4. Graham

Everyone made it on time for Hunter's pack dinner decree, though Hunter had to practically hide Logan's phone. It's gotten so bad that Hunter didn't even threaten the beta with a spanking. He just took the cell, turned it off, and growled when Logan reached for it.

I spent the day working on the contract for the design of the new clock tower garden but got home in time to watch Hunter make a mess in the kitchen. I offered to help, not that I could do any better, but he was determined.

Now we've gathered around the kitchen table. Even though the food leaves something to be desired, it's been nice returning to some semblance of normalcy where we all come together at the end of the day.

Sadie pushes away her plate of Hunter's chicken pot pie. "Thank you for making dinner. It was the best thing I've eaten in a while."

I grin at her blatant lie. If that's the best she's eaten, we can't be trusted to care for an omega. "No need to tell tall tales, darlin'. His ego could take the hit."

Dinner was better than I hoped for. It was edible, but the peas were half frozen, and the dough was a soggy mess. My mates' cooking has spoiled me.

Sadie gives a small smile behind her napkin. "It was good, alpha, honest."

"Thank you for the lie, sweet girl." Hunter raises his fork at me. "And you have dish duty."

"Good. I'll make sure any leftovers disappear," I tease him.

My comment makes Elliot cough over an almost laugh and I'll take the win from the quiet alpha. His smiles and words are always hard-won, and I tuck them all away for safekeeping.

Beside me, Tristian squeezes my hand under the table, a pang of longing traveling through the bond between us. But then his cell buzzes in his pocket, and Hunter makes a disgruntled sound.

"Sorry about that." Doc blushes, fumbling with it until it falls silent.

Like Logan, who has been orchestrating the day-to-day of the crisis, Tristian has been in high demand. His expertise on omegas and knowledge about the evidence has meant he's been working overtime doing interviews and consultations.

Around the table, the idle dinner chatter falls quiet. Hunter leans back in his chair, and I realize this is it. He's either going to totally rock this, or it's going to be a disaster. I'm hoping for the first and preparing for the latter.

People think that because I like to fuck around, I'm dense. Naw. Life's filled with heavy shit. I prefer to lighten the load when I can. But right now, we need to deal with the heavy.

When the King Pack showed up with evidence that Sadie's father's company had been making meds to target omegas, I knew this was big. I grew up in the city around their influence. And the news has rocked our nation. But it has rocked our pack too.

Sadie is struggling. Obviously.

I get it. My family is a bunch of elitist, prejudiced dicks. But unlike Sadie, my family pack is limited in their power. Her father wasn't simply a bad parent. He was a lousy human. And I know she feels guilty about it. She practically reeks of it.

It's especially true because of Tristian and Elliot. Tristan's mother died of heated-related complications. The meds she took after my mate's alpha father walked away from his family stopped working. Of course, LanCo meds were the only ones around then, and when they failed, she died. That's how he became my smarty-pants professor. He wanted to study omegas and packs so he could give others a better chance than his mother had.

None of that is Sadie's fault. But she feels as though she has to make amends. Take that with the fact that Elliot saved her—thank the gods he was there—from her father's attempt on her life and she's knee-deep in guilt over stuff she had no part in doing.

I'm hoping Hunter hands us a lifeline.

"I asked everyone to be home for dinner tonight because I want to talk about the pack and address some concerns I'm having."

Sadie freezes.

Not good.

She cuts in, voice shaky and fast. "If this is about my heat, I realized yesterday it's next month." She turns to Logan. "Can you help me clear my schedule? I know I haven't been in the mood, but?—"

Multiple protests ping-pong back and forth across the table.

Hunter clears his throat, and we all stop talking. "You take whatever time you need. You won't get pressure from anyone here, so if that's worrying you, you can let that go."

"Yeah, beautiful. I've already got the heat blocked off. We'll make sure you get whatever you need to feel comfortable during that time," Logan adds.

Sadie sags against her seat, curling in on herself. "Thank you… I… I don't know what's wrong with me?—"

Hunter's gruff voice cuts in before I can get up to hold her. "I do, and that's what I want to discuss. It's time you come home."

I wince. And he was doing so well.

Sadie sucks in a sharp breath. Next to me, Doc curses, and I almost trip over his casual use of the word fuck. I stand to go to her, but she holds out an outstretched hand. She's too pale, even as splotches of red bloom on her throat. Tears pool in her hazel eyes, but they don't fall.

