Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chloe
T he first sense that filters through my sleepy haze is warmth. A cocoon of body heat surrounds me, skin against skin, bringing a sense of safety and contentment unlike anything I’ve ever known.
Blake’s strong arm drapes over my waist, while Nathaniel’s toned chest molds to my back, my legs tangled with theirs. Memories of gasps and caresses in the dark send my heart racing, and my body flushes with renewed desire, even as lingering nerves flutter in my stomach.
Still dazed from pleasure, it had felt natural to follow the Alphas into Nathaniel’s bedroom after we came up from the gym last night. But in the light of morning, it feels scandalous. This is all still so new. Even when I imagined joining their pack, it had been one-on-one fantasies outside of my Heat.
Behind me, Nathaniel stirs, his fingers tracing patterns on my hip as he nuzzles my nape, his light stubble grazing my sensitive skin, and I shiver.
“Mmm, morning, beautiful,” he murmurs, voice still gravelly with sleep. His lips press a soft kiss to my shoulder. “Did you sleep well?”
A blush heats my cheeks, but before I can respond, Blake shifts and tugs my body snug to his firm front.
“Our insatiable little Omega.” His hand splays across my stomach. “Think you can handle another round this morning?”
Heat pools between my thighs, and the two Alphas rumble in approval as they scent my desire.
Blake’s fingers slide up from my stomach to comb through my hair, twirling a pink lock around his finger. The rainbow beads of the bracelet his niece made him brush my neck, and when I tilt my head up, his beard tickles my face.
“So pretty, with your cheeks flushed pink.” Rubbing the silky strands between his fingertips, Blake looks at Nathaniel. “What do you think?”
The other Alpha props himself up on an elbow. “Just like the roses by the back gate to the garden.”
He dips to kiss my shoulder again. “I can’t wait to fill your room with them once they bloom come May.”
Emotion swells within me, so intense it almost hurts, and I have to blink back the sudden prickling of tears. He’s making plans for us months down the road like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
How did I end up here, cherished and safe in the arms of these incredible men?
After the life I’ve led, it feels unreal. Like a dream I might wake up from at any moment. But the warmth of their skin, the spicy-sweet mingling of their pheromones, and the adoration in their eyes are all real.
Wonderfully, miraculously real.
I’m in love with these men, with this pack, and everything in me wants to confess my feelings. It’s too fast, though, and we haven’t completed the bond yet. What if something happens? What if this all turns out to be a dream?
I thought my father loved me, but as soon as he found out we weren’t connected by blood, he kicked me out. I thought Dominic loved me, but as soon as I lost the endorsement of the Sinclair Pack, he turned his back on me. I thought my mom loved me in her own way, but she sold me to Louie so she wouldn’t have to give up Sunday brunch at the yacht club.
Blake’s finger brushes the crease between my brows. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
I shove aside my fears and catch his hand, nuzzling into his palm. “What could be wrong when we’re naked in bed together?”
“Hmm. Excellent point.” As Blake’s lips brush mine, Nathaniel’s fingers trace gentle patterns along my hip, each touch sparking tingles across my skin, pushing my worries farther away.
Soon, I’m lost in sensation, in the heady bliss these two men provide.
But as the kiss deepens, growing more heated, more urgent, Nathaniel sighs and sits up. “As much as I’d love to stay here all morning, I need to meet with Emily and go over the inspector’s list.”
I whimper in protest as he shifts away, and without thinking, I grab his wrist. His pulse thrums beneath my fingers, quickening at my touch. For a moment, he stills, his hungry gaze sliding down the bare parts of my body revealed by the shift in the comforter.
“Stay a little longer?” I plead, not ready to let this perfect moment end. “Please?”
Blake’s arms tighten around me, his hairy leg rubbing mine. “I second that. Just tell Emily to come up here for breakfast.”
At the mention of food, my stomach lets out an insistent growl. Everyone freezes for a heartbeat before Blake and Nathaniel burst out laughing.
“Someone’s hungry.” Blake tickles my side, drawing giggles from me as I now fight to get away from him.
“No! Stop!” Escaping his grasp, I crawl over Nathaniel, who palms my bottom as I pass.
I freeze at the edge of the mattress, though, blushing all over again when I spy my clothes from last night all the way across the room by the door. Why are they so far away? I don’t remember stripping as soon as we stepped into the room.
