Page 40 of Strays
The stitched cut on her left arm still looks red and a little raw, and the fact that she’s moving so carefree unsettles me. I just hope she’s not in pain and trying to hide it.
She’s not wearing much makeup, just enough that her lips look soft and red, like a perfect apple. Tiny gold earrings catch the light, and a slender bracelet gleams whenever she moves.
“Is it too much?” she asks, pressing her hand nervously against the front of her dress. “I wanted to wear something nice on my bonding day, so I brought this outfit just in case.” She bites her lip. “But now I feel kind of overdressed.”
I try to say something, but I fail.
“You’re perfect, Jo,” Jay says, his voice soft and certain. “Just perfect.”
Her shoulders ease, and she gives us a small smile.
The cafeteria is crowded when we arrive for breakfast. Jo’s the only nyra in the entire room, and the second she walks in, at least half of the aegis turn to look. Their eyes follow every move she makes.
We close ranks fast. Jay and Shane flank her, one on either side, and I fall into step just behind. Without thinking, we move like a unit, the way packs naturally form around their nyra. Funny how easy it is, falling into place around her.
I’m too wired to care about food. I just grab the first things I see and throw them on my tray. My brothers are also distracted, just tossing food on trays while their eyes keep scanning the room.
Jo doesn’t say anything, but she’s bothered by the attention. She moves a little tighter, a little less freely. She picks out a few small sugar-dusted breads and a pineapple juice.
We get a table and start eating. Jay asks her something about the food, clearly trying to distract her from all the staring. She answers between bites, her voice still light, though I can hear the edge of discomfort there.
There’s a pack at the table in front of us that doesn’t even blink, just gawking straight at her while she eats, not even trying to hide it. I feel the growl rising in my throat, part possessiveness, part pure rage. I know exactly how it feels to have an entire room stare you down. We’ve been there too many times at Greenster PD.
Shane snaps first. His voice is loud enough for the whole place to hear. “You wanna quit staring at my mate?”
The three aegis break their stares at Jo and narrow their eyes at Shane for a heartbeat before looking down at their food. This is one of the good things about being among strangers: if they don’t know we’re strays, they usually show the same respect they would to any blood pack.
The second they stop staring so openly, Jo relaxes. “I used to wonder what it would feel like to sleep in a nest, and now I know,” she says.
Jay’s eyes flick with something almost nervous when he asks, “Was it good?”
She closes her eyes dreamily. “Your scents are so relaxing. And I was wrapped in arms the whole time… I’ve never slept that well before.”
I can’t help but smile wide, like an idiot, right in front of all the aegis watching us. “I thought you were going to say the mattress and blankets were soft,” I tease.
“Oh, that too,” she grins. “But what about you? You’ve always slept in a nest together. Was it different, having me there?”
It’s our turn to close our eyes, just for a moment.
I was about to tell her that sleeping with her curled between us was literally a dream come true, but Shane beats me to it. “I can’t put into words what last night was, Jo,” he says.
She doesn’t answer, but her smile grows just as wild as ours.
When we finish breakfast, it’s eight-thirty. The administrative building is close, so there’s still time for us to walk there without any rush.
Jo offers her hands to Shane and Jay on either side of her. They lace their fingers with hers and hold hands until we reach the building.
I check us in at the front desk. The officer barely looks up, just nods, and we sit down to wait.
My heart is racing. I can’t believe I’m really going to bite her and make her mine.
My brothers and Jo are nervous too; we’re all bunched up, clinging to any kind of contact. I’m next to Shane, our shoulders pressed together. Jo is on my other side, between me and Jay, his arm draped around her shoulders. Shane stretches his arm across me to hold her hand, and I rest my hand on her thigh.
After a few minutes, the desk guy calls Jo’s name and opens the door behind him, motioning for her to enter. We stand to go with her, but he stops us halfway. “The medical team will have her for a check-up now. You stay here.”
I don’t like the idea of letting her go in alone, but she squeezes my hand and smiles.
“See you in a minute,” she says, then she disappears behind the door.
