14. Joe

Chapter 14

Joe

I watched Waylan and Este load the foxes into the back of the truck as we distracted the children. Este was a lot bigger than I expected. If I'd seen him in the wild, I would have thought he was a large wolf.

Waylan was different around Este. I could see the submissiveness in him, and it made me angry. I definitely didn't have pack nature in me if it meant submitting to someone like Este.

When the two alphas disappeared into the root cellar, I felt a pang of jealousy. Looking around at the other men almost hurt. They were his pack. I didn't fit in.

The toddlers were the only ones who didn't seem to notice how different I was. They were feeding the chickens with the feed I had given them, though I had to watch like a hawk because they kept trying to eat it themselves.

I'd always liked kids, and they'd always liked me.

Adrian and Sammy were no different. They quickly learned they could get a reaction out of me every time they acted like they were going to eat the chicken feed, so they'd bring it to their mouths, then pause and wait for me to notice.

Playing along, I'd wave my hands dramatically. "Stop! That's not for kids or coyotes. That's for chickens."

Then they'd jump up and down and laugh.

Stella, the older sister, couldn't quite tell if I was joking or not. She just looked annoyed with her siblings. "Joe keeps telling you to stop. Why do you keep doing it?" But her little brothers ignored her, too delighted with the game.

Finally, Stella turned to her dad, Mateo. "Why do they keep doing that, Daddy? They're so annoying!"

Mateo took her hand and grinned. "Come on, sweetheart. I'll show you the foxes." He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "You okay with these two, Joe?"

I nodded, surprised he trusted me with his babies so quickly. When he smiled, I felt myself blush a little. He was handsome in a different way than Este, in a way I liked better. Those two made beautiful babies.

I looked back at the twins, wondering who my baby would look like.

Waylan and Este came out of the cellar and went to talk by the box truck with the other men, Mateo, and Stella. They looked serious, and I was glad I had the twins to look after so I didn't have to decide whether to join them or not.

Even still, I felt left out as I wondered if Waylan had told Este who I was yet.

Most of the other pack members climbed into the box truck and backed it slowly out of the driveway, but a few stayed behind with Mateo, Este, and Stella.

They all walked with Waylan over to where I sat on the floor of the barn with the twins.

Este stared at me with a strange expression that I couldn't make out.

Waylan reached out a hand and helped me up. "Joe, a few of the guys are gonna stay for a few days and help us finish up with the pawflower. Then a couple trucks are coming to pick it up."

I nodded since I didn't have a say in any of this.

Este's eyes were still on me. "What pack are you from?"

I looked at Waylan, who was staring at me intently. Did he want me to say something particular here? I shifted on my feet. Wow, Este could be intense. "I'm not part of a pack. I'm…I'm not a coyote."

Este and Mateo looked at each other, then both looked back at me.

Stella gasped. "Are you a fox, too?" Her face lit up with a smile.

"I am. But not a red fox, like those guys." I motioned down the driveway. "I'm a gray fox."

My eyes stayed on Stella as she nodded and started rattling off facts about gray foxes. I didn't care to see the look on Este's or Mateo's faces. I didn't want to know what they thought about gray foxes.

Suddenly, I felt something on my waist.

Waylan's hand was resting on my side, and his arm circled around me. When I looked up, he was smiling at me before he turned to Mateo and Este. "Joe is more than just a gray fox."

Silence hung in the air as everyone took in the meaning of Waylan's words. That was Waylan's way of telling Este about me.

I stood up taller and pulled my shoulders back.

Stella shrugged. "If you're trying to tell me he's a shifter, well, I know all about that."

Everyone laughed, and the tension in the air broke.

Mateo walked over and put his hand on my shoulder. When he did so, the collar of my shirt moved. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the mark on my neck. He looked at me with his searching, soulful eyes, and then he smiled. "Welcome to our family, Joe."

Waylan relaxed next to me as I nodded to Mateo, then looked at Este.

Este gave a curt nod, then turned and walked to his truck.

I wasn't sure what that meant, but Waylan seemed relieved.

We helped our guests carry their stuff into the trailer as Waylan said goodbye to Este and his family.

Dylan and Andrew were young coyotes, omegas who seemed unusually shy and quiet. As that thought crossed my mind, I realized that was probably why Este brought them to Waylan.

They had The Quiet too.

That actually made me feel more comfortable having these strangers in our home. They needed us, and I was happy to be there for them.

Once they were settled in the Airstream, they joined me in the kitchen as I poured a cup of tea. "Our home is your home. We have plenty of cooked chicken in the fridge, some cookies in the jar under the microwave, and plenty of sandwich fixings. Help yourself to anything."

Dylan nodded as Andrew cleared his throat. "Thank you."

I could feel their anxiety rolling off them in waves so I took a deep breath and decided to just lay it all out there. "I'm sure this is scary for you. It wasn't too long ago that I was a lone omega, terrified and hungry and just looking for a place to call home." I leaned back against the counter and waved my arms. "This is your home for as long as you need it. Waylan also likes things calm and quiet, so you don't have to worry about lots of noise and unnecessary chaos from us." My hand instinctively went to my belly. "In a few months, there will be a bit more noise and chaos, but until then, don't feel like you need to fill any awkward silences, and Waylan and I will promise to do the same."

Both men visibly relaxed and their resemblance became more obvious. "Are you guys brothers?"

They both nodded, and Andrew's eyes dropped to study his fingernails. "Our parents aren't like us and didn't really know what to do with us. Este said we might fit in better here than with the full pack."

I smiled and was grateful to Este's continued good sense. "I think that might be true. But if there's anything you need, just ask. We're happy to teach you everything you need to know about farming and…" I rolled my eyes, thinking about what else we could teach them. "Well, just let us know what you need."