13. Mila

Chapter thirteen

Mila

D inner was an awkward affair, but I was just grateful to get away from the tool shed.

I'm surprised Oliver came for me in the end. Out of the entire pack, I would have assumed he would hate me the most. After all, he has the most to lose with me being here.

I'm a strange female entering his pack. I'm a potential threat to him, one who could steal away his Alphas, but he only showed me kindness.

He even cleaned my finger and gave me a band-aid, and my heart was beating in my mouth the whole time he tended to me.

It's his Alphas who have a problem with me. Namely Gryphon, the most inhospitable, unfriendliest person I have ever had the misfortune of meeting.

He didn't like having me anywhere near his Omega, and he kept throwing me the stink eye across the table.

He even ensured that I sat as far away from Oliver as much as possible.

Despite his attitude toward me earlier, Barret didn't give me any more grief. But he still ignored me.

Lachlan was a little more approachable, and I would catch his eyes drifting my way.

He reminds me of an elven prince with his long, golden hair, piercing blue eyes, and sculpted cheeks. Despite how delicate he may look on the outside, he is far from soft.

He has corded muscles running up and down his arms, arms that look as if they could squeeze the life from me.

I also get the sense that he's a little unhinged—okay, very unhinged…

There's no missing the crazy light of his pretty blue eyes, and the careful way he cuts his meat whenever he watches me eat my own food.

Barret is the opposite of Lachlan in terms of features. He's all dark, rugged handsomeness, with shoulder-length black hair, onyx eyes, and a scruffy beard.

He pretends as if I don't exist, and it's like our conversation outside the shed never happened.

Has he forgotten being rude to me?

Then there is sweet old Gryphon. His hair is short and a deep auburn. His eyes are just as reddish brown, but just like Lachlan and Barret, he's beautiful beyond compare. Perfectly cut jawline, dimpled chin, and smoldering gaze...

That fiery gaze is on me right now.

He hates me. Or he hates what I represent, mostly.

In the end, I am not here for him. I am here for Oliver, and if we are going to live together, then he needs to lighten up.

While I can acknowledge that they are all handsome, I can't help but be drawn to the Omega the most.

He's ethereal. Like a cartoon prince that walked out of my TV screen, or stepped out of the pages of a book.

Oliver may be slight and smaller than the others, but he is still masculine.

He has kind, deep blue eyes, perfectly rounded.

They remind me of the ocean. They are as turbulent as the ocean…

Oliver has known loss. It's easy to tell once it has happened to you.

My heart breaks just thinking about him losing someone he loved, and I hope none of the others notice the shine to my eyes.

It's just been an exhausting day, and I am missing my dad.

Perhaps I can call him later.

"How do you like the food, Mila?"

Oliver is addressing me. It's best I answer so I don't offend the others.

I peer up, meeting his ocean eyes.

Gryphon glares at me. Lachlan still regards me in that strange manner, cutting his meat very slowly. Barret doesn't even glance my way.

I try to think of a reply that isn't offensive. While I love takeout, surely, this can't be all they eat, right?

I remember the discarded boxes at the back of the jeep.

Some of them had mold in them.

When I peer around the kitchen, I spy those dirty dishes by the sink. Maybe they haven't had a chance to clean with the trials coming up.

They must have been stressed.

The oven doesn't look as if it gets used much.

"Our Omega asked you a question, Beta," Gryphon growls, and I sit up straighter, remembering my place.

I guess I got lulled into a false sense of security for a moment. I am not their guest. I am their subordinate. I have been trained to heed my new Alphas' every order as a good Beta soldier should.

But does he have to be such a shithead about it, though?

Oliver turns his way, shaking his head in clear disappointment. The bronze-haired Alpha still regards me like I'm a moldy takeout box at the back of his jeep.

Lachlan chews his meat carefully, keeping his crazed blue eyes on me the whole time.

Barret wears a stupid smirk on his face, the one that shows his one dimple.

"It's… good. Do you always eat takeout?"

Oliver is about to reply, but Gryphon cuts him off. "And what's it to you, Beta?"

I hold my tongue. While I was trained to heed my Alpha's every command, I was never trained to put up with bullshit.

They still taught us about boundaries at the academy, and I don't like Gryphon's attitude one bit.

But reporting his behavior would only affect my father.

If I returned home, they would stop my money.

Dad would no longer get the care he needs.

Gryphon is really going to test my patience.

I know what he's doing. He thinks by being a dick to me, I will run back home, crying with my tail between my legs, but that's not going to happen.

Not as long as my dad has a roof over his head.

"I was just curious… do any of you cook?"

Silence. Oliver blushes, and it's the most adorable sight I have ever seen.

His embarrassment makes his honeycomb scent even more mouth-watering…

Barret is chuckling like an idiot. Lachlan keeps those protruding eyes on me, and it's been some time since he blinked.

Gryphon pokes at his food angrily. Then he shoves some noodles into his mouth. "We don't cook much, no."

Barret flies backwards on his chair, howling in pure laughter now. Oliver tells him to shush.

Lachlan still stares at me with the intensity of a thousand suns.

