Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
H arper
“Well?” I ask Molly as I settle down on the picnic rug with her and her sister-in-law, Bea. “How was it?”
It’s a warm and sunny fall day and we’re making the most of it before the weather turns cooler, meeting Molly and Bea’s packs down at the beach. My alphas are already crashing into the water with their surf boards and Molly and Bea’s are chasing various little people around with buckets and spades.
“There is no possible way I’m not pregnant.” Molly grins. “Look at my belly,” she says, prodding at her abdomen through her shirt. “It’s a week since my heat ended and I swear my stomach is still bulging with come.” She pauses, then leans in a little closer. “Plus, my alphas seem extra wild when they’re trying to knock me up.” She fans her hand in front of her face, gaze glazing over. “Jeez, it was intense.”
“Hmmm,” I say wistfully, “I’m very happy to be having this baby and everything but it kinda sucks I have to wait another nine months until I get to have another heat. I always dreaded them before. But that last one was so …”
“Fucking hot?” Molly asks, popping a blueberry into her mouth.
“Uh huh,” I say, unable to help but rub my thighs together just thinking about it.
“It was the first time Harper’s spent a heat with a pack,” Molly informs her sister-in-law.
“Really?” Bea asks. She was a late-presenting omega too – only much much later than I was. “But you’re like–”
“Twenty-nine, yeah. And now I have to wait almost another year before I get to experience that again.”
“Oh,” Bea says, grimacing as she glances at Molly.
“What?”
“I hate to tell you this, but it takes a while for your hormones to settle back down after the birth. My next heat didn’t happen until a year after I had my daughter.”
“Mine too,” Molly says as a frisbee lands on the sand next to her. She picks it up and tosses it back towards mini-Harper. “I’m guessing it’s Nature’s way of ensuring we don’t get pregnant again right away – which, trust me, is pretty kind of her for once.”
“Seriously?” I mutter. “Another year?”
“Isn’t the normal sex any good then?” Bea asks me, sliding her sunglasses onto the top of her head and peering at me. “I mean, I love heat sex – really really love it. But the ordinary sex is pretty incredible too.”
Molly slams her fingers in her ears. “Lalala, I don’t want to hear this,” she sings.
Bea rolls her eyes.
“She likes to pretend her brothers are celibate,” Bea says, leaning forward. “Which they most definitely are not.”
“Eww,” Molly says, sticking her tongue out at her.
“In fact, the things those men can do with their–”
“Bea, stop right there before my ears start bleeding,” Molly begs.
“What’s it like with six alphas?” I ask, scanning the beach for them all. “That must be a handful. Sometimes I find just three pretty overwhelming.”
Molly removes her fingers from her ears, and stares at me with concern. “Oh no, Harper,” she whisper-hisses. “Is Bea right? Is the non-heat sex no good?”
“Oh,” I say, cheeks heating, “it’s good, trust me. It’s really really good. In fact …” I undo the top button of my blouse and adjust the neck of my top.
Molly shrieks, jumping to her feet and hopping around on the sand in excitement.
“Are those what I think they are, Harper?”
“Yep,” I say proudly.
“They’re really beautiful,” Bea says. “Congratulations!”
I stroke at them with my finger. “I still can’t believe this is all happening.”
“Well, it is,” Molly says, flopping back down on the rug and wrapping me in a hug. “And I’m so happy for you!”
As we tuck into the blueberries, I give them all the gory details of my alphas claiming me. They oooh and aaah at all the appropriate places, and Molly actually wells up towards the end of my story. She really is the best friend. I wonder how I coped without her all these years.
We finish the punnet of blueberries and move on to a tub of pineapple Bea cut up, swapping stories of near and actual kidnappings, meet-cutes and alpha wooings. Then we move on to trading advice – how to handle multiple men in the bedroom, the best cures for morning sickness and tips for ensuring a new baby actually sleeps.
I had friends and acquaintances in Paris, but none of them were like this – and quite a few of them turned out to be sleeping with Laurent. None of them had my back. None of them were willing to share advice on the best positions for double penetration. And none knew what it was like to be an omega going through all the crazy things we have to go through.
A sense of contentment swims through my body as I listen to Molly regale the story of helping her brothers build a nest for Bea and Bea tells us about the picture her daughter drew on her daddy’s face while he was sleeping this morning.
