51. Garret
Chapter 51
S teve settles next to me on the couch. He looks the most relaxed I’ve seen him in years, completely blissed out now that he’s tied himself to Sam and Teddy. Not that I blame him. The joy and pleasure I feel coming through my bond with Kelly has me grinning like a lunatic, even if I’m not the one giving it to her.
He gives me a side-eye as he sprawls on one of the towels I spread across the couch. He’s managed to pull on some sweatpants, but his chest and back are fully exposed. I can’t even remember the last time that happened.
“Hiding out while your mate gets railed by other guys?” Considering those ‘other guys’ are his mates, and he looks about as laid-back as I feel, it can’t be a serious question .
“Nope, just checking up on Jake and getting water and snacks. You? Jealous that your other half…halves…guys are in there with Kelly and not you?” He looks over at the big dog asleep on the other end of the couch and seems to seriously consider this for a minute.
“I was worried I would be…But I’m not. I’m theirs now, no matter what. So is she—she’s also yours. I can feel how much they need both of us. Besides, what kind of asshole would I be if I kept stealing her clothes and books and shit while also being jealous of our shared relationship?” My only reply is the raised eyebrow that his statement so rightfully deserves.
His laugh is fast and easy in response. “Oh, yeah, I deserve that. Seriously, I don’t know. Maybe it was all the talking while you guys were gone. Maybe it’s the bond, or you three just rubbing off on me. But I can see liking Kelly, one day…sort of.”
When my eyebrow quirks higher, he slaps me on the arm. “Not like that. Fucking hell, gross. She’s fucking my brother, for Christ’s sakes. Also, vagina, so totally not my thing. Ick!” I rub my arm where he hit me.
“She didn’t seem surprised by your tattoos.” It’s not a question, and he doesn’t answer it, just nods. Reaching over, I ruffle his hair. We haven’t had this easy affection in too many years, and I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts. I hope it lasts forever. I’ve missed my brother and best friends. He just ducks his head but doesn’t pull away.
“Is it too late for dinner? Too early for breakfast?” We both turn towards the window, but it’s still pitch-black outside. And he doesn’t wait for an answer before getting up and limping into the kitchen. After a few minutes, Jake rolls off the couch and we follow Steve. The clock on the microwave says it’s 3:38 in the morning and I groan internally.
My brother shuffles around the room, pulling leftover taco stuff out of the fridge and reheating the meat before assembling a couple and rolling them up. He passes me one while Jake looks on, licking his chops and hoping we drop something. Steve finishes all but the last bite in silence, looking thoughtful.
“She saw them. I came out of the bathroom in a towel, thinking she was already downstairs. It was shit timing…but she said they were beautiful. Then I freaked out and hid in the closet for a few hours.” My brother’s cheeks blush pink. He rarely gets compliments.
Not that I’m going to give them to him, but he’s been so closed off. “I thought she was going to scream at me or hit me…or something. She was so tense when she touched me, felt the scars…but she didn’t say anything. There was no yelling, none of that shit we grew up with.”
He pops the last bite in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully, while I stand there gaping at him, my arms hanging loosely at my sides in shock. Jake takes the opportunity to come steal the last few bites of my taco right out of my hand. He loses a few chunks of tomato to the floor, then looks up at me and licks his lips again before hoovering up the floor food. He stares between my brother and me for a moment before going and scratching at the back door and looking at us again .
My mind still reeling, I let the big dog loose and he lopes down the steps, still sore, but doing so much better than when we first got him home. I’m glad we’ll all be sleeping in the nest for the next few days, because getting bombarded by taco dog farts first thing in the morning is not something I want to have to explain to Kelly or Sam.
Steve rattles around behind me in the cabinets and I turn to find him pulling a large lidded water jug out and filling it and a couple of glasses with tap water. Once he’s done, he hands me one, guzzling his own glass in the process while we wait for Jake. The big guy’s a bit slower right now, but Dr. Leo said he’ll be fine soon.
He comes limping back across the yard soon enough, and doesn’t even acknowledge me as I hold the door open for him. Poor guy is probably already sore again. He ignores both of us as he hobbles through the kitchen, and there’s a loud grunt when he hops back up on the couch. I can’t even begrudge him my taco since he got hurt protecting Kelly.
I help Steve carry more water back to the nest—Sam can come out later and grab food if he feels up to it. My plans of carrying Kelly to the bathroom to get her cleaned up are derailed when we find all three of them fast asleep in the nest. It’s probably going to be a long few days and they need their rest. Even if what I read about male omegas having lighter heats due to less intense hormones is true, it’ll probably be at least three days of marathon sex. Not that I’m complaining .
Steve looks back and forth, surly that Kelly’s lying where he wants to be. Then he cuddles up behind Teddy, wrapping his arms around the big omega and purring. That in itself is jarring, since I haven’t heard him do it in a decade.
It’s slightly more difficult for me to find a cuddle spot. Circling to the side of the nest closest to Kelly’s head and pressing my spine against the curved wall of pillows, I reach out to touch her hair. Her fingers loosen their grip on Sam’s chest and slide up to meet mine, twining together. Closing my eyes, the sound of my pack’s breathing and the touch of my mate soothe me into a deep, dreamless sleep.