I don’t miss her curse or her insult and I smile, letting out a laugh of my own.
I don’t expect her to get the dress, but when she tosses it and a couple others in the same style—spaghetti strap, long, tight-fitting—into the cart, I smile victoriously.
The guys are going to lose their minds when they see her in that number.
I put everything on the counter. Auryn opted for several pairs of leggings—which I’m not complaining about one bit, because they make her ass look amazing—and sports bras, a slew of tank tops and long sleeves, and four dresses. I’d tried to put back the shirts and pants she selected for me, but she caught me. Twice.
And of course, we all got a few pairs of new underwear, seeing as with Auryn in the pack, that seems to be going like fucking hot cakes, and Olly’s been slacking on doing laundry.
Though I can’t blame him too much. I guess I understand. He’s been busy as fuck in and out of the lab, which is why I made a point to grab him some ice cream when we stopped at the store on the way back.
The Jeep is full of food and clothes, the sun is shining, and for a moment it feels like there isn’t the ominous threat of Orion hanging over us. For a moment, it just feels…right.
I park the car outside the compound, turning to see Auryn has not moved to get out.
I reach across the console and grab her hand, pulling her from her thoughts. “I had a really great time today,” I say carefully. My thumb slides over her knuckles. She’d changed into a pair of jeans, a tank top, and some Converse sneakers at the grocery store, and just the change of clothes makes her look like a whole new person.
She runs her free hand through her dark hair, smiling back at me, and it’s genuine.
“It wasn’t terrible.”
I chuckle, leaning over the console and entering her space. She glances at my lips and then flashes her gaze up at my eyes.
“I’ll take it,” I say, my voice a whisper, as I kiss her softly.
She settles into my kiss easily, whining and perfuming, and my heart swells. I think I love this girl. This alpha.
The words fall short of my voice, because as soon as I grasp them, I hear someone clearing their throat. The scent of rain and earth, mixed with heady bourbon, tells me exactly who is watching us right now. Who is watching me.
I break away, and Auryn blushes.
“Auryn, would you mind coming with me for a bit? I’d like to collect some new samples and—”
I sigh, pulling back. Fucking Olly. Doesn’t he know when to leave things alone for five seconds? We’re barely in the house yet!
Gage’s purr echoes through the space, and Auryn smiles, unbuckling her belt. “Of course.”
Olly helps her out, and she follows him with ease.
“I’ll just put all these fucking clothes and groceries away myself, thanks Olly!” I yell, but he doesn’t acknowledge me. Instead Auryn slides her arm around his waist and starts talking his fucking ear off as they head into the compound, leaving Gage and me alone.
“I’ll help,” he says as I unbuckle my belt and get out of the car.
Chapter 39
Gage
Once we get Auryn and Em’s haul into the building, I take Em to the training room for some practice. Thanks to his alpha healing, he’s mostly recovered from a physical standpoint, though I worry about his knot. He didn’t tell me about that in his debrief, and I wonder about the mental toll of such mutilation. Will he still be able to shoot when the time comes?
Within ten minutes, any concerns I had fly out the window. Em’s hands are perfectly steady, and he doesn’t miss a single bullseye. There’s no hesitation, no holding back. If anything, he’s even more focused than usual. Good.
After target practice, we go outside for some laps. No words are exchanged, but the easy camaraderie between us feels nice. It’s even more natural than before Auryn showed up.
I think she’s been good for us. Sure, we’ve had some hiccups along the way, but overall we’re all closer with her here. The pack bonds are tighter, and we seem to get along better. Hell, even Em and Olly don’t seem to clash as often. I have no doubt Auryn’s the main driving factor there.
Em and I slow to a fast walk to cool down. Sweat drenches us both, and I know we’ll need to hit the showers before rejoining the others.
Showers have definitely gotten more interesting since Auryn arrived.
