Chapter 22
Grace
T hey’re here. They’re here. They came back. That mantra ran through my head the entire time I was squished between Beck and Drew, a big alpha hand on each leg, squeezing gently as Drew drove us home.
The cab smelled like heaven. Like home.
“No, sweetheart, don’t cry,“ Beck groaned, unbuckling himself and squeezing closer, his presence fighting against my hormonal tears.
“She’s been feeling rough for weeks,” Drew said solemnly. “She might need a puppy pile tonight to calm her omega.”
“Done,” Spencer said. “We’re here, freckles. Don’t cry.”
“It’s breaking my heart,” Drew groaned, his shoulders hunching. He had to feel it through the bond because I was too much of a mess to close it.
His foot pressed harder on the accelerator as he hurried home. I’d never been so happy to see the firehouse, even through the sheen of tears still clinging to my eyes.
My chest was aching fiercely and I wanted to crawl inside their skin to make sure they couldn’t leave me like this again.
It was only three weeks, but it felt like a lifetime to our shaky bond.
I was also needy enough to demand their bites, but they needed to know the truth before I could even ask that.
The thought of telling them had the tears coming again until I started full-on sobbing. A rumbling purr tried to calm me as Drew parked. Beck cursed and unbuckled me, pulling me into his lap and squeezing tight.
“Tell me what I can do to fix this, sweetheart. I’ll give you anything,” he promised in a fierce whisper. “I am so fucking sorry I hurt you this way.”
I tried to say something, to get coherent words out, but it was like the last three weeks of uncertainty, tension, and hormones I’d been fighting to keep under control, burst out of me like an explosion.
Beck’s door opened and Drew helped him out so he didn’t drop me, the betas pressing into our sides so we were walking in an awkward huddle. Eventually Beck gave up and dropped, all of us sitting right there in the parking lot.
A low rumble echoed out, a flash across the sky.
“We should move inside,” Cade said, but I shook my head.
“Weather said later tonight, it’s in the distance,” I argued, wanting to cling to this moment now that my tears were drying. It was the first time I’d felt whole… maybe in my entire life.
“What can we do?” Spencer asked, his fingers gently ghosting down my arm, up and down again to soothe me.
“Just hold me,” I answered, my voice still wavering from the tears. “Sorry I’m being dramatic.”
Drew narrowed his eyes and leaned in so I was forced to stare into his dark green gaze. “Don’t talk about my omega like that.”
“Yes, alpha,” I said, sending a pulse of happiness through our bond. He had my back even when I didn’t. He showed me that it was okay to move on and let go of the past, embracing what we have this time.
“I’m so jealous he got his teeth in you first,” Beck said, his fingers ghosting over the mark on my own shoulder. I shivered at the feeling, a jolt shocking straight to my core.
“All this excitement has your scent off,” Cade said as his nose ran over my back. I froze, realizing that Drew said the same.
Could they smell that I was pregnant? Was that even a thing?
“It was off earlier, too,” Drew said, looking down at me as if he was trying to put the puzzle pieces together.
“Did anyone grab my bag from Sidney?”
Drew nodded. “It’s in the truck still. I was worried about getting you inside, we just didn’t make it yet.”
He stood then, reaching out for me. The moment my hand was in his, the sky opened up. It didn’t start slow, it hit like a lightning strike, pouring over us until I was shrieking.
Drew picked me up like a football, running toward the main door. I tipped my head back, laughing hysterically and a bit unhinged as the rain soaked me through.
The other guys were letting out their own laughs as Drew tried to unlock the door and dropped the keys.
He finally sat me down and I stepped away, putting my hands out, tipping my head back, and spinning.
Pineapple, coconut cream, and amber hit me right before Cade’s arms slid around my waist, spinning with me.
“You’re just as crazy as I am, aren’t you, muse?”
I peeked open my eyes, taking in his wide smile and his pale blue eyes burning for me. Not with lust, but that pure connection I’d missed.
“Got it!” Drew yelled before they were piling in. Cade and I didn’t move. In fact, the moment he released me we were both dancing in the soaking rain, spinning and jumping as if there was a song playing through the torrents.
As I spun, my eyes landed on the alphas, side by side under the awning, grinning at us and shaking their heads. Spencer was already running our way, snagging my hand and pulling me into his arms.
“How did I go a single breath without you, freckles?”
“Was it really breathing? Because I felt like I couldn’t breathe until the moment I was back in your arms,” I admitted, not caring how sappy or clingy it sounded.
The girls were right. These were my mates and they wanted me as I was. Not some unrealistic high standard I set for myself.
Then his lips were on mine. The cool rain and his soft lips were an otherworldly combination. It was slow and sweet, as if we were taking a moment to reconnect and learn each others’ tastes all over again.
When we pulled apart, I knew it was time to tell them, to bring the guys into my life completely.
No more secrets or worries.
Stepping out of his arms, I sprinted for the truck, sliding across the soaking wet grass and feeling as if I’d shed hundreds of pounds in stress.
I was going to wear my pack’s bites by the end of the night. And to do that, they had to know what was at stake.
When I had the bag in hand and met them at the door, the alphas were waiting with a towel and what looked like it might be a lecture on their lips.
Instead of giving them the chance, I held up the bag and ducked past them.
"I got you guys something.”
That had Cade rushing after me, the others following just as eagerly, even if they tried to hide it.
We were too wet for the couch, so I simply stopped and dug into the bag.
“Don’t open them until I say,” I warned, handing each of them the tissue wrapped presents. It was obvious what each was by feel alone, but they had no idea what was in store for them.
When I handed the last to Cade, I took a breath and started to walk away. I made it to the stairs before turning around.
“Open them!” Then I ran for the shower.
Drew
We didn’t open them right away, too confused and stunned by Grace’s quick departure.
What the hell was going on? First the scent, then the running away and secrecy.
Ripping paper sounded off as Cade decided he was done waiting. That got the rest of us ripping off our own.
The silence was deafening. My pulse thundered in my ears as I stared down at the gift that clearly screamed our girl was pregnant.
Spencer was already across the room before I could process, then we all moved at once, shoving and trying to jump past each other as we crashed up the stairs.
Grace’s laughter echoed out as Spencer banged on the door.
“You can’t keep my baby from me!” he shouted before they both dissolved into laughter. “This is cruel and unusual punishment, omega!”
“It’s payback for leaving her alone,” Cade said, content to strip out of his clothes down to his boxers and take a seat on the edge of the bed to wait.
When the water shut off, I expected Grace to take her time. Instead, the door pushed open and there she was, dripping wet and gloriously naked.
The only bite on display was mine, but I had a feeling that was about to change.