Talk About… Trouble (Rockwood Valley Omegaverse #4)

Chapter 29

Wren

“ Y ou know, this is all my mates and I ever dreamed of,” Mama Whitaker said as she looked over the crowd. “To have a big family like this, lives full of grandkids and family and friends.”

Her eyes had grown misty, and Charlie squeezed her hand. Honestly, she couldn’t have picked a better man to keep by her side. He seemed to accept her grief as part of her, and here he was, celebrating with her, supporting her.

The fact that he was smiling just as happily out at the crowd told me that he fit right in.

“Braxton is so grateful that you’ve all accepted the kids as your own,” I said. “Hell, you accepted me as your own, and I appreciate that more than you could know.”

She gave me a watery smile. “Your parents are idiots, Wren. You’re an amazing person. No reputation is worth casting aside your family.”

“We don’t even bother to call those kinds of parents family,” Devon said. “Mine are just as bad. Fuck them all. We created our own family around here.”

“Exactly,” Mama Whitaker said. “Now, talk to me about this setup that you did, Devon.”

She sat forward, all business now.

His cheeks warmed, but he lit up as he started explaining. In the past week or so, while I was distracted, he’d been working on everything from having someone help him design a logo for Devon’s Dates, to buying an array of charcuterie boards.

He was combining the ideas, so almost every date idea came with charcuterie options, everything from sweet versions, to savory, to custom ones.

I meant to help more, but it was always his business baby, and he seemed happy with what he’d accomplished. Part of me was glad he’d kept going even when life got chaotic.

When Nash and Devon returned from the store earlier, he kicked everyone out of the kitchen, even Nash, as he went about preparing everything. When he came out with an entire buffet setup and several different charcuterie boards, I was in awe.

They were beautiful, and I had hoped that he snapped pictures of each and every one to post on PackVlog.

For a man who couldn’t cook, he sure knew how to prepare these. That was the beauty of it, everything was premade and artfully arranged and cut.

He’d even put out decorations around it that brought it all together. It was definitely picture worthy. He took all the feedback seriously, writing it down so he could adjust things later.

I loved that everyone was supporting him, but being honest, too. They also promised to spread the word when he was ready.

“I bet Cameron is regretting those foam dart guns,” Charlie snorted as chaos struck again.

We looked over to see Cameron get pinged in the forehead by one, the suction cup at the end sticking there and making everyone laugh. Henry and Ben were losing it, practically rolling on the dirt laughing at him.

“Get them!” the girls yelled, running over to defend Cameron.

“Keep the darts away from the food,” Braxton warned, ushering them out to the empty pasture.

To prepare for all the crowds, we’d gotten the animals to their barns a bit early today. There were a few protests, especially from Mabel and Astrid.

Now that we had more skittish animals, a petting zoo was out. We’d have to put some work into finding alternatives for his grants. He loved this farm and these animals too much to give up on those.

I would donate some of my money to it, but I knew Shepherd would never allow it.

“So,” Avery said as she flopped into the chair next to me, a plate full of food resting on her pregnant belly, “what’s up with the lack of bites, omegas?”

“We came together kind of fast,” I explained. “I had a heat spike, and then we’ve just kind of settled into life.”

“We’re really just waiting for my heat to hit,” Devon reassured her. “But we’ve discussed it. In fact,” he said, lowering his voice, “Wren and I are looking for rings. We want to propose to the alphas and our beta. A little backwards, but we want a ceremony, not just an at-home bonding.”

“Oh my god, a wedding!” Avery gushed. “I have this amazing contact… well, really, Maverick does. I’ve just been helping him with the Artisan Fairs, but they make custom bands. Do you want me to put you in contact? Most of it would be over the phone, so you just have to figure out ring sizes, and if nothing else, he can do an average size, and you can send the rings in later for adjustments. Or come by the artisan fair next time it’s in town. I only know this much because I just looked into something for the guys.”

“Actually, that would be perfect,” Devon said, pulling up his phone and searching the socials for the jeweler. “Oh my gosh, baby, look at this!”

He held it out for me to see the main page, where it showed a gallery of their work. They had everything from custom rings that looked like vines wrapping around fingers, to simple bands, to big rocks for the omega who likes a shiny ring.

We scrolled for a few minutes before I saw something that was perfect. “Look at this.”

I tapped the screen to make it bigger, showcasing a whole gallery of more angles of the ring set. The men’s rings were all variations of the same black stone. It wrapped around their finger with a rose gold or wood border and underside. They were classy and simple but gorgeous. The omega rings that paired with them were more delicate variations, one with black stones and a rose gold band that I loved.

“Oh, this is beautiful,” he said.

His eyes closed for a second, and I watched sweat form on his brow.

“Are you all right?” I questioned, but he shook it off, tapping Avery.

“If I give you my credit card, can you handle the rest if I give you all the information? I’m pretty sure my heat is hitting any day now.”

Her eyes were wide, but she nodded. “Of course! I bet I can even get a rush order on that.”

“That would be amazing,” he said, looking relieved. “Wren, help me pick which ones.”

