Page 25 of Dodging Bullets

She chewed her lip, and Rio pulled the soft flesh from between her teeth. “If you aren’t ready, that’s okay too. Max or I will go and get the basics. This is just a small step in discovering who you are, Paloma.”

I gave her another bite of her breakfast as she thought about it, chewing slowly.God, how is that so hot?

She looked up at Llew like he could save her, and I pushed down the jealousy that she didn’t look at me like that. Yet. One day, I would earn her trust and her bite.

“Can Llew come too?”

We all froze, her big Alpha included. Llew hadn’t been outside in over two years. No further than the backyard, at least. But just like with the Omega, I knew he was ready. Pushing him wouldn’t help, but maybe soon, he could manage it, holding her hand.

He reached out and stroked her cheek. “Not this time, sweetheart. I’m not ready, but you’re braver than me. And our Pack will be there every step of the way.”

Our Pack.It had been so long since we’d been a Pack. Fuck, I was going to cry if we didn’t move this along.

I squeezed her knee. “Every step of the way. And if it gets too much, we can turn around and come home.”

She looked at me, trust I wasn’t sure I’d earned in those big green eyes. “Okay. I’ll go and change.” She ran a hand over her head, and panic at the stubble crossed her face once more. “I need…”

Rio nodded reassuringly. “Whatever you need is yours. Go change; we’ll wait for you. Take as long as you want.”

Fourteen

Paloma

The anger I felt at my former life was a molten rage by the time we walked through the department store at the mall. They’d manipulated me; they’d manipulatedallof us, and for what? To be gods of their own domain? For power over us lesser folk?

A steady thrum of strength pulsed down my bond with Llew, and I took a deep breath. The mall was… a lot. Filled with people, from screaming toddlers to whole groups of teens—staring at what I now knew was some kind of telephone—to people as old as Brother Whitt from the Homestead. There were so many people here that it seemed almost unbelievable. I gripped Rio’s hand tightly, his strong body like a pillar I could tie myself to. A safe harbor. It helped that his scowl made everyone else get out of the way, so no one got too close.

Max seemed to be the master of making lists, and he had a list of everything that I would need. There were things on that list I didn’t even know, let alone understand the necessity for.

I had a big woolen hat pulled down over my head, even though it was late spring, so not cold enough to warrant it. I didn’t care. I didn’t want to wear the lace veil, but I also didn’t want to go out with my head exposed in public.

“Okay, nesting materials,” Max said lightly. “Just touch anything and see what you like.”

I frowned. “Like, for what?”

“For your nest,” Rio murmured. “That little nook in your bedroom is a nest, and you can fill it full of anything that makes you happy. Like this pillow.” He pulled a fluffy blue square pillow from the pile and handed it to me. “Do you like how this feels?”

I stroked my fingers through the fabric. It was so soft, so fluffy, I imagined it was what clouds felt like. Nodding, I rubbed my cheek against it, and Max smiled, taking it from me and putting it in the already overflowing cart.

“Perfect. What about this one?” He picked up another pillow, and while it looked soft, it was ribbed and rough. I hated it viscerally. Shaking my head, I quickly passed it back to him.

Rio chuckled low. “Trust those instincts. Anything that makes you happy like the first pillow, even if you just like the color, or the way it looks, you put it in the cart. That goes with clothes, lights, blankets—anything you want.” He leaned down and rubbed his cheek on mine, like he couldn’t help himself. When I didn’t push him away, Max leaned down and did the other cheek, and I flushed pink. I just wanted to purr and curl up in their arms.

Max kissed my cheek softly. “I’m just going to get some other supplies. I’ll leave you in Rio’s capable hands.” Smiling goofily, he wandered away, and I watched his butt as he left. It was a nice butt. Firm and hugged tightly by the casual pants he wore. Could I be envious of a piece of clothing?

Grabbing the cart with one hand, Rio twined his fingers in mine and gently tugged me along. “Are you checking out my Beta, Omega?” he teased.

“Checking out?” I wasn’t sure what that meant.

Tugging me closer, he let me sink into his warmth. “Appreciating the way his body looks with your eyes. I understand, though; Max has always been the most attractive of our Pack, both inside and out.”

I frowned, because while I couldn’t argue that Max was indeed handsome, they were all appealing in their own way, to both the woman and the Omega in me. I didn’t know how to express that to Rio without admitting I was indeed “checking out” Max, or sounding like I wanted to betray my new Alpha already. So I said nothing, just snuggled into Rio’s side as he dragged me around the soft furnishings aisles, putting anything I even lingered for a second on into the cart.

Finally, we walked over to a large counter, where a girl with a bright, smiling face and long golden hair greeted us. “Get everything you need?” she purred at Rio, dismissing me completely.

The barely suppressed rage I’d been holding onto all day rose up inside me, and I gritted my teeth. I wanted to lash out, but instead, I swallowed it down. Aggression was punished; subservience was rewarded. No one wanted an aggressive wife. An aggressive Omega.

Missing my veil, I stared down at my feet, so the people in front of me couldn’t see the crazy rising up inside me. Damaged. Broken. Useless.

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