“Oh?” Josh asked, stepping forward slowly, letting his gaze run down the alpha’s body suggestively. “What did you have in mind?”
The alpha licked his lips again. “How about you blow a few of us, then Davy and I each take a turn?” He indicated the alpha to his left.
Josh took another step toward him, until they were almost touching.
“You’d like that?”
“Oh, I would. I bet that mouth of yours could win awards.”
“You should see what my knee can do,” Josh said.
“Huh?” The alpha let out a pained yelp when Josh brought his knee up, aimed squarely at the alpha’s groin.
“Not happening, moron. Lay a hand on me and you’ll regret it.”
The ones behind him backed off as Josh made a dash for the trees, but Davy wasn’t deterred, catching him by the arm and twisting one hand in Josh’s hair as he dragged him backward.
“Oh, we’re going to make you pay for that,” he said, looking down at his alpha friend writhing on the ground. “Five of us, one of you. Those odds are not in your favor, slut.”
Josh knew that, but he hadn’t been planning on hanging around for the aftermath.
The sound of whistling filled the air, and everyone glanced around.
Cole strode down the path toward them, his hands in his pockets. He didn’t blink at the scene in front of him, and Josh’s stomach twisted in unease.
“Having fun?” Cole asked him.
“Janine’s jam is to die for.”
Davy let go of his hair but still had a tight hold on his arm.
“You can take a turn after we’ve finished,” he said.
Cole didn’t so much as glance his way, his eyes on Josh.
“We were gonna head into town and grab some pizza. You ready to hit the road?”
Josh yanked his arm out of Davy’s grip. “Sure. I think I’ve had my fill of festival fun for today.”
“Wait, you can’t just leave.” The first alpha had recovered enough to stand, though he was moving gingerly. “He assaulted me.”
“Yeah,” Davy added. “We deserve some payback.”
They and their friends regrouped, squaring up to Cole.
From the trees around them, Thorn and Duke materialized. Zane appeared on the path ahead of them.
No one spoke. They didn’t need to. Josh simply moved to Cole’s side, and the two of them walked away. Thorn and Duke fell in behind them, and Zane led the way.
“Come on, I’ll buy you a jar of jam,” Cole said. “Let’s see if we can’t improve on burnt toast just a little.”
“Thanks,” Josh said softly. “And I don’t just mean for the jam.”
“You had it handled,” the alpha said. “Next time, strike and run. Those first few seconds of confusion are golden. Use them to get clear.”
They lapsed into silence for a moment before Cole spoke again.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’ve had worse.” He was a little shaky, but nothing that a slice of pizza wouldn’t sort out.
He’d meant his words to be reassuring, but if anything, Cole looked more concerned, not less.
“I really am okay,” he told him. “Entitled jerks like those guys are two a penny in the city.”
“Yeah, well,” Thorn said from behind them. “The sheriff will be having a word with them. Maybe that’ll scare some sense into them.”
Josh didn’t like the idea of all that fuss. He was notorious enough already.
“We can keep your name out of it,” Cole promised. “But they can’t be allowed to get away with that.”
Josh wasn’t sure how he felt about that. In his world, people got away with a lot worse.
Chapter Eight
Cole bit into another slice of pizza, chewing and contemplating Joshua. He knew he wasn’t the only one concerned about what had happened back at the festival, and how easily Joshua had brushed it off.
“Okay, who ordered Hawaiian?” Thorn demanded suddenly. “What kind of a monster puts pineapple on pizza?”
“Salty ham, sweet pineapple. What’s not to like?” Joshua asked, stealing a slice and taking a bite.
“To each his own,” Duke said easily. “So, Joey…”
Cole missed Duke’s actual question, too focused on Joshua’s expression. It wasn’t that he reacted badly to the nickname, rather it was a purposeful lack of reaction, a nonchalance that was anything but.
He was about to ask when Duke laughed at something Joshua said, and the omega leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand and canting his head to the side. His eyes were intent on Duke, a flirtatious smile on his lips.
Cole didn’t know why, but it irritated him. To the casual eye, Joshua seemed relaxed and at ease, interested in what Duke was saying. But Cole was getting to know him. He was starting to learn the difference between when Joshua had his acting hat on and when he was just being himself. It was tough, because it seemed like Joshua was playing a role far more often than he wasn’t. Maybe all this was like one extended rehearsal for him?
They worked their way through the pizza, Joshua getting through a lot less than the rest of them. Cole wasn’t fooled by his relaxed demeanor. He saw the way the omega’s gaze strayed to the door every time it opened, the way his eyes scanned the new arrivals.
“I can’t eat another bite,” Thorn said, pushing back his chair.
“I could handle some dessert,” Duke said, “They do a mean cheesecake here. How about it, Joey?”
Joshua smiled but shook his head.
“I think my stomach might explode if I eat any more.”
Cole frowned at that. He’d eaten, what, three slices? Then again, for a guy who subsisted on salad and toast, three slices of pizza was a lot of food.
“How about a walk before we head home?” Cole suggested. “The town isn’t much, but you might as well see it while you’re here.”
“Sure,” Joshua said.
