Chapter 65
WREN
Theo looks me up and down as I slip into the kitchen, blinking under the warm spill of lights glowing overhead.
After so many days of being cocooned in a soft glow of nothing but strings of fairy lights, it’s strange, but also comforting, to see the house lit up.
Even if it’s taking a minute or two to adjust, my body is definitely still getting used to finally being out of heat-brain mode.
I’m a foal on unsteady legs, feeling the weirdest juxtaposition of both physically run over and emotionally hungover.
“How was your bath?” Theo immediately welcomes me into his outstretched arms. Smelling of his usual delicious ocean and coffee bean scent while wrapping me up in such a secure hug, I could happily melt right here on the spot. “Is our girl relaxed?”
“Mmhm. So much so, I think my knees are about to give way.” I huff out a laugh. “I didn’t think it was possible for sore muscles to have sore muscles, but there is every possibility I’ve got them.”
“Lucky you’ve got a pack with a shitload of experience in recovery after being put through the wringer. We’ll have to get the foam roller and massage gun out so we can take care of all those knots.” He presses a kiss to my forehead, making my insides go all warm and gooey.
“Did someone say they needed a knot?” Connor calls out from where he’s sprawled on the couch watching TV.
“Jesus Christ.” Theo laughs before pinching his brow.
“Your knot is staying in your pants. And you’re gonna be banished from the room if you can’t behave yourself.
” He might be playfully scolding Connor, but gives me a private wink, and I kind of like having a moment to share a joke just between the two of us.
It feels natural to have our individual relationships as much as our pack dynamic.
“Boringgggg.” Connor cups his mouth and loudly boos like he’s heckling the opposition team in a packed stadium.
We both laugh and move around the kitchen in such a domestic way, it feels truly natural and more than a little surreal.
As I make my way to the fridge and pull out a Diet Coke, I can’t help feeling a little fluttery.
“You’re too good to me… and even though a massage sounds like heaven right about now.
..” I smile up at Theo. “You’ve done more than enough taking care of me.
Let’s do something relaxing where I’m not needing you to feel responsible for what I need. ”
“We can climb into bed if you’d rather? If you’re too tired?” His brows pull together. “Just say the word for whatever you need—I mean want to do.” My oh, so wonderful and sweet Alpha is quick to correct himself. “If it’s a movie in bed snuggled under the covers you want, let’s make it happen.”
Admittedly, I’m wearing his T-shirt and no pants, so I’m not exactly dressed for anything more adventurous than stumbling beyond the perimeter of my nest.
Truth be told, after the world’s longest magnesium soak in the bath, a deep treatment hair mask, and pore cleansing face scrub, I fumbled my way through finding something to wear.
Making a decision on clothes or anything other than getting up and moving around somewhat normally again felt a bit overwhelming.
Brushing my hair was an arduous, grueling battle in itself.
The tangles I had to attack were ridiculous.
I was close to giving up and cutting out the worst sections.
I’m still horrified thinking about the heat gremlin version of me that they’ve put up with for the better part of a week.
Climbing into bed immediately? Tempting, but nope. No way. I might be weary and achy, but I’m desperate to do something resembling normal.
“Movie night on the couch sounds like the best plan.” I reassure Theo, looping my arm around his waist while tipping my head back to rest my chin against his chest and flash him a small smile.
There’s every chance I might fall asleep within the opening credits, but they don’t need to worry about that.
I’m so acutely aware they deserve to have some sort of normalcy after being my personal orgasm dispensing contingent.
While most of my heat is a cloudy fog, with limited memory of what happened, the snatches of details I’ve been able to recall are enough to make me cringe.
How many times is too many for a girl to demand to be knotted while pouting and whining? It’s a miracle they hadn’t formed an alliance to vote me off the island and evict me from the nest after the first day.
“C’mon then, my birdie girl. Popcorn is ready, and Renfro has promised to queue up a marathon of pointless action movies.”
“Locked and loaded. Cheesy one-liners and overdone pyrotechnic explosions are on the menu for tonight’s feast. Zero brain cells required for consumption.” That Scottish brogue of his is thicker than usual. He must be tired. God, they must all be so tired.
“Do you happen to know where my phone is by any chance?” I swallow the lump in my throat.
