Chapter Nineteen Leo
Leo
Leo has never been comfortable in the spotlight. Strange, perhaps, for a celebrity—a respected, award-winning performer, songwriter, and producer. But despite his success, he’s never quite felt worthy of the extra attention. On stage, he’s acutely aware of his place alongside the tattooed bad boy, Jay Rhodes; the twinky sweetheart, Luca Wilde; and the “rizz” king, Rowan Foster. His mates are stunning—beautiful, even.
So, the doctor’s admiration doesn’t sit quite right, but he smiles and signs the photo layout as requested. She squeals and skips out the door, clutching it like treasure. His fan. It never ceases to amaze him that the music they make reaches so many people—especially someone like Dr. Trudy Spencer, who helped save his mate’s life.
So, yeah, life can be weird.
Being a celebrity has its perks for Were packs, with the music industry practically built for their way of life. Still, living in the public eye requires careful navigation. Fortunately, thanks to trailblazing “groups” before them, human fans chalk it up to band idiosyncrasies.
Leo’s especially proud that Long Road Home openly flies under the LGBTQIA+ flag, a reflection of their shared philosophy: no matter their success, having each other matters most. He’d eat mac and cheese for the rest of his life if it meant keeping his mates—so yeah, fuck the homophobes.
It surprises Leo that fans never question seven men living together, but Long Road Home keeps their private life—especially their civilian mates—out of the spotlight. Jay maintains he’s ready to come out as poly anytime, but Leo believes the world isn’t entitled to that part of their lives.
It’s just one more thing they’ll have to explain to Nix when he wakes up.
When Dr. Spencer leaves, his mates are quick to remind him who his real fans are.
“Leo Costas is so cool,” Rowan coos, giving his biceps a playful squeeze.
“He’s my favorite!” Gideon adds, punctuating it with a smack to Leo’s ass.
Never one to miss a group hug, Luca squeezes in close and kisses his cheek. “Mine, too. He’s so dreamy.”
Leo lets their love wash over him, even as his pack alpha tests his patience. Jay, ever the shameless tease, has his camera out, snapping photos and probably filming the whole thing.
“Jay. Fuck off.”
“Awwww, my Leo is so cute. Look at his cheeks,” Jay counters with a saccharine smile, making Leo blush harder.
They settle down, and Luca climbs into bed with Nix, curling close with his nose pressed to the omega’s scent gland and his hand resting lightly on Nix’s chest. Leo watches as the beta tries to pull the covers up and over both their heads in an effort to “hotbox” them in with Nix’s intoxicating scent.
Gideon catches him just in time with a gentle coaxing, “Hey, honey, let’s not do that, okay? Come with me. I think Rowan needs some kisses.” But Luca is already a blissed-out, scent-drunk noodle.
Gideon’s firm but gentle words are barely enough to lure Luca away, and even then, the beta slurs, “Nooo. Nix needs me. Smells so good.” His mocha scent turns richer and sweeter as he melts into Gideon’s arms, limp but cute as fuck.
Rowan produces a juice box out of nowhere and holds out his arms for the hand-off. “Hey, Luc. Let’s go sit in the other room and wait for the others. I have juice!”
“But does Ro have kisses?” Luca’s head lolls back over Rowan’s arm, making kissy lips and smacking noises. Leo laughs at Rowan’s scrunched-up face. That boy will play hard to get, all the while fucking you hard up against the wall. Gotta love the duality for keeping it interesting. And Leo does love it.
Their pack leader is reluctant to leave the room and Leo can spot prevarication in his alpha from ten paces. He empathizes because he wouldn’t want to air out his mistakes for his pack’s disapproval, especially when health decisions are always shared openly. It’s the one area where personal privacy is non-existent.
He’s dawdling under the pretext of talking to the new ICU nurse, Kyle. Hannah and Yasmine must have given him the down low on the whole Rhodes pack shenanigans, but he hardly breaks a sweat with the level of celebrity and the two enigmas in the room. As far as he’s concerned, Nix is a newly-transitioned beta with an endocrine disorder.
