Chapter 29
Juniper
Stretching as I wake, I smile as I feel every delicious ache, groaning softly as my back cracks after sleeping for hours trapped beneath an insatiable Creek. The moment we bonded, it’s like he couldn’t control himself, and we found ourselves close to rutting long into the early hours of the morning. Not once were we interrupted, and it makes me wonder now if they knew what happened between Creek and me for them to stay away from the nest.
Looking around the nest, I smile softly as I find my alpha sleeping soundly beside me, his arm slung over my waist as he snores softly. With my grin, a shadow of one appears on Creek’s lips, and I bite my lip as a wave of love washes over me, his subconscious feeding me his emotions even as he sleeps.
Pressing a kiss to his forehead, I sneak out from beneath him and gather his shirt, tugging it over my head before slipping out of the nest with a glance back at the first alpha to bond with me. On the tips of my toes, I silently rush to the bathroom, going about cleaning myself up and emptying my screaming bladder before washing my hands and face, brushing my teeth, and finger combing my wild, purple hair before leaving the bathroom with a smile that looks out of place on me. I like it, though. I like it a lot.
With a little pep in my step, I make my way downstairs, pausing when I hear the guys’ voices from below .
“—definitely think they bonded last night?” I hear one of them ask, pretty sure it’s Leylan, the soft tones of his voice making me shiver and smile.
“I’d bet my life on it,” Lowie laughs, before I hear him sigh. “Lucky bastard.”
I’m grinning at the round of laughter that brings, and I make my way down the stairs, sure to make myself heard. I’m not even off the last step when I’m rushed by three alphas and a beta, all with varying expressions but each one notably happy to see me.
“Morning, Angel,” Lowie greets, yanking me into a toe-curling kiss that almost sets me on fire from the inside out. When he pulls back, he offers me that cheeky smile he only gives me and asks, “You have a good night?”
Biting my lip, I nod, taming my smile while keeping the details to myself and aware that my hair is covering Creek’s bite mark on the crook of my neck. If they want to know, they can ask me, and I’m all too happy to let them squirm.
Lowie’s grin grows like he knows what I’m doing, and he leans in and makes a show of inhaling, and I swat him away with a laugh when he says, “You smell different, Angel. Pretty sure you never used to smell so strongly of Creek before.”
I shrug, playing his game. “I mean, we fucked. A lot. So much that his come-”
I’m interrupted swiftly by Evron, who yanks me from Lowie and into his embrace, cupping my jaw before tugging me into another kiss that tastes like pancakes, oak and hazelnut. Only when he’s satisfied, a deep, rumbling purr vibrating his chest and a dopey smile on his face, does Ev pull back and blurts, “So, did he bite you?”
“Christ, Ev,” Geo snickers, rubbing his hand over his face, a flicker of something in those hazel eyes appearing for a moment before it disappears just as quickly. “You’re like a bull in a fine china shop.”
“What? It’s just a question. I want to know who I have to fight to be next in line, is all,” Ev volleys, and if it weren’t for the teasing glint in his eyes, I’d almost think he was being serious .
“You don’t just blurt something like that, you dumbass,” Geo points out with a laugh, avoiding Ev’s shove before offering him one in return. It takes very little time from there before they’re both playfully squabbling, pretend fighting and throwing some really bad smack talk at one another.
While they’re distracted, Leylan steals me away, opting for the more subtly direct approach. Smiling warmly at me, Leylan presses a series of sneaky kisses to my lips while his hands crawl up my throat to cup my jaw. From there, the little shit scoops my hair from my face and neck, pulls back, and his sky-blue gaze drops to my neck instantly.
“Damn, that looks good on you, Juju,” he quips before I even realize he’s talking about my bond mark, and I can’t help breaking out in a beaming grin the moment it clicks in my mind.
Leylan gathers me against him while Ev and Geo continue to bicker and jab at one another, his body completely at ease as he smiles down at me. Lowie takes the opportunity to take up position at my back, one of his arms hooking under my unrestrained breasts, while the other wraps around his brother, effectively trapping me between their hard bodies.
Leaning in until his minty breath brushes my ear, Lowie murmurs, “I like seeing our marks on you, Angel. My brother is right, it looks good on you.”
“Mmm,” I hum, leaning my head back and dropping it onto his shoulder. With a twitching lip, I say, “Thank you. Can’t say I don’t like being marked by my pack.”
I receive twin groans and Lowie leans in to run his nose along the still tender bond mark on my neck, right before he rasps, “You say the word, and Leylan and I will give you two more.”
Ley nods rapidly, eyeing the mark on my neck, an obvious wanting plastered over his face. I grin, loving that they all want to bond with me as much as I want to bond with them, and I tell them both honestly, “As soon as the moment presents itself, I want them all. I want each of your marks, so consider this all of the approval, content, and willingness you need. Don’t wait for me to say it, just do it and I’ll be happier than a kid in a candy store.”
It’s Leylan that breathes out harshly, cupping my jaw to pull my face up to his. He drops a lush kiss to my lips before pulling back and whispering, “If it wouldn’t make you late for school, I’d have you upstairs and begging for my teeth in your flesh before you could blink. Consider that my promise that I’m marking you the moment I get you naked beneath me.”
