“She never thought Davis and I were serious when we asked her out. I think it’s because she knew the three of us would be a pack. Even if she was interested in us, Mason never showed any interest in her?—”
“How was I supposed to?” he hisses, eyes narrowing as they zero in on me. “She’s my stepsister. I didn’t think it was appropriate.”
I hold up my hands in surrender. “I know, Mace. That wasn’t a criticism. I was just thinking out loud about what her thought process could be.”
He glares at me for another moment before gesturing for me to continue.
“If she thought there was no chance with Mason when we were going to be a pack, then she’d think anything between us couldn’t be serious.”
“And our girl doesn’t do casual,” Davis continues. “She’s practically been with Crew since they were born. She never dated anyone here. He was always hers, and she was always his. Crew designating as an omega would’ve thrown her—made her insecure about her future with a pack. All anyone ever talks about is how much omegas need alphas and vice versa.”
Mason places his elbows on the counter and rests his chin against his raised hands as he considers us. “And all Kiara has talked about since Akira bonded with our parental pack is how much she wants to be a part of a pack herself. But the cities are becoming less about packs and more about couples. Pack life is becoming a thing of the past there, and she’s just spent the last seven years living in a major city. She’s probably had it pounded into her that she’s not enough for Crew, and that she should find a nice beta to settle down with.”
“Like her parents did. Fuck.” I don’t know how I didn’t realize this. “But she spent four years in Champagne Falls where packs are the norm. Do we even know if she still wants to be part of a pack? What if she only wants to be with Crew?”
We fall silent as that realization hits us.
I don’t want that. I want them to be part of our pack—the five of us together.
But what I want doesn’t matter.
“Then we let them be together.” Davis says it like it’s just that easy, and in one way, I guess it is. As a beta himself, he doesn’t have the same raging instincts to deal with as Mason and I do.
He’s also right.
I nod slowly, my hand coming up to rub at the pain in my chest. “If she and Crew don’t want to be part of a pack, then we back off. Their happiness is what matters.”
Mason jerks a nod but doesn’t speak.
“But if she still wants to be part of a pack?” I ask, not wanting to get my hopes up but knowing we need to discuss this possibility as well.
Davis grunts. “Then we make our interest in her clear. Not just that we want her because she comes with Crew, but because we want her for herself. And Mason? This is going to be doubly important coming from you.”
“Right. I’ll… I’ll figure it out. We’ll figure it out. I don’t want to lose them.”
“None of us do, but they come first.” I feel the need to reiterate that our feelings aren’t the important ones.
Isn’t that what it means to care about someone? Putting their feelings first?
Will it crush us if they decide they don’t want to be part of our pack? Absolutely, but we’d make it through it because we have each other.
“I know that,” Mason practically snarls, and I just lift my eyebrows until he frowns. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I’m still trying to get this bullshit under control. I’ll keep working on it.”
Davis leans over and links his fingers with Mason’s before doing the same to me. “We’ll figure this out together, yeah?”
Mason and I nod our agreement, and all I can do is hope we can figure it out.
If Crew and Kiara decide not to join our pack, we’ll continue our lives, but we’ll always know that something is missing.
I hope it doesn’t come to that.
CHAPTER NINE
Kiara
“Everything’s going to be fine,” Ruby assures me when I hesitate with my hand on the door. “Just go in there and talk to Crew. That omega loves you, Kiki.”
I nod jerkily, trying to ignore the rapid beating of my heart. I’ve never worried about having a conversation with Crew before. I’ve never felt uncomfortable with the idea of being in his presence.