“Were you planning to do a fake breakup?” North asked, rolling his eyes at us.
“That wasn’t exactly my plan,” Cole admitted as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “I had no intention of letting her walk away after this.”
Maybe I should be surprised that he had plans to make sure I wouldn’t walk away, but I wasn’t. This was Cole, the one in control at all times. I think I was the only thing in his life that ever challenged that control.
“Are we going to keep lying to Mom?” Jack questioned.
I looked at Cole, letting him answer that one. It was his mom, after all.
“No,” Cole admitted. “I’ve been trying to think of a way to tell her. I just haven’t figured it out yet.”
“It’s Karina. She will understand,” North said. He finally started getting the food distributed, shaking his head at the whole situation.
“Are you guys mad?” I questioned again, needing to know. The idea of hurting them made me sick.
“What you and Cole had going before you realized you had a pack was on you. We’ve only been a pack a few days. I can’t really be mad at that,” Jack said, far more reasonably than I expected.
Cole gave his brother a smug look. “Not quite the leg up you thought I had.”
Jack smirked back, unbothered. “I thought about that, too.”
North ignored them completely as he handed me a plate. “Omegas first.”
“This is one time I won’t complain about that rule,” I said, eyeing all the food he put out: steak, fresh bread, pasta, cheesygarlic bread, and chicken cutlets. It all looked so good my mouth watered even as I filled my plate.
We fell into companionable silence as Jack started the movie, some adorable story about a big-city journalist returning home.
It was more than a little ironic considering this was Cole’s first time in a long time being home. He gave me a look, amused, before taking a big bite of pasta.
Between my full stomach, the warmth of the fireplace, and being close to my pack, I wasn’t sure I’d find the energy to get up from this spot to decorate.
North leaned back on the couch, and I snuggled into his side on instinct, not even thinking about it. He froze for a fraction of a second before relaxing and holding me closer, telling me silently that it was exactly where he wanted to be.
I breathed in his gingerbread and nutmeg scent and let out a contented sigh.
“You two look good together,” Jack said softly. There was adoration in his voice, but also heat.
“I think our alpha likes the sight of us together,” I teased, whispering into North’s ear before flicking my tongue out. Maybe I was too sleepy to have reservations, but North’s soft groan told me he loved the show we were putting on.
His scent shifted in the air, growing stronger, and a whimper escaped his lips. I took a deep breath, shocked at the hint of omega in it.
My head snapped to the side, looking at Jack, who looked just as stunned. Cole had a hand over his mouth. I didn’t know if it was to hold back the words about to tumble out or just because he was as shocked as we were.
“Is anyone else hot?” North asked, shifting uncomfortably. “Fuck, this shirt is driving me crazy.”
He started to yank the offending fabric over his head before he blanched, realizing what he was about to do. Though, I didn’t think it was embarrassment coloring his cheeks now.
Something had shifted along with his scent. Somethingbig.
“North…” I hedged. “Is there any way they got your designation wrong?”
“What?” he asked, startled by the question. Then his eyes shifted to the others. I don’t know if he was hoping they’d agree with him, but they were just as wide-eyed. Jack was wound so tight that his muscles were straining in his neck.
“What is going on?” North demanded, his voice almost shrill as he fed off our shock and turned it to panic.
“Baby, I think you’re an omega.”
North
