31. Lyra
Our pack slept well into the afternoon except for Eli, who had to run an errand but returned and passed out for another few hours. It wasn’t until my body demanded attention that I gave up on sleeping longer. The nest had an attached bathroom so I didn’t have to go far to deal with one issue. After washing up, I scrubbed my face with icy cold water to chase away the last bits of sleepiness. Accepting this was as awake as I was going to be without food or caffeine, I returned to the nest.
Fawn and Zachary were the only two still sleeping, so I ventured out to find the others. I chose not to take the elevator and wandered down the stairs, taking in the different levels of the house. No one had a room on the fourth floor, but Pascal’s room and magical pickle kitchen were on the third. Tanner and Zachary mentioned yesterday they had connecting rooms on the second floor since they wanted to be together, but it also offered privacy if they wanted it. They’d lived together before meeting the rest of their pack so it made sense they would want to be so close.
The stairs were carpeted, but from what I’d seen, most of the hallways were hardwood as was the main floor of the house. Thanks to the carpet, I was able to sneak up on Tanner in the kitchen dancing as he made pancakes. Then I realized he had earbuds in and wouldn’t have heard me anyway. Watching Tanner use the spatula as an impromptu microphone was priceless, and for a man who broke both his ankles, he could bust a move.
Distracted by featured entertainment, I didn’t notice anyone coming up behind me until strong arms wrapped around my waist, and I was pulled back against a firm chest. The scent of teakwood and bourbon washed over me, and I sank against Eli. I tipped my head back, requesting a kiss which Eli gladly obliged. My fingers slid into his short hair to keep him right where he was. Our tongues wrapped around each other, and I moaned when one of his hands curled around my throat as he started to purr.
“Good morning, my sweet petal,” Eli murmured without releasing his hold on me. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, I most certainly did,” I answered. Letting my hand drift from his hair to caress his cheek, I asked him the same question. “Did you?”
“Like a rock. I almost didn’t wake up to the alarm I set,” he shared, then kissed my forehead before letting me go. “If you’re hungry, there are pancakes ready. I think Tanner plans to feed a small army with how many he’s making.”
When I looked back at the kitchen, I found Tanner watching us as he leaned his elbows on the counter with his hands cupping his face. He had a sappy smile, which turned into a grin when he realized we’d caught him. “God, I love my life. You two are disgustingly cute together, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
A laugh burst out of me at his statement. I was happy to see Tanner acting more like the man I’d been getting to know. No one seemed to know what had gotten under Tanner’s skin last night, but he’d had a hard time shaking off whatever it was.
“Come sit. I will feed you both,” Tanner instructed, using his spatula to gesture. “We have regular, chocolate chip, or my personal favorite, peanut butter chip.”
“I’ve never had peanut butter chip pancakes before,” I shared, reaching for a stool.
Eli beat me to it, pulled out the stool, then grabbed my hips to place me on the seat. He left his hands where they were as he stood behind me, his chest pressed to my back.
Meanwhile, Tanner grabbed a plate, placed two pancakes on it, then snatched a glass bottle from a pot on the stove. The amber liquid was lighter than normal syrup, causing me to wonder what exactly he’d used. To finish off the meal’s presentation, Tanner shook the can of whipped cream while doing cheesy dance moves, making me laugh so hard my cheeks hurt. A perfect little mountain of whipped cream in the middle of the pancake wiggled as the plate was set in front of me.
“Oh, what’s that?” Tanner asked, squinting at my face.
I froze, trying to think what I could have possibly missed after looking in the mirror. “What?”
Moving as fast as lightning, Tanner swiped a finger through the cream and plopped it on my nose. “Are you telling me you can’t see that? It’s right there on your nose,” Tanner pointed out with mock seriousness, gesturing for me to lean forward. “Come here, starlight, let me clean that up.”
I gave into the game as warm feelings of nostalgia washed through me. As a child, I’d watched my fathers play this game with my mother, each glowing with love for one another. Tanner kissed my nose, then licked off the whipped cream, only to put more on my lips as an excuse. No tricks were needed. I would gladly kiss any of my Alphas, but this moment felt special. It was as if I were catching a glimpse into what life would be like living here with these men. Sure, not every morning would be pancakes and dance parties, but behind all that were genuine feelings of safety, acceptance, and love.