I peer out towards the ocean and watch my three alphas riding the waves. I can feel their adrenaline buzzing through the bond. I’ve never felt this happy, never felt like I belonged like this. Not only do I have my pack, but I also feel like I have my people too.
Bea finishes showing us the photos of her alpha with flowers scribbled all over his cheeks and then we all settle down on the rug, enjoying the warm sun on our skin and the moment of peace.
“I gotta go pee,” I say, after a few minutes, rising to my feet, “again.” I may only be in the first trimester of pregnancy but the hormones are messing with my bladder. I’ve peed five times today already.
I beckon to my alphas, letting them know what I need through our newly formed bond. It’s so newly formed we can’t be away from one another over any considerable distance without it being painful. Which means one of my alphas is going to have to accompany me to the bathroom.
Wyatt volunteers.
We trudge across the beach, my hand in his, weaving in and out of the other groups out here today, the warm sand sinking between my toes. At the path, I reach down and slip my feet back into my flip-flops, then we walk the short distance to the public bathrooms.
The beach may be busy this afternoon, but not as busy as it is during the summer months and so there’s no line. Leaving Wyatt to wait outside, I slip straight inside a cubicle, emerging a few moments later and freezing in my tracks.
Standing by the sink and retying her ponytail is Cindy Carlisle.
I jolt and immediately I’m met by three alphas wanting to know if I’m okay through the bond.
I’m not exactly sure. Let’s be honest, this is going to be awkward.
I haven’t spoken to her since she trashed my boots. That time the news I was dating the Stanton Pack had only just become public. Now I’m bonded to them, living in their house and pregnant (not that anyone other than our closest friends knows that last piece of information).
And Cindy? No idea. I’ve been avoiding social media like the plague. It’s actually proven to be a blessing. Besides, I have more important things to do with my time – like my three alphas for starters.
For a fraction of a second, I’m caught in indecision. Do I slip out of the bathroom before she sees me? Ignore her completely? Or try to be polite?
The decision is taken out of my hands.
“Everything okay in there, Harper?” Wyatt calls out.
Cindy’s eyes meet mine in the reflection of the mirror and narrow, her hands tugging more violently on her hair tie.
“Just fine,” I call back, walking up to the sink beside the other omega and twisting on the faucet. “Hey Cindy.”
“Oh, it’s you,” she says, crinkling up her freckled nose. “You’ve actually got the nerve to show your face out in public? I’m surprised.”
“Why wouldn’t I be showing my face?” I say, feigning innocence.
“Because you’re sleeping with your brother and that is pretty freaking sick. You know that’s called incest and it’s illegal. Plus, any children you have will be seriously deformed.”
“Firstly,” I say, pumping the soap dispenser violently, “Daxton is my step -brother. And our parents didn’t meet until we were both adults. There’s nothing incestuous or illegal about it. Secondly,” I say, scrubbing my hands together, “that isn’t how biology works.” Cindy frowns and goes to interrupt – which would be a dangerous thing because once that girl starts talking, she never stops. “And thirdly, I’m doing more than just sleeping with him. I’m sleeping with all of the pack.” I wink at her. “At the same time. You have no idea how good triple penetration can be! And I doubt you ever will.”
Cindy’s mouth falls open in astonishment. Then her gaze falls to my neck. I forgot to button up my blouse again and my fresh claiming bites gleam under the bathroom lights.
“They claimed you!” Cindy shrieks, practically stamping her foot in frustration. “You? But you’re so … you’re so … I should be the one with a pack. I’m way prettier than you and way more interesting. Everybody says so!”
I rinse my hands, shake the water off. “I’m sure you’ll find your pack too … eventually.” I smile sweetly, then walk towards the door. “Nice seeing you again, Cindy.”
“Everybody thinks you are deviant freaks!” she screams after me. “You’re going to be shunned by everyone. You’ll never get invited anywhere and your kids will be outcasts–”
“Thanks for the advice,” I call out as she continues to rattle on. She’ll probably be in there talking to her reflection until at least sunset.
I should feel disturbed by her words, or at least a little uneasy. It’s what my mom was worried about too. But so far so good. After the initial shock, most people have seemed pretty accepting of our relationship, including Owen’s parents and Wyatt’s mom. Sure, people are probably gossiping about us behind our backs. The thing is I don’t care.
Now the only thing left to worry about is the hospital. News of our relationship must have reached them by now and yet none of the alphas have been hauled in for disciplinary action. It seems like we might get away with this.
We just have to hope no one pieces together my heat and their week off work …