“Hey! Stop! Do you have octopus arms? I’m a grown alpha, stop trying to put your spit on my face! Have some dignity!” Sebastian spins away and climbs up on the bench, his top and hair messy, he spends the next minute trying to fix it, while my mother circles him.
I can’t help it; I start to laugh and end up leaning on the door frame to hold myself up as Sebastian and Mum go around and around the kitchen. It ends when Pops throws Sebastian a wet flannel, and Dad grabs Mum's shoulders and turns her away.
“Are you ready, boys?” Pops asks the pack. “Pack Hart, are you ready to find your omega?”
Elijah looks sick; he glances at me with a look that can only be translated as an SOS. Well, the joke's on him because I can’t even save myself.
“We’re ready, Franco,” Devon says with another look at me.
“Dad, you have to stop her from doing these things; it’s humiliating!” Sebastian snaps. “Licking my face.”
“I didn’t lick your face.”
“You may as well have!” he shouts and shudders dramatically.
I snort a laugh.
“I need you to look perfect. I found you the perfect omega.”
“Argh! Can you just stay out of my love life?”
“No.”
Sebastian draws himself up and then collapses, defeated. “We still have that deal, right? One event, three dates. If I don’t choose this omega, you let me go and leave me to find love on my own. No more interfering.”
“That was an option?” I say into the room.
My mother stares at him. “Yes, that’s the deal.”
He shudders. “Fine. Let’s get this over with. I can keep an eye out for whoever stole Roy’s wallet.” He jumps off the bench and holds his arm out to Mum. “Shall we?”
She slips her arm around his. “Let’s do this, my eldest son.”
I walk to Devon, stopping awkwardly in front of him. “I can take him.”
“I’m happy to hold him; he’s asleep and comfortable.”
I look at my little dachshund and bite my cheek. It would be mean to wake him up, wouldn’t it?
“Come on, walk with me. I’d like to catch up with you,” Mack says smoothly. He puts a hand on my back and guides me out of the house. I can’t get away from him; I don’t even know if I can speak in sentences.
We walk in silence, following the throng of people that are heading for Main Street.
“What was the city like?”
“Lonely.” I answer before I can stop myself and then wish I could take the admission back.
“You didn’t have people?”
I shake my head. “The world isn’t like Sunshine.”
“No, it’s not. I hate to think of you being alone, though.”
My stomach flutters wildly. I’m too conscious of how close he is and the fact that he’s so much bigger than me now.
Elijah’s gold hair catches my attention as he bounces past. He too looks nothing like the teen I met all those years ago. He’s gorgeous with huge, blue, vulnerable eyes and tanned skin.
“I was fine. It’s what I needed, anyway.”
