Pack Deception: Part One, page 11
Fourteen
Summer
We ended up each getting a dress at the store, just as Ava demanded. She looks phenomenal in hers, as I knew she would. It's not at all what I thought she'd go for though. I pictured Ava as a neutral color kind of girl; sexy, yet understated. Maybe something in all black to match her sharp and dangerous personality.
But she chose a neon pink mini dress with sequins everywhere. It's fun and flirty and eye-catching. I ended up going with the last dress I tried on. The black velvet spaghetti strap dress that I hated at first, but Ava convinced me looked too good not to buy, though she ooh'd and aah'd over all the other dresses, too. I'm still not sure about it, but I figure Jade took enough from me, I won't let her take a second more of my confidence.
At the checkout counter of the dress shop, we debated on what to eat. She suggested pasta, and I took my stomach rumbling at that time as confirmation. Back on the sidewalks, bags in hand, we are headed to a cute little Italian place down the road, as Ava put it. She's talking to me about her week at work, and I listen, laughing at the story of drunk patrons and bar disasters that happen during the week when I’m not there. A pop of color from a window display draws my eye as she chatters away. When I get a good look at the item behind the glass pane, my feet change direction, and suddenly, I'm walking into the store—almost against my will. But I have to have it. Just the thought of walking by without buying it makes my skin tighten and anxiety assaults me.
I'm in the door and halfway to the display before Ava realizes I've stopped walking with her, and she's careening through the shop door, looking around for me. "Damn, Summer. Warn a girl," she admonishes. I can't seem to care, though. I've picked up the baby blue blanket and am rubbing it all over my face. I have to get my scent on it. The fabric is so incredibly soft to the touch—like how I imagine it would feel to fall through a cloud—and it's heavy, too. It's perfect. "Ooooh," Ava says softly, and then huffs a laugh at my expense, "your heat is coming up, huh?"
Ugh.
It has to be close. Within the next week or so probably. With the way my emotions are all over the place, how I'm basically ready to mount every member of Pack Whitlock when I see them, and my overwhelming need right now to nest, yeah. I'd say it's coming in hot. "Probably be pretty soon, yeah," I mumble in answer to her question.
"Well, come on then. Go buy the pretty blanket. I'm still hungry," she instructs, shooing me toward check out. Obliging her, I heft the thick blanket to the counter.
"Good choice," the genteel older lady says as she rings up my blanket. I balk at the high price but still hand over the cash for it. I pretty much burned through most of the money I ran with in the first few months. A few new clothes, shoes, rent, and food did not get very far with five grand. But I had a few bucks left. Enough to justify this purchase. It wasn't exactly a luxury item like the dress I just bought. An omega's nest can make all the difference during a heat. Having these comforts won't take away the ache I'll feel soon going through a packless heat, but it will lessen it. It'd be so much worse—unbearable really—if I didn't have a pack or a nice nest. One out of two doesn't sound too bad in the grand scheme of things.
"We've got matching pillows, too," the cashier says, pointing to the pillow section of the store that I walked by on my mad dash for the window display. I saw the pillows she was talking about almost immediately; drawn to those as well.
"How much?" I ask, almost sure I don't want to know. When she answers, my eyes go wide. "Just the blanket is fine." Bummer. Those pillows look just as soft and fluffy.
"Here you go, have a nice day," she says, handing me a big bag with the blanket folded up inside. Dress bag in one hand and blanket bag in another, I walk beside Ava toward the Italian restaurant again, keeping my eyes firmly ahead of me so as not to be tempted by the window displays again.
"Oh my Goddess," Ava groans dramatically, falling back in her seat and unbuttoning her jeans. She purposely pops her belly out farther than what it goes and rubs a small hand over it. "I don't think I'll eat again for a week." This time a tortured moan comes out of her. I laugh at her antics, though I'm feeling full to bursting, too. The portions at this small, family-owned restaurant are so big, I ate twice as much as I normally do and even have a full box of leftovers that I'm eating tomorrow for lunch.
