26. Meadow
Chapter 26
Meadow
August, Kansas City
I ’d thought following around a pack of rock stars would be exhausting, but as we moved from city to city, it was actually pretty nice and weirdly…easy? Watching the scenery stream by through the small windows in my nest was kind of like being on a tour, and I got to see parts of the country I’d never been to before.
Sure, the guys were busy with their shows and the prep for it, but they made time for me. We went to the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, dressed down and looking as little like rock stars as possible to indulge in the gorgeous flowers, and went on a river cruise in Cincinnati. I was pretty sure they liked having the excuse to get out and explore a bit more, even if we had to be careful about them getting spotted.
They weren’t all that enthusiastic about me touring alone, so they flew out Clover for a weekend to keep me company when we got to Kansas City, their final stop before a weeklong break we’d spend in LA.
“It feels like it’s been a million years since I saw you!” Clover dragged me into a hug before thrusting me to arm’s length. “Look at you! Glowing and growing! Your bump has finally started bumping.”
“We’ve been on video calls every day,” I reminded her.
“It’s not the same!”
They’d paid for a hotel for her as well, and it was weird to think about staying with her overnight, when I’d become so quickly accustomed to the alphas being there at all hours.
“What’s your face doing?” Clover asked.
“I dunno. What’s it doing? You’re the one looking at it.”
“What were you thinking about just now?”
“I think I’m going to miss them tonight. That’s all.”
Clover cupped my cheeks. “Meadow, you are so fucking cute! You have to tell me every single detail.”
“I can do that.”
We opted for the zoo and aquarium to fill our day, and as we wandered past the exhibits and adorable animals, I told her all about my new nest, getting extra close with Arlo and Hendrix, and how sweet they’d all generally been with me.
“I’m glad they don’t suck.” Clover took a loud swig of her slushie. “That would have been disappointing on multiple levels, and I’d have to commit a few homicides. They def earned some points springing for this mini vacay.”
“Right? I wasn’t expecting them to offer.”
“I appreciate any bribery attempts to make me like them.” Clover beamed. “So, if your nest is on the bus, how’s that going to work for LA? You’re flying back there, aren’t you?”
My stomach flipped. “Oh, I hadn’t thought about that.”
“Okay, well, no sweat. Pick your favorite things and make each of them transport a few pieces for you. It’s only a week, and you’ve been on vacation without your nest before.”
“ True , but I wasn’t pregnant then.”
“You also didn’t have four gorgeous alphas at your beck and call. I bet they’d make any place cozy, even if you’re down a few nesting supplies for a bit.”
I chewed my lip, considering. They’d been so good about everything so far, and I was pretty sure they wouldn’t suddenly become assholes about nesting after they’d taken me shopping to stock up.
“Are you excited to stay at their pack house?” Clover asked.
“More curious than excited. I’m still getting used to them, and at least right now, they’re pretty occupied with their shows. What am I supposed to do with myself when it’s just the five of us with no obligations?”
“Get laid multiple times a day?”
I choked on my water. “Clover!”
“What? That’s what I would do.”
“We are not the same person.”
“But you can’t deny the wisdom in my suggestion. Omegas thrive when they get railed regularly. You already look like a whole new person with that sweet, sweet alpha loving.”
My cheeks were so hot, I was surprised it didn’t immediately melt her slushie. “I’ve only slept with two of them.”
“Girl, I bet if you gave the other ones the go-ahead, they would be up in your bed before you could blink. I am pleasantly surprised that they haven’t pushed the issue, though. Ten points to respectful alphas. I was not expecting that from rock stars.”
I chewed my lip. I had been so distracted by Arlo and Hendrix that I probably hadn’t been giving Phin and Beckett the attention I should, both in person and in personal consideration. From the start, Hendrix had been the only one I was worried about, since he was the father of my child, but then Arlo had immediately hopped on board the Meadow train, so maybe Clover was right.
“I love your thinky face. Are you thinking about fucking Beckett and Phin?”
It shouldn’t have been physically possible for my cheeks to get any warmer, and yet somehow they managed.
“There is zero shame in thinking spicy thoughts about your alphas,” Clover insisted.
“I know that. It’s still weird, though. They’re basically strangers.”
“Scent-matched strangers.”
“I never told you they were scent matches.”
“Meadow Marie Reed, you didn’t have to. I have known you for long enough to know that very little, other than fate, would have gotten you to jump into bed with someone you just met. You did that twice, and you bonded someone the first time. Plus, you got knocked up outside of a heat, which is basically unheard of. You want to tell me there wasn’t some biological mystic fuckery going on with that?”
I couldn’t disagree with the statement. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“That’s why you have me.” Clover grinned and hauled me over to look at the tigers. “I’ve thought about little else since all of these shenanigans went down.”
“Why didn’t any of the doctors pick up on that?”
Clover shrugged. “Did you tell any of them you got pregnant outside of a heat?”
“I—no, I guess I didn’t.”
“There you go, then. It was probably just one of those things where they heard hoofbeats and they all thought horses, not zebras. Speaking of, let’s go look at those bitches. We can hang out with your kindred spirits for a while.”
“You’re such a dork.”
“I think you mean I’m a delight , though I do wear my dork crown proudly, so I’ll let it slide this time. On one condition, though.”
