5. Bailey-Rose #3
“I have a genetic disorder and because of that, when I was born, I had a hole in my heart as well as a valve that doesn’t work properly.
When I was strong enough as a baby, they did repair the hole, but it took longer than they would have liked because I struggled with gaining weight so they could safely do the surgery.
This led to some complications that I still deal with to this day,” I explained.
Lifting my left arm, I showed them the heart rate monitor.
“One of the most important things is to keep my heart rate under a certain number so it won’t overwork my heart.
I take medication to help stabilize the rhythm, make my blood thinner so it’s easier to pump, and another to ensure I never go into heat. ”
The one Alpha I hadn’t gotten a good look at gingerly took my hand in his, twisting it this way and that to look at the monitor on my wrist. I couldn’t help but lean in to get more of his scent I could only describe as s’mores.
He wore round gold-rimmed glasses that slid down his nose, but he didn’t bother pushing them up, intent on examining the monitor.
His hair was a coppery strawberry blond that was mussed and haphazard as if he runs his hands through it a lot.
When he looked up from my wrist and met my gaze, I was greeted with the softest caramel-colored eyes I’d ever encountered.
They oozed warmth and some worry as he searched my face as if to ensure I was truly okay.
What I didn’t see was pity in them, and that’s what I’d been most worried about.
I had to smile at his mustache that slightly curled up at the ends, adding to his effervescent smile. It also looked like he was trying to grow the rest of his beard with the stubble coming in, but I think I actually liked it as just the mustache. It suited him in an eccentric kind of way.
“Tell me, herlig, do they force you to wear dis?” he asked in a rather serious tone that didn’t match the question.
“Ah… yes?” I answered as more of a question. “Well, I have to wear the monitor, but I’ve had different kinds over the years.”
“Why they make you wear something so ugly? No, no, I make you something better, more pretty, delicate, like you,” he decided with a nod.
“You’ll have to forgive Vili. His family has been in the fashion business for generations,” Alpha Hi explained. “Oh, I’m Warrick, by the way.”
Having them all there distracting me from the hysterics my body had just put me through had me much calmer.
So much so I started to sit up. All of them surged forward to help, crashing into each other which then caused them to swear under their breath as they glared at one another.
This made me giggle and caught all of their attention.
Hands slid under my shoulders and hooked around my armpits to hoist me into a sitting position.
I looked up to see Eli’s blue eyes and worried furrows on his brow.
My big overprotective brother, Eli, was the pinnacle representation of the Alpha designation—dutiful to a fault.
He’d always taken on the responsibility of keeping me safe from everything and everyone—even Crew.
We would play together all the time as kids while Eli would observe.
He’d make sure Crew didn’t take it too far or talk me into doing something stupid, which had happened a time or two when big bro wasn’t looking.
Eli was ten years older than me, and I suppose it was hard for him to feel like anything other than a fourth parent.
How else do you explain why he’s decided to still live at the house as a thirty-five-year-old man?
He had no pack, no love interest, and took over our father’s role in the company the moment he could, running the day-to-day operations.
He always told me he didn’t feel it was right to build a life for himself until he knew his baby sister was taken care of.
The man had the biggest big-brother complex I’d ever seen.
Even though we fought over stupid things on a daily basis, I loved him dearly.
Plus, he was the one to nurture my love of art.
The moment he figured out I had a knack for it, he put me in any art class he could find.
Without my art, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.
It allowed me to express myself in a way that had nothing to do with how physically fit I was.
The people I painted doing all the things I wanted to experience gave me the chance to live out those dreams in my imagination.
There could be no greater gift than Eli seeing my potential and showing me all it could provide.
“Hey, B,” he murmured. “You need anything?”
“Nah, I’m good,” I assured him. “I think today was just full of a lot of surprises.”
Eli nodded, his gaze flicking over to the men around me and then back to me. “I’ll be in my study just down the hall.”
“Roger that,” I answered, giving him a thumbs-up.
He dropped a kiss on my head before he left with Crew following. I was really proud of them for leaving me after an episode like that. Normally, I would have one of them glued to my side for another few hours just to be sure.
When I returned my gaze to the men who appeared to be my Alphas, I sheepishly smiled. “Welcome to life with Bailey-Rose.”