When my legs worked again, I hurried into the closet and grabbed a set of the PJ’s Cora had given me in a cream color, having no desire to get caught naked again.
Once dressed, I crawled between the soft sheets, and collapsed into the even softer mattress, which helped soothe my ragged edges. There was no real sense of accomplishment over surviving my first day with Reeves Pack, because in reality I’d barely fucking survived. Tomorrow, I had to do better.
To my surprise, sleep claimed me almost instantly, the stress too much for my exhausted brain to handle, and when I woke the next morning, weak rays of sunlight were filtering around the edges of the blinds.
I rolled over to find the faintest wisps of mocha wafting up from the bed.Hunter.Even in his house, he stalked me through the night, but for some stupid reason I felt safer knowing he kept an eye out.
On my bedside, the phone chirped with a notification, and I reached out and grabbed it. There was one message, and it wasn’t in the group chat.
Golden Boy: I’m sorry, pretty girl. I fucked up last night. Don’t hate me.
Lifting the phone up to my chest, I replied so fast my fingers flew over the touchscreen.
Pretty girl: I could never hate you, Golden. You’re still my favorite.
He sent back a ton of smiling and heart emojis, and my spirits had lifted by the time I got out of bed and started my day. Twenty minutes later I was showered, dressed in shorts and a shirt, and wandering into the kitchen. Gerald and Florence weren’t in the room, but Hunter was seated on one of the stools behind the counter, sipping his coffee and reading through the paper.
“You can get the news in digital now,” I said with a smirk as I grabbed a mug and poured myself a coffee too. Hunter nudged the cream and sugar toward me before I could ask.
Like a good stalker, he already knew how I took my coffee.
“I prefer to use my hands,” he said, flipping the page. “Really get a feel for what I’m enjoying.”
My throat dried up, and I gulped a mouthful of coffee, wincing at the burn of liquid down my throat. Hunter glanced my way briefly, shaking his head before he returned to his paper.
With nothing else to do, I found myself watching him closely. He was already dressed in a light-gray suit, like the one he’d worn the day I met him. The blue of his shirt was a similar color to my eyes, with a darker blue tie open around his neck waiting to be secured.
His hair was tamed, those thick dark waves sitting in the sort of attractive arrangement that you knew was manufactured. It was a nice look on him, but I preferred him a little wilder.
Dark eyes laced in gold met mine, and I swear there was a hint of amusement in their depths. “I’ll drive you to the Golden Fin this morning,” he said. “Kellan should be able to pick you up when your shift is done.”
“If you have a bike I can borrow, I’m more than happy to get myself around as well.”
I took another sip of coffee, which was finally cool enough to enjoy. Hunter flicked the paper once more, folding it in front of him. “It’s too dangerous for you toget yourself around.At least not while you’re unbonded. We might have strict rules about the treatment of omegas, but not everyone follows rules. I’m not sure if anyone’s told you, but next week is the Summit and Golden Claw is the host city this year. There will be an influx of alphas from other shifter cities here.”
I had no idea what the Summit was, but I understood why he’d disclosed this information. Different cities had different rules. Our council and alphas might be discouraged from taking me against my will, but in other cities… not so much.
“I won’t take off on my own,” I said, and there was not an ounce of sass in my tone. “Thanks for keeping me safe.”
They kept me safe without the promise of anything in return, and it was far more than I expected or deserved.
Hunter’s voice deepened: “You’re part of Reeves Pack, and I protect my pack.”
It grew more apparent every time I spoke with him why Hunter was the entitled alpha in this quintet.DespiteSlade holding more dominance. There was just something about Hunter’s protective instincts and capabilities in whatever he handled. Not to mention he was clearly a genius, at least when it came to inventing shifter technologies.
“How old are you all?” It couldn’t hurt to have one of my burning questions answered, right?
Hunter’s full focus was disconcerting, and I had nothing to hide behind now that my coffee was finished. “Slade is the oldest at thirty-four. I’m thirty-two. Finley’s twenty-six, and Kellan’s twenty-five. How old are you, Emme?”
My chest warmed as he used my preferred name. “I’m twenty-five. I kind of lied to the council, hoping they’d go easier on me.”
Hunter didn’t show any signs of being surprised or upset by my mistruth, and I guessed Warrick already told him. “I’d never have let them hurt you, little omega. No matter what they decided on that day.”
With that, he got to his feet and deposited his cup in the sink. “Meet me out the front in thirty minutes. I’ll leave your uniform for work on your bed.”
When he was gone, I remained a puddle of confusion, hating and loving at the same time how safe I already felt in the presence of an alpha.
An alpha with the power to destroy me.
