Page 28 of Sweethearts and Savages
Carmen rolled her eyes, leaning close. “You totally owe me.” She turned back to our parents. “Guys, I need to tell you something.”
Walker groaned about her being pregnant, and Judge elbowed him. She frowned at them both. “No, I’m not pregnant. Jesus, give me some credit. No, apparently, I have two fated mates, and the other one is a Wendigo.”
Holy shit.
Christopher’s eyes whipped to our beta sister. You could have heard a pin drop. They all started talking at once, but I was watching Carmen. Her chin was raised, her eyes defiant. She’d settled on this, and no matter what our parents or Christopher said, nothing would change her mind. I envied her certainty, her willingness to make a decision and stand by it.
No one would try and change her mind. No one would ever assume Carmen was too gentle to make up her own mind. No one would ever think that anyone, mate or not, was taking advantage of Carmen, mostly because she would be the first to castrate them.
I half-listened to them argue back and forth, but my mind was with Bohdie. I didn’t think I was Bohdie’s fated mate. I wasn’t sure Omegas got fated mates, really. We were too rare, and too necessary to Pack harmony, for us to be fated to just one Alpha. Alpha males tended to be territorial, especially wolf Alphas. Fated mates were even worse.
What would I do if Bohdie met his fated mate?
I shook my head, chasing away the thought. There was no point borrowing this kind of trouble until it happened, but it slipped into the back of my brain to niggle at me. Despite the fact that Carmen had freaking two, plus my mom and Brody, fated mates were really, really rare. Maybe there was something in the water up here.
“I promise you, Dad, that he’s a good guy. I would slit his throat myself if I thought he was any danger to me or the Pack,” Carmen said.
Brody huffed. “I don’t know if I find that statement more reassuring or concerning.”
“Makes me so fucking proud,” X crowed. “Now let’s have some damn cake!”
I stood, walking into the kitchen to get plates and spoons while X started talking about stabbing cakes. Judge walked in after me, grabbing out the milk and a few glasses. He watched me with his deep blue eyes. “You okay, kid? You’re very quiet.”
I looked up at my dad, his brows scrunched together in concern. Eventually, we would all look the same age. Maybe one day, we would look like their parents. Judge wasn’t the most affectionate of my parents, nor was he the most responsible. But Judge was the one we called when Christopher crashed his motorbike when we were fourteen, because we knew he’d fix it without giving us a lecture. Well, he still gave us a look of disappointment, and that was worse than any lecture. He was the one who watched old black and white films with me, and gave me my first beer. He was the one who didn’t treat me like I was some special and fragile Omega, made of glass. He was quiet, steady protection, and I needed that more than anything some days.
I chewed on my lip, but I nodded. “Just mad at Christopher.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What for?”
“Being an overbearing asshole.”
He let out a bark of laughter. “He gets that from X.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against him. “You sure that’s all?”
I hesitated. If I told Judge about Bohdie and Stacey, there was a chance he’d tell everyone else. I wasn’t ready for that shitstorm. “You promise you won’t tell anyone?”
Judge frowned. “Hmm, depends. Does it affect your safety?”
I shook my head.
“Will you tell everyone else eventually?” This time I nodded. “Okay, I’ll keep your secret.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m dating someone. Well, two someones actually.”
Judge raised both eyebrows. “Ah. So this is why Christopher has his tail in a knot. You’re an adult, E. It was bound to happen. Do we know them?”
I shook my head, and then stopped. “Kind of. Bohdie is a lion Alpha from Stateside. And the other one is… uh, Stacey.”
Judge whistled low. “The human girl that belongs to the Lycanthropes?” I nodded again, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. “Ah, now I see. She always had a crush on you, it was easy to see. Do you not want to tell the family? Because after the Wendigo conversation, I’m pretty sure they’d be relieved you’re dating a girl.”
I laughed, because he was probably right. But I wasn’t ready for it to become a whole thing. I was enjoying it just being the three of us without any external pressures right now. “I know. Maybe when Carmen gets accidentally knocked up.”
Judge laughed. “Hush your mouth, Sugar. I’m too young to be a granddaddy.” He squeezed my shoulders. “You deserve to be happy. You take as long as you need. But if you accidentally get knocked up, I’m making a lion skin rug for your mama, okay?”
I smiled at Judge. “Thanks, Dad.”
I wandered into the dining room, where everyone was talking loudly among themselves. I loved Family Day, and despite the fact I was mad as hell at Christopher, I wouldn’t change my family for the world.
I sat down beside Tex, and rubbed my cheek on his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head and took the plates from me. “You okay, Sweetheart?”
