Chapter 24
24
brIAR
With an oat milk espresso with extra caramel in my hand, I hum the melody of my latest favourite song on my way out of the parking lot.
It’s stickily hot this morning, but not even that can sour my mood.
While it’s been a whole three days since I’ve seen the Montgomery pack, the distance has been easier to handle with their sporadic text updates.
I’ve even been added to a group chat that sees more daily activity than the one Clover started with me during her last night out without me.
It’s impossible not to giggle thinking about the conversation I woke up to see this morning.
Lightning Daddy: Who changed my name?
This is so weird.
RoRo: Don’t pretend it wasn’t you, Dash.
Lightning Daddy: It wasn’t!
I bet it was Landon *finger pointing emoji*
Jasper Cullen: I don’t know if I should be offended by this or not.
Queen M: What does the M stand for?
Queen M: By the way, Jasper Cullen’s really good looking in an I’m going to drain you dry type of way.
Don’t be offended.
I wasn’t expecting the name they chose for me, but being labelled as a queen isn’t anything to complain about.
RoRo: I assume the M is for Montgomery.
Lightning Daddy: I’m jealous of a vampire now.
Jasper Cullen: Where’s Landon?
It’s looking more suspicious the longer he doesn’t say anything
Lord Grumps A-Lot: Get off your phones before Coach sees you.
RoRo: Oh fuck. So it wasn’t Landon.
Nice name choice Dash.
Lightning Daddy: Ooooooops.
It’s only one of the few times they’ve chatted in the group, and while I’m not ready to actively participate too much yet, I really appreciate being included.
Regardless of how long we’ve known each other, I miss them like crazy already.
“Cross the street and speak to me properly, Sadie. Enough of this! You need us!”
I cut off my humming in response to the harsh male voice.
The serrated edge to it is almost as alarming as the sight of Sadie frozen on the sidewalk only a few steps from the doors of the clinic.
She’s a deer in headlights staring out at the man, an arm wrapped protectively around her belly.
I’m moving instantly, adrenaline pumping in my blood.
“You’ll talk to us sooner or later!” he yells, louder this time.
I glare at the guy watching her like he has every right in the world to be making demands and huddle close to her side.
He’s tall, maybe the same height as Jasper but without the outrageous good looks.
There’s a wideness to him that tells me he’s an alpha, but he’s leaner than you’d usually see.
He’s tucked his hair beneath a black beanie, yet I can still tell it’s long and, from the looks of the curls hanging out, a dirty-blond colour.
“Who is that?” I ask her, not wanting to assume.
The clinic door whooshes open behind us, and heavy footsteps clunk on the sidewalk.
She leans into me. “Thorne.”
Rage swells inside of me before Duke is there, every thundering inch of him moving at a quick pace down the sidewalk and across the street.
Thorne flashes his gaze toward me, a darkness there that sends ice water down my spine.
“Come inside, Sadie,” I whisper, sliding my arm around her back to slowly turn her.
“Duke will take care of him while we talk.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was following me here.”
“It’s not your fault. Let’s just get inside. We got a new flavour of hot chocolate in yesterday that I think you’ll love.”
“What flavour?”
“Cinnamon sugar.”
I open the door for us and usher her inside.
The look I sneak behind me doesn’t settle any of my anxiousness.
Thorne doesn’t back down as Duke towers over him, his expression hidden.
“I’ve never known anyone to have as many flavours of hot chocolate and tea as you and Clover do,” Sadie says weakly.
“Clover doesn’t drink coffee, so I think we’re all stuck drinking hot cocoa for the rest of time.”
High heels clap on the floor before Clover’s voice drifts down from the hall.
“Don’t act like I pry open your jaw and make you drink it. You literally have a coffee in your hand right now.”
I wave it around, the ice inside my reusable cup clinking.
“I’m almost done it.”
Our receptionist, Alicia, laughs while sliding a black binder across her hefty white desk.
“Duke left this here for you before he stepped out, Clover.”
“Did he say what it’s for?”
“It’s regarding Sadie.”
Most likely the first draft of our safety plan.
“Thank you, Alicia.”
I take the binder before Clover has a chance to snatch it and rejoin the group.
We let Sadie inside the office first. Clover takes the rear, closing the door behind us.
“How are you feeling today, Sadie? Any pain, cramps, or discomfort that’s unusual?” she asks, falling into her doctor persona.
