“Hey,” I whine, jabbing a finger toward the box when she frowns back at me.
“Oh, whatever. Trust me when I say that shirt does you no favors. It’s hideous and makes you look washed out.”
My mouth pops open and my eyes go wide. “I’ve worn it to the clubs dozens of times. You couldn’t have said something sooner?”
“Alphas aren’t looking at your shirt, Hud. But those of us with an iota of style…that’s a whole other story.”
Ella might actually be more obsessed with clothing and designer labels than I am, although she appreciates the quality over the fact they carry a high price tag and some form of prestige in society.
“Fine,” I say, going back to loading up a box with a few trinkets and pictures of Ella and me. I’ve already grabbed my must haves from my nest and tucked them into one of the duffel bags I emptied back at the mansion.
She tosses a few more items into the donation box and I give up fighting her on it. Hate to admit it but she probably knows best when it comes to style.
“Not like you’re not getting a new wardrobe. But you’re taking me with you this time. No more hideous clothes.”
“My clothes are not hideous. Stop insulting my style because you’re crabby.”
“It’s just so confusing to me how you’ve found a pack who wants to spoil you and breed you when you’ve been so against packing up for so long while I –” Ella cuts herself off and my heart suddenly hurts for her.
She actually wants a pack. She wants a big pack full of virile alphas who can give her a bunch of little Ella look-alikes. She wants to be spoiled and wants kids she can then spoil in turn.
“You’re young, El. Stop acting like you’re some kind of spinster.”
We’re both young. It’s not uncommon for omegas to finish school and get a career before allowing a pack to bond them.Hell, some even refuse to be permanently bound, simply opting for marriage instead of something that will tie them together for the rest of their lives and will cause true physical and emotional agony if one of the pack members opts to sever the bond.
She slams a pair of slacks onto the open suitcase and flops back onto my bed, bouncing once before settling.
“I know. I’m just riding the stupid rollercoaster.”
You know that thing when people talk about cycles syncing? That’s us. It would have been so much easier through the years if one of us could have been coherent and rational through each other’s cycles, but we tend to overlap.
“The pack said you can come over any time you want. I can ask if they’ll help you through your heat, too,” I offer, though that stupid green fog that is seriously starting to piss me off slithers through my gut and straight to my veins.
“Uh, no thank you. That’s kind of…weird. I’m not sharing dicks and knots with my best friend.”
“Hey, they do it in porn all the time.”
She huffs a surprised laugh and tosses a pillow at my head.
I hadn’t really planned to do a closet clean out while I was packing, but as usual, my best friend does whatever she wants when she wants.
At least there’s only one donation box with clothes and shoes in it. I’m sure if she had the choice, she would get rid of anything that was made with a specific stitch or whatever it is that causes her to purchase specific brands.
“You are still coming over, right?” I ask her as we start hefting suitcases, duffel bags, and garment bags into the living room where the guard is waiting to load things down to the SUV.
“Said I would. Besides, I want to meet these guys, make sure they’re good guys.”
My mood immediately sours as I head back into my room to grab the small box containing the remaining toiletries and photos of Ella and me.
“That won’t be happening today,” I call out.
Her steps are soft as she enters behind me and leans against the doorframe. “Because?”
“Because they work a lot.” I try really hard to keep my expression neutral, but there is literally nothing I can do about the change in my scent.
“Have you told them you want to spend more time with them?”
I force a smile and pass her, nudging her playfully with my shoulder. “It’s been two days. Too soon to start missing them. It’s just a business arrangement.” Before she can throw out some comment, I add, “One you can benefit from as well, by the way.”