Duke checked his watch. “I’d better get that cheesecake to go. Jack’ll be wondering where I got to.”
“Jack?” Joshua asked.
“My son.”
Joshua didn’t look one bit surprised by that.
“How old is he?”
“He’s just turned two.”
“Your mate’s at home taking care of him?”
In contrast, Duke did look taken aback at Joshua’s assumption that he was mated. As if flirting with a married alpha who clearly liked the attention was no big deal. Maybe in Joshua’s world, it wasn’t.
“Oh, no. I’m a single parent. Jack’s dad… it’s a long story.”
“I’m sure you’ll meet Jack at some point,” Thorn said. “Though he can be a bit of a handful.”
Duke glowered at that. “What little kid isn’t boisterous now and then?”
Cole got up and went to get the check, ordering Duke’s cheesecake and paying at the counter. When he returned, the others were ready to go.
They went their separate ways outside on the street.
“See you guys tomorrow,” Cole called, waving them off.
He and Joshua strolled down the main street, and Cole decided this was as good a time as any to tackle a certain awkward subject.
“Brax is the only mated alpha in our group,” he explained. “He and Oliver are very happy.”
“That’s… good,” Joshua said.
“I just mean… you’re probably going to be up at the packhouse at some point. I don’t know what relationships are like on set, but when it comes to packs, it’s really not okay to try to get between…”
Joshua stopped walking and stared at him. Then he folded his arms and glared.
When he spoke, his voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Yeah, that’s how I usually spend my time, seducing mated alphas.”
“That’s not what I—”
“That’s exactly what you meant. Why the sudden worry? You knew before you invited me to brunch that I had form. Why now—” The omega cut himself off with a gro
an. “Duke.”
“You were very… friendly with him.”
“And he was friendly right back. I don’t see you giving him a lecture.”
“It’s not a lecture. And it’s not about being friendly. You didn’t blink an eye when he said he had a kid or when you thought he had a mate at home.”
Joshua scoffed and started walking again, pushing past him.
“You know what gets me?” the omega said, spinning back around to face him. “That you assume that’s a reflection on me and how I act, and not on the alphas I know. Double standards at their finest.”
He turned and walked on. Cole followed after him, wishing he’d never brought it up.
“You’re right,” he called. “And I’m sorry.”
Joshua slowed and waited for him to catch up. The expression on the omega’s face was unreadable.
“Joshua?”
“His mate knew.”
“What?”
“The alpha who—” He blinked and looked away. “They had an open relationship. I was far from the first omega he’d fucked in that bed. His mate knew I was there, and he knew why. I don’t make a habit of sleeping with married people.”
Cole winced. “I shouldn’t have suggested you did. I really am sorry.”
“The whole world thinks I’m easy. What’s one more person?”
“If the whole world knew the truth, they wouldn’t think that of you.”
“Some of them would,” Joshua insisted. “To some people, omegas are always…” he trailed off, but Cole could guess how that sentence finished.
“Their opinions don’t matter.”
“You can say that about anyone, about any opinion.”
“Not all opinions are equal. Believe me, I know.”
Everyone had an opinion about packs. Usually grossly misinformed, fueled by government propaganda.
They walked to the end of the street and turned to head back.
“How about we go home, look after the horses, then shift and head out into the woods to watch the sunset? I like nothing better when I’ve had a rough day.”
“Sounds like a crappy end to a bad date,” Joshua threw back. The vicious bite to his words had Cole taken aback.
“Good thing this isn’t a date, then. Doesn’t it feel good to get out of your skin now and then? Have you shifted at all since you got here?”
“That’s none of your business,” Joshua snapped, shutting down the conversation.
“Suit yourself,” Cole said simply.
He wouldn’t argue with the omega, not today. But the more Joshua tried to push him away, the more Cole wanted to draw him out. He wanted to see who Joshua was under the mask he wore, under the easy smile he pulled out when he needed it.
“You don’t like to be called Joey, do you?”
The omega barely twitched at the question, his face that studied calm that Cole was starting to learn meant that he wanted to hide whatever emotion he was feeling.
“No,” he answered softly. “I hate it.”
“What do you like to be called?”
“Josh.”
Cole nodded at that. “Josh it is.”
Chapter Nine
After the disaster that was the festival, and Josh’s latest argument with Cole, he was looking forward to a few days of doing nothing but chores. So when Cole sat down at the kitchen table the next morning and looked at him expectantly, he all but groaned.
“Something on your mind?” he asked the alpha, with studied casualness.
“I’m heading up to the packhouse later this morning. I thought you might like to come with me.”
Josh had expected Cole to suggest another visit into town or a grocery run. Not that.
“Um…”
The prospect was suddenly daunting. Before, when he’d thought it was just a kids’ home, it seemed like no big deal. But now, knowing it was so much more…
“Are you sure? I thought you didn’t want me up there too soon.”
“Well, you’ve met a lot of the pack already. And we’ve met you. Brax extended the invitation. But if you don’t want to go…”
Josh almost jumped at the offer to stay behind. Would it be rude to refuse the invitation when these people had taken him in for a whole month? Very rude, he guessed. If Stewart was here, he’d be glaring daggers at Josh for even hesitating.
