Page 210 of All Packed Up

A realization smacked Grif in the face just then.

His beta was in love with Wendy.

Dumbstruck, he forgot to stop staring, so when Nic lifted his head, blinked his eyes open, he met Grif’s gaze, his expression dipping into worry.

Then Tate and Arlo had to go through the same process, hands hovering over her and checking for more injuries. “I’m fine now,” she croaked, cheeks blushing at the rough words. “Just sore. Were the cats okay?”

Tate nodded. “Yes, I can’t believe you’re even asking about that right now. God, Wendy, are you sure you’re okay?”

Tate’s blue eyes were wide with worry, but she nodded. “I am now. Griffith barked at them.”

“Griffith? The Griffith?” a voice asked, belonging to Stellan who was staring between Nic and Grif with wide eyes.

Nic’s gaze slid to his for a split second before he nodded at the omega.

“Oh my god,” Stellan mouthed, and Griffith was suddenly aware of a very critical stare from the omega. At least until his own alpha stepped close, pulling their faces close with a single digit.

“It’s not polite to stare,” the alpha warned, jealousy dripping from the words.

Griffith had to hide his chuckle in his shoulder. Alphas were very possessive of their mates, especially omegas, and it looked like Stellan, despite being a badass, was no exception to that.

He smiled up at his alpha, and Griffith felt something funny wiggle in his chest.

Dammit, he wanted that. Wanted the tenderness and connection and closeness that came with having a partner. A mate.

And he wanted it with Nic.

And Wendy wasn’t so bad.

And fine. Even the stoners had grown on him in the past weeks.

Griffith didn’t want to return to his house alone. Not after getting used to it being filled with life.

“So this is your pack, huh?” Stellan asked.

Nic spluttered, coughing a lung out. As she snickered, Wendy patted him on the back in sympathy.

“N-No,” he answered a moment later on a gasp. “We haven’t had that talk.”

“Yet,” Wendy added.

Nic’s head swung toward her so fast Griffith wondered if the man had given himself fucking whiplash.

Eyes wide, Nic stared at her as if she’d grown two heads. “Yet?” he asked, voice quiet.

Wendy nodded confidently, cheeks pink in the cold night air. “Yet,” she promised.

“As much as I love one syllable conversations, I think it’s time Niles and I get out of your hair, yeah?” Stellan suggested with a smirk.

“Are we really just oing to let them walk away? Scott free?” Stellan asked with a frown.

“Absolutely fucking not. Greyson's already compiling a list of businesses in the area for their security footage. If we can find just one of them nearby, it will be enough.”

“And those bruises are fresh,” Arlo growled. He lifted a hand and pointed over their heads.

A camera was pointed in their direction, hidden beneath the awning of the building next door.

“Fuck,” Tate coughed with a laugh. “Fuck yeah.”