Page 161 of Cost of Courting

Four sets of outraged alpha eyes lock on us and blaze.

“You didn’t fucking fly. I booted you out.”

Bailey puts a hand over his heart. “Ow, Dad. Cold, really cold.”

“Don’t make my alpha-omega sad!” Edric scolds.

“He’s my son!” Andy shouts with so much exasperation I wonder if his head is going to pop off. “I can make him sad if I want.”

“But,” Kingston says with the flash of that evil smile, “then you have to deal with us.”

Andy opens his mouth, pauses, and then closes it with a click of his teeth. “I will get you back for this.”

I hear a meow and turn with a smile.

“Oh, no, no, no! You are forbidden from bringing that beast here. Get it out. The last time it was here, it gave Benji a cut so bad he needed stitches.”

“Don’t exaggerate, Dad.”

He scowls just as two dozen men walk in and just make themselves at home.

Several of them go up and embrace my pack like they know them really well.

I realise this is their extended pack, the same way mine is my neighbourhood. Can we be part of so many packs? I guess we’re going to find out.

“Right, boys! Settle down, settle. These shitheads are back. All four of them. Positions reinstated, blah, blah. Now, where’s the beer?”

Bailey is pulled away.

But I’m content just to watch.

“As a Raines, he will never be able to hold a position in this club.”

I glance sideways at Andy. “I don’t think he aspires to a position, I think he just considers this his home.”

Andy pauses to let that sink in. “Are you going to be all right, stepping back and letting them lead?”

“This is their thing. As long as they don’t push too much on my turf, we’ll get along fine.”

Andy laughs softly. “Mael is going to run this club when I retire.”

“Retire? I thought the club was for life?”

Andy snorts. “I’m always going to be Despair, but I want to go and do things, see things. I don’t need to be prez forever. How was Dot’s funeral?”

“You should have come. She talked about you a bit over the years.”

“It didn’t seem right. I let her down.”

“It was nice. It was a good send off. She was loved, possibly more than even she knew.”

“I’m glad.”

“They were born for this.”

“I know.”

“All four of them.”

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