I showed him the band I loved, while he picked out his favorite. Then, we decided for the others.

It felt right that Shepherd’s would be the wood-bordered one, and I thought Nash would appreciate the gold more. Braxton’s was a mix of the two, one band of rose gold at the bottom, the polished wood at the top, the black in the middle that matched ours.

They were, in every way, a matching set. Even Devon’s was a variation of Braxton’s, the mix of wood, rose gold, and black, just a more delicate version.

I loved that each one had a unique twist but that they fit together.

Avery took down every bit of information she needed and promised to call us if there was anything else.

I knew she’d get a hold of me at the very least. Even if my omega went into heat, I couldn’t since I was pregnant.

“Speaking of big announcements,” I said, “Devon, maybe it’s time to bring out dessert.”

We wanted to announce the pregnancy before the bonding, and since it was confirmed by the doctor, the only right way felt like telling Mama Whitaker first. She was truly the matriarch of this huge clan we now had and deserved that honor.

Devon pulled me into the kitchen, dragging our alphas and beta with us as we passed them.

“Is it time?” Shepherd asked. He looked nervous now, but he had no reason to worry, he’d been accepted just the way I had.

“It is,” Devon said. “Wren, you take the bag. Nash, why don’t you carry out the cake?”

Nash jumped up, giving me a kiss, then Devon, before taking the cake.

The top of it just said, Oh Baby.

When we walked out, it was like everybody knew something was coming, especially when there was a gift bag involved.

The kids quieted down, gathering around, and all the adults were waiting. The only ones who had secret smiles on their faces were Sydney’s pack.

“What is all this?” Mama Whitaker asked Nash as he walked up, placing the chocolate cake in front of her.

“Oh Baby?” she questioned, and that was my cue to hand over the bag.

She reached inside, finding the custom onesie that Devon had somehow managed to find on short notice.

“One more Whitaker on the way,” she said, laughing excitedly before tossing the onesie at Charlie and rushing around the table. She gave her baby a hug first, Nash chuckling as his mama squeezed him, before she moved on to me, a lot more delicate this time.

“I thought you looked radiant,” she said. “It’s probably just happiness, but I think it’s a little of both now, isn’t it?” she said, giving my stomach a soft pat.

“I’m going to be an auntie!” Trinity’s voice cut through the crowd before the kids erupted in excitement, tackling Braxton in a hug while Trinity came to me, her eyes glossy.

I hugged her tight.

“You’re going to be the best aunt my kid could ever ask for,” I promised her.

A sharp but sweet scent hit my nostrils as I pulled away, my attention snapping to my omega. That thin layer of sweat on his forehead was now covering every inch of skin I could see. He looked like he was shaky, his cheeks flushed, and I knew that it was time.

“Shepherd,” I hissed. “Our omega is in heat.”

The chaos of the day must have launched him right into it.

“Me and Charlie will take the kids. Do we have time to pack them up?”

“He’s in heat?” Trinity asked, looking worried. Then she turned to Nash. “I’ll get everyone ready.”

And just like that, the oldest two jumped in like they always had, a well-oiled machine. Despite their reluctance to do it for their parents, these kids would do anything for their brother.

Everyone else said quick goodbyes and left us to it.

“Are you sure you can handle them?” Braxton asked, looking worried. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Nash’s family, but these were his babies in a way. He helped raise them.

“We can handle them,” she promised. “If I raised triplets, your siblings are going to be like a cakewalk,” she said, giving him a wink. “If I have any trouble, I’ll give you a call. Actually, if I have any trouble, I’ll just call one of the others. We’ll have a whole pack party.”

“Okay,” he said, letting out a breath before digging in his pocket for the van keys. “If one of you wants to drive them back, they’ll fit in this.”

As he continued to give her instructions on how to get them home safely the next day, I made sure everything was shut down out here. Shepherd had already taken our omega upstairs, getting him comfortable long enough for everybody to leave.

Despite their energy this weekend, the kids were so good, following directions and getting everything they needed quickly. They were disappointed that our party was ending, but they were excited to check out Mama Whitaker’s ranch. When she told them about all the acres she had, they were eager to go run around.

Finally, in about twenty minutes, we were alone.

The moment I walked into the house, the scent of our omega filled the space, the sweetness and desperation in the air taunting me. It was like my feet were moving on their own. I had never been on this side of heat, but I could see why it was so irresistible for alphas.

My omega was clawing at my chest, desperate to get near her mate, and I didn’t deny her, rushing up the stairs.

According to the doctor, everything was safe for me to join, and I don’t think anything in the world could have kept me away from him at this moment.

“Wren,” he begged the moment I was in sight, making grabby motions with his hands and urging me forward. He was already naked, taking Shepherd’s knot like his life depended on it.

My Omega.

“I’m here,” I promised before he pulled me down for a kiss.

Even his taste was heightened, that green apple, tart and sweet, making my own body respond.

This would be one of the few opportunities that I’d have to experience a heat from this side, to not be thrown into one myself, and I intended to take full advantage of that, giving my omega everything he wanted and soaking in every bit of this experience.

The fact that we were going to be bonded any second only made it better.