"How do we get there?"
"I have a truck out back," Remy explained.
Remy's truck turned out to be a massive SUV that easily fit the five of us. Rhodes had turned off the TV and plucked Larkin off the couch, carrying her out to the SUV and setting her down in the backseat. He slid in beside her and Katy got in on her other side, leaving me to the front seat with Remy driving.
Like with Amanda, I was fascinated watching the views while we drove. This time, the night wasn't pressing in around. The sun shone high and clear in a cloudless blue sky as far as I could see. The outside world blurred around us as Remy sped down the road.
It took almost thirty minutes to pull into the small, sleepy town. Rhodes was right - there was a strip of small shops and the other places Rhodes had mentioned. There wasn't even a stoplight in the town.
Remy parked in the front and we all got out of the car. Katy and Rhodes led the way in, bickering about what we were going to eat. Larkin followed, still trying - and failing - to play peacemaker.
I hesitated at the entrance, the doors sliding open to wait for me.
Remy came up beside me. "You good?"
"I've never ..." God, why was I so embarrassed about this? "I've never actually been inside a grocery store."
His eyebrows flew up, his jaw dropping before he could hide his surprise. "What?"
I scuffed the toe of my sneaker against the cement. "Omegas didn't go shopping for groceries. We were given whatever was left over from the pack. Besides, we didn't have our own money, so no need to shop."
His jaw clenched, a muscle thrumming to life like it had its own heartbeat. He looked away from me, and I got the distinct impression he was yet again trying to reign in his reaction.
"I know," I said, forcing a chuckle. "It's ridiculous, right?" Shaking out my shoulders, I started to walk inside when I felt his hand catch mine.
"It's not ridiculous," he said softly when I turned to look at him. "You have every right to feel however you want to feel, Skye."
I nodded, taking a big breath. I smiled at him. "I feel hungry. So, show me what's so good about this grocery store thing?"
Chuckling, Remy nodded and walked inside with me.
We caught up to the others, who were rolling a large cart, already filled with different kinds of meats and bread. There were several large bags of chips, and Katy and Rhodes seemed to be arguing over condiments.
Larkin sighed loudly. "Just get ketchup and barbecue sauce, guys."
"Skye!" Rhodes turned to me,
I jumped, busy looking at the vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables in huge bins.
"Ketchup or barbecue sauce?" Rhodes looked at me expectantly.
I shrugged. "Larkin said get both."
"But what's your preference?" he pressed, holding a container of each in his hands. He acted like they were on a scale as he balanced them.
"I guess ... ketchup?" I'd tried ketchup with my french fries at the diner and liked it. I'd never had barbecue.
Rhodes smirked triumphantly at Katy and tossed a container into the basket. "Told you."
With a growl, Katy grabbed the other container and dropped it into the basket, too. "We're getting both." She pivoted on her heel and started walking down the aisle. "We need drinks!"
Twenty minutes later, we had a car loaded full of food and drinks, and a bunch of other random things Katy grabbed like shampoo and nail polish.
Remy hadn't complained once, just smiling at his friends as they ran around the store grabbing stuff. He paid for it all when we checked out, and my eyes went wide at the price of the final bill.
The ride back took another thirty minutes but was strangely quiet as only Katy and Larkin talked much, occasionally dragging Remy and I into it. I glanced back and saw Rhodes was asleep, his head on Larkin's shoulder.
By the time we parked back at the Blackwater cabin, several of our pack mates had gotten the word that there would be a bonfire. A few broke off to help unload the car while three others kept piling sticks and logs high into the center of the small field behind the cabin.
Rhodes, now fully awake, bounded out of the car, pulling Larkin with him. He then opened my door and tugged me out.
Glancing around at his pack mates, he raised his arms and yelled, "Let's party!"
13
Rhodes wasn't kidding when he said it was a party.
Word had gotten out and shifters from other packs had slowly trickled in, mingling with our pack until I lost count of how many people joined in. What started out as me sitting around a campfire with Katy and Larkin was now an inferno. The bonfire's flames licked towards the skies, bright against the dark of the night.
