30. Cherry
Cherry
“Ican’t believe you guys did this in a day,” I tell them as I stare at my new closet. They’ve taken space from Bain’s room, which was beside mine, to give me a new closet, because my old walk-in one has been transformed into a panic room.
Gage showed me the panic button to hit when I’m inside that will shut the door and lock me in.
The only way to open it is by me, inside it, or from the secure app on their phones.
It’s also outfitted with camera feeds to the pre-existing ones around the house, as well as two new ones installed in my bedroom, allowing me to see who’s outside the locked door.
I can’t imagine actually needing to use it, especially when they’re all here with me, but as plans of them going to Brookfield are starting to take form, I find myself grateful for the extra protection.
I really don’t want them to go, but I understand why they need to.
It’s been decided that the twins would stay back with me, and I’m secretly hoping that it gives some alone time to bond, even though they said we need to wait a few more days to make sure I don’t get overwhelmed with so many new bonds at once.
But I think they are worrying for nothing. I’ve already bonded with Gage, Bain, and Maddox, and even now, I can feel their connection within me, but I don’t feel overwhelmed or uneasy. If anything, the bonds help me feel more grounded and relaxed. Their energy doesn’t feel foreign to me.
It feels like home.
“I still think we should teach her wolf to fight,” Chase says as he crosses his arms and leans on the doorframe.
Gage shakes his head as he steps out of the panic room. “I don’t think it’s worth it.”
“Hey!” I say, narrowing my eyes at him.
Gage pulls me in for a hug as he explains, “You’re an omega, Cherry. From everything I’ve read, they are literally made weaker. If we trained you every day for a year, any alpha shifter would still outmatch you.”
It might be true, but it doesn’t mean I like hearing it. Nobody wants to be called weak.
“Come here, sweetheart,” Maddox says, pulling me from Gage’s grasp as he sits on the bed and lifts me into his lap. “I want you to listen to me very carefully.”
I stare up into his mesmerizing green eyes and nod.
“You are not weak.” He sends a small glare over my head at Gage before he focuses back on me. “You are the strongest person I know. Do you think any one of us would have lasted ten years at that facility?” He shakes his head before continuing.
“We couldn’t have done it. And you managed to escape on your own.
A weak person couldn’t have done that. And you ran, for weeks, while at death's door. And then after everything that’d been done to you, you found it in your heart to trust us, and let us help you.
That takes a different kind of strength, one you can’t learn from working out or training. ”
He rubs his thumb over his mate bite on my neck, sending a small pulse of desire through me. “Every time I think about what you’ve been through, I think about how remarkable and strong you are to have gone through that and come out on the other side so sweet and unjaded.”
My heart swells in my chest. I had no idea he thought about my past like that. I don’t. Every time I remember being locked up, it makes me feel small and weak.
“Who cares if your wolf doesn’t know how to fight, or if you can’t open a bottle of water. That’s why you have us. We love protecting you and taking care of you. We don’t want you to fight.”
I glance at Chase, as he’s the one who brought it up. He presses his lips together, looking rather chastised before he apologizes. “I’m sorry, pretty girl. Mad is right. I don’t want you to fight. I just worry about you.”
It’s probably a little harder for him since he can’t sense my emotions yet. So I stand from Maddox’s lap and step over to him. As soon as I’m within range, he pulls me to him and hugs me. My head barely comes up to his chest, making me feel small and protected in his arms.
“Don’t worry. While they’re gone, I know you and Hunter will protect me.”
“Damn right we will,” Hunter says from our side. When I glance at him, he gives me a wink, making me smile.
“Chase, I think the groceries you ordered are here,” Gage suddenly says, making me pull back from my hug as Chase pulls out his phone.
“Not yet, they’re close though, just turning onto our street now,” Chase says before frowning at Gage.
“Weird, I swear I heard their tires,” Gage says, tilting his head.
“I can hear them too,” Maddox confirms as Hunter steps across the hall to look out the window.
“I still don’t see it.”
“I hear it,” Bain says, making Chase frown at him.
“All three of you hear it?” They nod as he calls to Hunter. “Do you hear it, Hunt?”
“No, but I see it, oh, now I hear it.”
“Me too,” Chase says quietly as he stares at his phone. “That was weird.” He shakes his head, his normal smile returning as he turns and heads down the hall to collect the groceries from the delivery driver.
