Chapter 26
Grace
D espite being utterly exhausted, I was happy as we walked back to the car. My stomach was full, and I felt like the bond had sunk in further into my being, its hooks digging in and refusing to let go, just like I needed it to.
Two familiar faces were walking down the street, arm in arm, laughing. I lit up at the sight of Mama Whitaker.
Their eyes found me right away, both excited to see me. That was a damn good feeling.
“Grace, my girl!” Mama Whitaker called out as she rushed forward, squeezing me in a hug. “I heard all about that awful wedding. I’m so sorry that shit family of yours reared their ugly heads again. Tell me you’ve cut them off already, you don’t need that negativity in your life.”
“Oh, I like her,” Drew said with a chuckle.
“Mama Whitaker, I want you to meet my pack. It was kind of a whirlwind of a wedding, but I found them,” I explained. “This is Drew, Beckett, Spencer, and Cade,” I said, pointing them out one by one.
“Now that’s a face I recognize! How’s that knee healing up?” she asked, looking right at Drew. They chatted football a bit before she turned her sights on the others. “Now, your faces aren’t as recognizable.”
“Ouch,” Beckett chuckled playfully. “We run a company called PackSense.”
Her eyes widened and she gave me a nudge, like, Good job, girl, and I couldn’t hold back my laughter.
“I know how to pick ’em,” I said, grinning at the guys. “Though, I think our peaceful life is about to end. Apparently, the tabloids are about to get a hold of the fact that I’ve snagged these guys. And I think once they see Drew here, it’s going to be over for me in the comments.”
“Screw those comments,” Avery said. “I’ve got my own experience with that, and honestly, it’s just jealousy and pettiness. Nothing you need in your life.”
“Actually, Avery. I was going to ask if you could take some photos for us when you have time. We’d rather be ahead of them. Post them ourselves, take ownership of it, you know?”
She picked up the camera hanging around her neck and grinned. “There’s no time like the present, and we’re right here in the heart of the town. What better backdrop could there be?”
That’s how my guys were swept into an impromptu photo shoot right in the middle of Rockwood Valley. The flower shop was right behind us, and they bought a bouquet, using it as a prop as she took pack photos, then some of me by myself.
Even I could admit the sundress, the flowers, and the exposed brick wall made for some amazing shots.
“Now, let’s just hope they don’t find out about the pregnancy too soon,” I said with a chuckle.
There was a gasp from Mama Whitaker. Avery knew, but she had kept it to herself.
“I’m going to be a grandma again?!” Mama Whitaker asked as she pulled me into a hug. I swear this woman had the biggest heart, and even I couldn’t hold back my tears as she squeezed me in one of those mom hugs, the kind that feel like they could fix every bad thing in your life.
“You are,” I admitted. “Thanks for always being there for me. Especially when my own family isn’t.”
“I am your family,” she said firmly. “Now, I think this calls for a celebratory barbecue, don’t you? It’s perfect cookout weather. Avery and I will plan something and we’ll let you guys know.”
“The guys are off for the week, so it should be perfect,” I agreed easily. “It’ll be a nice way to introduce them to all the packs at once.”
“That’s not intimidating or anything,” Spencer joked, giving a nervous chuckle. With a reassuring squeeze of my hand, he settled.
“Once we have the firehouse finished, we’ll have to have you guys out for one. It’s got this amazing back pavilion, a huge yard for the kids, too. It’s great,” I gushed. It was silly how a building could mean so much to me, but I adored our new home.
“I heard you bought that place! I love that. I have respect for people who redo old buildings and give them new life. That’s what this town needs,” Mama Whitaker said, giving me that winning smile of hers.
Then I yawned again, and she looked at my pack. “You get this girl home and to her nest. She needs a nap. Pregnancy fatigue is no joke.”
Avery nodded along. “She’s not kidding. Make sure she has lots of fluids, too.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they said to both of the omegas in front of us before sweeping me into the car and heading home. I think I was out before we even got off Main Street.
I woke several hours later to the sun dipping down and feeling well-rested for the first time in weeks. The only problem was I’d chosen my nest over my bed, and the guys hadn’t gone in yet, so when I woke to the lack of warm bodies next to me and no scent, my omega was not pleased.
I could hear them somewhere downstairs. The urge to fix the lack of scent had me crawling out of my bed and fishing through a wall of luggage and the pile of dirty laundry, snagging shirts and pants and whatever else my omega decided was necessary before putting them in the nest.
Then I went to Drew’s room, doing the same. I was just stepping out of the door when I heard a low chuckle.
“What do we have here?”
I gave Beck a defiant look. “Making my nest smell like my pack, because no one has been in there and it doesn’t smell like anything and I woke up alone.”
God, I sounded like a petulant, whiny child. Even I cringed, but my Alpha just laughed before cupping his hands around his mouth.
“Get your asses up here! Our omega needs something!”
The footsteps were thunderous as the other three hurried up the stairs and stopped in front of me.
They took in the pile of clothes in my hands, Drew raising a single eyebrow before looking at Beck. “What can we do?”
“Her nest doesn’t smell like anybody, and her omega is pouting because she woke up alone.”
“Sorry,” Spencer winced. “We tried to give you your space so you could have a good nap while we got some things done downstairs.”
“It’s okay. I forgive you.”