Several speakers had been hastily set up and music pulsed a heavy beat from them that throbbed in my bones. A few people had started dancing near a copse of trees, hidden in shadows. Which, considering the noises I heard coming from that area when I walked past, was probably for the best.
Drinks were set up on the back deck, and somehow bottles of alcohol had joined the two-liter bottles of soda we had bought at the grocery store. The identical twins, Kyle and Konnor, manned the grill. Some didn't wait for them, opting to shove their hotdogs or marshmallows on to sticks and hold it over the bonfire.
Rhodes and Remy were surrounded by several females, smiling and talking easily. Katy was currently talking to a bunch of people on the deck.
And I was sitting on a log by the fire with Larkin sticking close to my side.
"You don't have to stay with me," I told her, somewhat embarrassed that she felt the need to babysit me even if I was secretly glad she was by my side.
I knew there had been parties in Long Mesa, but I had never been invited and honestly never wanted to go.
Even though I barely knew my new pack, this was nice. Overwhelming, but nice.
Larkin smiled brightly and nudged my shoulder with hers. "I don't mind. Besides, if I stay with you, I can ignore that." She jerked her head in the direction of Rhodes, who had just put his arm around a brunette with an impressive … smile.
I made a face. "Have you told Rhodes you like him?"
Her face went pale. "No. No way."
I frowned. "Why not?"
She took a deep drink of her soda. "Because he's ... Rhodes. And I'm just me."
I glanced up at Rhodes. He caught my eye and smiled with a wink before turning back to the brunette. A loud squeal had me jerking my head to see a blonde launch herself into Remy's arms.
I gave Larkin my full attention, ignoring the boys and their fanbase. "What does that even mean?"
Larkin reached down, tracing a design in the dirt by our feet. "Rhodes is one of the most popular guys here. He'll be with someone like her, not the omega who can barely talk around him without turning bright red."
“I thought you said you guys grew up together and are friends? Besides, he didn’t seem to have a problem cuddling up to you in the car today.”
Again, her cheeks flamed. “That was … he didn’t …”
"You don't give yourself enough credit," I replied, hating to see her not seeing how truly awesome she was. "And Rhodes is always touching you or finding a way to include you."
She glanced up. "I'm fine with who I am, don't get me wrong. But I'm also not stupid enough to think Rhodes is anything but a giant flirt. Trust me." She glanced over at Rhodes, her eyes dimming slightly. "See?"
I looked over to see Rhodes and the brunette full on making out now. My heart hurt for her.
"So, tell me what to expect tomorrow," I started, trying to change the subject.
But Larkin was still looking at Rhodes, her expression growing sadder by the second. "I'm going to get another drink. Want anything?" She got to her feet quickly.
"I'm good. Do you want me to come with you?"
She shook her head, already moving away. I looked back to see Rhodes pulling the brunette up the stairs of the deck, towards the house. I sighed deeply as Larkin stood frozen in place as she watched them enter the
house from her position at the foot of the stairs.
"As a rule, girls as pretty as you shouldn't be frowning like that."
I was startled at the voice above me. My surprise turned to unease as a guy my own age with curly blond hair and blue eyes sat down in the seat Larkin had just vacated.
I shifted further to the right when his leg brushed mine.
He smiled broadly at me. "I'm Caleb. You're Skye, right?"
I nodded slowly, not speaking. My eyes flickered over him quickly, taking in the wide expanse of shoulders and the way his shirt stretched across the muscles of his arms and chest. His hair was carefully styled and his eyes danced as he watched me, but I got the feeling I wasn’t in on the joke.
Or maybe I was the joke.
"Welcome to GPA," he said. His eyes raked over me, not leering but definitely assessing and sizing me up.
"Thanks," I replied carefully. Something about him had me on edge and I could feel my wolf stir in my chest, waking up to take notice.