The waitress comes by while Ava's stomach is on full display, earning her a bemused smile, not that Ava cares one bit. We pay the bill, grab our shopping bags that had their own seats, and head to the front door to leave. As we're nearing the door, something makes me look over to the corner of the dimly lit restaurant. Call it intuition or paranoia, but my gaze snags on a man eating alone at a small, round table tucked into a corner. His back is to the corner of the room, so he's facing the door, letting me get a good look at his face. My steps falter near the door because I recognize the kind-looking older gentleman. It's the guy that bumped into me on the street.
He's not looking in my direction, so I'm not sure if he sees me or not. But goosebumps break out across my skin, and it takes me a minute to realize my body is reacting to a perceived threat before my brain can even catch up. I've never seen this man before in the three months I've been in Chicago, and now, I've seen him twice in one day. At completely opposite parts of the city, no less. He glances up and locks eyes with me when I've just about decided to write him off as a stalker, but then his eyes pop open with what looks like genuine surprise, and my nerves settle almost immediately. Coincidences do happen, I tell myself. I probably have run into him before, but now that I've interacted with him, I recognize the man more when we cross paths. Like how pregnant women see babies everywhere when they find out they're expecting.
Yeah, that must be it.
So instead of freaking out, I give him a small wave and a soft smile and follow Ava out the door.
Fifteen
Jade
I'm on my laptop, emailing the Ellis' back about the newest version of the Passion Pack, and trying not to get frustrated at the time frame they've just mentioned.
Months.
The new drug won't be ready for months. Still in the testing phase, they'd said in their last email. As if I care about their protocols. With as much fucking money as we're paying for this damn drug, I expect to get it when I ask for it. We didn't have to wait at all for the first drug, it was already being produced and released to packs they'd deemed safe to sell it to. Which ended up being a lot of packs with criminals or old school alphas who think omegas should be seen and not heard. Of course a drug like this isn't available to just anyone. People are too sensitive to let this kind of thing go mass market. It's not like it's even harmful. Our pack was just tired of waiting around for an omega to pick us, so we made it happen ourselves. And we made her happy, too. We gave her everything she ever asked for; she wanted for nothing. Summer was on the verge of being homeless when I found and rescued her. So she needed a little push to accept us. It doesn't mean what we did is wrong.
No, what she did is wrong. Disappearing in the dead of night with our money. Like a coward. Because what? I hurt her feelings? She killed our baby, and I'm the one who was in the wrong? No. I barely even touched her. Not to fear, though. I'll get her back. Whisper words dripping in honey, and apologize like I actually mean it. Connor, Brody, and I—we're ready to go get her.
After months of looking, Joseph finally found her. He had to watch the security footage from every single bus station, train station, and airport, following her movements until he found where she settled. Chicago. A dump of a city but perfect for one omega to blend into a big crowd. She was smart, too, using cash at every corner, and she even hopped four different buses before landing in Chicago. Then after she made it, she didn't use her ID for anything. Not her apartment, job, or even phone bills.
No matter. We hired Joseph because he's the best private investigator money can buy. He came highly recommended by a pack in our circle of acquaintances. I will admit, I was starting to lose my patience with him after so many weeks of fruitless searching. Of waiting by the phone every evening to only be given news of dead end after dead end. But then we got a call this morning, telling us he found her, and all that anger and annoyance faded away into a smug sort of satisfaction. I transferred over a bonus almost immediately and asked him to keep a tail on her, under the guise of making sure she's okay, of course.
That's how we spun the story to him in the first place. Joseph, while an excellent PI, has a bit of a black and white moral compass, as we were warned before hiring him. He's a 'roots for the underdog, stops for abandoned puppies, damsel in distress savior,' type of guy. We couldn't tell him our omega ran away because she was too cowardly to stay after a little fight. Instead, we told him she was distressed after the loss of our child and has run away to grieve. Joseph believes he's saving a mourning omega from herself, delivering her back into the arms of a loving and gentle pack.