Holy shit.
Blinking rapidly, I can do nothing but stare up at the usually shy and timid alpha with appreciation, sure my cheeks are tinted pink with a heated blush. I’m pretty sure I’m perfuming, too, which would be more embarrassing if the twins weren’t groaning with a need they can’t sate this morning.
Instead, they release me with more kisses and promising winks, before disappearing up the stairs to finish getting ready for school. That leaves me, Ev, and Geo, who are both standing there grinning and panting, having spent their time wrestling by the looks of their mussed hair and the red marks over Ev’s bare chest.
“You’re both ridiculous,” I snicker, before walking right by them to find something to eat.
“But you love us,” Geo growls in my ear, nipping it playfully as he bands his arms around me and carries me into the kitchen.
I sigh as though I’m put out by the notion, nodding sullenly. “I do. I really do. It’s tragic, really.”
“You’re such a shit,” he laughs, depositing me into a stool as Ev produces a plate of warm pancakes and a bottle of syrup.
“But you love me,” I echo, grinning like a smart ass and making Evron laugh loudly.
The two share a look, and Geo nods slightly before finding his own seat. It’s Ev that tests his acting skills, puffing out a breath and wrinkling his nose. “We do, Blue. We love you and it’s an absolute disaster. ”
Luckily, the jackass kisses me with a cheeky grin, winking when he pulls back. I’m laughing as I dig into my pancakes, spending the rest of the morning floating in a bliss-filled cloud and surrounded by my pack before heading to school.
***
I’ve never prayed for noise-cancelling headphones before, but the scream that Silver releases as soon as she catches sight of Creek’s bond mark is enough to momentarily deafen me. Pretty sure she deafens the Larsen twins as they loiter nearby, talking to their professor while keeping me in line of sight, still guarding me like protective sentinels.
“Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod,” she chants, shaking her hands out while bouncing in place, her pastel hair jumping with her. Her pale-gray eyes are glittering with what looks like unshed tears, and she offers me a watery smile before she wails, “I’m so happy for you! Oh my god, Kitten! You’re basically married now.”
I snort, uncovering my ears now that the screaming and squealing portion of the day is done. “I’m bonded, not married, you goose. They’re different things.”
“Same coin, just different sides,” she argues, right before the bubblegum nightmare yanks me into a bone-crushing hug that forces my breath from my lungs. She squeezes tight for a long moment, long enough that I’ve surely turned blue, before releasing me. Her hands grip my arms as she looks me dead in the eye and demands, “I need all of the details. I have to live vicariously through you, because I’m so packless that it would be laughable if I hadn’t broken my vibrator this morning.”
“That’s not information I needed, but I appreciate the honesty,” I mutter, wrinkling my nose right as Munro rounds the corner and spots me being manhandled by his favorite ever person. He’s about to turn and walk away, sending a sneer in Silver’s direction, but not before I shout, “Ro, don’t you dare leave me alone!”
I catch a fierce glare, but I don’t care. It was enough to have Silver releasing me to face my matching thundercloud, rolling her eyes when she finds him already staring at her with no short amount of contempt. I don’t even know what his deal is with this girl, but I know I find great amusement in watching him try and fail to avoid her.
With no other option, Munro drags his feet over to where Silver and I are seated on a bench just outside the entrance to North Five. He claims a seat beside me, avoiding Silver altogether, and jerks his head in greeting for me before informing, “I covered for you yesterday. You’re welcome.”
“Thank you,” I snicker, bumping my shoulder against his.
Crossing her arms over her dainty body, Silver chimes in, “So, who pissed in your Cheerios on this fine morning?”
“No one,” Munro snaps, before facing me and ignoring Silver completely. “Why are you smiling like that again?”
“She got laid and claimed, you unobservant thundercunt. Look closer,” Silver snaps, and it’s so uncharacteristic of her to launch such a venomous cuss out that my eyes widen and I catch a face full of pretty pastel hair as she bends and reaches for her backpack. To me, her face softens and she whispers, “I really am happy for you, Kitten. You deserve that kind of happiness. Call me later so I can get all the details. Love you.”
“Uh, love you?” I answer, my words sounding more of a question, but she accepts them all the same before leaving me with the grumpy bastard beside me.
I open my mouth, but Munro stops me before I can breathe a word. “Don’t even think about it. I don’t want to talk about her.”
“What the hell is your problem with her, man? Fucking hell, it’s like her mere presence pisses you off,” I blurt, ignoring his warning.
“Please, don’t start today,” he begs, and that’s when I see how tired he looks. Dark circles stain the skin beneath his dull eyes, exhaustion weighing on his shoulders enough that he sighs and slumps in his seat as he rubs at his face.
Holding my hands out, deciding to pick my battles where he’s concerned, I concede, “Alright. You win this round, but you have to tell me one day what bones you have to pick with a girl who’s the epitome of eternal sunshine and roses and all things fucking happy.”
Munro caves and nods, and I make a note to wrangle it out of him eventually. Instead of continuing with that topic, however, I decide to pick up where Silver left off. “So, I’m a part of a pack now.”
