Sensing eyes on me, I catch the sight of my nephew. I lift my chin toward him as he stands near the back door with Gus, Cade, and Joel. Evander’s got trouble in his eyes, but nods in return.
Joel assured me the other day that Evander has turned over a new, more serious leaf. He’s determined to prove himself after Sherry gave him the slip the other night, telling him his grandmother baked cookies that day. When he slipped into the kitchen for some, she took off and went to the falls. I should’ve spoken to him about it by now, taken his pulse.
“Back in a minute,” I say to Grey and move toward Evander.
“You all right?” I ask.
Evander’s father Chuck is a good shit, but he’s a softer beta raising an alpha male. He’s so soft, veering toward omega, that he took the Creed name when he shacked up with Taylor. Evander has always looked to me for influence, recognizing early on that he’s more like me than his old man.
“Meh.” He shrugs. “Congratulations Uncle Jase. Always liked Bailey. Really cool for her since she’s been crushin’ on you for years.”
“Thanks. I’m the lucky one.”
The teenaged girl from Brody’s pack who helps Bailey in the library walks by us and sticks her tongue out at Evander.
He quirks one brow up while giving her a carnal once-over.
Evander says, “Thinkin’ maybe I should go help out at Brody’s new digs. Give a hand for a couple weeks. Get away from town, clear my head.”
“Clear your head, huh?” I mutter with doubt.
His eyes hit mine with some cockiness, but then his expression changes and his guilt is written all over his face.. He could probably use a break from that. But helping Brody isn’t the only thing on his mind. He was staring at that girl’s ass.
“Your Aunt Sherry played you. That shit isn’t your fault and I don’t want you takin’ any of it on.”
“Oh, well now I can sleep like a baby. Thanks, Uncle Jase,” he mutters with an eyeroll.
I resist the urge to lay him out for the sarcasm, which would partly be because of the day I’ve had. I remind myself he’s not a kid anymore. He’s nineteen. He’s alpha. And he’s pissed off.
“Just sayin’, she’s been known to play men twice your age, too, so don’t feel too bad.”
He grinds his teeth. “True. You really done with her for life?”
“Family means a lot, Evander, but in her case, I’m done. She did more than cross the line. She obliterated it.”
“I’d be the same,” he agrees. “When she sees Bailey it’s like it flips a bitch switch. And just sayin… that switch doesn’t have an off setting, just degrees of bitch.”
“If you’re serious about goin’ to help Brody, talk to Joel first. See if he can cover you without issue on the schedule for pack security. If he says yeah, ask Brody.”
“I’ll do that. Thanks, Uncle Jase.”
Evander heads to the dessert table where that girl is standing, talking to Brody’s mate.
He grabs a cupcake and whispers something in her ear before he moves to where Joel stands. And the girl watches him walk away with pink hitting her cheeks, an expression I recognize from the years of Bailey watching me.
My gaze meets Joel’s as Evander speaks to him.
Joel asks my nephew to wait a second and grabs his phone, answering it and stepping down the back hall.
Yep, that’s Joel, doing what he always does. Like me, he’s always looking out for the pack. And in his case, particularly the young alphas who all wind up on Joel’s roster to help with security and surveillance. He teaches the younger alphas and betas how to take care of the pack. He rarely relaxes. If he’s not managing security and surveillance, he’s running his online businesses and investments, fattening the bank balances for the council as well as the pack treasury.
I’ve spent a whack of money this past week, but generally keep my expenses low, so I’ve still got a healthy surplus. My and Grey’s business is doing well, but since I’m about to write a check for half the value of my house, it’s thanks to Joel’s efforts with our money that I can still take a few months off if Bailey wants to go to Alaska.
It’ll be good when Linc and Joel have what I’ve got, what Tyson, Mason, Riley, and Grey have. Someone to do life with.
No. Not just someone.The perfect one.
My eyes swing to Bailey, hearing her laughter. Bailey belongs in the middle of this. Always has. And not just because she's Grey's sister. Not just because she’s mine. She is an elemental part of our pack. She belongs here as much as I do. Loves this pack, this land, and everything we stand for. She wants to spend her life making it better for all of us while cataloguing everything for the benefit of our future generations.