Page 36 of A Pack of Honey
Luca hits Cole's chest, cutting him off before crouching down in front of my closet. I instinctively curl my knees to my chest.
"Sorry, Pretty Girl. We didn't realize you were in your nest. Cole panicked a little When he returned and couldn't find you."
I peer over Luca's shoulder at Cole, who doesn't look panicked now. He looks furious. I glare right back at him. What does he have to be furious about?
Luca chuckles at my expression. "We have some things to show you. Wanna come out?"
I nod and take his proffered hand.
Cole is still staring, so I swish my hips more than necessary as I walk by him. He swats my ass, and I squeak with surprise.
"Brat," he mutters as we head downstairs. I can't help but smile, and when I look up, Luca is smiling down at me. It takes my breath away how handsome he is.
He leads me to the dining room table where Jess and Hunt wait. When I walk in, they're whispering, heads close. When they see me, they both cut off, but not in a way that makes me think they were talking about me. More that they're not ready to share what's been going on between them yet. I'm not worried. My omega feels they will when they're ready.
Cole sits down in front of the open laptop and holds an arm out to me. As I settle into his lap, he examines my face with a hard but fond expression that I can't read. He kisses me quick and soft and it takes me by surprise. He doesn't let me react. Simply turns me to the computer in front of us. Jess reaches over and taps a few keys. The screen fills with images from around the farm. The entrance, the manufacturing barn, the hives, the backacre, and the front and back doors of the farmhouse. Not just images, live video. A security system.
I open my mouth. How dare they make changes to the farm without my permission?
"Don't be mad," Jess blurts. His eyes are trained on mine, wide and pleading. Damn that big, muscular man and his puppy dog stare. Suddenly, any indignation I feel evaporates, and I'm a little sad.
"I just wish we didn't need cameras," I admit.
Cole's arms around my waist squeeze gently. Luca crouches beside me, leans forward and nuzzles my shoulder, scent marking me. I tense slightly, not because I don't want them both with me. but because of their obvious tension previously. And everything Luca said about their issues. Cole kisses my cheek as he glances at Luca, some unspoken communication passing between them. My omega feels content within me. They’ve clearly worked out their issues at some point over the last day.
"If Craig or anyone who works with him comes back here, we want to know, and have as much proof as we can gather for the action our lawyers plan to take against him," Cole explains.
"Dothey have a case against him?"
Hunts head tips back and forth. "They're starting to. They're looking into how your cousin knew about our offers. That shouldn't have been public record."
"It's only a matter of time. People like Craig believe they're untouchable, but rarely have the brains to cover their tracks." Cole's rumbling purr makes me more relaxed than a minute ago. An alarm on my phone has me pulling it out to check.
"Oh my god. I completely forgot about Book Club tonight." I glance around the table at them.
"When and where, Bumblebee?" Hunt asks.
"Here, at seven." We all look at the clock. "I've got two hours to cook, clean, get dressed, and finish reading the book." ’Causewith everything going on plus work, I hadn't had time to read. I tried, but I probably have fifty pages left.
"Ok, I'll cook. The guys can clean. We’ll call the Evergreen Pack and do barbeque for food. We can hang out outside while you all have your book club here. You go finish reading and, I guess, change, though I think you look stunning." Hunt says.
I look down at the loose-fitting shirt and shorts. Since I just woke up in my nest, I know my hair is a mess of snarls, and I think there might still be a blanket imprint on my cheek. I look back at Hunt skeptically.
He just reaches across Jess and brushes his fingers over my cheek. "Beautiful."
I perfume, and all the men groan. Cole's hard length presses against my ass through our clothes.
"Enough," Jess rasps, lifting me from Cole's lap and setting me on my feet. "Go Sunshine, we'll make sure everything's ready." He pushes my back, and I'm heading up the stairs.
Hunt
Thebarbequeisinfull swing. The sun's setting in the distance, and everyone's enjoying the burgers and brats I made. I've already delivered a platter of food to the book club inside. They thanked me, and Clara assured me that once they were all done talking about us, they'd be out. That omega is spunky. Some pack is going to have a lot of fun with her one day. I prefer my Sunshine's communication, which involves kissing me soundly and shooing me from the room.
Cole and Luca are talking to Bax, a broad man with dark brown skin and short-cropped hair. The Evergreen Pack insists they don't have a dominant alpha, but he certainly shows every sign of it. He's steady, and exerts a certain pull that only dominant alphas tend to display. It's possible he won't fully designate as such until he's older. The older an alpha gets, the clearer their dominance tends to shine through.
Seth, a man with a sandy top knot and beard, and Jess are getting along. They're laughing and shooting the shit about sports and some trending stuff on social media. I clench myjaw and try not to let the acid burning in my gut show on my face. There's no reason for it. Seth is happily bonded and—as far as I can tell—not even interested in his other gorgeous, male packmates. So he's probably not interested in mine.
Jess catches me staring, smiles broadly, and winks.
