37. CARLEEN

CARLEEN

With a drunk Tati snuggled up in my bed, I head back to the living room, determined to sort this out. I know I should let Ellie handle it but my headstrong sister has a knack for either bulldozing through things or shouldering all of the problems until she collapses. In this instance, Ellie will not survive and her mental health will suffer for her choices.

I’m not sure I have anything to worry about, though, when I find Ellie curled tightly up in Macon’s lap, Savin pressed against his Alpha’s side as he murmurs sweet words to my sister. Maybe I should be disgusted at the love display unfolding in my home but I’ve never been happier to see my sister find her forever. It’s bugged me for years that she thought she was only second best, that her Beta status made her less worthy of mates.

I might have liked it to happen a little differently but I am ecstatic for her future and all my niblings that come with it. Macon runs his nose along her temple, his fingers tangling in her curls. Ellie shivers in his hold and then grunts, no doubt picking up on my presence as I take a seat across from them. My sister doesn’t move and it’s a testament to the way the Alpha tightens his hold around her that this relationship is more than just bonds and vibes.

“I need a few answers, Macon. I want to give you respect but you haven’t completely earned it from me. You might be Ellie’s mate but every time she comes home, there’s a different crisis. Before you, she had plans, a degree to finish, and a job she enjoyed. Now? The entire world thinks she’s a homewrecker.” My words are harsh but they need to be. I need to know that Macon isn’t going to leave her behind because it’s too difficult.

Ellie struggles to sit up a little, about to defend her Alpha when Macon shoots her a glare that has her submitting immediately. I never thought I’d see the day when her cheeks redden and she tucks her face into someone’s chest to avoid her emotions. Macon and Savin aren’t the only ones in love, are they?

“You’re right, Carleen. This is my fault. I thought I was prepared enough to bring Ellie into our lives and I wasn’t. My mother believes she can choose my mate.” His expression darkens, his lip turning up in a snarl. A torrent of emotions move through his face and I can see him warring with the information he needs to give me.

His Omega taps his arm, offering a small smile. “She needs all the details. Not just some of them.”

An Omega giving his Alpha permission isn’t something I see every day but I quickly realize why Savin gave it. Macon’s explanation of his relationship with Savin explains far more than Ellie has. Their tight-knit bond, the health scares, and Macon’s mother have brought unimaginable stress into their life. Ellie was a beacon of light in their dreary day-to-day and I can see how easily they fell for her—tattoos and piercings and all.

My attention falls on Savin, picking up on the slight discoloration of his skin and his scent wavering between sweet and a muted burnt aroma that is harsh on the senses. Goddess, Macon has his work cut out for him.

“It’s not been easy but Savin is my mate and my husband and I hope that Ellie one day joins us as well.” Macon kisses her forehead again, little snores filtering into the room. It would be Ellie falling asleep during a time like this but she’s been stressed all day so I won’t draw attention to it. “I disowned my mother a week ago, letting her know that she was no longer welcome in our lives. However, that hasn’t stopped her from trying to continue her disrespect by sending me a mate she finds more suitable.”

There’s no fucking way someone could be that shitty—to their own son at that. “So Savin kisses one girl and suddenly your mother thinks you need a divorce?”

Macon blinks several times and then frowns. “What do you mean divorce?”

“Did you not read the articles they printed? There’s talk of you two getting divorced, and it’s been in the works for months. You didn’t know? Well, surprise, I guess. Someone really hates you in the tabloids.” I lean back in the lounge, tilting my head to the side as Macon digests my words. He’s nothing like what I imagined. I thought he would be a little rougher around the edges, haughtier, more… Alpha. Instead, he’s the exact kind of man that Ellie would fall for.

I’m 100% for this relationship, just between the way they’ve been holding her and the fierceness in Macon’s words. However, I’m not going to make it that fucking easy. “Macon, your mother is a bitch.”

“She is.”

“Ellie also mentioned that if she meets her again, your mother might not survive.”

Savin’s entire face lights up. “That’s what I said!” A nervous giggle slips out before he tries to tuck himself tighter into Macon’s side. An Omega with a backbone? Goddess, could Ellie have found more perfect mates?

Macon chuckles and then lets out a heavy sigh, meeting my gaze. “Carleen, I’m not going to say this will be easy and I love that she has people in her corner. I want her safe, wherever she feels that is. Whether it’s you, me, Savin, or someone else. When Ellie is ready, I want to address the public”s concerns about our relationship but more stress isn’t what she needs.”

“I trust my sister’s decision but fix this. My sister isn’t a homewrecker or a pariah. She’s chosen to be with you because you chose to love her. Prove it.”

“You two are cut from the same cloth,” Macon says, his eyes dancing. “Ellie said something similar a few days ago about proving that it isn’t just bonds that are keeping us together. I’m assuming this is your blessing, then?”

I stand, Macon shifting Ellie onto the cushions so that he can do the same. I thrust out my hand and he clasps it. “You don’t need my blessing. My sister is not an object. However, deal with your mother, and the fucking payoff. A quarter of a million dollars for her silence? My sister is priceless. Remember that.” I might be out of line but when it comes to my sister, I will protect her and her sanity.

“She’s more than just priceless, Carleen. She’s everything.”

If I had any doubts that Macon and Savin are perfect for my sister, I don’t now. Ellie shoots me a sleepy smile from where she’s sitting on the couch, Savin wrapped around her side like a koala. I’m not even sure when the Omega moved but she’s leaning into his chest, her lids slowly falling closed with their added presence.

“If you two need something, you call.”

“What do you mean?” Macon turns to face the same scene I’m watching.

“Well, her bedroom isn’t quite big enough for the three of you. Your Omega looks like he could use his nest. And staying parked outside of this apartment isn’t going to dispel any of the current rumors.”

Macon shoots me a sheepish smile before gathering up his Omega and my sister, Ellie granting me a small kiss on the cheek and a whispered ‘thank you’ before they disappear out the door. I have a feeling that it’s going to get worse before it gets better but she’s in good hands.

Maybe even the best hands.