“God, you’re awful,” Cooper mutters, easily running faster with us.
“You’re not the one with little legs!” Nina yells, forcing said legs to move faster. “Don’t make me talk or I’ll die.”
“Still so dramatic,” Abbott snorts.
“She’ll never change,” Riley laughs. “She’s always dramatic.”
“Rude,” Nina wheezes.
Ethan rolls his eyes as he keeps pace with Nina, moving her toward the middle of our group to keep her safe. It’s an immediate instinct whenever she joins us to keep her insulated in our group, and also keeps people from staring at her.
Our running clothes don’t keep much from the imagination, and Nina is getting more comfortable with wearing clothing that doesn’t hang off her body anymore.
Her mother really fucked over her self esteem, something I understand from experience. The difference is that my mother has never beaten or abused me. She simply doesn’t care how her societal machinations impact me.
Abusing someone with your words and disinterest also causes harm. My old scars on my inner thighs and inner elbows mock me as they itch. My pack helped me stop cutting, and I almost threw that all away when Abbott found me in the shower after our omegas were detoxing.
I hate that I let myself get that low without asking for help, but I’m glad he’s the one who found me.
Shaking off my memories, I force myself to focus on the present.
“I told Nina about your omegas,” Riley says.
“He did,” she says breathlessly. “Is Winter really trying out for a play?”
“She is, I think the next audition is tomorrow,” I say. “Sometimes it helps to be someone else when bad things happen.”
“I get that,” she says sadly. “If I had a talented bone in my body, I’d try it.”
“You’re a writer. Of course you’re talented,” Cooper growls, his tone refusing to hear anything else.
He always makes me a little nervous. Feral alphas are unpredictable, and he’s very possessive. I tend to be affectionate, which means I have to remember to keep my distance instead.
This is how it needs to be. I know that. Plus, I have my own omegas waiting at home for me.
Our run lasts longer than usual since we all keep each other motivated, and we’re headed up an hour later.
“Think our omegas are still sleeping?” Abbott asks as we walk, cooling down as we drink water.
Pack Thornefield is headed to their home in the other direction, and I said we’d find a time for them to meet Bellamy and Winter. They’re still figuring things out and I don’t want either of them to feel overwhelmed.
Meeting new people might be good for them, and Pack Thornefield will always be our friends.
“Bellamy texted us an hour ago,” Shiloh murmurs, checking his phone. “I guess they’re up now. He said that they didn’t feel so hot. Ugh, why are we so fucking far from Jones Road?”
“I have enough in the tank to keep going,” I offer, ready to get there faster. I can’t feel much through my bond with Winter outside of her anxiety. “Winter doesn’t feel right. Maybe we’re too far.”
“Same for me,” Ansel mutters. “Race you home.”
The four of us burst into motion as Abbott curses, the oldest of the pack at thirty-nine.
“Let’s go, old man!” I tease him, forcing speed into my strides because he fucking hates when I call him that.
“Someone’s going to get spanked!” Ansel yells, ignoring the glances we’re getting as we tear down the sidewalk.
“You have to catch me for that!” I yell back, crossing the street as we continue.
“For God’s sake, look both ways, Cass!” Abbott yells.