Finally, Oliver sighs, meeting my gaze. "Truth is, Mila. None of us can cook much. I never really did develop an aptitude for it, and I know... e mbarrassing... An Omega who can't cook for his pack."

Barret stops howling, leaning forward on his chair again so he can sidle up close to Oliver. He purrs sensually, playing with his curly brown locks. "Hey, it's all right. You can do plenty of other things for us…"

My cheeks burn, and I peer down into my food.

Did it just suddenly get hotter in here?

I can feel Lachlan's piercing eyes, and I'm pretty sure he just sensed my arousal.

I think he even purred at me.

No, no… I never meant to steal his attention away from Oliver.

Lachlan is his Alpha, not mine.

"Barret… not here... We have a guest…" Oliver whispers, eyeing me warily.

"So," the dark-eyed Alpha purrs yet again, speaking close to the Omega's ear. "She could always watch…"

Lachlan finally makes a sound. He laughs, a high-pitched chortle of sorts, and it makes his eyes light up feverishly.

I think he likes the idea of me watching one of them fuck his Omega.

Gryphon slams his fist on the table, shaking all the cutlery. "Enough! Barret, stop."

Barret finally stops, and now he leans away from Oliver, glancing over at me. That dark smirk returns, along with its menacing dimple, and I shrink in my seat.

What the hell did I sign up to?

Oliver sits rigidly in his seat, his arousal painted all over him. His hair looks deliciously mussed, and there's sweat on his face.

But he only has eyes for me.

Shame licks my own cheeks, and I hate that I got a little aroused by Barret licking his ear.

They all know it, too.

Lachlan licks his lips, and he still won't stop staring at me.

Finally, Gryphon rises from his seat, grabbing his and Oliver's plates. Then he scrapes the leftovers into the trash and discards them into the sink.

If there's one thing to turn off my arousal, then that's a pile of dirty dishes.

Seriously… how can people live like this?

"Time for bed."

He's speaking to Oliver.

Oliver rolls his eyes. "Come on. We were going to stay up watching a movie tonight."

"Well, change of plans. Now to bed."

Oliver goes to protest, but I cut in. "No. I think bed sounds like a good idea. I'm pooped."

"Huh, pooped …" Lachlan mutters, licking his fork clean.

I refrain from rolling my eyes.

What is he? Six?

"Well, then, it's a good thing we had the shed prepared…" Gryphon remarks, and my heart dips.

I guess I thought I would be staying in the house.

Oliver even grabbed all my things.

Oliver looks at his Alpha incredulously. "Gryphon, she is not sleeping in the tool shed."

Gryphon clears the rest of the table, and it's like I'm not even present anymore. "Why? It's a perfectly nice shed."

Oliver fumes, and I step back, wishing I didn't have to be here for this.

It has nothing and everything to do with me, and it just sucks.

"No. Mila is staying in the house and that is final. If you don't like it, Gryphon, then… feel free not to sleep in the nest tonight."

Gryphon looks at his Omega in shock. "You're kicking me out of the nest?"

Oliver starts clearing the table himself, and I decide to help.

At least I can make myself useful.

"Only if you continue to be a dick to Mila…"

Gryphon's burgundy eyes flame. Then he looks at me, baring his teeth, and I drop a fork in fright.

Barret and Lachlan freeze, weighing up the other Alpha.

I have no idea what is about to happen. But Gryphon looks ready to kill.

Thankfully, Oliver snaps him out of it. "Hey…"

He shakes his shoulder, and finally, Gryphon falls back to earth. Once again, he's just grouchy rather than murderous, and what the fuck is wrong with him?

That Alpha looked as if he wanted to kill me for a moment.

I guess I shouldn't take it personally. After all, I'm here as a representative of my people.

It's very well known that there is tension between Alphas and Betas. There has been for some time now, and the Betas have always been on top.

While Alphas may be stronger, in the end, Betas have their strength in numbers.

Governor Frederick always gets the final vote. The final say.

The Alphas would be wise to listen to him.

Oliver shucks off his shirt. Now I get a view of his muscled chest as he hands the garment to Gryphon.

I look away, pretending that I didn't just notice the happy trail leading down to Oliver's pants.

Fuck.

Oliver is small but compact. It's enough to drive a girl crazy.

"Here, take this with you and head to the nest…"

Gryphon grabs the shirt, breathing in Oliver's scent as he leaves the kitchen.

I heave a sigh, closing my eyes. When I look back again, I find all three of them watching me.

Barret has returned to being indifferent. Lachlan's eyes dance with light, and Oliver has nothing but sympathy.

"I'm so sorry about that, Mila. Please know that you are not in any danger here."

Is he sure about that? I don't feel very safe right now. In the end, I am nothing but a threat to Gryphon and the pack. A potential spy sent by the Beta government.

Governor Fredrick told me to get close to this pack, especially Oliver, but I can't allow that to happen.

I'm afraid of what would happen if I did.

I have no idea what plans the governor has in store, but they can't be good.

No matter what, I will never be a part of this pack. No matter how much I may want it.

I guess I really am on my own.