That's what he'll be doing once we get this damn drug from the Ellis' who are dragging their feet, that is. The old version of the drug has to be taken every day to remain effective. The Ellis' are creating a new cocktail that only has to be consumed once every heat cycle. So around every four months. It's more expensive because of it, but we did get tired of making Summer's smoothies or slipping it in to her dinners every day. This will be so much more convenient.
If we can ever get our hands on it. I send off my most recent email, giving a few veiled threats about reporting their business to the Omega Protection Services if we don't get it soon. I'm sure OPS is already on to what they're cooking but just can't nail them on it as the main supplier of the drug. It's starting to get a little buzz though, this drug, so we want as much of a supply as we can get, before they go underground to save themselves a possible life sentence.
Just as I hit send, my cell starts ringing, the sound loud and annoying in the quiet house. Face down on the counter beside my laptop, I don't see who it is right away. That annoyance fades fast when I see it's Joseph calling again. I clear my throat before answering, and try to shove all the overwhelming anger and annoyance into a small box, while I muster up the strength to play the persona he sees. "Joseph. Is she okay?" I ask in what I hope is a stressed and worried tone.
"She's fine, Miss Monroe. She's leaving dinner now with a friend," he starts, and I have to hold in the growl that wants to slip out. Probably some prick she's sleeping with. We all felt the lust that's been pouring through the bond in the past week or so. I should have guessed she'd move on. I'm only surprised it took her this long. Connor, Brody, and I got her back for it though. After feeling so much lust, we couldn't let her disrespect us like that again. So we all went out to a bar and found some beta girl to bring back. We fucked her as a pack, all night long, and then kicked her out before the sun came up. It wasn't anything but a release and a way to get back at Summer. I barely even felt better afterwards. Just vindicated because I knew she'd feel it. Shoving that emotion aside, I focus back on the call.
"That's good. Thank you. Were you calling for a reason then?" I say evenly, trying not to sound rude. But what the fuck is he calling for? To say she just ate dinner? We don't need hourly updates.
"Yes, I was wondering if you needed me here anymore. I've got her home and work addresses. She seems to be in good spirits, not in danger of self-harm as far as I can tell. I was hired to find her, which I've done. I would feel like I'm taking your money for no reason being here any longer." I want to roll my eyes. There's the fucking moral compass again. He's feeling bad about tailing her and is trying to get out of it. Why is everyone in my life so fucking weak?
"Yes," I say, trying to sound emphatic and desperate, "we want to be sure she's protected. We're trying to get everything on our end ready, and then we're headed that way to get her. Thank you for your concern, but we are more than happy to spend as much as possible to ensure she's safe. Money is no issue for us," I tell him, ready to get off the phone.
I can hear his resigned sigh on the other end. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you, I'll keep you updated."
"Thank you, Joseph," I say and then hang up.
A ping sounds from my laptop and the subject line, Beta Testing Almost Complete, snags my attention. The Ellis' sure took my last email to heart, because in the body of the email is one line.
Beta testing on the new cocktail will complete within the month. We sincerely apologize for the delay and hope you continue your business with us in the future.
I snort. "Yeah, continue to keep my mouth shut, more like." I can do a month though. I can be patient a little while longer.
But then I'm going to get my slutty omega back, and I'll teach her to never run away from me again. And she'll wish she never had.
Sixteen
Summer
The morning sun is streaming in through my kitchen window, providing just enough light for me to read the manuscript in front of me. I'm doing another passthrough of Dillan's novel, really taking my time this go around. It's no wonder Jerrick was so surprised I finished editing it over the weekend. This kind of attention to detail is taking me a lot longer than the first time I read it.