“No, no. I’d love to come. Thank you.”
There. A response that would have made Stewart happy, even if it did send butterflies through Josh’s stomach. Logically, he knew there was no need to be nervous. He’d met all the alphas of the pack already. He was certain there wouldn’t be any unpleasant surprises waiting for him.
“Great,” Cole said. “Let’s get the chores out of the way, and then we can head over.”
As he worked, Josh still couldn’t shake his nervousness. It was silly, really. He’d been here almost a week. If anything bad was going to happen, it would have happened by now. Unless this was one of those cult-like packs he’d read about online. Maybe there was some weird form of indoctrination going on? One that involved daily chores, brunch, pizza, and a mostly wholesome town festival? He snorted at the thought, pushing the wild conspiracy theories to the back of his mind. All that had happened was that the alphas had met him, decided he wasn’t a crazy person, and invited him on a visit to their packhouse. There was nothing more to it.
They walked the quarter-mile from the cottage to the house, making their way along a winding path through the trees. Cole let them in through the front door.
The first thing that struck Josh was how quiet it was.
“I always thought packhouses would be noisy places,” he commented as they stood in the hallway.
“The kids and some of the adults are out on a day trip,” Cole said, closing the door behind them. “And Brax’s clinic only runs in the afternoon. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
He showed Josh the reception room, a small living room, and a games room that seemed to be aimed at younger kids. The kitchen was next, but just as they stepped through the doorway, a voice called Cole from the other side of the house.
“That’s Zane,” Cole said. “I’ll just go see what he wants. You take a look around, grab a drink if you’re thirsty.”
He strode out the door, leaving Josh to his own devices. Josh circled the room slowly, taking in the large breakfast counter and the plentiful space. If he could cook, he imagined this would be a lovely kitchen to work in. So much light, so much room. There was the faint aroma of freshly baked bread that made his mouth water. He stopped at the back door, peering out at the neatly trimmed grass of the garden that led into the wild scenery of the woods. It must have been lovely for the kids to have all that space. He recalled his own childhood, always feeling trapped, boxed in. There was never room to run, to play.
He jumped when he heard the cry of a baby nearby. Hadn’t Cole said all the kids were gone for the day? The cry came again, and he followed the sound to another door leading off the kitchen. It was open just a crack, and he peered through. There was a living room on the other side, and sitting on a plush rug in the middle of the room were Brax and an omega. They were surrounded by a mix of infants and cubs, both wolves and foxes. Josh stopped and stared, caught between surprise and fascination.
“Hey, sorry about that…” Cole’s voice startled him, loud enough that it drew Brax and his mate’s attention too. They glanced up and caught him staring, and he jumped back from the door.
“Uh…”
Cole frowned and looked through the door, then grinned. “Hey, guys.”
Seconds later, Josh found himself being herded into the living room, feeling the definition of awkward at having just been caught spying on the happy family. Cole didn’t seem to notice.
“I was just showing Josh around, but Zane needed my help to hang that picture frame in the clinic, so I left the poor guy wandering around on his own. Do you guys mind some company?”
Brax and his mate looked a little bemus
ed, but it was the omega who spoke.
“No, of course not.” He waved them over. “Come on in.”
Josh followed Cole across the room, feeling more and more like he was intruding on their privacy.
The omega got to his feet, a baby cradled in his arms.
“You must be Joshua. I’m Oliver.”
He held out a hand, and Josh took it, surprised at the firm handshake he got in return. Oliver was watching at him with interest but, unlike most omegas Josh met, he wasn’t sizing him up like he was the competition. Josh knew why the moment his eyes strayed to Brax. The way Brax was looking at Oliver… he’d only seen a handful of mated couples look at each other like that. They were the ones who never strayed from each other or slept around. Josh didn’t think Cole had anything to worry about. No one and nothing was going to come between those two.
“Would you like to hold him?” Oliver said suddenly, nodding to the baby in his arms.
Josh took a step back, almost holding up a hand to ward him off.
“I’m not good with kids,” he said bluntly. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been around babies so young.
“And yet you came here to work as a volunteer,” Oliver pointed out wryly, rocking the baby when he started to fuss.
“That wasn’t really my idea,” he said awkwardly. “Horses are more my speed.”
Oliver sat back down on the floor, and Josh perched on the edge of the couch. His equilibrium had been knocked off balance by the previous few minutes. Before he could try and make some stilted small talk, Thorn and Zane arrived. There were plenty of looks aimed his way, and a lot of glances back and forth, even as the group greeted each other and chatted among themselves. Though nothing was said out loud, he got the sense they weren’t too happy with his presence. Or maybe he was projecting—he certainly felt out of place.
His usual tactics never seemed to come off quite right with these guys, so instead of trying and winding up looking like a fool, he removed himself from the center of attention, wandering over to look out the French windows. There was another view of the woods outside and an inviting stretch of grass bathed in sunshine.
He was distracted by a tug on his pants leg and glanced down to find a wolf cub winding his way around his ankles and playing with his laces.
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