I take one of the two seats in front of Clover’s desk while Sadie slowly lowers herself into the other.
Clover perches behind her desk and smiles sympathetically before taking the binder from me.
“No. I’m just exhausted. When I take the few steps up to my bedroom, I feel like I’ve run a half marathon. I don’t suppose you can help with that?” Sadie asks.
“Unfortunately not. The finish line is so close now, though. You’ve already done such an incredible job, Mama.”
“I know it doesn’t help how you feel, but you’re glowing,” I add.
Sadie rolls her eyes, adjusting her position on the chair.
“You’re trying to butter me up, and it’s working.”
“As your OB/GYN, it’s actually my job to cheer you up, especially when we’re this close to baby time,” Clover says.
“I don’t want to open that binder, but we should before I get too freaked out,” Sadie suggests, palming the middle of her belly.
Clover looks at me. “Do you want to go find Duke?”
“He was busy the last time I saw him.”
“Doing what?” she asks, immediately concerned.
Sadie clears her throat.
“It’s my fault?—”
There’s a series of rough knocks on the office door, and I stand.
“Hold that thought.”
It’s Duke’s face I see when I pull it open.
His expression gives nothing away, so I don’t prod, leaving that for Clover.
I have a feeling bringing it up now will only upset Sadie more than necessary.
Opening the door completely, I say, “You’re right on time.”
He passes me, his posture perfect, like he’s got a steel pipe pressed against his spine beneath his black shirt.
Sadie turns as much as she can in her seat before she sucks in a sharp breath, eyes crawling up his body.
“I don’t know if the two of you have been properly introduced yet, but Sadie, this is Duke. He’s the lead of the security team we’ll be using and the one in charge of creating the perfect security plan for your birth,” Clover says, waving between them.
“Duke, this is Sadie.”
“The omega with a giant watermelon attached to her front,” Sadie adds.
“How do you feel?” he asks, voice gruff and low.
Sadie’s inhale is quick but easy to disguise as a moan of discomfort.
Duke lurches forward in response before stopping himself, his dark eyes growing more focused than I’ve ever seen them.
Curiosity has me watching them a bit closer.
The de-scenter in the air won’t allow them to get a good whiff of one another, but the interest between them is obvious.
At least it is until Sadie seems to realize the same thing and visibly retreats.
“I’m fine. Very pregnant,” she says before turning back around to stare at Clover.
“You were talking about a safety plan?”
My best friend buys the sudden change as little as I do.
Her eyes find mine for just long enough for me to read the meaning behind them.
Are they for real right now?
I roll my lips to hide a smile and let it go.
“Yes, I was. Shut the door a bit, please, Duke,” Clover says.
He does as she says before leaning against it, arms crossed.
Clover opens the binder and starts to go through the well-labelled list of precautions Duke’s made, as well as a few of the names of the men he’d like to have on call for when Sadie goes into labour.
It’s a simple protection detail with two guards outside the front and one at the back, just in case.
Dramatic as it may seem to plan this detailed of an assignment, it’s a necessity in these situations.
Alphas kept away from their babies, especially when they can’t be near their omega for comfort, can be incredibly volatile.
Combine that with Thorne’s natural aggression, and there could be the potential that he goes haywire and attempts to come get them regardless of the restraining order.
Duke and his team will ensure that doesn’t happen.
And once Sadie and the baby are ready to leave, we can only hope that Thorne will have calmed enough to remember his legal obligations.
As much as it may bother me, once she’s gone, we can’t do much to help her.
Maybe that’s why Clover has made it her mission to befriend her.
Even after Sadie’s gone, we’ll still be in her life and therefore still able to provide some sort of protection.
My phone buzzes repeatedly in my pocket, so I slip out of the office, grateful that I was there to hear most of the important parts.
Jasper’s name being the first thing I see on the screen is like an electric paddle to my chest. I answer the call with a cheek-splitting smile.
“Hi, Jasper.”
“Hello, love. I hope I didn’t interrupt you at work. We’re just leaving practice, and I wanted to sneak a few words in before we hit the media room.”
“You didn’t,” I lie.
“Great. How has your morning been? Did you get a hold of your landlord?”
“Not yet. I tried calling when I was getting coffee, but he didn’t pick up. I’ll try again when I’m off work. How was practice?”
My landlord’s been dragging his feet when it comes to cutting off the de-scenter from my ventilation system.