“There, all clean,” Tanner declared, grinning like a fool. “Now it’s time for you to dig in and sample my world-famous butterscotch and peanut butter chip pancakes. If you don’t like them, no worries. It just means there’s more for me to eat.”
My stomach grumbled, urging me to pick up the fork. I cut a small wedge and popped it into my mouth. It was an explosion of sweet, buttery pecan followed by the savory, creamy peanut butter to help balance out the butterscotch syrup. This was an indulgence, to be sure, but one I eagerly enjoyed.
“Looks like you found a convert,” Pascal said as he entered the kitchen wearing only black sweatpants and his gold-rimmed glasses.
The sound of my fork as it clattered to the plate after it slipped through my fingers echoed loudly, drawing everyone’s attention. Obviously, I’d seen Pascal naked and rather recently, but there was something panty-melting about this relaxed devil-may-care look. It was as if I were seeing the raw, uncut version of Pascal that could only be found in a place he felt totally comfortable, and it was fucking sexy.
Pascal’s cheeks reddened at my gawking. The embarrassment caused him to rub the back of his neck awkwardly as he looked anywhere but at me. “Ah, morning, guys.”
“Are you gonna join us for pancakes, or would you prefer eggs? I know you’re not much of a sweets guy,” Tanner asked.
“I’ll have a pancake, but if you don’t mind, can I make bacon for everyone?” Pascal questioned.
“Have at it, my man, no one is gonna turn down bacon,” Tanner said, pulling out a baking tray for Pascal to use.
Soon the kitchen was filled with the smell of bacon, which magically summoned the last two members of our pack. Zachary looked far more awake than Fawn, and my guess was because he’d showered, the wet hair giving him away.
Fawn looked like a sleepy kitten, hair all wild and yawning as he hugged Pascal. “Good morning, Passie.”
“Careful, little bro, I have to flip the bacon, and I won’t want it to splatter on you,” Pascal warned when the timer went off.
Fawn nodded and shuffled over to Tanner, who enveloped the Omega in a hug, kissing the top of his head. “You mean good afternoon, right?”
“Nope, if it’s when you first wake up, it’s morning,” Fawn argued, nuzzling against Tanner’s chest.
Tanner chuckled and released Fawn with a quick peck on the lips. Rounding the counter, Fawn made a beeline right for me. He swiveled the stool so he could stand between my legs, cup my face, and kiss the hell out of me. My hands fisted in his soft, oversized T-shirt as I melted at his touch. Our bond ignited, sizzling along my skin, and made the hair on the back of my neck tingle in delight.
“Oh, thank fuck.” Fawn sighed, resting his forehead against mine. “I was so worried it had all been a heat haze dream, and we weren’t really bonded.”
“It’s definitely not a dream,” I assured him, then pulled back to see his face. “Will all the bonds feel like this?”
“Yes and no,” Fawn offered as he yawned.
A mug filled with coffee was slid across the counter to Fawn, who blew a kiss of thanks to Zachary. Then I was given a gorgeous tea cup with a matching saucer filled with bright-smelling tea. The cup was white with a painted pink lily and ivy. Around the handle and the base of the cup was painted gold, while the inside was a soft, subtle pink.
“This is stunning,” I whispered in awe, gingerly picking it up.
I took a deep inhale of the tea, and the soft notes of mint greeted me. It wasn’t overwhelmingly minty since it was mixed with jasmine floral notes.
“How did I do?” Zachary asked.
“It’s wonderful and not something I would have picked which makes it even more fun,” I answered with a smile, my cheeks warming with a blush.
“I’m glad, but so you know, I went ahead and ordered an assortment of white teas just to be sure,” Zachary shared. “Oh, and that’s your teacup. No one else can use it, so you know it will always be waiting for you when you’d like some tea. Fawn got one as well when he moved in. Think of it as a housewarming gift.”
My gaze dropped to the cup cradled in my hands, looking at it in a whole new light. “Y-you got this just for me?” I returned my gaze to Zachary, completely blindsided by such a thoughtful gift. “Thank you. I’m going to treasure it forever.”
“You are most welcome, honey bear. Just don’t treasure it so much you won’t use it, okay?” Zachary warned, giving me a pointed look.
Everyone stayed gathered at the counter to eat even though there were only four stools. Eli stood at the end with Zachary on the other side across from Fawn and me. We ate in comfortable silence since it would be hard for any of the guys to talk the way they were stuffing their faces with food. At first, I agreed with Eli that Tanner was making too much food, but by the time everyone was finished, there were three pancakes left.