His lips twitch and his hand drops, tired eyes taking in the bond mark with a sad fondness. “Looks good on you, kid. Happiness looks weirdly good on you.”
“Thanks,” I snort, crossing my arms over my chest as I lean back in my seat, enjoying the sunshine despite the chill in the air. “Happiness feels good, I won’t lie. Spent eight years fending for myself, missing the pack I thought walked away from me. It’s trippy being here now, with them and bonded with one already.”
The moment the words are out of my mouth, I hear a large bang that has me flinching hard and Munro diving over me as though he’s protecting me from a fucking shooter. Hell, for all I know, he very well could be.
Panic swarms my system as I clutch to his arm, my gaze rapidly scanning my surroundings, only to find a car fishtailing out of the parking lot only a few short feet away. As I peer into the car, I find the same man as before watching me with a disgusted sneer, what little I can see niggling at my mind with familiarity. It’s gone just as fast as gravel spits at Munro and me, but before it disappears into a plume of smoke, I take note of what little of the license plate I can see, repeating it in my mind over and over again until Munro lifts his body from mine and I can retrieve my phone to write it down.
“What the fuck is wrong with people?” My platonic soulmate seethes, scowling in the direction the car drove before turning it on me. “You good? ”
“I’m good,” I answer, voice slightly strained but strong enough that his worry ebbs slightly. “I think that was the same guy I saw when I ran into Pace.”
“You sure?” Munro asks seriously, and I nod, showing him my cell. “I got some of the license plate.”
An expression I want to claim says he’s impressed crosses his face, and he nods. “Smart. Good job. Send it to me and I’ll get Haze and Rage to look into it. For now, how about we get to class and we can call the cops if the twins find anything. At least then we should have something to go on.”
“It’s a plan,” I agree with a shaky breath, snatching my backpack from the floor and sticking close to Munro as we walk to the remainder of our classes, all the while texting the group chat to keep them updated. After receiving a bunch of worried text messages and promises to let them know what time I finish classes today, I tuck my cell away and continue down hallways, jumping at every sound that echoes to my ears.
By the time our last class of the day rolls around, I’m nothing but a ball of frayed nerves and a paranoid mess. I’m jumping at every bang of the door, flinching when someone shouts, and cringing if someone so much as laughs too loud. I’m about ready to go home and lock myself away in my nest with my pack and stay there for a whole month.
“How about we get your mind off it?” Munro whispers as we slouch in seats at the back of class while a movie plays on the projector, something educational that will likely be a part of our curriculum I’m sure, not that I’d know. I’ve barely paid a lick of attention since our professor switched off the lights, my one hand clenched into a tight fist as I keep it tucked against my stomach while the other mindlessly brushes over my bond mark, Creek’s worry thrumming down the line that links us.
With a shrug I quietly agree, “Sure. Want to talk about Silver? ”
I receive a scathing look before he turns to face the front again, and says, “No, you asswad. I was going to ask if you planned to bond with the others in your pack. Figured talking about the guys that seemed to have brought you back to life was a good way to keep your brain busy.”
I’m embarrassed to say I somewhat melt into my seat at his words, appreciating the consideration and thought, so I nod and say, “Yeah, I want bonds with them all.”
“Huh,” he answers, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face. With genuine curiosity, he wonders, “How will that work? You have a beta in your pack, right?”
I nod. “Yeah, Geo.”
“So, how will he bond with you, if you don’t mind me asking? Because last time I checked, we betas don’t possess the ability to form bonds with others,” he reminds me, a note of bitterness in his words that makes me frown a little.
His question draws me up short, because it’s not something I actually thought about. In my perfect little bubble, I just knew Geo was going to be mine, with no thought about bond marks and such. But now that Munro has posed the question along with the hints of resentment I’m picking up from him, it makes me wonder if those are the kind of questions Geo has been having. Whether those are the thoughts he had this morning when I came down freshly bonded and happy as a pig in mud.
So, with nothing but honesty, I shrug my shoulders and answer Munro, “We haven’t worked that out just yet, but I’m sure we’ll work something out. It doesn’t matter to me that he’s a beta, I just know he’s mine and he belongs with me and our pack. Everything else will work itself out. I mean, alphas can still bond betas. I’m sure if we all sat down and discussed it, one of my alphas would be willing to form a bond with Geo if he really wants one.”
Munro hums once more, nodding slowly as he hears the truth in my words, because if there was one thing I knew about my pack, it’s that each one of those guys would do just about anything for one another. If that meant offering a bond with one another so we were all connected, I’m sure they’d grant it in a heartbeat. Especially if it was something Geo wanted.
“Well, I hope your happily ever after works out the way you want it,” Munro quips with a small, teasing smile, and I shake my head with a twitch of my lips, amused that his idea to distract me not only worked, but seemed to cheer us both up.
The remainder of the day is spent mulling over Munro’s question, worrying about the stranger who made an appearance once more, and waiting on pins for Rage or Haze to get back to us about the partial license plate number I was able to provide. All the while, Creek’s emotions follow me throughout the day, nestled in the back of my mind like a constant companion that I welcome with open arms.