22. Emmett

22

EMMETT

T he house is usually tense and uncomfortable whenever Samuel is around, but him banging through the kitchen cupboards only makes it worse.

There's an underlying warning to keep my mouth shut while he throws his mini tantrum. Had I known his crabby ass would be home for dinner, I would have made him a serving. Normally it's just Oli and me. Sam is rarely home before eight.

Leaning back in my chair at the kitchen table, I watch the alpha warily. He's far more uptight than usual. Oliver doesn't really seem to care about his brother's attitude as he shovels a final bite of pasta in his mouth.

I mean, Sam's behavior and attitude are constantly a sore spot in our house, so maybe Oliver hasn't picked up on the extra foulness radiating off of him. I'm not sure if my beta doesn't notice the edge Sam is teetering on or if he just doesn't care. Either way, he speaks, destroying the barrier between us and our pack brother's temper.

"I was thinking about heading over to the new neighbor’s house and saying hi in a bit," Oliver says joyfully. I smile and nod at him. I was thinking the same thing.

"It's late," Samuel snaps without turning around.

Narrowing my gaze on his rigid back, I reply, "It's not even seven."

"It's too soon. Let her settle in," Sam retorts, shoulders lifting to his ears.

I glance at Oliver to see him frowning at Samuel too. Maybe he didn't get the memo to stay quiet after all. I knew anything that came out of our mouths while Sam was in earshot would be met with rude remarks. Like usual .

"It's been three days. Plus, it's Saturday so I'm sure it's not too late," my beta argues. He genuinely seems confused by Sam's reluctance, as am I. "You don't have to come, bro."

Finally, Sam turns around with an irritated huff. His voice is cruel as he spits, "I'm not fucking going there. Neither should you."

"Okay, what the hell is your problem?" I try really fucking hard to stay out of their brotherly squabbles, but he's being a dick to Oliver for no reason. "Did something happen at the signing?"

"Nothing happened," he immediately denies, slamming his hand down on the marble countertop. "Nothing happened," he repeats quietly, then hangs his head.

I catch Oliver's eye and see the same mixture of annoyance, confusion and worry reflected in his green gaze.

"Okay, well now I want to meet her even more," Oliver declares with a smirk.

I prepare myself for their usual verbal sparring, but to say I'm shocked at what comes out of my fellow alpha would be a damn understatement.

"Let’s go out for drinks." Sam sounds pained with his suggestion, but in the pack bond, his alpha rumbles happily.

I don't know how my friend has done it all these years; making himself an outsider in our pack. Our animalistic counterparts rely on instincts and a large part of pack life is spending time with one another. Leaning on each other in times of need and enjoying the company of your family.

Sam has literally been in a time of need for years, and still he refuses to even talk to us about it. There are so many other feelings beneath the shitty exterior he gives everyone, but it's buried beneath a shit ton of anger. Hurt and rejection.

The part of me that is all alpha grieves my friend. The boys we used to be, running around town and making messes that our dads would have to clean up. We were close, and now our relationship only reaches as far as this fraying tether holding us together.

"You want to go get a drink?" Oliver says slowly as he unfurls his lean frame from the chair. " You ?"

Samuel glares at him but stands his ground as his brother gets closer. I stopped trying to play mediator a long time ago, so I just lean forward and watch the inevitable carnage unfold.

"Yes," Sam grits out between clenched teeth. "Let’s go out."

Christ, that was hard to watch .

Oli just has to poke the bear, literally. Jabbing his finger in Sam's chest, he teases, " You will go out with us ?"

Side by side, I'm reminded why they were always teased about being twins. Only a year apart in age had them growing up at similar speeds. The only difference between them is their hair. Where Oliver has brown curly hair, Samuel has perpetually messy dirty blond hair.

Other than their hair and Oliver's scar through his lips, they are almost identical. Which you think would be weird for me being in love with the youngest of the two, but they are complete opposites.

Oliver's thin lips are quick to smile, and his toned body is always relaxed and approachable. Sam, on the other hand, never smiles, and I swear, has a fucking rod shoved so far up his ass he'll never be able to release the goddamn tension making him a crabby fuck.

"Yes, now fuck off and go get ready."

If there was ever a moment I should try to control my crazy beta, it's now. Jumping forward, Oli smacks a wet kiss on Sam's cheek before bolting away with his maniacal laughter trailing his sexy ass.

I watch amazed as Sam actually fucking swallows his roar of outrage. Judging by the way his face turns purple, I'd say it took a considerable amount of effort.

I stand and chuckle darkly. "Don't think this little distraction tactic you are so clearly reluctant to do resolves you of a conversation."

He meets my gaze, and my heart cracks just a little more when a stranger looks back at me. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I hum, and look to where Oli just disappeared upstairs. "Drag him along just to break his heart like you have mine, and no bond will save you from me." Tapping my knuckles on the counter, I refuse to look at the alpha trying to manipulate my beta. "Oh and—" I stop my exit but don't turn around. "You look like shit. Fuck off and go get ready," I quote the bastard I once thought was my friend.

Whatever the fuck is going on is not okay if it will hurt Oli's feelings. I don't know if he realizes his brother is hiding something and keeping us from paying too much attention, but I know I spied excitement in his step when he ran off to get ready.

Nothing my pack brother is keeping secret is worth any more heartache.

Fuck knows we've suffered enough.