Page 50 of Ruffled Feathers

I snuggled into his chest contentedly. “Mmhm?”

“Would you like to go on a picnic?”

Looking up at him beneath my lashes, with his gentle breath fanning my cheek, I couldn’t help but smile. “I’d love that.”

Twenty-Six

Lance

Itried not to wait at the door for Otillie-James like a lovesick hound every day, but so far, I was failing. Even though I’d said I could take care of the rescues for now, she still came out every day. Not because she was obligated, but because she wanted to. And I liked having her here.

I wasn’t sure why I’d offered this place up when I’d been trying to extract myself from Otillie-James, but there was something about her that just made me want to solve all her problems.

And honestly, Matt would have loved her. She was everything an Alpha dreamed about. Everything a man could ever want, Alpha or not. And Matt had never wanted us to feel alone.

I heard a car coming down the drive, and Akio’s ears perked up. He was such a smart dog; he knew the difference between cars he knew, and those of strangers. So when I stuck my head out and saw Sonny’s Range Rover coming down the driveway, I tried not to feel irritated. I liked Sonny—he seemed to genuinely care about Otillie-James, and despite our minimal interactions, me. It wasn’t the self-important kind of caring that was for show, or to make himself feel good, like I’d seen so often afterreturning from active duty. No, much like Otillie-James, he saw a creature in need and he wanted to help it.

It would be interesting to meet their parents. They’d both raised kids with very similar values, considering that they hadn’t met until Otillie-James was sixteen, according to Sonny. Maybe it was fate?

Sonny climbed out of the driver’s seat, walking around to open the door for Otillie-James. Old-school Alpha chivalry wasn’t dead. Then he walked to the back and pulled out a cooler. Setting it on the ground, he bounded up the front steps and knocked on the door.

I waited a few seconds so they didn’t realize I was watching them out the window like a weirdo, then walked toward the front door.

Smiling brightly at me, Sonny was leaning against the porch railing. “We’re having a picnic, and we’d like it if you joined us.” He looked down at Akio. “You too, buddy.” He stepped closer, blocking my view of Otillie-James. “I’d be honored if you’d assist me in courting our Omega. If joining my Pack is something you’d want. No pressure.” His eyes were serious, despite the smile on his face.

He was telling me, very gently, to shit or get off the pot. I couldn’t have this half-life with her, and I knew it. I did. But could I risk letting anyone else in? The idea of losing Otillie-James—of letting myself care for and even love the rest of the Pack—filled me with dread, and I wasn’t sure I could survive that pain again.

But was I even living now? What would my team have wanted?

That was easy. They’d want me to get the girl.

Swallowing hard, I nodded. “I’d like that. I…” Fuck, how did I tell this man that I was all sorts of messed up? That the Lance he knew was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to baggage?

Sonny reached up and clapped a hand to my bicep. “Welcome to the Pack, man. We’ve got your back now.” Stepping away, he tilted his head toward our Omega. “I saw a pond toward the back of the property. She’s always loved being outside.”

I knew the spot. I also knew something else she’d like. “Meet me at the garage.”

Four-wheeling hadn’t much interested me, but listening to Otillie-James squeal her joy made it a whole new experience. Sonny had let her ride with me, and honestly, the guy deserved a sainthood. I wasn’t sure that in his position, I would have handed over her safety to anyone else. I guess he was serious about being a Pack, and including me in it. He was driving along at a slower pace behind us, with Akio on the back and the cooler strapped down.

It definitely wasn’t Akio’s first time on the four-wheeler, and I wondered how often Matt must’ve brought him out for him to be so comfortable. I wondered if the dog missed him as much as I did. I also wondered if Otillie-James’s ragtag bunch of animals was filling the hole in his heart the way they were with mine.

We cleared the small wooded area between the big house and the barn, and traveled along the bike path to the pond. Otillie-James pointed to the water, and sure enough, there was Gert, with a bunch of stolen baby wood ducks. There was probably a pissed-off mama duck around here somewhere.

I pulled up a little away from the water, so I didn’t scare the mean old goose or her new stolen progeny. Otillie-James climbed from the ATV and walked straight over to the pond. “Gertrude Rita Baler, they are not your babies! Take them back this instant.”

Gert hissed in her direction, defiantly leading the babies to the middle of the pond. I saw Spartacus the rooster sitting on theedge of the pond in the sun, pecking at bugs around him. That chicken was smitten.

Laughing, I led Otillie-James back to where Sonny was setting up the picnic rug. It was really nice out here.

It was even nicer when she was here too.

Sonny pulled out containers filled with all sorts of food. Chopped fruit, fried chicken, finger sandwiches, potato salad. He must have been cooking for hours to make this spread. He was making an effort to court her, even though she was basically his now. I was glad he was still doing things the right way, because Otillie-James deserved to be fussed over. She deserved for the whole world to know how perfect she was.

The rug was huge enough to fit a whole Pack, so there was plenty of room for the three of us, and Otillie-James lowered herself regally before flopping onto her stomach and kicking up her legs. Sometimes it was really obvious that despite the big house she lived in, and the trust fund allowance, she definitely hadn’t been raised in high society. Me either.

“This looks amazing, Sonny. I’m not going to lie—I’m kind of glad your apartment was getting ‘exterminated.’” That really had been the worst lie ever. “I’d forgotten how good you were in the kitchen.”

He leaned forward and rolled her onto her back, so he could nuzzle her throat with a mock growl. “I’m good in every room, baby.”

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