“Oh God, I think I’m going to burst.” Fawn groaned, leaning against me. “Why did I eat that much?”
I grinned and nuzzled my nose in his pink fairy-floss-colored hair, breathing in his fruity scent. “I warned you,” I teased.
Fawn just waved me off and swiveled his seat so he could lay in my lap rubbing his food baby. “There, that’s better.”
A phone vibrated on the counter, drawing everyone’s attention. Eli snatched it up and swiped his thumb across the screen to answer. “Jonathan, tell me you have good news.”
Why was Eli talking to Jonathan if he wasn’t supposed to be working?
“I see. Did you at least get your hands on the other photos to keep them from being leaked?” Eli asked, his brows pinched together. “While I’m glad they all printed a retraction correcting their mistakes, it doesn’t sound like they’re taking my threat seriously. No, that’s not respecting my request. That’s playing dumb and seeing if they can get away with it.” There was a long pause as Eli listened to whatever Jonathan had to say, but the expression on Eli’s face became darker and darker. “Find a way to end this peacefully, Jonathan, or no one will like what I do next.” With that veiled threat, Eli hung up and slammed the phone on the counter, making me cringe.
“What the hell is going on?” Zachary demanded.
Eli stepped away from the counter and turned his back as he ran his hands through his hair. He paced for a moment, then seemed to regain his composure and focus his gaze on us. “Reporters have taken it upon themselves to dig into our personal lives. Right now, they are focused on Fawn and Lyra, but I have no doubt once they’ve uncovered all there is on those two, we’re next.”
Fawn snapped upright, and I could feel his fear in the pit of my stomach. “W-what did they find on me?”
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t bury it like I hoped, but they found out about your time working at the strip club,” Eli answered. “Somehow, they dug up someone who had photographs but every article published the same one. My people found the person who sold them the image and removed the others from his possession. He’d planned to hold out until he could get the best deal.”
“Okay, not great, but not as bad as I thought it would be,” Fawn reasoned as he slumped onto the counter. “Was the picture bad?”
“Thankfully, it was the mildest one out of the bunch. Most of the pictures the man had couldn’t be published. Well, on a physical paper, at least. I was more concerned about the gossip blogs getting their filthy hands on them,” Eli explained, his hands clenched into fists as the mere idea of that happening enraged him.
Pascal rose from his seat, came to stand next to me, and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You mentioned Lyra as well. Are you assuming that’s going to happen or has it already?”
Eli’s gaze caught mine as he stepped closer, reaching for my hand. I gave it to him without question. “As of this morning, various reporters wrote about you being an orphan and how your previous pack kicked you out. It sounds to me like they went digging, found your ex-pack, and milked them for all the information they could. Thankfully, they didn’t give them all that much to work with, but I plan to slap them with an NDA and a gag order since I’m in the middle of a lawsuit.”
My vision swam a little as the food in my stomach turned into a rock. I wasn’t sure how to process what Eli had just said. Why? Why would they do this to me? They were the ones who broke up with me, then demanded I move out ASAP.
“Lyra, I need you to look at me,” Tanner urged, cupping my face. “Good girl, there you are. Now shake your head… yes or no. Do you need one of your emergency pills?”
Did I?Right now, I felt so disconnected from his question, my body, or the reality that people I’d trusted and loved betrayed me.
“Fuck it, she’s not responding, and her eyes have gone glassy. I doubt she’s hearing any of us right now,” Tanner determined. “Someone hand me something for her to drink so she can take this pill. I’d rather be wrong than have her spiral into a panic attack.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Eli growled.
“No, you did the right thing. Trust me when I tell you that if this had blindsided her, it would have been so much worse,” Tanner reassured Eli. “Come on, starlight, take your pill for me.”
I numbly performed the motions of taking the pill and drinking the rest of the water in the glass. Then someone picked me up and placed me somewhere soft and cozy. Warmth curled around me on both sides, and fingers combed through my hair. None of that mattered, though, because if it did, then I’d have to feel things, and right now, I didn’t want to feel anything. Soon, the whole world would know that I’d been abandoned by everyone I’d ever loved. What’s to stop this pack from leaving me too?
“Angel, please come back to me,” Fawn whispered, his head pressed against the side of mine as he flooded me with love and assurance. “I can feel how scared you are. That you’re hurt and betrayed, but that was your past. Right now, here in the present, you have a pack that loves you, Lyra. Nothing any reporter says will change that you and I are bonded, and our souls are connected for life. This time, you don’t have to face this alone.”