Wow, the comedown off a heat truly is a recipe for intense vulnerability.
Suddenly, I’m hit with the sense that all I want to do is apologize profusely to everyone who has ever known me, all for simply existing.
“Of course. It’s right here. All charged up.
” Theo reaches across the kitchen counter as he turns to pull a bag of popcorn out of the microwave.
“Hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of keeping your sister updated so she wouldn’t panic about you disappearing off the face of the earth for nearly a week.
The same for Nikita and Gabriella, too.”
I blink rapidly at this wonderful, far-too-good-for-me, man.
“Don’t forget the part where you had to pretend to be our girl in order to text Murphy back.
” Connor is practically writhing on the couch with hearty, warm laughter drifting through the room.
“Dunno if your big brother would notice shit… but the sight of Brennan about to have an Alpha-sized meltdown over typing a simple text? Yeah, that was worth the price of admission alone.”
Theo grumbles a steady stream of creative curses and threats while tipping popcorn into a bucket to share.
“Thank you for doing all that.” I nudge his elbow. “It means a lot that you thought of the small details like that and just… took it in your stride.”
Theo hits me with a look. “You never have to worry about anything, sweetheart. I’m all in. We’re all in.”
“Even if it is super complicated?” I nibble my bottom lip.
A quirk tugs on his stubbled mouth. “Even if it’s super complicated.” He guides me over to the living room, where I realize not just Connor occupies the massive couch.
Hazel eyes meet mine. Atlas.
I swallow the nerves and climb onto the empty space at the farthest end of the couch.
There are no handbooks on how to look your Alpha in the eye after possessively climbing on his knot and humping his mouth at every hour of the day and night.
We’ve spent five days in just about every lewd position possible, but I’m blushing and tongue-tied seeing them both now.
They’re dressed casually, Connor wearing gray sweats and a T-shirt, Atlas in athletic shorts and a tank. Both of them have damp hair fresh from showering, and smell good enough to make me want to nibble on their bulging biceps.
My eyes bounce to the TV in an effort not to outright salivate over their muscles and realize they’re watching match footage. It must be from the game Connor played last weekend… the one Atlas and Theo had to miss.
“We don’t have to switch it off,” I tell them. “Keep watching. I know it’s important, and I truly don’t mind.”
“Nah… we’re done, Bambi.” Connor’s eyes dance as he throws himself across Atlas’s lap, resting his head there and kicking his legs up over the armrest at the far end. He’s all long, lazy limbs and bulk draped over the cushions. “Not unless you all want to watch a Connor Renfro highlight package—”
“NO,” two deep grunts boom in unison.
“Jeeeesus. Tough crowd,” he snorts.
“Pack the superstar ego away and put the movie on.” Theo sighs wearily, squeezing in at my other side and kicking his legs out along the L of the couch.
My heart thumps harder being sandwiched between Theo and Atlas, their Alpha scents filling my nose with every giddy inhale.
As Connor fiddles with the TV remote, he reaches a long arm across to scoop a handful of popcorn.
“By the way… what happened with that reporter dickwad?” he mumbles through a mouthful.
“I’ve put in a few calls with some media folks I know. Nothing has appeared online.” Theo takes his turn digging into the popcorn.
“How do you know?” I turn to him, eyes wide. “I feel awful the way everything was such a disaster… right before…”
“Don’t stress, peaches.” Atlas brushes a thumb against my bare thigh. “Theo has alerts set up. Our names are all on some sort of automated messaging thing.”
Theo nods, chews thoughtfully, then swallows. “Exactly. The minute anything pops up that shouldn’t, I’ll know about it.”
I can’t help but chew on the inside of my cheek.
“I’m still worried.” Where do I even start?
That his son seemed all too interested in me being spotted with Atlas?
That it wouldn’t take much for his reporter friend to start poking around and maybe find a link to Theo?
I can’t handle the awful feeling that this team, their season, their careers, could all so easily be tarnished by their connection to me.
“Heyyy… Don’t be. We’re going to be okay.” Theo hands me the popcorn to hold, giving me those steady, assuring eyes. With a warm palm, he brushes my cheek and lets me feel his sincerity behind his words. “Whatever you need. We’ll take care of it as a pack.”