“You’re not fine,” he says, turning my face towards him with a gentle finger under my chin. “Something happened after I left.”
“It’s nothing, I’m just nervous about moving into a pack house,” I say, smiling at him to try and hide the true turmoil inside of me.
“You’re not just moving into a house,” he says, his voice low and rough. “You’re walking into a den full of starving wolves.”
The warning sends a shiver down my spine. Before I can respond, he’s opening the car door for me, gesturing for me to enter the warmth of the limo.
As I slide across the leather seat, I wonder if I’ve made a terrible mistake. But then Drake joins me inside the limo, his scent wrapping around me like a familiar blanket, and I realize I’m already caught in his den, and I don’t want to leave just yet.
Eight
KIERAN
The chillfrom the glass walls of the three-seasons porch is strong, but I barely pay attention to it. My alpha body runs hot, especially when I’m agitated.
And right now, I’m fucking agitated.
I stare out at the empty swimming pool, covered for winter, a thin layer of ice forming around its edges. The grounds stretch before me, bare trees stark against the gray sky, but I’m not really seeing them.
My mind is elsewhere. My mind is on her. On Francine.
“Thought I’d find you here. You didn’t look too happy,” says Elias, and I know it’s him even without having to turn around. “Thinking about life?”
I grunt in response, not in the mood for his questioning. Elias is the diplomat of our pack, the one who can talk anyone into anything with that smooth voice and patient demeanor. He’s always the one who can de-escalate fights between us brothers and keep the peace.
I just want to be left alone with my thoughts and confusion.
“Not really thinking about anything.”
“Liar,” he says as he settles into the wicker chair next to mine, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “So, Francine seems nice.”
I clench my jaw, keeping my eyes fixed on the horizon. “She’ll be good for Nora.”
“That’s all you have to say?” Elias presses, a hint of amusement in his voice. “She’ll be good for Nora?”
I shrug, feigning indifference. “What else is there to say? She’s the nanny.”
“She’s an omega,” Elias says, the words hanging in the air between us like a challenge. “A beautiful, unmated omega who’s going to be living in our house. That’s never happened before.”
“I’m aware of what she is,” I say, my voice coming out harder than I intended.
“And how do you feel about that? About having an unmated omega in our pack house?”
I finally turn to look at him, keeping my expression carefully neutral. “She’s not in our pack. She works for us.”
Elias laughs, the sound soft and knowing. “Right. Just an employee. Nothing more.”
But as he speaks, my mind betrays me, conjuring the image of Francine as she stood in our library. Those wide green eyes, filled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. The way she bit her lower lip when I mentioned the guest suite, like she couldn’t believe her luck. The delicate flush that spread across her cheeks when our eyes met. So fucking innocent. And so fucking pure.
My cock stirs, hardening against my thigh, and I shift uncomfortably in my seat. Thank fuck for the heavy fabric of my suit pants. The last thing I need is for Elias to notice my physical reaction to the mere thought of her.
“She’ll make a great nanny,” I say firmly, willing my body to calm down. “She has experience, and Nora already likes her. That’s all that matters.”
Elias studies me for a long moment, those amber eyes seeing too much. He’s waiting for more, waiting for me to acknowledge what we both know deep down. It’s the fact that having an unmated omega in our home changes everything.
And my body is already responding to her presence in ways I can’t control.
“Sure,” Elias finally says, drawing out the word in a way that makes it clear he doesn’t believe me for a second. “Just a nanny.”
