22. Barret

Chapter 22

Barret

" T hey're coming!" Lachlan hisses, rushing back to the table from his place by the door.

He has been spying on Gryphon and Mila, and the hope and desperation in the poor Alpha's eyes was even too much for me to bear.

Truth be told, I want her to join us too, and it's funny how we're still walking on eggshells around her, just like the first night she arrived here.

We want to do things right by her this time. So, no more breaking her heart.

We weren't there for her when her dad left this world, but we will be there for her now.

In the meantime, we will do all in our power to exact our revenge on Lily.

She took Mila away from us, and for that, she will pay.

Lachlan leans his elbow on the table, trying to appear 'natural' as Mila enters the room at Gryphon's heels, and a quiet settles over the room.

As I live and breathe… Mila's eyes are dry. And now it looks like we don't have to decapitate Gryphon now.

That's a relief. I prefer him with his head attached to his shoulders.

Who would have thought that Gryphon could be civil and nice? I'm normally an ass myself. I even tried to be horrible to her the first time she got here, but she was only amused by my antics.

This girl has been hurting for a while. And I will stop at nothing until I make her feel better.

One thing I do know for certain; she isn't going back to that awful school. It was bad enough leaving Oliver there, and I'll be damned if Mila ever goes back again.

I would just love to know what strings she managed to pull in order to get away. She only scent matched with Oliver, which is not a good enough reason for her to leave the system.

The school likes to pair Omegas with Alpha via their outdated algorithm, yet here she is, back in all her beautiful, Omega glory…

I suppose I always had an inkling about her true nature. The proof was always there, the big doe eyes, and the delicate features.

And as I lay eyes on her right now, I resist the urge to run her back to her room and fuck her brains out. She's already had a heat, but she will be due another one surely sometime soon.

How in the world she ever survived is beyond me, and she truly is a fighter.

I couldn't think of anyone better suited to our pack.

Mila hunches her shoulders, wrapping her arms around herself as if she's trying to make herself smaller, and I have to do something immediately.

I'm just about to rise from my seat, but Lachlan beats me to it, dropping to the ground at the Omega's feet, and he holds up a handful of fucking snowdrops that he picked fresh from the woods.

Bastard.

I suppose flowers are his thing.

Still. He's making the rest of us look bad. I even spy the little green-eyed monster in Oliver's eyes, and welcome to the club, Ollie.

Now he knows how we all felt over the years when we all vied for his attention, but Gryphon always won.

It was to be expected. Gryphon is his scent match, but I'll be damned if I don't become Mila's favorite.

"A snowdrop for every day you have been away from us…" Lachlan whispers, his voice as soft and smooth as silk, and Mila blushes bright pink.

So, that's why he picked a handful.

God, how I hate him.

Oliver meets my gaze, and I can see he is having the same thoughts too. He shrugs, letting it go, but I stare daggers at the Alpha's back.

I'm not sure where this jealousy even comes from. With Ollie, we all seem to be on par, working in perfect tandem, but Mila just brings out my competitive side, and I need to check my emotions.

She's perfect for us, sure, but I will not mess up the bond that I share with my brothers.

"Th-thank you, Lachlan. They're beautiful."

The grovelling champion that is Lachlan smiles up at her sweetly, and how it makes his blue eyes sparkle that little bit brighter.

Then he rises, tucking the snowdrops behind her ear, and now he pulls her toward the table. He even piles her plate with food, refusing to let her feed herself.

I go to pour her some wine, but Lachlan snatches the glass from me and presses it to her sweet lips.

A growl sounds in my chest, and Oliver gives me a look in warning, shaking his head, and he's one to talk. He looks as if he wants to eviscerate the Alpha too.

At least Gryphon manages to act civil enough through the whole ordeal. He doesn't even appear to be jealous of the fact that his Omega's attention has diverted toward Mila.

Even as he fills Oliver's plate, the Omega can't take his eyes off Mila.

None of us can.

Even Gryphon can't help stealing glances at her. But for now, he keeps his distance.

It's probably for the best. Because if he does make her cry again…

Then I can't vouch for his survival this time.

I just feel this strong urge to protect her.

I'm not sure if Gryphon will ever chase Mila like the rest of us, but if he does. Well, he better get in line.

Mila thanks Lachlan every time he fills her plate, and she's starting to look a little overwhelmed by all the attention.

I can't help but detect that sorrow in her eyes, and it almost resembles the same sorrow I feel.

Mine comes from a place of regret, though.

Does Mila have regrets too?

Again, something we all need to work our asses off to change.

Mila should feel as if she deserves to be here. That it's her God-given right to be in this pack with us, in Oliver's nest…

That's it. We need to give her a nest.

I sense a tug on the bond, and I glance up at Oliver.

He's smirking at me, placing a fork into his mouth, and it looks like he already beat me to it.

The nest is going to be his gift to her, and now I really need to step up my game.

So, what gift should I give her?

That I will have to think long and hard about.

One thing I do know about Mila. She may be an Omega, but she's no delicate china doll.

When she first came here, she brandished a knife, threatening to skin me.

Well, she was talking about skinning rabbits, but I could read between the lines.

So, I can give her something from her old life. A little bit of that old freedom she used to have.

It won't be a dead rabbit. But something better.

I'll just have to wait my turn.