“I’ll help him,” Hunter calls from the hall as I look around my new room.
In the past few days, things have quickly started appearing.
It started with the clothes and shoes, then I noticed an array of fancy bathroom supplies like vanilla scented shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, then came the jewelry.
Luckily, they seemed to know my taste, nothing too big or shiny.
Really, my ring on the chain around my neck was the only thing I chose to wear every day, and I think they figured that out when I didn’t wear any of the new stuff.
Now a laptop sits at my desk along with a tablet and a variety of notebooks and pens.
The small bookcase on the back wall was empty when we moved in, and now there are over a dozen books on it.
I would have pegged that one as Gage’s doing, but some of the titles make me wonder if it’s actually the twins. Or both.
I’ve told them several times they don’t have to buy me things, but they said it makes them feel good. So they stopped presenting me with gifts, because they know I’d try to refuse, and instead, the gifts just appear.
I glance at Bain, who’s sitting on my bed, leaning against my headboard, hugging a pillow in his lap that reads ‘Baby Girl’. I narrow my eyes at it. When did that get here?
He tosses the pillow aside and reaches his arms out toward me. “Come here.” I climb up on the end of the bed and crawl up to sit beside him. Maddox takes a seat at my other side, and Gage lies on his stomach, holding my bare feet as they all stare at me.
“What?” I ask, glancing between them nervously.
“Well,” Maddox says as my head spins to look at him. Why does he look nervous? “We’re going tomorrow. To Brookfield.”
I inhale sharply, not ready to hear that. I knew they were going to want to go soon, but… “Tomorrow?” I ask with wide eyes as I try to stop my lower lip from jutting out in a pout.
“We’ll be back by midnight,” Gage says, his hands moving up to my calves to give them a squeeze.
“We don’t want to leave you, but we think this is the safest plan,” Maddox explains. “The twins will be with you all day, you have your new panic room, and the three of us will be able to feel you through the bond. If we sense any unease, we’ll turn around right away and come back to you.”
“Once this is done, I’m never leaving your side,” Bain says as he pulls me in for a side hug.
“I love you,” I whisper. Then glancing at the other two, I add, “All of you.”
“We love you, too, sweetheart,” Maddox says as he leans down and gives me a quick kiss. “You’re sleeping between the three of us tonight,” he adds and I nod, liking that idea. I’ll have the whole day to spend with the twins tomorrow.
Sitting on the bench seat along the large front window, I watch as the SUV disappears down the road, taking part of my heart with it.
“Don’t worry, pretty girl,” Chase says as he stands behind where I’m seated, rubbing my back. “They’ll be back before you know it.”
“Come over here,” Hunter calls, and I turn to see him take a seat on the couch, patting the spot beside him. “Let’s play a board game.”
“A board game?” I ask, as I untuck my feet from under me and stand. Chase immediately takes my hand and leads me over to Hunter, as if he’s afraid I won’t make it on my own. Truth be told, I am likely to stumble at least once, but I’m much more stable than I was when I first shifted.
“Yeah, our stuff still hasn’t arrived from Nebraska yet, so I picked something up for us yesterday. There wasn't much choice, but I figured Monopoly is a classic.”
“Have you played it before?” Chase asks as we take a seat with me squished between them, despite the large couch.
“I think so, when I was a kid.”
“Oh! We should play strip Monopoly!” Chase says excitedly.
“How would that even work?” Hunter asks with a shake of his head as he starts setting up the board.
“You pay with clothing instead of money?”
“Let’s stick to the normal method of payment this time,” Hunter says as I stare at the board and try to pay attention.
After several grueling hours of Monopoly, a few episodes of True Blood, and another round of Monopoly, I feel ready to puke from anxiety.
I tried my hardest all day to be present with Hunter and Chase. Yesterday, I had been thinking how today would have been a great chance to seal our bond, but instead, I’ve been filled with a deep sense of worry. One I can feel reflected back threefold from my three missing mates.
I push through the pain and try to smile and engage with the twins, taking comfort in them.
Monopoly is much longer and more boring than I remember it being, despite the twins keeping up constant banter and trying to engage me.
But as day turns to night and the hours tick by, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to smile without it being fake.
I can tell the twins are trying extra hard to distract me too. They keep feeding me my favorite snacks and meals. And the two of them haven’t stopped their playful banter all day.