I blinked, then blinked again as I refocused on my surroundings. Pascal purred as he held me in his arms while Fawn kneeled next to us and clutched my hand. The second my eyes focused on Fawn, he darted forward, kissing me as if I were his air. “Don’t you fucking scare me like that. It felt like you fell into a deep, dark pit, and I couldn’t get to you.”
“I’m sorry I scared you,” I whispered, hugging him tightly with my free arm. “When things get too much for me, I either detach, trying to hide from a situation I don’t want to face, or spiral into a panic attack.”
Pascal kissed my forehead, drawing my attention. “We had you take one of your pills when you stopped responding to all of us. Is there anything else we need to do? Should we take you to the hospital or call your therapist?”
“Once the pill fully kicks in, all I’m going to do is sleep for a few hours. My head will be much clearer when I wake up, but for now, all I need is sleep,” I reassured Pascal.
“Do you want us to stick close while you rest, or is it better to give you space?” Tanner asked, peering over Pascal’s shoulder to look down at me.
“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to have you guys close by,” I requested. “You won’t have to worry about waking me. Those pills are pretty much a tranquilizer.”
Pascal settled me on the oversized chaise and tucked a blanket around me. Fawn curled up beside me, his head on my stomach and one leg tossed over mine. Zachary settled himself at the head of the chair so he could run his fingers through my hair while the guys turned on a sports channel. It wasn’t long before the medication kicked in, and I was dead to the world for roughly the next three hours.
When I woke up,I rubbed my sleep-crusted eyes and stretched, grimacing at the leaden way my body felt. The pills did wonders to stop my panic in its tracks, but the aftereffects never let me forget I’d been drugged. Yawning, I propped myself up on the pillows and found Eli was the only one with me in the living room. He’d been engrossed with something he’d been reading on his laptop but shut it when he realized I was awake.
Eli stood and joined me on the chaise, tracing my jaw with the softest touch. “I’m so sorry, Lyra. This is all my fault.”
Confused, I frowned. “How is this your fault?”
“None of this would be happening if I hadn’t done that press conference with Perry fucking Noble,” Eli said in a way that turned the name into sounding like a curse. “I exposed you and Fawn to those reporters when it’s my first priority to protect both of you over my own self-interests. I could have handled things differently in so many ways that wouldn’t have put a target on your back.”
The anguish on his face felt like a knife in my heart. Driven by the need to comfort my Alpha as well as myself, I straddled his legs before wrapping my arms around Eli’s neck. Our foreheads touched, and I could feel his breath on my skin, making me shiver.
“Eli, you’re forgetting I was standing right next to you through that entire interaction. I saw the masterful trap they set for you, backing us all into a corner. Either you talked to the press, or we ignored them, and Mr. Noble controlled the narrative,” I reminded him. “This isn’t your fault. All you ever wanted was to make sure a woman who hurt your family would be punished for the things she did. However, a powerful man twisted things, forcing you to cover his company’s ass.”
“If he’s not careful, he’ll soon force me to destroy his company,” Eli muttered. “I won’t stand idly by while people are spreading lies or sticking their noses into our private business, harming the two people I love with all my heart and soul.”
I pushed him back slightly so I could see his eyes. “Are you saying you love me?”
“My sweet, perfect petal, isn’t that obvious?” Eli asked, closing the gap to brush his lips against mine. “You’ve captivated me since the moment I found you sleeping on the office sofa. Every moment since then, I’ve only found more reasons to fall more in love with you, Lyra Clark.”
His words had my heart thudding against my ribs, making me wonder if it would burst out of my chest. A joy I’d never experienced flooded my brain as our lips slammed together. I clutched his face, grounding myself in the feel of his skin, desperate to believe this wasn’t a dream. I didn’t really know what it felt like to be in love, but I was going to take a wild guess and say this chaotic swirl of emotion I couldn’t put into words just might be love.
Eli’s hands pulled me closer, turning me on my side. I felt a hand slide under the waistband of my yoga pants and then yanked down to my knees. Agreeing with where this was going, I kicked them off the rest of the way and hitched a leg over Eli’s hip. There was no foreplay as Eli freed his cock and, the next second, sheathed it in my pussy. A moan tore out of me, but he swallowed it up as his lips found mine again. I clung to him with my leg, rocking in time with his thrust, forcing him deeper into me.
