This distracted Killian so much that he didn’t realize they were pulling up to a cluster of homes. Until the car began to slow down, and he spotted people gathering around them.
“Eek!” Killian shrank into his seat.
Crush cut the engine so only its quiet ticking remained. Except now Killian could hear Crush’s pack around them—children giggling and scampering, some adults further away talking amongst themselves. There were adults closer to them who were quietly watching.
“I’m scared,” Killian whispered.
Why was he even whispering? These were wolves. They could all hear him.
19
KILLIAN MEETS THE WOLF PACK
Crush reached over,squeezing his hand. “They’ll welcome you, sweetheart. Isn’t that right, Dad, Papa?”
“Yes,” two of the older men said.
They were standing right in front of the car, closer to neither Crush nor Killian, as though... they wanted to treat both Crush and Killian equally? At least, that was how Killian chose to interpret their distance.
The larger of Crush’s parents was broad-shouldered and muscular, looking so much like Crush with his chestnut hair and green eyes. Was this how Crush would age, with gray hairs and smile lines on his face? Crush’s omega dad was small and slender, with gray hair and brown eyes; he was also smiling.
They both looked sofriendly.
And they were both watching Killian, even though he was cloaked in the car’s shadows.
“Welcome, Killian and Naddie,” Crush’s alpha dad said.
Killian squinted at them. “You won’t steal my baby?”
Crush’s omega dad laughed and spread his arms. “We have plenty of pups here. Why would we steal yours?”
Because Naddie is a mixed breed,Killian didn’t say. They had been kidnapped earlier this year precisely because of her dual species; Killian wasn’t keen on telling anyone who didn’t need to know.
“Kil has been traumatized,” Crush said firmly. “No one is going to steal anyone’s baby. Or I will bite them.”
He stepped out of the car then, walking around to Killian’s door. Killian saw several of the adults flaring their nostrils and smirking.
“Oh gods,” Killian breathed. “They can smell the fuck juices.”
Crush paused for half a second, his face twitching. Then he covered his mouth, but not before Killian saw him grin.
“You’re not supposed to laugh at that,” Killian wailed.
“Bunny, I’ve never smiled so much in one day. This is all because of you.” Crush stopped by Killian’s door, bending to peer through the window. “Ready?”
“No,” Killian mumbled. But he made himself weigh his options, because he owed Crush that much. All things considered, this wasn’t as scary as the crap situations he had been in. “I can do this,” he whispered to himself. “If the pack likes me, then I can grow carrots in Crush’s garden.”
Crush’s shoulders were shaking when he opened the passenger door. “I would tell you not to announce your nefarious intentions, but in the grand scheme of things, using me for your personal carrot gains isn’t a big deal.”
Killian buried his face in his hands, andgroaned.“I hate my mouth. Everything just falls out of it. Except for feet. You would think there’s no space left for words to escape, since my feet are permanently stuck in my mouth, but nooooo. I think my pornstar name would be Foot Deepthroater.”
There was a long, pregnant silence.
Killian looked around and realized that all of Crush’s family was staring at him.
“Oh gods,” he whispered, his horror growing. “Crush, I think you need to take me away.”
“You have an incredible talent with words,” Crush said solemnly. “C’mon. No one thinks you should leave. Come on out and meet my pack. Everyone likes you already.”