She swallows and looks around the table. "I know I'm asking a lot. You guys have upturned your lives for this, for me. And I'm so grateful. I'll understand if I need to do this alone. I can rely on the security team more and?—"

"No, baby girl, you're not understanding," Hunter says. "This isn't about us. This is about you. I'm putting my foot down. Enough is enough, and you're staying home because you need it."

I make an annoyed sound. I knew there was a chance he would muck this up. I told him yesterday that he can't bark and demand she stay. Hunter is a simple man; his words don't always land with finesse, even if he means well. He needs a grunt decoder. "What Hunter means to say is that we're worried about you."

"That too. But I meant what I said." Hunter crosses his arms.

Of course he did. The idiot.

"That goes for the rest of us. We need to prioritize our pack right now and rethink some of our commitments." Hunter looks at Tristian and Logan before turning his gaze back to Sadie.

Her scent billows. It's a heavy, cloying incense filled with spicy anger. Inside my chest, both my bonds throb.

Sadie stands abruptly. "I'm doing this with or without your approval. And right now, I'm going for a walk. Alone."

She darts from the room. Four of us move to follow her, creating a bottleneck at the kitchen doorway.

"No. I'll go," Hunter barks. I turn, jaw clenched, as he walks calmly toward the garage door. "I did it, and it needed to be said. We can talk more later, but right now, she and I have some things to discuss. I'm gonna let her walk for a minute, then I got a plan."

Elliot growls and heads in the other direction down the hallway toward the mudroom and the backyard.

"You know what this calls for?" I ask, putting my arms around Doc and Logan's shoulders.

"Please say a cuddle puddle," Tristian begs.

"Right you are, Doc."

Logan sighs. "I could get behind that. And some ice cream."

"It just so happens I've got that covered. You two get comfortable on the porch, and I'll bring out sundaes after I finish the dishes."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Logan hugs me and goes into the den to grab a few blankets.

Doc turns in my arms, kissing my neck. "Thanks, Graham." He murmurs in my ear, "Do you think we should go after El?"

"He'll come around. Give him some space."

What my mates need right now is patience and understanding. Doc and I decided a long time ago, when we first discussed that Elliot was meant to be ours, that being mates means you have to be willing to show up for people in the way they need, not only in the way you want to give. Sometimes, it's a tricky line to toe.

What I want is to have Sadie and Elliot here with us right now. For Sadie to let go of whatever is forcing her to push past her limits and to rest. It's the same thing I've wanted for Elliot for years. But he isn't ready. Neither is she.

Tristian sighs and squeezes me tighter. "I know we shouldn't push, but sometimes I wish?—"

"Me too, Doc, me too."

Elliot climbs the porch stairs,dripping sweat and smelling of burnt marshmallow. "They still gone?"

He takes off his shirt, wiping it along his brow, and for a moment, all I can do is try not to swallow my tongue. It's the worst kind of torture, knowing he's mine but not being allowed to touch.

Doc pats the spot beside him on the daybed swing. I installed the mammoth on the side of the wrap-around porch in a sunny spot after I realized Sadie liked it for reading. Now, everyone uses it.

Elliot eyes us warily, his blue eyes a little too wide.

"Come on, big guy. Join the puddle," Logan says, not even bothering to lift his head or open his eyes. "You know you want to."

Elliot grimaces. "I stink."

"No one cares, El," Logan says.

Doc's bond flutters with hope, and I squeeze his side in reassurance. I lift my head off the pillow and watch as Elliot grips the wood too tightly, then pushes off the porch rail and strides toward us. He eases onto the swing, the whole thing jangling about at the addition of his weight.

He lies stiff as a board, blowing out a long breath. "Think she's forgiven him yet?"

Doc scoots closer to Elliot but stops shy of touching him. "You're bonded the same as us. What do you feel?"

Elliot is quiet for a moment before his voice hits rock bottom. "I've mostly shut it down. I don't want her getting my shit on top of hers."

Logan hums. "It was touch and go for a while there. Emotions all over the place. But they're both calm now."

Doc sits up and stares Elliot down. "El, I know you're worried about what your bond with her can do but shutting her out isn't the answer."

"You can't know that." Elliot looks at Tristian, and the depth of his anguish makes my stomach cramp.

"That's dangerous to mess with. Trust me on this," Doc says, frowning.

"I'm not smart about this shit like Doc, but I would listen to him. You know he'd never let you hurt her. None of us would," I say.

"Maybe. But it's not something I'm willing to gamble on."

"I'd gamble on you any day, El." I sigh and close my eyes.

At least Hunter seems to be making progress.