But Leo is fucking done with today; he’s tired and wants his bed, preferably with one or more of his mates in it. Naked, if he can swing it. Rowan’s going to stay with Grayson for a bit as he’d slept at home. Their youngest doesn’t mind a lonely bed some days; says his wolf is introverted. So maybe, if he’s lucky, Leo can have that bath he’s been craving and soothe his sore ass. But before he can do any of that, they have to get their leader to talk and hopefully figure out when they’re going to let Nix wake up.
A shiver of excitement zings down his spine. Leo can hardly wait to meet him. It feels like forever that they’ve waited and even though Leo knows he’s going to have a long recovery and a huge Were-shaped learning curve, he’s looking forward to sharing that. That’s pack life, and Leo loves it. Like Jay always says: they’re in it for better or worse.
Losing patience, Leo moves to stand by Jay’s shoulder and crosses his arms. Kyle might not see him, but Jay’s ears are red—a sure sign that he knows Leo is waiting and will not be deterred.
“Excuse us, Kyle. Family business to attend to. Please let us know when Nix will be moved out of the ICU. Thank you, bye!”
Jay lets himself be dragged by the arm, out the door and into the waiting room. All their belongings are packed up and someone (Finn: “Why are all of you slobs!”) has cleaned up. Luca is buried under some nesting materials on the couch, Rowan’s right hand tucked in the pile, doing Goddess knows what. All eyes turn to them as they enter when Leo shuts the door and leans on it just in case Jay has any plans to run.
Finn looks pissed off in a way Leo has not seen in a while. The normally steady doctor has the patience of a saint, but his scent is angry, like the black currants have all gone bad, and it makes both enigmas wince. “Alright, let me see them.” He holds out his hand for the blister pack again. “This is a high dose. The side effects are incredibly serious. Why would you take these?”
The doctor is upset, and he’s escalating the tension in the room to near-unbearable levels. Luca is hiding his face in the blankets, and Rowan has a snarl forming, ready to react to the unseen threat, while Gideon stands, fists clenched, eyes narrowed with anger. The whole room is a powder keg, so Leo does what Leo does best: he diffuses.
“Finn, calm down. Your tone is about to blow this room sky-high. Get your scent under control. We get that you’re upset—you’ll get your chance to explain. But let Jay tell us his side first. Sit.” Finn growls, but Gideon backs Leo up and motions the doctor over to Rowan’s other side with his chin.
They all look to their pack leader, who runs both hands through his greasy brown hair. The long waves stick out in all directions; it’s obviously not the first time he’s done it today.
“Riordan gave them to me.”
Finn gasps. But Jay holds up his hand to stop his impending tirade about the betrayal. “I asked him to help me, Finn. Fuck. This is hard. Look, after I bit Nix for the transition, I…fuck…”
Gideon takes pity on him, cutting to the chase and saying the words Jay has a hard time saying. “You lost your shit, tried to mount his unconscious, unconsenting body in the ICU in front of the nurse and all the Goddess’s creatures?”
“What?! No! I would never. I could never!” Jay is horrified. Because he wouldn’t. That he’s worried he could is what makes Jay the best of men. “Why would you say that?!”
“We know you wouldn’t. So whatever you’re afraid of can’t be all that bad. Just tell us.” Luca smiles his tiniest, heart-shaped smile in encouragement.
“I wanted to mate him…like not sexually, although, I mean not just …uh, fuck. What I mean is, I’m sure Rowan’s and Grayson’s reactions would pale in comparison to mine if I hadn’t been on the suppressants already.”
He glances around, guilt etched on his face. “But, my wolf kept reminding me he wasn’t ours yet and that anyone could take him away from me. I think it’s because I let him get away once before, right? It’s stupid. I’m the one who left him, and he’s now in a coma.”
