“How are we going to cheer her up after this?” Theo asked, running his hand through his hair. “Do you think ice cream will do it, or do we need something more?”
I raised my eyebrows. The three of us stood in the DMV parking lot, eyes fixed on the front entrance, waiting for Josie to emerge.
“What makes you think she’s going to need cheering up?” I asked with a grin.
Josie had bounced around the house all morning, her excitement about the overturn of the anti-omega driving laws outweighing her usual morning grouchiness. Her joy had been infectious through the bond. Even now, I felt my chest expanding with it.
“No one in their right mind will give her a driver’s license,” Cam grunted. “We’re going to have to pretend to be shocked and disappointed when they fail her.”
He glared at the front doors to the DMV as if it would force Josie to materialize. She had insisted on going in for her driving test alone. None of us had been happy about being separated from her, but I was sure my reasons differed from Cam’s and Theo’s. They wanted to be in there to growl at anyone who looked at our omega. I wanted to watch as she charmed her way into getting a license.
The door flew open and Josie practically skipped out, a massive smile on her face as she held up her new license in the air in victory.
“What. The. Actual. Fuck,” Cam muttered through gritted teeth, forcing a smile on his face as he waved at Josie.
“She had to have bribed them,” Theo responded, plastering on a neutral expression as his shock and disbelief radiated through the bond.
I just laughed and bounded ahead, colliding with my mate and twirling her in the air. Her soft body pressed against mine and I breathed in her happy scent.
“You did it! So proud of you,” I said, sneaking my hand down to squeeze her ass.
She squeaked with a giggle and pressed her lips close to my ear. “Don’t tell the guys, but I think my heat is coming on sooner than we thought. The instructor wassuperdistracted.”
I laughed and pulled her in for a kiss. “You are so naughty,” I whispered, enjoying the shiver that went through her as she perfumed. “Feel free to distract me with your scent any time, precious.”
I ran my nose down her neck, noticing her scent was particularly strong. My cock hardened and my hips automatically pressed into her.Fuck, is her heat coming on right now?
Theo and Cam joined us, sporting the fakest smiles I’d ever seen. Josie snorted with amusement but managed to cover up the sound with a cough. My eyes watered with kept-in laughter. My brothers constantly forgot how easily Josie could read them even before we bonded. Now there was nothing they could hide from her.
“So the instructor thinks you’re ready for driving on roads… with other people on them?” Theo asked, running his hand through Josie’s hair. She leaned into his touch, beaming.
“Yes!” she responded. “In fact, his exact words were, ‘you are the best omega driver I’ve ever tested.’”
“The new law literally went into effect today,” Cam muttered under his breath, running his hand down his face. Josie either didn’t hear him or chose to ignore his comment.
She held up her license for us to see.
“It should be illegal to look so gorgeous in a license photo,” I said.
The grainy image captured her bright eyes and radiant smile. I noticed the star symbol on the side of the license that indicated she was a bonded omega, along with our pack name listed. Josie and the other omegas on the Omega Rights Committee had protested this requirement, arguing that bond status had no bearing on driving ability. But change happened slowly and even this new government had their heads up their asses a lot of the time.
Cam pulled Josie out of my arms and enveloped her in a tight hug. She cuddled into his chest, standing on her tiptoes and scent-marking his neck. The tension immediately melted away from his shoulders. He breathed her in deeply, and his eyes widened.
“Fuck, are you…”
“Oh, that’s the guy who did my test!” Josie interrupted, gesturing at the frazzled-looking beta with a city uniform currently stumbling out of the DMV, holding a backpack in front of his crotch. She gave him a cute little wave and his eyes widened as he fumbled with his car keys.
Theo tugged Josie’s hand into his. “Was he inappropriate with you?” he asked, his eyes shooting daggers at the beta, who finally managed to get his car door open and throw himself in.
“Not at all,” Josie said, her eyes wide. She kept her body firmly pressed against Cam as her eyes grew glassy. Theo leaned down to scent her, and he met my gaze, obviously realizing what was happening.
“I don’t like him,” Cam growled.
“I have to text my friends a picture,” Josie said, handing her phone to Theo. She posed for the photo, holding the license up proudly.
As soon as Theo was done taking the picture, I pulled Josie to my side. I didn’t think she had realized just yet that her heat was starting. My inner alpha felt antsy, the urge to protect our omega growing stronger than usual.
“Your heat is starting, gorgeous,” I murmured. “We’ve got to head up to the cabin.”
