“Ah… not exactly. But I do empathise with the idea that your life is spinning out of control and you don’t know how to change it.”
I’d felt like that for years, and it was only in the last month when the hope of a mate had come into our lives that I’d started to feel a little better.
A tear slipped down her face and she huffed out a laugh.
I moved over to her couch and sat right next to her.
I couldn’t help myself and she didn’t seem to be afraid of me the way she was of the larger men in the room.
I reached up to cup her face and wipe the tear from her cheek.
“Don’t cry, beautiful.”
I wiped her tear with the pad of my thumb and little shocks of awareness passed over my skin.
She shivered and pulled away a little, but didn’t move to another seat.
“What is that? Why do I feel so strange when you guys touch me?”
“Because you’re our mate. We’re meant to be.”
“What?” Nevaeh lowered her eyebrows, glared at me with a stormy expression, then got to her feet so she could glower down at me from a height.
I hadn’t expected such an intense response.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Claire came around the couch and stood beside Nevaeh. “What’s happened? What’s going on?”
“He just told me we’re meant to be, and I’m his mate. Claire, what the hell is this bullshit? What are you guys smoking out here? And why the HELL are these men so big? I’ve seen professional football players who were smaller.”
Claire suddenly took charge of the room.
r /> “I need everyone but the Omegas out while I talk to Nevaeh.”
“But, Claire…” The men began to complain.
She waved her hands at them. “No! You don’t understand how confusing this is for us. Go to Grayson’s house. Have some dinner and a beer. We’ll call you back soon.”
The Alphas and the Betas left with their tails between their legs and as soon as the front door shut, I laughed. I couldn’t contain it a moment longer. Jay joined in, and Claire gave me a stern stare. “This is no laughing matter, Brad.”
I grinned at her, the lightness and happiness in my heart making my head feel woozy.
“I understand that, but you need to know that I have never, in all my life, seen anyone boss around the Alphas the way you do. It’s awesome. Truly.”
Jay chuckled from beside me. “It’s true, Claire. And we love you for that.”
Claire huffed at us, but her bright smile was returning. “Well, I’m not scared of them. Those muscles of theirs are for protection, not to cause us harm.”
“So true.” I nodded at her and gave her my best smile. “Still doesn’t change the fact that watching you go up against them is awesome.” I looked straight at Nevaeh. “Take note, seriously. Grayson and Aaron are big teddy bears, and you’ll soon be bossing them around the way Claire does with Dexter and Taylor.”
Nevaeh gave me a glare that was quite ugly, and it twisted my gut up.
“Why are you looking at me like I’ve done something terrible?”
Nevaeh’s face crumpled and although she didn’t smile, the glare lost its strength. “You haven’t. I’m sorry. I just don’t know what I’m doing here.”
Claire and Jay got up and moved around the kitchen, preparing food. Maybe.