Jay exhales sharply, his hands clenching into fists. “I ended up with a mouthful of fangs all day, off and on. It was making me crazy. So I asked, and Dan helped.”
Finn sighs deeply, his frustration evident. “I get it, Jay. I’ve felt some of those urges myself this week—especially that first night we met him. But these pills? They’re not just strong; they’re extreme.” He holds up the blister pack for emphasis.
“These go way beyond suppressing bonding urges. We’re talking about shutting down your appetite, causing insomnia, and killing your sex drive completely. It’s not just overkill—it’s dangerous.”
“Well, that explains why he’s not been beating down Grayson’s door or beating anything else, either,” Rowan jokes.
“Why is the dose so high?” Leo asks, because if Doctor Finn is worried, then Leo is worried.
“Because the lower doses wouldn’t shut him up! My wolf would not leave it be, and I can’t be the one to hurt Nix. When he opens his eyes and finds out I’ve done this to him, I can’t just tell him he belongs to me. Us. I won’t take that choice away from him, too. Not after all he’s been through. So, I don’t care what it’s doing. I’m going to be on these for as long as it takes.”
Seeing his pack leader so clearly struggling and thinking about all the ways these meds could be fucking him up, Leo has to speak up. “No.”
Jay looks at him disbelievingly. “What do you mean ‘no’? Leo, look—”
“I mean no fucking way. Your guilt is driving you crazy. You won’t hurt him—you love him too much for that. I’ve seen how fiercely you treasure those you love, and I won’t let you sacrifice yourself over this.”
“I need them. When I take them, my wolf is quiet.” Jay looks desperately at him and then at the others.
“We’ll help you.” Rowan moves to hug Jay from behind, pulling Luca from his blanket burrito so he can snuggle in under his alpha’s chin. Finn puts a finger under Jay’s chin, over Luca’s head, and kisses him.
“No more. Let us help you, okay?” He squeezes in behind Luca and rests his head on Jay’s shoulder.
Their alpha has never been able to deny them anything, and even though he hesitates, he eventually nods. “Okay.”
Leo is never one to miss out on group hugs, so throws himself under Jay’s other arm. “Come on, Gideon, you know you want to.”
Gideon rolls his eyes but moves to hug them, too. If Leo feels a hand on his ass, he doesn’t mind.
In the quiet of the room, Luca whispers, “I miss Gray.” Leo does, too, especially with his sore ass as a reminder.
Rowan jumps back, shouting as he runs out of the room, “Shit, I forgot about Gray! Imma go get laid. Later, bitches!” Leo can’t help but laugh and wonders if they shouldn’t limit Rowan’s internet use.
***
Turns out that coming off high-dose alpha suppressants cold turkey is unpleasant, and they try to bundle Jay off home.
“I can just rest here. We can’t just leave him.” Jay complains as Gideon helps him with his jacket with complete disregard for the words coming out of Jay’s mouth. A timely grimace and a hand to his belly undermine him further.
“You’ll rest at home for a few hours and be back later.” Gideon’s tone is firm.
“Let me stay. I can do it. I’ll have a nap right here,” Luca insists and pats the bed right beside Nix, where he’d just been a few hours ago, scent-drunk out of his mind.
So Leo forgoes the dream of a hot bath, their pack bed, and a nice long nap for the time being and happily settles for a chair at Nix’s bedside. Luca finally gives up, holding his tongue at Gideon’s pointed look, but crosses his arms in protest as he follows the others out into the hall.
“I’ve got this. Go.” Leo gets kisses and a few ass-grabs for his generosity (still sore, by the way) from the others, and they guide a pale Jay into the elevator.
“Love you, Leo,” their leader calls, blowing him a kiss, uncaring that he’s probably drawing attention, and Leo heads back into the room.
The new nurse, Kyle, is surprisingly easy to talk to. As Kyle works, he and Leo chat about music and pack life. Kyle’s mates are musicians, too, which leads to stories about the smaller venues Leo misses from the old days. By evening, Leo feels like he’s made a new friend—and the distraction is exactly what he needs.