I've been ready for at least thirty minutes, having woken up from what I think was a nightmare. I can't really remember it, I just remember jerking awake, feeling like I'd free fallen off a building, and my heart was racing. Which is preferable to the horrifically detailed nightmares I've been having. I think that means I'm right, that the time or distance is making it easier, and I'm not feeling the effects of our mate bond as strongly anymore. So instead of rushing through my morning routine and heading to work early like I did last time, I took a long shower, enjoyed a full breakfast, and have been editing until it's time to go into work.
The apartment is so quiet, I can hear the birds chirping outside and the soft ticking of the wall clock. The clock that is edging closer to the time I have to leave for work. I gather all my dirty breakfast dishes into the sink and stuff the manuscript into my purse in case I want to work on it in my free time today or during lunch. Speaking of—I mosey over to the fridge so I don't forget the pasta leftovers from last night.
Keys, phone, purse, and leftovers in hand, I head out the door, locking up as I leave. It's late enough still that the sidewalks are packed with commuters but early enough that everyone is walking at a leisurely, unhurried pace. Nobody is rushing about, fast-walking to work because they overslept. It's nice. I'm half walking to work, half people watching, when my phone rings. It's Ava. I frown at the screen and wonder why she’s calling this early again. Before it can go to voicemail, I answer the call. "Hey, Ava. What's up?"
"Hi, Summer. I'm so sorry to call you this early, but I figured you'd be awake anyways. Listen, Emery called in sick for her shift this evening. Do you think you could cover for her, and she'll cover for you tomorrow?" I wasn't working a twelve hour shift on Saturday this weekend. I was supposed to split it between tomorrow after work and Saturday.
"Ummm..." I pause, thinking for a minute. Is there a reason I couldn't? "Yeah, I can do that. I get off at five," I tell her. She lets out a relieved breath.
"That's fine. Just come in when you're done. That's a huge help. Thank you!" she says fervently.
I laugh. "It's really no problem. I'll see you tonight."
"See you tonight. Thanks again," she says and then hangs up. Well this kind of sucks. I was looking forward to a quiet evening. But then my mood lifts as I realize this means my Friday night is free again.
My day only got better from there. It's like the Goddess saw my mood this morning and gave me a day to match it. I was productive at Pen2Paper Press, getting so much done and clearing Jerrick's day up enough that he offered to take a look at the new edits I'm doing. Then he gave me a few notes, but mostly a boat load of praise. I had lunch with the other assistants in the office and felt like I'd made a few more friends.
The sun is shining as I leave the office to walk home real quick to change and then to The Hog's Head. Spring is in full bloom now, giving way to sometimes unpredictable temperatures, but today is sunny and so warm I pull off my blazer on the walk home. Maybe I'm just radiating good energy, because I swear more people have smiled at me today on my walk home than the past three months combined. A few different alphas even winked at me saucily enough that heat rushed to my cheeks.
Back at my apartment, I change quickly, donning a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Before I head out, I make sure to snag the light jacket off its permanent place on the back of my raggedy couch just in case the temperatures drop tonight before my walk home.
Fifteen minutes later, I'm behind the bar at The Hog's Head with my serving apron wrapped around my waist. I jump right into cleaning up the area a little since they've been short staffed for the day because of Emery's call in. I pick up empty bottles, sweep the floors, wipe the countertops, and restock the liquor that’s low. It's a nice way to pass the time because when I look at the clock again, two hours have passed and the dinner rush has started. Now that the place is clean again, I'm taking and filling drink orders while Joe, the bartender that's been here all day, goes on his lunch break.
The door opens, and a cocktail of delicious scents floating into the bar has my head turning. The permanent smile that's been on my face all day gets even wider as I see all the members of Pack Whitlock walk in. Hudson is walking in front beside Maverick, both dressed in dirty clothes like they've been doing manual labor all day. Despite their ruffled appearances, they look good. Their work shirts stretch deliciously over their chests and biceps. I only stop staring at them so I can look at Brooklyn, who is walking beside Mason a few feet behind them. I can't help but notice the handsome beta looks just a little less cheerful today than he has the past few times I've seen him. Not in an overt way, but there's a little less sparkle in his striking hazel eyes.