"So, what has you frowning, pretty girl?" he asked, with what I think was supposed to be a flirty wink. “It’s a party and there’s at least a dozen guys who would jump at the chance to get to know you.”
I glanced around us, looking for Larkin but she was still getting a drink and now talking to someone. "Did you need something?"
His brows rose. "Wow. Testy much?"
I wasn't before, but I was now. My jaw clenched.
He nudged me with a shoulder, and I almost shoved him off his seat.
"I just wanted to say hi," he explained, still grinning. But something had shifted in his smile. It was less congenial and definitely more calculating. "You have to know that someone like you is going to make waves here."
"Someone like me?" I echoed scornfully, arching a brow.
"Most of us have grown up together. It's been over a year since we had someone new transfer into GPA, and he definitely wasn't as gorgeous as you are." His eyes moved across me in a way that had my hackles raising.
I looked away, staring at the fire. "Not interested."
"I get it. You're keeping your options open," he said with a nod I caught in my peripheral vision. "Truthfully, I'm not looking for anything serious either. But we could definitely have some fun."
I took a deep breath, trying to control the rage that simmered in me.
His hand landed on my shoulder and his voice dropped as he whispered in my ear, "Why don't we get out of here?" Now he was leering.
And I was sick of being the new piece of meat at school.
"Why don't you take your hand off of me before I break it off?" I countered, turning to look him fully in the eye. "When a girl says she isn't interested, it usually means she isn't interested."
He removed his hand slowly, raising them both innocently. "Chill. I thought we were just getting to know each other."
"And now we're done," I finished firmly, my heart racing. I jerked my chin. "Get lost."
He stood slowly, still smiling. "Feisty. I like that in a girl."
I stood as well, not wanting to give him any advantage even though he still was several inches taller.
"And I like guys who can actually take a hint," I retorted coolly.
His smile slipped slightly. "I'll see you around, Skye." He stepped over the log we had been sitting on and I watched until he blended into the darkness around the trees.
"Are you okay?" Larkin came up behind me, touching my arm. I turned to see her wide eyed, staring in the direction Caleb had left.
"Fine," I muttered. "That guy was a total ass."
"He didn't do anything, right?" she pressed, looking at me.
"Other than annoy me? No." I snorted and rolled my neck, working out the tension.
"That's Caleb, the beta for the Norwood pack."
I grimaced. "So, he's friends with Trace? Explains a lot. I guess dickhead is a pack trait.”
Larkin bit her lower lip nervously. "You shouldn't make them angry."
My eyes narrowed. "What's going on, Larkin? I saw you earlier when Trace was at breakfast. You looked like you were going to crawl under the freaking table."
She looked away, shifting her weight on her feet. "I don't know what you're talking about."
My brows lifted. "Jesus, even right now, you're shaking because I mentioned him. What's going on?"
"The Blackwater and Norwood packs have always had this rivalry, like Katy said. It's better to just stay away from all of them."
"I get that," I replied, not letting the issue slide, "but you seemed terrified of him."
Larkin looked at me and I was stunned to see tears gathering in her eyes.
"Can you just leave it?" she whispered. "Please?"
Without thinking, I reached out and pulled her into my arms. Other than my mom, and occasionally Maisie, I hadn't been hugged. The sensation was still new, but the compulsion to do it was strong.
Larkin's arms came around behind me, hugging me tightly as her body shook.
"I'm here if you need me," I told her quietly. It felt strangely right to say those words I had only ever before told my mom.
"Thanks," Larkin replied, wiping her eyes and forcing a smile as she pulled away. "I promise I'll tell you if I need to talk about it."
"I'm going to hold you to that," I warned, seeing Katy approach from the corner of my eye.
"Ugh," she groaned, throwing her arms around our shoulders as soon as she was in range. "That makes me nauseous. I mean, can they be more obvious?" She waved a hand in the direction of Remy.
He was near the bonfire now, the flame making his brown hair reddish gold. In addition to the huggy blonde from before, he was surrounded by four other females. It was pretty telling that in a world where females had their pick, they were all picking the same guy.