“Something wrong, Chloe?” Blake asks, amusement in his voice.
I peer back over my shoulder, and my heart stutters. Blake leans against Nathaniel, the two Alphas complementing each other, Blake’s shoulder-length, dark-brown hair, beard, and tattooed arms contrasting with Nathaniel’s trimmed blond locks and sculpted body.
A whimper escapes me, and both Alphas grin.
Puffing my cheeks at them, I grab hold of the blanket and take it with me as I leave the bed.
The heavenly aroma of freshly brewed coffee and crispy bacon envelops me as we enter the kitchen. My stomach rumbles with appreciation.
Holden stands at the stove, his back to us as he tends to the sizzling pan. Domesticity looks good on him. I shuffle over to nuzzle my nose into the groove of his spine.
He reaches back to squeeze my hip. “Morning, sleepyhead. Hungry?”
“Starving.” I step back, not wanting to distract him while he’s handling the snapping grease. “It smells amazing.”
“Hopefully, it tastes even better.” Deftly, he reaches for the upper cabinet with his free hand, grabs a mug, and passes it to me. “Get yourself some coffee.”
I kiss his shoulder before heading for the full pot waiting on the warming plate.
Blake comes over, his hands on his hips. “Hey, what about us?”
Holden rolls his eyes at him. “Your and Nathaniel’s thermoses are on the island, and I’ll have the bacon done for your breakfast sandwiches in a minute.”
“Aww, you’re the best.” Blake rubs his cheek against Holden’s. “You take such good care of us.”
“Yes.” Nathaniel peeks into the basket of biscuits that sits next to two thermoses and hums in appreciation. “We don’t deserve you.”
Holden ducks his head, the tips of his pointed ears turning pink.
Blake grabs a biscuit and bites into it, mumbling around his mouthful. “Are Dom and Quinn still sleeping?”
Ears pricking, I pause with my head in the fridge as I search for the creamer.
“Quinn was up coloring in her room when I checked,” Holden replies. “Dom had a long night, though, so I doubt he’ll be up before noon.”
My cheeks heat. I hope it wasn’t the bond humming that kept him awake.
The patter of little feet announces Quinn’s arrival a split second before she barrels into the kitchen, her brown hair flying behind her. She beelines straight toward me, vibrating with excitement.
“Look, look!” She thrusts a piece of paper into my hands. “I drew a picture of our pack!”
My heart squeezes as I take in the crayon rendering of six figures standing hand in hand, each one with a label. Blake with his bushy beard, Holden in an apron, Nathaniel with yellow hair, and Dom with a black braid. In the center, a short figure with flowing brown hair holds the hand of another figure with a shock of pink hair labeled Aunt Chloe .
Tears threaten as I trace a finger over my likeness, overwhelmed by the simple drawing. For so long, I’ve yearned for a place to belong, for a family to call my own. And now, seeing it depicted in Quinn’s artwork, it finally feels real.
“It’s beautiful, princess,” I manage around the lump in my throat. I sink to my knees, pulling Quinn into a tight hug. “I love it. Thank you.”
She beams at me, her face sparkling with joy. “You’re welcome! I’m gonna draw lots more, ‘cause you’re part of our pack now. Forever and ever.”
Forever and ever. The words echo in my heart as I hold Quinn close, feeling the warmth of my Alphas’ attention on us. Hope spills through me. I want so much for this to be my forever. To call the Homestead home.
“Hello, hello!” a voice calls from the back hall, and a moment later, Kyle comes into view. His face brightens as he spots the basket on the island. “Oh, are those biscuits?”
Blake slides it down to him. “What brings you here? Shouldn’t you have a fishing pole in the water by now?”
“About to head out.” Kyle sets a stack of mail on the countertop. “I swung by the PO Box this morning. They were holding a couple of packages, so I figured I’d drop them off first and see what Holden had whipped up for the day.”
“Take some muffins from the sideboard, too.” Holden brings over a plate piled high with bacon and another with rounds of scrambled egg. “There’s enough coffee in the pot if you need a fresh thermos, too.”
“Won’t say no to that.” While Holden bustles around, Kyle cracks open biscuits to put together two breakfast sandwiches and wraps them in napkins. He turns to Blake and Nathaniel. “Want a ride down to the docks? Emily’s chomping at the bit to get started.”
