I frown at the screen in front of me, scanning over the words.
It’s so out there, so not me. I used to want to have everyone’s eyes on me, used to love the spotlight. I was hoping to be given a principal position at The Meridian Ballet Company. Before Frederick Bell, Haven’s father, took that from me. But now it just… doesn’t feel right to have all that attention on me.
Especially the attention of an unknown pack.
I shake my head even though Haven can’t see it. “I’m not sure. You know the types of people they put on that show.” People more focused on exposure than finding love. People too pretty for their own good.
“Yes, but this is going to be the best of the best, Ren! The Ashbourne Pack! You know all the omegas are going to be posh as fuck.”
“Yet another reason why I shouldn’t go. It won’t actually amount to anything!” I am anything but posh.
“So what if it doesn’t,” Jude says, making it clear that I’m on speaker phone. “At the very least you get a few days’ vacation on a private island resort. You need the sunshine, Ren.”
I wince at that.
Haven used to call me her sunshine girl. I used to be bright and bubbly and happy. Determined and optimistic.
I’m not anymore.
My fingers idly rub my knee, feeling the raised scarred flesh there, trying to come up with a response. I take too long.
“I’m coming over,” Haven announces.
“What?”
But it's too late. She's already hung up. Not three minutes later, as I’m scrolling through the list of things the show suggests I bring, not the least of which is a whole slew of evening gowns in an array of colors and tiny bikinis, she strolls through the door pregnant belly first with Hale hovering behind her like a helicopter.
I suppose this is the benefit of living in your best friend’s pool house. And the detriment.
I love having her so close and we’re generally very good at keeping our spaces separate, and it was agreed that we would have to announce ourselves at least fifteen minutes before we invade each other’s space. Something I was happy to commit to, seeing as Haven and her pack tend to fuck everywhere and anywhere in their house.
But since I’m not currently fucking anyone, Haven has the habit to just forget that little clause in our rental agreement. Which we absolutely have. Because as much as I love Haven, I still need something to keep this professional.
She comes right over to where I’m sitting at the small kitchen island and wraps her arms around me hugging tight asshe reads the email over my shoulder. I take a deep inhale of her familiar pineapple and chili scent, as Hale drops onto my sofa and picks up my most recent read.
I stopped being embarrassed about most things all of a month after I moved in and realized that living here means having very little privacy from, well,everyoneelse. The Calloway pack is very nosy, but also very protective in a gruff caring way. I’ve started to view them all as big brothers, just like I’ve always thought of Haven as my second sister.
“That one has tentacles in it,” I say to the alpha, who has just cracked the book open to the first page. Hale drops the book like it's hot.
Haven giggles. “Ooo, that’s a good one. You should read it. There are some things in there I wouldn’t mind trying.”
“I hate to break it to you, mouse, but none of us have tentacles.” He picks the book back up again though. “So alas some of your fantasies will not be able to come true.”
“There are dildos shaped like tentacles.” I tell him, clicking away from the email and spinning to wrap my arms around my friend. “As much as I hate to think about your sex life, you could buy one of those.”
Haven nods. “Oh, yeah, We should absolutely do that.” I feel her give a little shiver and her scent spikes.
Hale pins her with a look. “Finish talking to your friend, mouse, so I can take care of you.”
I release Haven and push off my stool, heading into the kitchen to make tea, more to have something to do than anything else. “Please, stop getting horny when you come to my house. It’s really weird.”
Haven makes a disgruntled noise and tries to boost herself onto the stool I just vacated, but she is a little short and her stomach is already very big, even though she’s only about fivemonths along. So it's a struggle. Hale sighs and moves to help her, lifting her carefully setting her down gently.
I love it. Love how much they love her and care for her, but sometimes I think moving here was a mistake.
Witnessing their happily bonded bliss, just makes it so painfully clear that I don’t have that. I chose a career in dance over a pack, and now I don’t have either.
“Tea?” I ask, already reaching for two extra mugs.