The afternoon sun is filling Nix’s room with golden light when Kyle reports that they’ve received the order to move Nix out of the ICU and into a suite. The timing is perfect, as he receives a text from Finn about dinner at the same time.
5:09 PM - from Finn
Bringing food and grumpy mates. Anything you need
5:10 PM - from Leo
Clothes and my laptop? Jay didn’t sleep?
5:06 PM - from Finn
No. The meds are brutal
We heard Gray’s awake. Pissed off but himself.
His dick didn’t fall off
5:06 PM - from Leo
Thank the Goddess for that
They’re moving Nix!
Second floor, Room 2713
5:09 PM - from Finn
Way to bury the lede
Be there in an hour
Ten minutes later, Kyle supervises Nix’s transport from the ICU. They have cleared the hall and are taking the staff elevator. No one comments about Nix’s scent during transport, and so far, the staff have been consummate professionals. But when the doors slide open, the sound and scent of babies is the first sign that this is about to be FUBAR in less than thirty minutes.
Weres love babies, especially given how rare they are, and most Were families are blessed if they have even one child. Leo’s a rare second child, the first of three generations.
But Weres with a new child experience a rush of primitive instincts; protectiveness dialed up to a million. It’s because infants smell vulnerable . Avoiding skirmishes between new parents and anyone who might be perceived as a threat is at the core of the belief that families should isolate for a short period after birth.
Sweet-scented Nix wouldn’t be a problem on the ward, but his five alphas—who are already in an elevated hormone output—sure would. They’d likely cause a protective instinct circuit if they could smell the vulnerable new infant and their vulnerable new mate. Jay, especially, is feeling protective of Nix, and Leo does not want a repeat of the Tranq Episode ? .
He pulls out his phone and dials Gideon.
“Mmm.” Gideon is walking and not driving; he hopes that means he’s still got some time.
“They’re trying to put him on the maternity floor. You gotta keep Ro and Jay out.” Leo has put a hand up to show that they shouldn’t start unpacking Nix’s shit.
“Well, Fuck. We’ll see Gray first. Text when you’ve got this worked out.” At least that’s one disaster averted. He turns to Kyle, who’s doing his best, but the charge nurse looks like they’re about to cause a scene. Leo doesn’t move from his position in the doorway.
“Look, you can’t put Nix in here. He’s unbonded and newly transitioned, and I’ve got five alphas who will visit regularly. Babies are great, but unless you’re looking to cause a riot, you need to put him somewhere else.”
Her eyes pop wide. “Why didn’t you say so? Out! Out! It’ll have to be the third floor, Geriatrics. I’ll call ahead. There’s a suite up there. But it’s in…palliative.” She checks her tablet. “No?” At Leo’s vehement shake of his head, she redirects. “Okay. Peds it is. Fourth floor. It’s the best we can do. Everywhere else is full-up.”
Leo sighs in relief. Palliative would have been worse than Maternity; if Jay had stepped off the elevator to smell dying wolves, he definitely would have lost his shit.
Turns out the pediatric ward is a good choice. Leo texts Gideon to update him as they settle into a family-friendly suite. The double bed means Luca can cuddle Nix without falling off, and Jay will have a proper place to crash. Bright decor, a couch, a TV, and a private washroom make it clear the room was designed for parents staying with their sick children—perfect for their pack’s needs.
They transfer Nix to the new bed, and the IV stand holds only his bag of nutrients, his antibiotic, and his low-dose pain meds. The medication that kept him in a coma through his injuries and the transition is gone. He’s still got his catheter, but the fluid looks good.
“Thanks, man. Hey, when will he wake up, do you know?”
“The meds aren’t something that we wean off, so once it’s done, it’s done. It’ll clear his system in twelve to twenty-four hours, and then it could be any time.” Kyle smiles, and he makes sure Leo knows how to reach him in real life before he heads back up to the ICU. Again, he’s glad to have made a new friend.
