Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Yesterday, we moved into our new home. A dreamy space by the lake with a second-story nest. It was a blank space when we originally toured the house. All white walls and bare floors. The painters Shepherd hired had touched up the walls, changing them to black, but everything else is up to me.
I could take a trip to the state’s premier Omega store, Knotted I won’t be able to stop by every other day the way I normally would.
I’ll always be a phone call away if Ursa or the youth program kids need me.
We picked up a dozen pizzas for lunch after checking in with Ursa to make sure no one else had brought anything. Shepherd grunts, shaking his head when I offer to help, and hefts all of them into his arms. My beefy Alpha looks way too hot with his biceps bulging from the weight.
Shaking off my horny thoughts, I hurry ahead and open the doors for him, calling out to let all the kids know lunch is here.
They come running, cheering, and thanking us for the food.
Demolishing this much pizza will be easy for this lot, so Shepherd and I leave it for them.
While they eat, I glance around, tracking the older kids.
Sable. Vale. Briar. I don’t see Chance anywhere, which is unusual. If the other three are here, he is too. Crossing to where they lean against the edge of a pool table, I ask them about it.
“He presented,” Sable admits. “Got shipped to the Alpha Academy.”
Shit, I missed it. I knew he was close, could sense it. Ursa and I had spoken about helping him get a scholarship to one of the nicer Alpha Academies instead of letting him go to the state-run one in New York City. That place is just as dangerous as living on the streets here.
A hand wraps around my waist, and I feel Shepherd’s presence at my back, steadying me. He must have sensed my distress through the bond. “Which one?”
“Albany,” Sable tells him with a nod, not quite meeting his eye. My relief is immediate. The scholarship must have gone through then.
“So, what’s going on?” Briar asks, scarfing down his fourth slice of pizza. “Not that I’m complaining about free food.”
Glancing around, I see most of the kids are now focused on us. Guess it’s time. “My pack moved to Starburgh over the weekend. We bought a house there, one big enough to fit our growing family.”
“Does that mean you won’t be here anymore?” One of the younger kids asks.
Whispers start to flow, so I rush to cut them off. “No. It means I won’t be here as often, but I’ll still be in at least once a week, excluding when I’m in heat. You guys aren’t getting rid of me that easily!”
Vale steps up beside me, standing tall and projecting the confidence of a future Alpha.
His hand rests on my shoulder, the touch light and mindful of Shepherd, who still stands behind me.
“Congratulations, Foster. We’re happy for you and your pack.
” Everyone murmurs their agreement, falling in line behind him.
“Just because he won’t be here every other day, that doesn’t mean things will change around here.
Ursa will still be here, and we still have each other.
This is our chance to show Foster how much we’ve learned from him over the past half a year. ”
His speech bolsters their morale, bringing back laughter and familiarity.
I want to clap him on the back, but hold myself back.
He doesn’t like physical contact. Instead, I offer him my hand, giving him the choice to shake it or not.
Wherever these four end up, it’s clear their pack is going places.
Knowing I played a role in helping break them from the chains that their circumstances trapped them in warms my heart.
“Oh! Wait! We have a request!” Briar shouts when he sees Shepherd and me getting ready to leave.
I raise a brow, watching him dig through his bag before he grabs a piece of paper and brings it to me.
“A bunch of us got together and arranged a trick-or-treating event here next weekend. Could you bring the kids? We have a bunch of fun stuff planned…”
Grinning, I carefully fold the paper and put it in my pocket. “We’d love to come check it out! Let me know if you need anything, and I’ll bring it with us.”
With one last wave, we head back to the car. Shepherd’s head thumps against the steering wheel when we climb inside. “I can’t believe we almost forgot Halloween.” He turns to look at me, a sparkle in his eyes that has me bursting into laughter. “Our Princess needs a costume.”
Oh, boy, we’re in trouble! He lives for any chance to spoil her. I pull my phone from my pocket and video call Hannah. “We’re asking her what she wants to dress up as before you end up buying every costume in the damn store.”
He gives me an unapologetic shrug and starts the car, still grinning from ear-to-ear.
“Little Princess, we have a surprise for you!” I sing-song as we walk into the house. Shepherd keeps pace with me, carrying a massive bag from the Halloween store. He’s nearly vibrating with excitement as she runs around the corner, flying out of her playroom with a shriek.
“Papas! You’s home!”
We’re both frozen, shell-shocked as she slams into my legs, nearly knocking me onto my ass. Tears well in my eyes, an awe I share with my Alpha as we glance at each other. Our motions are in sync as we drop to our knees and squish her into a tight hug. “Yeah, your papas are home.”
This is the first time she’s called us that. To have her trust us, see us as father figures when she grew up with an awful one in her life… it means the world.
Hannah walks in behind her, the baby strapped in his carrier and a soft smile on her face.
Misty brown eyes, so full of love, take in the three of us, and then she pulls out her phone and snaps a picture.
The timing is perfect because Kaitlin starts to squirm and push at our chests. “Papas you’s smushing me!”
Wiping a tear from my eye, I let her slide away and slowly climb back to my feet.
“Go ahead, Papa Shepherd, show her what you’ve got for her.
” I tuck Hannah under my arm as we follow them into the playroom.
