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“I made that clear tonight, sweetheart. There shouldn’t be any more problems.”
“Thank you both for protecting my family,” she says softly.
Cammie lets the tears fall, the stress of the night or the promises we made too much. Finn and I try to reassure her with our purrs. Eventually, she cries herself to sleep, and Finn follows.
But I can’t. I hold them instead, wishing I could always keep them safe.
Chapter 24
Cammie
Iturn into the drive of the gated lake house and type in the cleaning code. It’s one of our regular rentals, a colossal brick monstrosity that overlooks the lake. Pulling around the service driveway, I see an old Ford Escape and realize my sister must be on the crew today.
I park and blow out a breath. I’ve got a lot on my mind this morning after the disastrous end to Porch Fest. I’m worried about Ben and worried about the way my past could become too much for my new mates.
I hoped I would have a little more time to sort through all my emotions before explaining myself to Jeanie and Stacey, but it doesn’t look like that’s happening. I grab my bag and let myself in.
One of the vacuums is already going at the back of the house. I find Stacey first, working in the kitchen. My cousin is the raven-haired version of my sister. Together, we probably look like triplets. Especially today when we’re all in the same uniform.
“Upstairs,” she mouths. She points at the cleaning supplies, then returns to wiping down the refrigerator, neck bobbing to a song.
My sister isn’t upstairs. It takes me two hours to clean my section after the mess left by the renters. Gloves are my saving grace when I have to strip the sheets in the bedroom of an obvious orgy.
That room leads me to thinking about the fact that Finn will have a heat. I knew that, theoretically. But I haven’t yet grasped the reality of what that means. I tuck that little epiphany away for another time, refusing to think about it in this house again or before I shower.
Downstairs, the house is clean, and bags of trash ready to be taken outside are piled in the kitchen by the doorway. I hunt for Stacey and Jeanie but still don’t see anyone. When I take out the trash I don’t find them smoking out front either. The house is quiet when I return to the kitchen, pack my supplies with the rest of the gear, and wash up. I search downstairs again, finally spotting them sitting on the dock by the lake.
“What are you two up to?” I call, squinting. We all have second jobs to get to this morning, and they look as though they’re sunbathing.
“Hurry your ass up and find out,” Stacey calls.
“It wouldn’t have taken me so long if I didn’t clear all your trash too, and the biohazard waste land upstairs,” I call back, making my way down the sloping yard and onto the wide boat dock.
It’s early on a Monday morning, and the lake is deserted before all the travelers arrive for the week. It’s only the locals cleaning rentals and mowing lawns.
“Why do you think we picked the lower half? We figured you’d better get used to cleaning after a heat,” Jeanie says with a laugh.
“Shut up,” I groan, folding myself beside her and Stacey on the dock, dangling my legs above the water.
Jeanie bumps my shoulder. “You’re the talk of the town this morning. Cammie Cooper is Pack Camden. Girl, my phone lit up like a fireworks show last night.”
I groan. “Sometimes I pretend I don’t live in a place where all my business is public. Besides, what’s the difference? People are always saying shit about us.”
Stacey reaches into a small cooler at her side. “Fuck people. And what they think. Besides, this was good talk. They stood up for you. I like them.”
“Yeah, I do too,” I admit.
She passes Jeanie an orange soda and another to me. They’re the same ones we used to get from the gas station as kids before we spent a day outside at the river. I haven’t had one with them in a long time.
I lean over the dock and look at my cousin. “What’s the special occasion?”
“Bitch.” Stacey chuckles, her eyes incredulous.
My sister pushes me playfully. “Like you don’t know. The last thing I see of your ass is in the ER with an alpha and omega following you around, desperate to take you home. Then you ghost everyone for a week while your new guys play doctor. And now you’re being claimed by a bonded pair in front of half the county at Porch Fest. A little less clueless and a little more information, please.”
“By information, she means all of it,” Stacey adds with a laugh.
I buy myself time by taking a sip of my drink. It’s been the most bizarre few weeks of my life, andI was left by a text message. I haven’t got a clue how to explain myself. I’ve been texting my sister and Stacey updates, but they’ve been skimpy on the details.