“One more question,” and Leo is surprised no one has mentioned it. “Do you think Nix should be wearing a scent blocker patch?”
“It’s contraindicated for newly presented Weres. They’re getting a sense of the world as a Were, and being able to scent themselves and the others in their new pack is essential.”
“Makes sense, thanks. Take care, eh?” He settles into the chair beside the bed, talking to Nix about work as he checks his phone for emails and types a few lyrics. He even hums a few bars of a melody that won’t leave him alone. It’s about an hour later and the nurse has been in and out to check Nix’s vitals and turn on the lamps (it’s very homey) when Jay and Finn arrive.
Jay looks terrible, maybe even worse, for all that he spent time at home. Coming off the suppressants is taking its toll. Leo moves out of the way so his alpha can climb into the bed with Nix. The alpha closes his eyes and sticks his nose into Nix’s neck with a sigh of relief. Soon after, he starts a low-pitched grumble.
Finn looks unworried, so Leo digs into the bags of food Gideon sent, crowing when he sees his favorite pasta and discovers it’s still warm.
“How’s Gray?” Leo asks, his mouth full and sauce on his chin.
“Awake. Horny but refusing all assistance. He wants out, but until the suppressants kick in fully and the first words out of his mouth don’t include ‘Nix,’ he’s on lockdown. Gideon and Rowan are trying to strong-arm him into some clothes and food.” Finn finally takes the fork from him and begins putting noodles in Leo’s mouth himself.
“Well, it’s not going to be easier if he’s out sooner. Nix still smells like a cupcake orgy.” Finn freezes with the fork halfway to Leo’s mouth, sauce dripping. “Thinking about that, aren’t you?”
Cackling, he takes the bite, then leans in to lick the sauce off Finn’s fingers. The alpha’s ears go red, his breathing turns heavy, and jammy-black currant fills the space between them. Leo’s mouth waters, and he meets Finn’s heated gaze, both thinking the same thing.
Jay’s voice is loud in the quiet room, “Look, I’m trying not to lose my shit, so if you two could take it elsewhere? And for now, let’s not talk about orgies. Okay? K.” Jay doesn’t even open his eyes.
Leo wiggles his eyebrows suggestively and gestures over his shoulder to the restroom. His mate is on his feet with Leo’s wrist in his grasp in an instant. “Leo has sauce on his shirt. I’m going to go get him–it—get it off.”
Leo hears Jay sigh.
It takes Finn exactly ten seconds to slam the bathroom door and have Leo’s cheek pressed hard against the wood. He’s in the perfect position for the taller man to lean in and tilt his head to the side, his nose running up under Leo’s ear.
“Are you sure about this, Dr. Merritt? This is definitely Not Safe For Work ,” Leo goads.
“All this talk about sex in bakeries and Nix’s sweet scent when I have a sweet boy right here. Cinnamon and sugar. I think I’ll make an exception for you.” He runs his hands under Leo’s arms, and his thumbs graze Leo’s nipples. He backs off a bit and spins him around so he can lick at his mouth.
Leo’s is open already and Finn doesn’t kiss him as much as he matches up their lips and inhales. “Mmm, so good. What do you want? Hmm?” Finn grabs a handful of his ass. Moaning deeply, Leo tries to shift his hips forward to relieve some of the ache in his cock.
“What. Do. You. Want?” Finn punctuates each word with a small bite to Leo’s jaw. Finn is the true definition of versatile when it comes to sex. The dominating version is a personal favorite.
“Alpha, kiss me.” Then he cups one hand behind the back of Leo’s head and leans in, catching his lip between his teeth and sucking on it before he cocks his head and kisses him for real. Leo can’t help but whine, the sound stuck in his throat as his alpha deepens the kiss.
It’s dark in the restroom, just the emergency call button illuminating the room in a dim red light. He brings his own hands up and pulls Finn in harder. For as fastidious as he is, Finn really likes it messy, and that’s a good thing because he’s drooling around the alpha’s tongue.