Blake sighs and starts assembling sandwiches for him and Nathaniel. “That would be great, thanks.”
Nathaniel sorts through the packages. “A present for Miss Quinn Patel?” He arches a brow at the little girl. “What did you convince Uncle Dom to order for you?”
She giggles and bounces up and down, making grabby hands. “Gimme!”
Lips pursed, Nathaniel shakes the package next to his ear. “I don’t know… Could be dangerous. Maybe we should wait.”
“Uncle Nat!” she whines, jumping to grab for it.
Chuckling, he gives her the package, and she rips into it, revealing a new coloring book and a box of crayons.
Squealing in delight, she spins in a circle, clutching the items to her chest. When she stops, her shining eyes fix on me. “Aunt Chloe, you can have my other box of crayons, so you have your own!”
My chest constricts. “Thank you, princess. That’s so kind of you.”
“Hold on, it looks like Uncle Dom ordered something for Aunt Chloe, too.” Nathaniel lifts another package and bounces it in his hands. “It’s heavier than crayons, though. Wonder what it is?”
My pulse quickens, and I set my coffee cup down next to the picture Quinn drew before I come around the island. Nathaniel hands me the package, his fingers brushing mine in a fleeting touch that sends sparks racing up my arm. My cheeks warm as I turn the rectangular box in my hands.
What could Dominic have gotten for me? Is this a courting gift?
Quinn tugs on my pant leg. “Open it! Hurry!”
“Oh, I should wait until Uncle Dom wakes up,” I protest.
Blake props a hip on the counter, his expression curious. “It’s labeled to you, so it’s not meant to be a surprise. Open it.”
“If you think it’s okay…” I pick at the tape before Nathaniel pulls the utility knife from his belt to slice through it.
Smiling, I open the flaps on the box and reach inside. Tissue paper crinkles beneath my fingers, and excitement fills me when I recognize the edges of a laptop.
Did Dominic think I needed an upgrade after seeing my current laptop? When we were kids, he always had the newest tech before it hit the market.
Setting the box aside, I rip through the tissue paper to reveal a sleek, black laptop, and my breath catches, a wave of icy recognition crashing over me.
Memories flood back of being locked in the bedroom at Louie’s penthouse, the light of the screen my only escape, the dread every time the door opened, fearing it would be Louie.
“Chloe?” Blake’s voice cuts through the haze of fear. “What is it?”
I try to answer, but the words stick in my throat. With a sense of dread, I lift the top, half expecting the screen to light up like always. But the laptop remains dark, powered off. Instead, my eyes land on a slip of paper tucked inside, the white a stark contrast on top of the dark keyboard.
My heart pounds as I pluck it up, unfolding it with numb fingers as the scent of almonds and anise fills my nose.
Your stories are illuminating, as always. Your imagination continues to remain shockingly optimistic. I do hope you will choose the right ending for this one.
—L
A choked sob escapes my lips, the sound raw and broken in the sudden stillness of the kitchen. The warmth of the morning vanishes, replaced by an icy grip of fear that I know all too well.
Louie had read what I wrote while he held me prisoner. At the time, I knew it could happen, but by sending it back now, it feels like he’s invaded another part of my life, where there will be no happiness or escape from him.
Holden’s arms come around me, his vanilla scent enveloping me like a shield. “Chloe, sugar, what is it? What’s wrong?”
I can only shake my head, the words lodged in my throat.
Holden reaches for the note, his jaw clenching as he reads the venomous words. “It’s from Louie.”
Nathaniel growls. “Why would he send you a laptop?”
“I… He gave it to me to work on while I was with him.” My hand shakes as I close it. “He took it away after I?—”
I cut off as my gaze drops to Quinn, who watches us with wide, fear-filled eyes.
“It’s okay, princess.” I stroke the top of her head. “Nothing’s wrong.”
But that’s a lie. Everything is wrong.
Blake scoops Quinn up in his arms. “How about we go wake up Sprinkles, then get lazy Uncle Dom out of bed, okay?”
She wraps her arms around his neck and buries her face against his neck, seeking comfort. With a concerned look at me, Blake takes her out of the kitchen.
“It’s okay,” Holden whispers into my hair. “He can’t reach you here.”
I nod, but as my eyes sweep over the kitchen, I wonder how much time we have left before our world comes crashing down around us.
In the end, will love be enough to save us?
Or will it be the very thing that destroys us all?