Page 43 of Their Knotty Pack
"Nymph…" Miles sighs, pressing a kiss to the top of my head, "there were too many factors at play. There's no way that we could have prevented it from happening. Their scents were overwhelming tome, and I wasn't even the one in heat. It was a shock to your system when you were at your most vulnerable, and your omega was desperate after being unsatisfied for too long. If I had called for help sooner…"
I sniff, resting my chin on his chest as I look up at him. "There's no point in playing the 'if only' game, Miles."
"I was going to say the same thing to you," he smirks, kissing my nose. "Listen, these guys…obviously I haven't known the alphas very long, but from what I can tell, they aren'tanythinglike Pack Hansen. I do know Damien though. He's a good guy."
"I choose you, Miles," I tell him fiercely, needing him to not question where my loyalty lies for a single moment.
"I know, baby," he murmurs, brushing a kiss across my lips, "and I choose you too. But…maybe we should consider choosing them too."
Chapter 19
Bethany
Thirty minutes and a quick rinse-off shower later, I exit the bathroom hand-in-hand with Miles, both of us dressed in the clothes he had packed for us. My leggings are soft and cozy, my oversized shirt falls comfortably over one shoulder. Miles is wearing the anime t-shirt I had stolen in my panic and sweatpants. I guess we really didn't count on meeting our true scent matches at the clinic.
"We owe you two an apology," Brody says as soon as we step into the room. The three of them are also freshly showered—they must have gone to the communal volunteer showers.
My brows immediately shoot up. Huh. He beat us to the punch.Wewere supposed to apologize tothem.
"What for?" Miles asks incredulously, hiking the overnight bag further on his shoulder. All three men eye the bag like they want to take it from him, and they better not even try. Just because Miles is an omega, it doesn't mean he can't carry his own damn bag. He works out a ridiculous number of hours just so doesn't look like someone who needs help carrying things.
"Well," Brody's eyes leave the bag and settle on us again, "we need to apologize to Bethany for not giving her a second to breathe before revealing the whole being-bitten-and-bonded thing. Andto you, Miles, for not deferring to you on how to handle things. It should have been obvious that just because Bethany's omega felt compelled to claim Kieran, it didn't mean she was on the same page, or even knew what was going on."
Shit, he's diplomatic.
"We…we were actually going to apologize to all of you," Miles admits. "Even though we weren't planning on finding a pack…maybe ever…well, we talked in the bathroom and agreed that we at least need to let the bond settle between Bethany and Kieran, and see where to go from there."
"So…you'll give us a chance?" Brody's face lights up in this way that makes my heart clench.
Then Kieran smirks at me and I want to punch his stupid hot face.
"We'll be the best pack you've ever seen," Damien purrs, stepping up to us. Before I can react, he has my hand in his and is pressing a kiss to the back of it. The brush of his lips on my skin short-circuits my brain. Has anyone ever kissed the back of my hand before? "You may have bonded the abominable snowman first, bright eyes, but I'm a patient man. I can wait however long you need."
I don't have a chance to react to his presumption before Kieran is grumbling. "Stop calling me that. It doesn't even make any sense."
The snort that leaves me is undignified and not eloquent in the slightest. Damien grins knowingly at me, while Kieran glares.
"Something funny, chompy?"
I…what?…Chompy? Realization hits me and indignation fills my chest. "Fuck off, abominable snowman."
"This is going to be fun," Damien smiles, "I quite like how feisty you are, bright eyes. But you should know, it was Miles who called you that first."
My jaw drops as I turn to my omega, who is looking at me sheepishly.
"Sorry, nymph. I had to keep you from biting Brody, and it just kind of slipped out."
Fuck. I almost bitanotherof the alphas? What the hell is wrong with me?
We're finally exiting the building of Sweet Heat, after they made all of us sign non-disclosure agreements. Cam assured me they would be implementing a new requirement to have a meeting with any alphas before a heat hits, so this doesn't happen to anyone else.
Lucky them.
Miles sighs as we hit the sidewalk, "Well, should we—"
"Would it have killed one of you to answer yourdamnphone?" A voice calls out from across the parking lot, and I see a hulking alpha stomping towards us, fire in his eyes. He looks to be of Asian descent, his dark brown eyes searching Brody, Kieran, and Damien as if assessing their well-being.
"Shit," Brody hisses as Miles stiffens next to me, his steps faltering, "we forgot to call Hunter. This isn't going to—"