Leo’s gone pliable, and when Finn places a knee high between Leo’s legs, he has to hitch up a bit to ease the harsh pressure on his balls. The alpha’s eyes are glowing with their own light, his lips bright red and teeth sharp. With a feral smile, Finn strikes and sinks his teeth into the side of Leo’s neck while pressing his thigh harder just to hear him moan. Leo thinks he could come from this; just grind down and come.
“So pretty, Leo. So good for me. Look at you, so desperate. Did all that talk about us all together get you wet? Let me see.” He eases his hips back but doesn’t move his thigh. Instead, he presses it up harder, and Leo yelps. “Show me how wet you are, baby. I’m waiting.”
His hands are shaking so hard he can hardly tuck them into the waistband of his sweatpants, but then he’s pulling them down with a whine. His cock leaking so much that the cold air stings. Pupils blown and shaking, he tries to do as he’s told. “Please, Finn. Please.”
“I asked you before what you wanted. Use your words, or I’ll do what I want.” He strokes his thumb from his neck to his bottom lip, pressing into Leo’s mouth and finally down on his tongue. Leo’s hips buck forward again, letting his eyes flutter closed.
It’s an invitation and Finn has never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He rubs the pad of his thumb over Leo’s tongue, and it shoots sparks right down to Leo’s cock. Pulling his thumb out, he replaces it with his fingers, pressing them deep as Leo’s hand grips his wrist, pushing further to feel the gag. It’s Finn’s turn to moan, and Leo suddenly finds himself on his knees on the tile floor.
Leo doesn’t know when Finn had pulled down his sweatpants, but the silk of the alpha’s cock head rubs over his lower lip, leaving a trail of precome. Leo hurries to catch it on his tongue and savor its flavor. Ripe black currants burst in his mouth as he grabs Finn’s hips to force the alpha to stop teasing.
The alpha tilts his head back with a harsh hand in his hair; it’s uncomfortable, just the way they both like it. “Eager. Do you want me to fuck your mouth? You’ll have to earn it. Show me how much you want me to come down your throat.”
He leans in, licking across the head of Finn’s cock, before opening his mouth wide and taking it as deep as he can. Leo has worked on his gag reflex for almost eight years, and yet it still isn’t any better despite the almost daily practice. “Oh fuck,” Finn blurts out, pumping his hips despite himself. So Leo minds his teeth and finds a rhythm, finally pressing his nose into Finn’s smooth belly, all while choking around the intrusion, tears, and snot running down his face.
Finn brings his hand down under the bolt of Leo’s jaw and presses there to hold his mouth open. “You’ve earned it, baby. Open wide.” He starts a brutal rhythm, the head of his cock hitting the back of Leo’s throat with every thrust. Leo’s hands encircle Finn’s lean thighs as he feels the fire burn in his leaking cock.
Finn’s thrusts get faster, and without a sound, he pulls out so he can come in Leo’s mouth and give him a taste of his alpha’s come. He grabs his knot and comes a second time on his face with a long, low groan. Leo is so glad he’s earned that, too.
Tongue out to catch as much as he can, Finn slaps it with his cock, “So pretty, fuck, look at you. Would you like to come?”
Yes, Leo very much would. He feels like he’s been hard for too long.
“Okay, come here.” Finn sits with his back against the door and manhandles Leo into a straddle, but still high on his knees, pulling his sweatpants farther down his legs so his ass is out too.
Finn swipes two fingers through his come still on Leo’s face and tilts him forward so his ass is up, and his nose is in Finn’s throat. Using the other hand to pull his ass open, he rubs his fingers over his still-puffy hole. Leo is moaning almost nonstop now, pleading loudly. Finn wastes no time in thrusting two long fingers in as deep as the position allows; he grazes Leo’s prostate with his short fingernail until Leo howls.
“Again, yes,” and Finn speeds his hand up.
“Can you come like this? Just on my fingers?”
