Revolting

Chapter Twenty Six - Third Wheel Hannah

I turned my back on Heath and walked away so that I wouldn't have to watch him go. What a strange twist of fate, that the Beta would be Heath's mate. I felt the sting of rejection... which was unreasonable because in order to be rejected, you would first have to have been acknowledged, and William had never really noticed me. The real dig though was the realization that everything was about to be forever and irrevocably changed. It would never be just me and my brother again. The loss I felt was not the loss of William as a potential lover, though I know that's what everyone was thinking.

No, I was crying over the loss of my brother. My feet dragged me back toward the pack house. I didn't want to go back to our camp and stay there alone waiting for Heath to come down from the high of finding his soulmate. I climbed up on the back steps, but I didn't knock. I just sat dejectedly on the steps and planted my elbows on my knees.

What now? Would the beta convince Heath to join his pack? It was hard for me to imagine Heath agreeing to that, but maybe the mate bond would change everything for him.

Night was settling over the compound. Shadows lengthened and then blended into the growing darkness. My eyes adjusted to the dim light, and my night vision allowed me to see everything in sharp, colorless detail. I heard the door open behind me, and smelled Daisy's familiar scent. I didn't bother turning around. She settled on the step beside me, and then, unexpectedly twined an arm around my shoulders. It had been a long time since anyone had touched me, apart from Heath. I stiffened for a moment at the unfamiliarity, and then sank into the warm comfort with a sigh. I imagined this was what it must have been like to have an older sister, or a mother to comfort you.

I felt that there was a certain amount of sadness in Daisy too, as she leaned her head against mine. We sat like that in silence for a long time as the night grew deeper, and the dew began to fall in a cool, gentle mist. She drew a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "Things have a way of working out," she said softly. "Though we can't see it from here."

"Yeah," I answered. And she was right. I knew that no matter how enamored with his mate my brother was, he would never abandon me. But how would I be, hanging around them like some awkward, ugly spare tire? A third wheel? But on the plus side, if William talked Heath into joining the pack, then I could stay here, in one place, and maybe have a real home.

Daisy took her arm off my shoulders and stood up. "Come on inside, let's get some dinner."

I nodded and let her pull me to my feet. I was thinking that everyone had already ate, and she would probably give me a plate in the kitchen the way she often did. Instead of that she took my hand and pulled me into the dining room. I halted at the door when I saw the two long tables were filled with pack members. Some of the faces I recognized, having watched them as they trained and worked around the pack house. Some faces were new and unfamiliar. I felt my skin crawl with discomfort and anxiety as all the eyes turned to me with curiosity. It was a friendly kind of curiosity, but it made me nervous none the less.

"Hey everybody," Daisy greeted the room, which must have had about twenty people gathered haphazardly around the tables. "This is Hannah."

A chorus of hello's and "Hi Hannah," greeted me, making my face flame red with embarrassment. But as quickly as they had noticed me, they all went back to their own things. Two teenaged boys were elbowing each other and attempting to steal food off each others plates. Heads were bent together in conversation. Some just silently shoveled the good, simple food into their mouths without bothering with talking. My eyes found the Alpha at the head of one of the tables, with the Luna seated close beside him. The Luna gave me a welcoming smile. The little girl, Raine was seated in a highchair, contentedly playing in her mashed potatoes with a spoon. As if she felt my gaze, the little girl looked up at me and gave me a smile with a mouth full of food. It was kind of gross, but I still smiled back.

Daisy lead me over to an empty seat and pushed me down gently, then pulled a chair up next to me. Her husband Gabe gave me a polite smile and a nod. Someone put a plate in front of me loaded with food. Fluffy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole made from fresh garden beans, and fried venison. A tall glass of cold lemonade was set before me, and I picked it up eagerly. It was the perfect balance of sweet and tart on my tongue, and I closed my eyes and appreciation. While I ate, I watched the others. I noticed with some fascination that there was no separation with these people. The omegas were eating beside the Alpha, kids were scattered in amongst the adults. No one was left out. When the two people who had been serving finished passing out the plates, they brought their own plates and joined us at the table. Like a family. A great big, noisy, wonderful family. No one was being treated like less, no one was being yelled at, no one seemed afraid or unhappy.

If there was tension between any of them, it seemed like it was between Daisy and her husband. Although they sat beside each other, there was silence between them. Daisy would sometimes turn to me to include me in some conversation, and Gabe would answer questions from across the table, but between the two of them, there was an invisible wall. This, I realized was the source of sadness in Daisy. There was something wrong between Daisy and her mate. But why? I thought once you found your mate it was all happiness and roses and fantastic sex ever-after?

And if someone as sweet and kind and generous as Daisy could have trouble with their mate, then my stubborn brother was doomed.