Page 42 of All Packed Up

Wendy swallowed back her emotions and nodded, her cheeks heating with embarrassment.

Arlo eyed her for one more second before they turned and faced the TV again. “Let us know if you get bored, we have games and shit we can play.”

They turned their gazes away, giving her a form of privacy as she tried to gather herself. But their consideration, the acceptance of… her and giving her what she needed—a moment to herself—made it all the harder.

Because it was just another sign that she was doing the right thing. There were good alphas out there, Wendy had just… met the wrong ones too soon.

I wish I’d never met them in the first place.

Once she got through this heat, she could figure out a more direct plan of handling things. For now… she just needed to not be with them, not during a heat. Not when she couldn’t say no.

Wendy sucked in a silent, deep breath, released it just as quietly, and uncurled her fingers from the death grip on the blanket.

“Alright, what games can I kick your asses at?”

* * *

The game they decided on wasn’t one with a controller. Instead, they were playing—

“Uno, bitches,” Wendy declared, throwing down her second to last card.

They both groaned, two handfuls of cards clenched between taut fingers.

Arlo waved one hand over his cards, trying to decide what to lie down next. From the stack in his hand, he had quite a bit to choose from.

His gaze narrowed as he pulled out a card and laid it down on the discard pile. It was a yellow two.

She was holding a yellow one.

Which meant if Tate laid down a yellow card then—

“Hah!” she shouted and tossed down her last card. “Easy-peasy.”

With a chill playlist drifting from the surround sound speakers, the cushy rug beneath her crossed legs, and the cozy blanket wrapped around her, Wendy fit right in with these alphas.

Tate sat to her right, and Arlo was on her left.

They all sat on the floor around the coffee table, playing Uno to get her mind off of things.

It was nice. Refreshing.

But the sun was about to set, and Wendy couldn’t help but wonder where Nic was. Why hadn’t he texted either of the alphas an update?

He decided to ditch you. He left you with these alphas, and now you’ve gone from one lion’s den to anot—

“Earth to Wendy.” Arlo nudged her elbow, and she blinked at the joint in front of her.

The comfy, gentle high she’d had all day had been… amazing. It was easy and perfect, and she was comfortable and cozy. These alphas were… safe.

Wendy knew not every alpha was the same as the ones she’d had. But that didn’t mean she didn’t hold reservations. But Arlo and Tate were the complete opposite of everything those other alphas stood for.

These two were messy and funny, and silly and happy, and it turned out Arlo was a master in the kitchen.

“What do you guys do? Y’know, for work?”

Just how different were they? And why did she even want to compare them?

“I work at a game resale store right now. We refurbish and sell games and consoles. But I also dabble in the stock market,” Arlo said. She eyed his jeans and worn, faded tee.