“Please,” even if he doesn’t know what he’s begging for now. He’s got one hand in Finn’s hair, and he’s panting into his neck, riding those long fingers toward his favorite kind of orgasm.
His alpha knows just what he needs, so he pinches Leo’s cock head between two fingers and presses hard on his prostate. Leo comes, and the pleasure bursts, spreading in one tremendous wave all the way out to his toes.
Falling forward, Finn’s hand is fully on his cock now, working him into the over-sensitivity that Leo complains about but secretly loves.
When Leo has had enough, he huffs, and with one last flick to the head of his cock, Finn pulls him in for a tight hug.
“Such a good boy. So good,” Finn whispers, and Leo comes down feeling so good .
A short time later, he becomes aware that his eyelashes are stuck together, and his clothes are ruined.
“Uh…Finnie, pretty sure there’s more on my shirt than just pasta sauce now.”
Finn blinks at the mess. “Shit. Jay’s definitely not staying calm if he sees this. Did you bring your phone?”
Leo shakes his head. “Nope.”
“Great. Just great.” Finn sighs, rubbing his forehead. He’s taking off his stained pants and pulling his ruined shirt over his head, dropping them to the floor. Naked and still partially hard, he reaches for the door.
“Holy shit. You can’t go out there like that. What if the nurse is out there? What if you set Jay off?”
“Well, what do you suggest?” Hands on his hips, he’s so unbelievably hot; with lean muscles and broad shoulders, and Leo wants to suck him off again. He’s a work of art. “My eyes are up here, baby.” Leo loves it when his mate looks at him like that; a mix of a little bit sarcastic and a whole lot of love.
Just then there’s a knock, and it’s almost comedic how they look at each other. Finn hurries and flips the fan on, which they should probably have done twenty minutes ago. It’s then that Leo notices the white towels folded on the shelf beside the shower. The door handle twists just as Finn covers his cock, and if Leo’s sad about it, no one will know but him.
Finn pulls open the door a crack to see Gideon on the other side, holding a bag of clothes and toiletries. He reaches in and flips the switch beside the fan and the light. The sound dampening starts up, and with a smirk, he thrusts the bag into Finn’s arms, pulling the door closed.
Finn and he take one look at each other, eyes wide, and crack up. Oh well, it’s not anything the others haven’t witnessed firsthand before.
They shower and change into the loungewear in the bag, there’s a notable lack of underwear because Gideon is a horny bastard. When they come back into the room, Luca jumps up, arms crossed, mid-tantrum if Leo had to guess. Rowan has his arm around a sick-looking Grayson on the couch.
“You okay there, Gray?” Leo asks.
“Mmm-hmm.”
“His hormones leveled out enough that they let him out of alpha-hormone jail,” Rowan says, and grunts as Gray elbows him in the solar plexus. He still looks green and is clutching a bottle of ginger ale like a lifeline.
Finn falls onto the couch beside them, pulling Leo down on his lap. Bringing a water bottle up to his lips, he commands, “Drink.” Leo can’t be blamed if he wiggles a bit.
“No fair. Leo got to—” Luca starts up what must be a continuation of his argument, stomping his foot.
Gideon sighs. He throws a pillow on the floor near his spot on the couch and points without raising his head from the book he’s reading. “Luca. Down. You’re going to wake up Jay.” Luca goes to his knees; quiet, but he’s not happy about it.
“Luc’s mad because Gideon wouldn’t let him break down the door when we got here. Got mouthy.” Rowan runs his fingers through Gray’s long hair and smirks at Luca when he gets a glare for his words. “He’s got a point though. What happened to keeping it SFW, Finn?”
It’s Finn’s turn to glare, and he hides his forehead between Leo’s shoulder blades. He’s the only one who can hear it when the alpha whispers, “So worth it.”
Leo can only grin. His whole family is together and when he checks, he can see Jay is still lying beside Nix, his slow, even breathing a sure sign he’s asleep.