“No, she doesn’t. Everybody take turns rolling around that nest. Take your sweaty shirts off, stuff them in there, she’ll love it,” Beck said easily.
Drew nodded. “There’s a lot of correlation between heat nesting and pregnancy nesting, and since she missed out on a heat, I have a feeling it’s going to be even worse for our girl.”
It was so funny, the way they talked about pregnancy like they’d read a whole library of books.
Then again, knowing them, they probably were all reading different ones and sharing knowledge.
I swear, for a pack that took so long to get to me, they went all in the moment they knew I was pregnant.
It was like we’d been together for years.
One by one, my pack dutifully went into the nest, doing exactly as Beck said, rolling around, and adding their scents. Cade even went as far as running the pillows up and down his chest and neck, scent-marking them for me before tucking his shirt under a few of the throw pillows.
Spencer handed me his glasses before doing the same, taking care to make sure that they were hitting every part and pointing out when the other guys hadn’t scented it well enough.
When they were satisfied, Spencer took back his glasses before urging me toward the nest. It was my opinion that really mattered. Or my omega’s, at least.
I took my treasures, tucking them here and there and arranging the pillows among the blankets and mattress.
It wasn’t complete yet, I still wanted my things from the storage unit, but for now, this was perfect.
Their scents were so strong in here that I let out a happy sigh, sinking back against the pillows.
I wasn’t tired anymore, I just wanted to soak in my pack.
“We were just about to start a bonfire out back. It’s beautiful out. Join us, omega?” Cade urged, holding out a hand.
“Absolutely,” I agreed easily, letting him help me up. I snagged a book from the stack in the corner of our room and one of my favorite blankets before following them down.
Cade had also grabbed his sketchbook, so we settled down around the fire in the patio chairs that the guys had brought from their own things.
I curled into my seat, blanket around me and book in my lap.
Between the crackling of the fire and the gentle scratching of Cade’s charcoal over his sketchbook, it was relaxing.
The guys were content to let me read, talking amongst themselves in low voices. It wasn’t until I heard random names being thrown out that I tuned back in.
“I always liked dignified names,” Beckett was saying. “You know, like Henry, Atlas. Strong ones.”
“If it’s a girl, I’ve always loved the name June,” Cade said without even looking up.
Spencer shook his head. “Or something unique. I’m all for a strong name, but unique names stand out more. I feel like our baby needs something that’s not a dime a dozen.”
“We need a big whiteboard in the kitchen,” I said, joining in. “Then we can write all the names, and everybody can have veto power, crossing off the ones we don’t like. It’s not like we don’t have time to battle it out on there.”
“That’s a good idea,” Spencer agreed. “Sometimes seeing things visually is different than just saying them out loud, too.”
Beckett shifted and sighed. “In my mind, I know that we have time, but my alpha is freaking out a little bit. He wants us to make sure that the house is baby-proof, that we have everything we could need for the baby, that I have everything you need. I don’t think I’ve ever been so unhinged like this. I’m always in control.”
“That I believe,” I teased him as I stood up and stretched. It had been a long day, and I had napped for a good chunk of it, but now I needed something sweet.
Maybe something salty, too.
It was far too early for cravings, but I was an omega, I didn’t need a set time frame for those.
They didn’t bother to ask where I was going. Everyone simply stood up and followed me inside, like there was a magnetic pull between us.
I started rummaging through the pantry, eyeing my choices and frowning when I couldn’t figure out what I wanted.
“How about you tell us what you’re looking for, sweetheart?” Beckett offered.
“Something sweet. And maybe salty,” I explained. “But nothing ever sounds good.”
“How about cookies?” Drew offered. “I distinctly remember you used to love my mama’s Kitchen Sink cookies.”
“Kitchen Sink?” Beckett looked so affronted that I burst out laughing.
“They’re called that because it’s everything but the kitchen sink,” Drew said. “It’s got a lot of things in it.”
He started pulling out what he needed from the pantry. I was shocked that he even found half of what he needed. I didn’t realize we were that well-stocked.
Then again, I was a pretty basic cook. The guys had handled shopping.
When Drew tied on a pink apron, I nearly lost it, but I kept my cool, grinning like a madwoman as he moved around the kitchen like he belonged there.
At least some of us could cook otherwise this pack would be in trouble. I was not that kind of omega who was born with all the domestic skills in her arsenal.
I turned on the oven to preheat and dug around until I found the cookie sheets while he worked on making the dough.
They already looked incredible, and they weren’t even cooked yet. If I wasn’t pregnant, I might have even swiped some of the dough, but the warning look I got from Spencer had me finding the sliver of self-control I had left.
Then the kitchen was filling with the scent of warm cookies, and I was in heaven. We found something else the baby approved of.
While the cookies were baking, I checked my phone, grinning when I saw that Avery had sent over the edited photos. She hadn’t wasted any time.
“Avery sent the pictures,” I said, sending them to the group chat they’d made earlier. Everyone’s phones pinged as they came through.
“Time to post,” Spencer said. “Let’s flood social media.”
There was an adorable group photo. I was staring at the camera, and they were all staring at me. We looked like a perfectly bonded pack, especially with their bite marks on full display along my exposed neckline.
After posting it to my PackVlog page, I set it as my wallpaper, too.
Now we just had to wait and see what happened.