Page 43 of Gold Rush
It’s been almost five years since I bit him — and in those five years, we went from business partners to bonded, to part of a pack with Arin and Theo.
I walk downstairs after gathering myself, passing by June’s door, shut and quiet inside. The smell of her perfume clouds the air just outside, more potent than it’s been in days, and something instinctual tells me it won’t be long before the heat fully sets in.
I don’t have much experience with omegas — my father is the only one I’ve been around consistently — but I’ve been out of thehouse and doing my own thing since college. My mothers and he always spent my childhood reminding me I could do whatever I wanted in life, and I’ve never really looked back.
Barring Seth, I never really found myself looking twice at anyone, regardless of designation. I know a lot of alphas find solace in other alphas, but my designation has always been the least interesting thing about me. Now though — affection tugs at my chest as I hear a small snore through the wall.
I just want tohelpher.
There’s a satisfaction in it, something base, quieting the alpha inside me who only wants to care for someone. But there’s more — Ilikeher — she’s whip-smart, tenacious, and stunning. I would be an idiot not to recognize that I’m probably the last on her list of people in this house to court, but it doesn’t make me want her any less.
I could be okay with her and Seth having something without me, I could be okay with anything she wanted, as long as I can still have a genuine friendship with her. Her presence makes life feel brighter.
The foyer is quiet when I step off the final stair. I turn, glancing down the hall where Arin’s office door is open, following the lingering scent of Theo’s perfume. He’s not here, I’d be able to hear them arguing if he was — but that doesn’t stop me as I step into Arin’s office.
My prime looks up from behind his desk. His glasses are tilted to one side, off-kilter as he rubs his under-eyes. I don’t say anything as I take a seat on the small couch that Seth found Arin and June asleep on yesterday morning — Arin hasn’t said anything, but Iknowit affected him.
He might be the pack alpha, but he tends to push off taking care ofhimselfin lieu of making sure the rest of us are alright.
“I think we should talk.” I broach the subject gently, crossing my legs as I look over at him.
Arin shuffles papers on his desk, dipping his chin at me as he mutters, “I recognize it’s probably past time for us to have a pack meeting, but I’m worried that this is the wrong place for her.” His voice softens as he glances at the door. “Are we what she needs? Is she going to get the care she deserves here?”
I soften considerably, it hitting me that Arin’s never been in a situation where he’s seen an alpha, or alphas, take care of an omega properly. The Mohans are betas — and what I know of Theo’s family has been against my will. I generally ignore the Clarke alphas unless I absolutelyhaveto interact with Theo’s shitty fathers.
“It’s not the wrong place.” I clear my throat, giving him a serious look. “I take full responsibility that I did thiswithoutyour initial input. I know Seth was the one to seek her out and give you the last minute heads up, but Seth and I are fully prepared to help her with whatever she needs. If you don’t want to be a part of that, it’s fine — if Theo wants to fuck off somewhere for a week, that is more than fine too.” I stare at him, making sure he knows how serious I am. “But I amnotsending her away, Arin.”
He freezes, and I see a flash of panic in his eyes at the suggestion. “I wasn’t going tosendher away —”
I hold up my hand, stopping him. “You know as well as I do that calling for a heat service would be more trouble than it’s worth. We have no way to validate who would be here indays’time and I feel like introducing unfamiliar alphas into the dynamic would be a recipe for disaster.”
The heat services are good for unbonded alphas to satisfy their need to care for someone, the need for intimacy, just as it’s good for omegas to have a safe place to spend a heat — but inthissituation? I can’t fathom letting another alpha near her, I’m having a hard enough time not ripping Theo’s head off when he looks at her.
Besides, half the facilities are as sterile as the center shejustcame from, run by the same people. The others aren’t regulated enough for me to ever trust them with Juniper.
The mere thought makes my lip curl as I stare at Arin.
“Whatever your reservations are, get over them now or make your boundaries known to all of us.” I clear my throat, my words firm and my decision made. “I am helping her through this, without you or not. Seth won’t take no for an answer either, and —” I pause, choking on the words.
Arin’s full attention is on me now, catching the pause. “And?”
The prompt is soft, but there’s an undercurrent of power in it. There’s areasonArin is the prime of this pack. Theo’s bark is strong, sure, but it’s nothing compared to the calm power that radiates from the alpha in front of me. He just has no need to be flashy about it.
“And I like her.” I meet Arin’s eyes. “I know it’s quick, and I know it’s baffling, but I do. And I’m not going to lie to her. She’s had enough of that.” I swallow, leaning forward. “You didn’t see her the day that Seth and I went to the center, Arin.” The memory of the purple under her glassy eyes and the smell of stress and chemicals on her sallow and sunken skin haunts me. She looked at Seth like he was a miracle when he suggested she wassafeand didn’t have to keep meeting random packs in the hope one of them would be nice enough to sign a document saying that she, a whole entireperson, would now be their responsibility.
I can’t even wrap my mind around the panic it probably caused her to suddenly wake up and recognize her life was irrevocably changed.
“You’re right, I didn’t see her that day.” Arin’s jaw flexes, before his nostrils flare and he relaxes back into his office chair. “But I did see her a few nights after.” He glances away from me, his expression shuttering as he clears his throat. “But it’s best ifwe don’t overwhelm her anymore. So you and Seth will navigate this and I will remove myself from the situation and handle whatever Theo’s decision is.”
I stare at the side of his face. “Why don’t you justaskif she wants you?”
Arin gives me a dry look. “That would be too simple.”
“Don’t martyr yourself, Arin. It’s a bad look when Theo’s already a recovering asshole.”
Arin’s mouth twists. “We should becourtingher. That’s what the situation requires — dating, getting to know each other, making hercomfortablewith the fact she’s about to experience something she’s never had to deal with before.”
I tilt my head at him, staying quiet, letting him talk it out himself.
