Page 131 of Party Girl: How a Naughty Omega Finds Love
And Curtis was found dead in a warehouse on Sunday from a gunshot wound to the gut. He’d been there for a few days before the body was found. The police assumed he’d gotten into a fight with another thug and left it at that. I’m not sad he’s gone and I don’t feel guilty for his death. If he had survived the wound I gave him, he would have killed me. Shelly is in jail and facing a life sentence for her part in what happened to Nova and the other dancers at the club. With everything Curtis owned being seized, she won’t be getting out.
Despite all that, I’m still a little nervous about returning to the pack home. The house that will be mine now too.
“What about the rage room?” Melanie asks quickly.
“I can come visit.” It’s Monday and my heat is two days away. I won’t need the rage room until my next pre-heat, and now that I’ve been introduced as the pack’s omega, I don’t see why I couldn’t come back.
She gives me a stern look. “You better. Will you be okay during your heat? You know what to expect?”
“I’ll be okay.” Having the sex talk with Asher’s mom is not on my bucket list. Neither is fucking her son for five days in a row in her guest house.
“All right, I’ll stop. I only want to get to know my daughter-in-law. She’s more than I could have ever wished for.”
“Melanie.” I blink away moisture. “I might hate you if you make me cry.”
She chuckles and reaches for me. Since she’s so sweet and gentle, her movements don’t set off a reaction. The more the men openly offer me affection and hugs and kisses, the more I find I crave it. Melanie’s arms close around me, and she sighs, holding me tight. It takes ten seconds for me to melt in her arms and really hug her back. Twenty for my heart to warm. Thirty for the hug to speak to something inside of me, as if Melanie is whispering it’ll be okay to my soul. When she pulls back, part of me wants to grab her and bring her back. I settle for a warm grin instead.
“We can rage together again soon.”
“We better.” Melanie’s mates and mine join us in the courtyard.
I blink, thinking over that last thought. My mates. These guys are mine. Avi comes to my side and grabs my hand, squeezing it twice to let me know he sees me struggling and I’m not alone.
“Ah, young love.” Melanie makes a cooing sound and leans into Jonathan’s side. “What about babies?” she asks suddenly, grabbing her mate’s shirt.
The guys all look at me. My face scrunches and tension pools between my shoulders.
“I, uh, don’t really think I want any.” I hadn’t considered that maybe the guys might want them.
“Me either,” Trev confesses.
“I don’t really care either way,” Avi says. “Whatever Whitney wants.”
“Same,” Hayden and Asher say at the same time.
Relief floods through me. If any of them really wanted children, our relationship wouldn’t work. I don’t trust myself enough. I could end up just like my mother, and I refuse to traumatize a child like she did to me.
Melanie nods in understanding. “Oh, that’s fine. You do whatever makes your pack happy. Asher’s brother had a baby, so I can get snuggles when he comes to visit. You have your blankets?”
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to take them?” I’ve started to hoard soft things and Melanie insisted I take the ones I’d piled on the floor in one of the bedrooms.
“Of course. Keep them. I have plenty.” Her eyes water a little, and I look away so I don’t start crying. My hormones are all over the place lately.
“We’re going to go before you start crying, Ma.” Asher hugs her. “Thanks for letting us stay.”
“Don’t keep her away from me,” she says, patting his arms.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Asher glances at me. “She’s pack.”
“Come on.” Hayden grabs my hand and pulls me toward the door. Avi releases my hand and I shoot him an apologetic look. “We need to go now or Melanie might try to keep you here forever.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” I whisper.
Hayden side-eyes me. “Troublemaker.”
“You like it.” I smirk at him. “Can I drive?” I ask when we reach the car, hoping he’s not one of those douchey guys that refuses to let a woman drive.
Hayden glances toward the house. The guys haven’t made it out yet. Taking the keys from his pocket, he sighs. “Don’t make me regret it.” He pushes the keys into my hand.