“What’s that?”
“I need you to confirm the rumors about those boys being pierced . Inquiring minds want to know.”
“Clover!”
“Okay, fine, you don’t have to tell me.”
“Arlo is,” I squeaked out. “I don’t know about Beckett and Phin.”
“ Yet ,” Clover amended. “You know, I’m not surprised at all that Arlo has a piercing in his special places. That boy is a freak on the stage.”
My cheeks burned again.
“I’m going to choose to believe that neon blush means he’s also a freak in the sheets, and that’s why you’ve been absolutely glowing today.”
“I feel like all the embarrassment is melting my brain cells. I need those for my degree.”
“I’ll try to restrain myself,” Clover promised. “How’s the baby growing going?”
I swept my hand over the delicate curve of my stomach. “So far, so good. I feel a million times better being around them, so it’s not really scary anymore.”
“Good.” Clover scooped my hand in hers, and we wandered over to the zebra enclosure. “You had me really freaked out for a while there. I think that’s another tick on the scent match list.”
“Yeah?”
“Did you need Hendrix to feel better, or did you start to feel better when you ran into Arlo?”
“Oh. I did feel way better with Arlo. Hendrix still has the maximum fixing magic, I think, but my body is happy being around all of them.”
“Sometimes fate is really fucking weird about these things, and biology even weirder, but it’s still pretty cool.”
After we finished with the zoo, we spent a few hours meandering through the aquarium until the guys messaged to let us know they were done with all of the prep work for tonight.
“The car will be here to pick us up in fifteen minutes,” I told Clover.
“Sweet. I’m starving. Are we grabbing food with the guys or separately?”
“They usually order food in and chill at the venue.”
“Cool beans.” Clover passed along her order, and we added our food to what the guys were getting for dinner. Half an hour later, we were being shuttled into the green room.
Hendrix scooped me right up and shoved his nose against my throat, inhaling deeply. “You were gone way too long.”
“I’m going to be gone all night,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, and I’m going to hate it.” Instead of putting me back on my feet, Hendrix hoisted me bridal style and sat down on one of the couches with me in his lap. “I have to restock.”
I laughed. “Restock on what?”
“You.”
It was ridiculous, but sweet too, and he obviously knew what both of us needed because the longer I spent in his arms, the better I felt, my fatigue and aches from the day disappearing.
Clover chattered away, surprisingly not asking too many invasive questions to their faces. I knew she was curious, along with millions of their fans, but I was really glad she could be chill with them in person, so they might want her around.
We had worked our way through a giant order of Thai food, and I curled up in as much of a ball as I could manage on Hendrix’s lap, falling into a cozy doze until Gary arrived to blitz all of the relaxation from the room.
“Showtime,” he announced.
Reluctantly, we all parted, the guys to backstage and Clover and me to the nearest seats we could get that still had chairs. Hendrix might have witchcraft stored in his scent, but my feet were pretty well done for the day, after marching through the entirety of the zoo and aquarium.
It was still weird watching them perform. They looked like they were having the time of their lives up on that stage, and the audience loved it. Clover sang along to every song, and while I still didn’t know all the lyrics, or even the names of most of their songs, I was pleased to note that I recognized a few more lines every show.
I got more than my fair share of hugs once the show ended, and I went back to Clover’s hotel with her to complete our girls’ weekend. My instincts were definitely wavering being separated from them, but I was so happy to spend time with Clover. We watched a movie, did face masks, painted each other’s toenails, and gossiped all night as she kept me apprised of the lives of her many acquaintances.
Sleep was blessedly not too difficult to attain with Clover attached to me like a barnacle, her purr rumbling through the night, but even so, morning came too early.
We were stuffing our faces at the hotel breakfast buffet when the guys messaged they were there to pick us up.
Clover stole a couple more slices of bacon for each of us, and we walked out to the glistening black SUV, still chewing. Beckett was up and out of the vehicle to open the door for us, and he loaded Clover’s suitcase into the already jam-packed cargo space.
“Did you two have fun?” Phin asked.
“Absolutely.” Clover grinned. “I’ve been missing my Meadow. You guys better be extra nice to her this week, or I’m going to steal her back.”
“She won’t even know what to do with how nice we’re going to be,” Arlo told her.
“I look forward to the updates.” Clover laughed and gave me a conspiratorial wink.
Hendrix made sure I was safely buckled, adjusting the seat belt carefully to nestle under the curve of my belly before catching me in a kiss that had my perfume filling the car. “God, you taste like my two favorite things in the world: bacon and bond mate.”
“My dude, I do not need a lungful of turned-on Meadow.” Clover cackled. “Keep that tongue in your mouth until you’re on your fancy-ass private jet.”
Hendrix grinned at her when he pulled away. “Yes, ma’am.”
We parted at the airport with multiple hugs and a few tears, Clover to her commercial flight, and the rest of us to the private jet the band had chartered.
“Do you like it?” Phin asked as we stepped on board.
“It looks just like the movies.” I ran my fingertips over the buttery leather and settled onto one of the couches, Hendrix and Arlo practically tripping over one another to claim the spots on either side of me.
“Well, if you like this, princess,” Arlo said, running his nose up my throat, “just wait until you see the pack house.”