Toys are scattered everywhere, including an interrupted tea party, but Kait doesn’t seem to mind.
She’s bouncing on her feet, waiting for Shep to open the bag.
“Halloween is next weekend,” he tells her.
She gives him a puzzled look, confirming what her mother had told us on the phone earlier; she has no clue what that is.
The cult never allowed them to celebrate any holidays that weren’t focused on the pastor’s twisted version of Christianity.
“It’s a very fun event where you get to dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating to get candy and treats. ”
“Candy? Can we go? Please!” She gives him the saddest puppy eyes, and I swear I can feel him melting in the bond. Hannah muffles a laugh, knowing Kaitlin is playing him. It’s obvious that Shepherd cannot say no to our daughter. Alphas, they’re so soft-hearted for their packmates. I love it.
“Of course, we can, Princess. But you need a costume.” He opens the bag, ready to pull out the three he chose for her—yes, three, because he has no self-control when buying her gifts—but she darts away, digging through her new toy chest and pulling out a superhero mask and fairy wings.
“Gots it! I’s ready now!”
Hannah bursts into laughter, a belly-deep one that startles all of us.
I’ve never heard her sound like this. So carefree and happy.
She blushes when she sees us focused on her, cutting off the laugh and ducking her head.
I don’t let her hide, tilting her chin up with my palm and pressing a kiss to her lips. “I love hearing you laugh, Angel.”
Shepherd nods his agreement, love filling his golden eyes, and then he focuses back on our daughter.
“Those are great options, but what do you think of these?” The first one he pulls out is a super poofy blue princess dress with matching gloves, a crown, and a wand.
He presses a button on the package and turns on the lights, because of course, he splurged for a light-up dress instead of buying a normal one.
“Oh my sparkles!” Kait shouts, dropping her mask and wings to grab the dress and spin it around. “So pretty! I’s a real princess now!”
“We also have this one,” he adds, grabbing the pink superhero costume next. It’s a dress, but he bought a big pink tutu and a cape to go over it. “Or a traditional version.” The same super symbol adorns the front of this one, but it’s a black bodysuit instead of a dress.
I’m pulled into the room when Kaitlin grabs my hand and demands I help her into the first costume, promising she can’t pick until she tries them all on.
We spend the next half hour playing dress-up and putting on a fashion show for Hannah, Shepherd, and Everett.
In the end, she picks the black bodysuit, wanting to look like a ‘real superhero’ instead of a princess.
Shepherd gives Hannah a sheepish look before opening the bag again. “Since she chose that one, we’ll need this.” He hands her a red onesie decorated to match the superhero’s sidekick. They laugh, placing it over our son’s tiny body and talking about how cute the two of them will be.
My phone ringing distracts me from their conversation. I grin when I see Manny’s face on the screen. It’s late, almost five now, so he must be headed back to his apartment. “Hot Stuff, I’ve missed you!”
“I’ve missed you, too, Galán.” He clears his throat, the sound thick with an emotion I can’t name. “I’m actually going to come see you after I grab everything from my place.”
He’s coming here? With all his stuff? “Are you saying you’re moving in?”
Shepherd and Hannah go quiet, now tuned into the conversation.
“I am. Today made me realize I cannot handle being away from you. If something were to happen, and I weren’t there to help protect you, I’d never forgive myself.” Emotion clogs his voice, a sadness that shakes me.
“What’s wrong?”
I hear his car shut off and the door close, so he must be at his apartment building already.
“Bea’s missing.” His words land heavily between us.
I blink once. Twice. My lungs burn, and it’s only when Shepherd takes the phone from my hand that I realize I stopped breathing. I cough, hands falling to my knees as my mind kicks into overdrive, repeating what he said on a loop. Bea’s missing. Missing. She’s-
“Breathe, Omega!” Shepherd’s bark shocks my body into rhythm, forcing my lungs to expand again. “I’ll call Donovan too and see what we can do to help. They are going to find her.”
I know they will, but what will happen to her between now and then?
“Foster, I’m so sorry,” Manny apologizes, sounding like he is on the verge of tears himself.
“Thank you for telling me. Just… just get your stuff and come home. I need to cuddle.”
He promises to hurry and ends the call, leaving me to absorb the fact that one of my best friends is fucking missing. Fates, I hope she comes back from this unscathed.
An hour later, we’re sitting at the dinner table. Hannah made a wonderful veggie pasta, but I’ve been pushing it around my plate, my thoughts stuck on my best friend and the horrors she could be enduring as we sit here.
“There isn’t anything we can do,” Shepherd told me after speaking to Donovan.
Apparently, the DAU and FCDA are both aware of her disappearance, and they’re already following leads to find her.
Knowing they are looking doesn’t make me any less afraid, especially after learning they believe a fucking breeding ring took her.
The shit that happens to Omegas in those places…
I can’t think about it. I’ll fall apart if I do.
“Come, Galán, let’s go soak in the tub. Afterward, you can show me your new nest.” I glance briefly at my other mates, who give me sad smiles, before accepting Manny’s hand.
Being strong is something I’ve always prided myself on, but right now I just need to be taken care of.
My heart feels too close to breaking to fake being okay.