On the one hand, I understand that it’s safer to have it blowing everywhere all at once, but on the other, it’s really started bothering me.
Every night when I get home, my skin itches deeper, and my nose burns.
Maybe it’s because I’ve recently found my scent matches, but either way, I need it to stop before I can’t stand being at home anymore.
“Pretty good, actually. Dash has been on fire this season.”
“And Landon?” I ask.
Hopefully, my concern isn’t too obvious.
Jasper lowers his voice slightly.
“He’s the same as he has been. We all miss you, Briar.”
“You’re back in two days, right? I know Ronan mentioned me coming to your next home game . . . is that something all of you would want?”
“I’ll buy you season tickets if that’ll mean you’re at every single game, not just the next one.”
I nip at my cheek.
“I guess that’s that, then.”
“Not yet. There was something else behind the reason I called.”
“What’s that?”
“There should be a delivery arriving for you any moment now.”
“What? Where?”
“At the clinic. I sent you a bit of a present. One of many you’re going to receive from us.”
I nearly drop the phone in my rush to the front doors.
Alicia stops talking mid-sentence, the clinic’s phone pressed to her ear.
I wave a hand at her and force myself to slow down before I scare the delivery man and he reports back to Jasper that I’m an absolute nut.
“You good, Briar?” Alicia asks.
“Yep!”
Jasper’s chuckle is as smooth as the whiskey in his scent.
“Swap to FaceTime. I need to see your excitement for myself. Hearing it isn’t enough.”
My stomach flips.
I bring my phone in front of my face and, with a tap of my finger, watch as the screen turns black.
He answers instantly, and I chomp down on my tongue before blurting out something embarrassing.
Hair damp and cheeks pink, Jasper stares at me, mouth split in a smile.
I didn’t think it was possible for teeth to sparkle on camera, but I was wrong.
“Is it there yet?” he asks.
I look over my phone at the glass doors, finding a white delivery truck parked out front, a tall man walking around the hood with a medium-sized brown box in his hands.
“I think so.”
“Is that Briar?” Ronan’s voice draws my gaze back.
He’s just as wet and red as Jasper but somehow more alive.
Like he thrives on physical activity.
Goosebumps lift all over my skin as I stare at the two men, wishing I was there.
“Hi, Ronan.”
His gaze is intense.
“Look at you. Fucking gorgeous.”
“Don’t try to show me up,” Jasper mutters.
“Step up your game, then.”
“I didn’t see you calling her.”
“Because you did it for the both of us.”
“Guys,” I interrupt, rolling my eyes.
“I’m about to get the box.”
They stop bickering as I pull the door open for the delivery man and take the extended box from him.
“Briar?” he asks.
“That’s me. Do I need to sign or anything?”
“No. Have a great day.”
“You too,” I say half-mindedly, staring down at the package.
“Can I set this on the desk, Alicia?”
“Go for it.”
“Show us you opening it,” Ronan says.
Jasper snorts a laugh.
“Please, Briar.”
I balance the phone on the desk against the stapler and set the box down, peeling up the corner of the tape with my nail.
“Do I get a hint as to what’s inside?” I ask.
“I can’t wait to see you wearing it,” Jasper teases.
My mind explodes with possibilities that make me glad the de-scenter in here is even stronger than the stuff at my apartment.
Once the tape is gone, I slowly peel the box open and stare inside with eyes growing glassier by the second.
The bright blue arms of the hockey jersey are fit with a number 1 while the white back of it has Montgomery stitched in the same shade of blue.
It’s simple but thoughtful.
Something that I wouldn’t have felt comfortable asking for yet would have hated not having while watching their last game on TV.
“Number one doesn’t belong to any one of us, so we figured it would be perfect for you,” Jasper explains.
I run my fingers along the silky fabric and the letters that spell the name of their pack.
“It’s beautiful. I’ve never had a hockey jersey before, let alone a custom one.”
I’d recognize Ronan’s purr anywhere, and even hearing it through the phone is intoxicating.
It sends flutters through every inch of me.
“We were hoping you’d wear it to our next game,” he says.
Grabbing my phone, I bring it close and murmur, “I’d love to.”
“Sounds incredible. And we’ll see you before then,” Jasper swears.
“I’ll be waiting.”
And honestly, while patience isn’t my forte, I’m growing to realize it’s well worth it when it comes to these men.