancing over my shoulder, my heart does a stutter in my chest as I watch Brent and Palmer strolling our way. Surprisingly, they've got Jake with them today, too, which after one look at him, I'm reminded of our weekend. It sends a jolt to my belly. Then, of course, my eyes wander to the otherbeta. They're as different in bed as they dress. Palmer's relaxed ‘college kid in jeans and t-shirt’ refuses to be compared to Jake's ‘suave black slacks and button-down shirt rolled up to his biceps.’

My heart does another skip in my chest when my brain finally catches up. Watching them walk toward me, each wearing their own version of a smile meant just for me, I know I'm screwed, because I think I might be falling in love with them, too.

"They look like they might be on a mission," Millie-Jane states. "I'm going to head out so you guys can chat."

"Wait, are you sure?" I ask. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind joining us for breakfast, or even doing their own thing so we can eat together."

"Nah, I'm sure," she says with a wink and a quick thumbs up.

I'm laughing when I turn back around to find the three of them have closed most of the distance between us.

"Hey," Palmer calls out, "where's your friend going? Jake won't bite."

"Not her," Jake says, giving me an evil grin.

As they make it to me, he's the first to scoop me up into his arms. "You, on the other hand, are not safe. Might just gobble you up."

Cue instant panties wetting. I would legit skip class to sneak off with him so he can do just that, even if said class is with his pack mate standing at our side, eyes daring me to try.

Jake drops a kiss on my lips and steps back so the others can get in a hug. I'm tucked safely between him and Brent when we start walking before I ask, "Not like I mind in the least, I'm very happy to see everybody this morning, but to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"These two were jealous that I get to stare at yourbeautiful face for over an hour today and decided they just couldn't wait until later to see you," Brent says motioning between the others.

Jake tucks me underneath his arms, pulling me as close as I can get. "He might be exaggerating a bit, but he's not lying."

It makes me laugh again. Thinking back to what Millie-Jane and I were just talking about, she wasn't wrong. It's easy to see that they are completely as addicted to me as I am them.

We walk into the dining hall and all go separate ways to find food. Once I get mine, I turn around to find them and my heart spills over. Brent and Palmer are already sitting with Millie-Jane. Being the kind-hearted souls that they are, they probably didn't like her sitting there alone. Jake smiles at me from across the room where he stands paying for his food. Yeah, I am so far gone.

All of my days have started running together. Having my time divided has been a challenge for sure. Not only is there the pack, but also, school, work, and running three social media pages. The last of which hasn't been too difficult per se. I'm able to get good shots every weekend of the bar, and the other has been consistently sending me content. Not to toot my own horn, but their following has already grown by a few thousand since I started. Part of the contract for payment stated that there would be bonuses for how much the following grows, and I've already hit the first bonus mark. The only one that is suffering is my own personal page. That's only because I refuse to share anything about the pack yet, and that's where the majority of my time goes these days. In the grand scheme of things, my life is going pretty amazing right now. It's why I should've known that something would go wrong.

It's Friday night in the bar again, and I'm exhausted already. A part of me wonders what it'd be like to quit and not have to dance on a bar all weekend. Then I remember how muchI get paid for every night of it, and I put one foot in front of the other and endure it.

I'm halfway through my shift when I spot the alpha from a few weeks ago sitting alone at the end of the bar in the same place he and his friend sat. Somehow, I know he's here for me.

Helping customers as I make my way down the bar to him, when I finally get there, I don't ask him what he wants or speak at all...period. When he just sits there and stares at me, I go to move back down the line, and he finally stops me.

"Maureen. That's your mother, right?" he asks, confirming what I thought I'd heard him say the last time he was in here.

"And if it is?" I ask right back, trying not to yell to be heard.

"I knew her a long time ago," he admits. "Who is your father?"

"Don't know," I tell him, adding, "He's a piece of shit who left her when she found out she was pregnant with me."

---