Page 21 of Their Knotty Pack
"What's that, little nymph?" He takes a bite of his short rib.
"This house…I mean…what's the deal? You live in this huge place by yourself? There has to be at least seven bedrooms."
"Nine, if you count the two offices downstairs." He grins at me. "But, yeah. So, this house belonged to my great uncle and his pack, and they were voluntarily child-free. Shortly before I graduated college, my great uncle passed, and the house went to my family. My parents let me have it, since they have no use for such an 'obscenely large home'," he does finger quotes and a deeper voice that I'm sure is supposed to mimic his father, "but I wanted to fix it up and sell it myself."
My mouth drops. "Sell it? But it's so beautiful—"
"I'm not selling it now. It didn't take me long to fall in love with the place, and I decided to live here as long as I could, and with you by my side, I'm determined to make that a very, very long time." He gives me a hesitant look. "I mean…if you want to."
"Did you just…" I shake my head, trying to piece together what exactly he's saying. "Are you asking me to move in with you?"
"I mean…yeah, I guess I am." His expression is determined as he takes me in. "Listen, you're sleeping on your best friend's couch, you don't have a nest, and we're scent-matched. We're going to end up living together at some point, so why not just do it now? If it makes you feel better, you can claim one of the rooms as yours so it's not like we're 'living together'. We could be…roommates."
The last sentence seems to physically pain him, and since I've finished my food, I stand from the table, eyeing him as he does the same.
"I don't want to be roommates, Miles," I tell him, my hands coming up to rest on his chest. "If we're doing this, I'm going all in. What about you?"
A smile that makes me feel like I'm staring at the sun graces his features, and he leans down, his mouth stopping an inch from mine. "All in," he says on a whisper, and when I nod, he captures my lips with his.
I can't help but smile into his mouth as he claims me, and my arms wrap around his neck.
All fucking in.
"I have to warn you though, I have a lot of plants." My lips brush against his with my confession.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, little nymph."
Chapter 8
Hunter
"Come on, Hunter. We're not getting any calls from the OMS." Damien squares off with me, his arms folded across his chest. "This is a way to get us face time with actual omegas thatneedassistance."
Kieran snorts from his spot in the corner.
We're sitting in the living room of the four bedroom house we rent together, deep in the throes of a pack meeting. One thatDamiencalled.
He wants us to volunteer as a pack at a heat clinic.
"Oh, fuck off, abominable snowman." Damien rolls his eyes, and Kieranactuallylooks offended. I suppose between his size and the platinum blond hair color he keeps, abominable snowman isn't that far off. "You know what I mean. They need a pack to ease them through heats, and we can provide that service."
"Why are you so invested in this?" I ask incredulously. I've known Damien nearly my entire life, and when he fixates on something he fixateshard, but why does it need to be this? If these omegas at the clinics were truly looking for packs, they would go to the OMS.
"Sue me for not wanting my dick to fall off from lack of use!" He throws his hands up, giving me an exasperated look.
"That's not everything, Damien, and you know it," Brody drawls, looking up at him from his seat in the recliner.
"Are you a therapist or a lawyer?" Damien snipes, and my brows shoot up. This is the second time he's snapped in the last five minutes, which is very unlike him.
"I don't need to be a therapist to see what's going on," Brody says evenly. "Just say it, our fearless leader and Kieran have too similar of dominance levels and it's stressing you the fuck out." He shrugs. "I feel it too sometimes, but my dominance, however weak it is, serves as a sort of buffer."
Damien's lips go tight as Kieran and I exchange a look.
"Is that true, brother?"
"It…" Damien shoots an annoyed look at Brody. "Yes. Your dominance stifles the air, and an omega will help balance you both out. Getting my dick wet is just a fortunate side effect."
I sigh, running a hand over my face, then turn to Kieran. "And you're…on board with this?"
