Omega Blues (Gay Romance)

Chapter Thirty-One: Road Trip

Bren

It was the end of the working day and I was forcing myself to focus on paperwork. I usually lost myself in the rhythm and simplicity of my job, but it was difficult to keep my attention on anything mundane when I was a maelstrom of emotions. Will and the pack were driving up, and I was taking a long weekend to spend time with them. Will had said he had important pack business to discuss with me, and he'd sounded scared. I couldn't help the tingling fingers of anxiety that tugged at my stomach.

But I could hardly wait to see Matt again. The excitement blotted out the fear of disappointing my pack leader and being found not good enough, the terror of the full moon.

Matt filled me with so much love that there wasn't room for fear. How was it even possible for one person to feel that much love?

My coworker Carol would be on call while I was away, and she'd already gone home for the night. I dragged my feet through the closing routine, putting off the moment when I'd be standing alone outside the locked clinic just waiting for the pack to arrive.

But as I shut the outer door, Chop's van pulled up beside my truck. In the second it took to check I'd locked the clinic securely, Matt was on me. I heard his distinctive happy gait, the one that had me smiling just from the sound of it. Then he was leaping onto my back, lean musician's arms tightening around my shoulders and his chin coming down hard on the top of my head, without ever stopping his delighted cheering. "Bren! Bren!"

"Hello." I laughed, squeezing Matt's hands to be close to him and make sure he was securely held against my back.

"I've got mad werewolf gains," he said into my ear, his words smudged with laughter. "I'm so heavy now, I'll drag you over backwards!"

"You're forgetting I've got mad werewolf gains, too. I was born with them. I can handle it."

I turned around in time to see Rebel barreling toward me, her shoulder dropped as she prepared for a tackle. "I've got your back!" With her long hair flowing out behind her and her pierced lips contorted into a snarl, she looked fierce but totally human. I remembered talking with Matt on the phone months ago, when he'd been on tour with the band and meeting Rebel for the first time. He'd described her as punk and cool and scary, and been breathless with amazement when he'd found out she was a werewolf. But I had senses humans didn't, and I'd felt her instinctively alien from the moment we'd met, a feral werewolf who got my hackles up until I reminded myself she'd learned to be around people and wasn't going to fight me.

But I didn't feel that instinct today. Even though she was attacking me, all I felt was friendship. She was truly my pack.

I'd spent my early life learning werewolf lore and tradition so I could guide and advise a pack. But my odd new pack kept throwing in wild cards: a human mate, a pack of bitten humans, biting the same human twice, a feral werewolf joining the pack... I was so far out of my depth, floundering beyond my ken.

If it weren't for Matt's love, and Will's unwavering support, I'd feel inadequate and useless.

All of this rushed through my head as Rebel pounded toward me. Then she tackled me and twisted, wrapping her arms around me in a hug.

"I'm still standing!" I cried out. Joking and keeping a tough front. Inside I was tinkling with a fragile happiness, comfort from touch and belonging. Pack. We're pack! Rebel had never hugged me before, so she must be feeling it too. That connection like family or friendship but stronger than both, and which tugged inside at physical contact.

It just got stronger as a pair of paws shoved at my hip. Leaf Mold the orphan wolf, the stray who Will had adopted into our bedraggled pack.

Will himself charged at us, his arm locked around Connor, the two of them perfectly in sync as they ran. Their combined momentum was enough to make me rock backwards, but I staggered and kept my feet.