“Do you feel how perfect we fit together, my petal?” Eli asked as he trailed kisses down my neck and pushed me onto my back. “Your body was made to take my cock and find pleasure in my knot. I might not be able to fill you with a baby, but that won’t stop me from marking the deepest parts of you with my cum. You’ll be so full of my love you’ll never be able to get rid of it all.”
His hips snapped forward, thrusting in as deep as he possibly could then slowly pulled back out. I locked my ankles together so my body stayed pressed to Eli. Even if we were mostly dressed, I had to feel him. When he ran out of bare skin to kiss, he returned to my lips as I curled my arms around his neck.
“Tell me, petal, do you still wish we’d never met?” Eli asked, his forehead against mine with his cock on the verge of slipping out of me.
“No,” I croaked. “Things have been hard, and old wounds have been exposed, but I need to face them if I’m ever going to find happiness. I’ve been lying to myself for so long because I was scared, but I’m not alone anymore, and that’s all thanks to you, Eli. You found me when I needed you most, and then you stayed even after finding out how broken I am.”
A faint growl slipped out of Eli as he slammed into me. “You. Are. Not. Broken.” With each word he spoke, my Alpha hammered it home, and my body exploded with pleasure as I came.
Eli cradled me as he sat up, whispering in my ear as he fucked me through my climax. “Lyra, you are everything good, kind, and gentle. I love how strong you are and how you face each day, knowing the fears you have to overcome just to get out of bed. Everything you do, you give your all, and nothing is half-assed. You, my beautiful flower, have bloomed into an incredible woman, and I will never let you call yourself broken ever again.”
With another deep thrust, Eli came, his knot locking us together hit all the pleasure spots, triggering another orgasm that had my body trembling in his arms. Just as he promised, Eli filled me with every drop of love he could manage, purring the entire time with his face resting in the crook of my neck. I felt his teeth scrap over my skin, and in response, I exposed my neck to him, silently begging for him to mark me.
“Eli,” I whined.
His purring intensified as he nipped at my neck, making me cry out in pleasure.
“I will leave a mark on you, my petal,” Eli reassured, running a soothing hand up and down my back. “However, I don’t think it’s right for me to claim you right now. There isn’t anything I want more than to have that bond with you, Lyra, but I won’t risk doing it now when you might not be thinking clearly. Ask me again tomorrow, and there won’t be a second’s hesitation to make you mine forever.”
There was a moment of silence as my Omega instincts and rational thought battled over Eli’s decision. While I wanted to weep at his choice, I knew Eli wasn’t rejecting me—the reason he was doing this was to protect us both if I ended up having regrets.
“I understand,” I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder to hide the tears I was fighting back.
Eli must have heard something in my voice because he laid me down again and cupped my face, wiping away the tear that escaped. “Please don’t cry, my petal. It breaks my heart to see tears when there should only be light and laughter. I love you, Lyra Clark. Scent match or not, I would have found you one way or another because you were always meant to be mine. This feeling isn’t from biology, hormones, or magic. The woman who claimed a piece of my soul was the one who asked me never to leave her even in death so she never had to be alone again.”
His words crashed into me like waves on the shore before a storm. I struggled to keep my head above water and not to let it sweep me away and out to sea, but I was no match. There wasn’t anything left to do but surrender and allow the current to carry me where it will. The storm in my heart seemed to calm the moment I stopped fighting and acknowledged the truth.
“I love you, too, Eli,” I admitted, smiling as more tears slipped out. “And I wish I’d been brave enough to find you and the others sooner.”
“None of that matters… we found each other when it was the right time. I wouldn’t have been willing to worry about myself if I were still caring for my sister. Our pack needed time to become the people we are today before it would work, or that’s what I choose to believe,” Eli admitted, stroking my hair. “What we need to do now is focus on all the time we get to spend with each other because this is only the beginning.”
Eli pulled a blanket over us, and we snuggled together, soaking in the moment. As I lay there, I concluded it was time to face some things I’d been avoiding in therapy for years. When I was free to find my phone, I planned to reach out to Dr. Barnett and find out if she had any connections with a therapist in Windermere. Besides, I’d need a contact here to get my medication refilled. Well, maybe it could wait until tomorrow. I was far too comfortable in my Alpha’s arms to even think about moving.