And I couldn’t really blame them.
Katy wrinkled her nose. "So gross. It's the same at every damn party."
Larkin shrugged, taking a drink from her cup. "He's a good guy. And he's cute."
"Did you really just call my brother cute?" Katy deadpanned.
Larkin chuckled. "I hate to break it to you, but your brother's gorgeous. And I don't know why you're surprised - it's been this way since we were kids. Girls always flocked to Remy and Rhodes."
Katy rolled her eyes. "Rhodes is a man-whore. We all know that. At least my brother is more selective."
I caught Larkin flinching out of the corner of my eye.
"But still. Remy is my brother. I don't want to see this." Katy groaned and turned away from them. "I miss the days of Sasha."
I frowned as Larkin outright laughed. Her head tipped back, her glossy dark locks gleaming from the firelight.
"Careful what you wish for," Larkin teased, wagging a finger.
"At least when he was with Sasha, she kept all the bitches away," Katy groused.
"You hated Sasha," Larkin reminded her. She looked at me and stage-whispered, "Sasha was Remy's girlfriend for most of last year. She's from a pack in Maine and graduated in the spring. She and Katy hated each other."
"Sasha was a Level One Bitch," Katy confirmed. "And I'm so freaking thankful to all the baby angels and wolf puppies in the world that Remy dumped her ass, but at least she kept the harem away from him. They don't even care about him, just the fact that he's going to be Alpha."
"And he's hot," Larkin added, winking at me. I cracked a smile, happy to see her joking again.
"Can we stop talking about how hot my brother is?" Katy whined with a shudder. "I just want-" She stopped mid-sentence, her jaw dropping open a second before she squealed like a little kid and took off running.
With wide eyes, I watched as she ran towards the trees, dropping to her knees as a gray wolf emerged. The wolf nuzzled into her side.
"That's Maren," Larkin said, smiling. "Katy's girlfriend."
"The one from another pack?" I asked, watching as several other wolves came from the trees.
Larkin nodded. "Looks like they all just got back from their pack
run."
Pack run.
My stomach flipped nervously, remembering the Blackwater pack was scheduled for their run in only a few weeks. Other than when Caleb had shown up, I hadn't felt my wolf in days. I reached out now, trying to see if she was there but was met with silence.
Maybe I would try to track down Elias sooner rather than later, like Remy suggested earlier.
I watched as Remy separated from his groupies and approached the wolves, stopping in front of the massive brown one that towered over the rest of the pack. He cocked his head to one side, studying the wolf.
"We figured you guys would be back hours ago," Remy said with a smile.
The wolf gave a low whine, shaking out his fur.
Remy chuckled. "There's extra clothes upstairs if you guys want to change here."
The wolf turned his head and gave a low bark before leading the other wolves across the yard and up the deck where Kyle opened the door for them.
The Brooks Ridge pack liked to party as much as the rest of the student body at GPA.
The dozen or so wolves that joined the gathering all had drinks in their hands, and a new level of energy seemed infused when they joined the group. The music had definitely gotten louder. I could feel the bass thumping in my chest.
Maren had emerged from the house first and made a beeline for Katy. Where Katy was fair and had red hair, Maren had tan skin and dark hair and eyes and was several inches shorter.
The massive brown wolf, who I now knew was Dante, the alpha of the Brooks Ridge pack at GPA, was currently talking with Remy and Rhodes, who had come outside with the pack after they had changed clothes. I had no idea where his brunette conquest had gone.
There was a new brunette with them now, between Remy and a taller guy with a million tattoos that Katy called Ryder. I wasn't entirely sure if the brunette was with Dante or Ryder, to be honest, but she was the only female standing around them. Anytime a new female approached the group of guys, her glare sent them scurrying away.
I couldn't blame females for approaching - the four of them were easily the hottest guys at the party by a landslide.
Sanctum (Blackwater Pack Book 1) Page 11
