22. Havoc
Havoc
I don’t do birthday parties.
I definitely don’t do fucking themed birthday parties.
And yet somehow, by the time I pull into the clearing between our cabins, there are strings of little white lights hanging from the trees, music playing from somewhere, enough food to feed a small army, and a banner stretched across the front of Wreck’s cabin that says: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIA!
There are even fucking balloons.
I stare at them through the windshield.
“What the fuck?”
Beside me, Gabby laughs. The sound slides right through me.
“You’ve never seen balloons before, Rowan?”
Christ, I love it when she says my name.
Monster chuffs.
“I’ve seen balloons,” I balk.
“Then why do you look offended by them?”
“Because they’re in the forest.”
From the back seat, Matteo leans forward as far as his seatbelt allows.
“I like balloons.”
“Of course you do, Champ.”
“They have dinosaurs on them!”
I look again.
Son of a bitch.
They do. A fucking T-Rex wearing a birthday hat.
“Why does Gia have dinosaur balloons?”
Gabby shrugs. “Maybe she likes dinosaurs.”
“Everybody likes dinosaurs,” Matteo announces.
Apparently, that settles it. Gabby reaches for the door, but I catch her wrist.
“Honey Girl.”
She turns.
“What?”
I don’t even know.
Just needed another second.
The entire drive up here, I’ve been feeling something through the matebond.
Not fear anymore.
Thank fuck.
But something.
Nerves.
Worry.
Every once in a while, a little pulse of something warm that makes Monster practically roll onto his fucking back like a puppy wanting his belly scratched.
And underneath all of it?
Secrets.
She’s going to tell me.
I know that. She said we needed to talk, and every time the subject gets close, her scent changes.
I don’t like that she’s afraid to tell me. But I’m not pushing.
Not tonight.
Tonight, I want her to see this place.
My place.
This fucking weird little Clan. And yeah. I want to know what she looks like in the middle of it.
“Rowan? What is it?”
I realize I’m still holding her wrist. My thumb strokes over her pulse.
“Nothing.”
Her amber eyes narrow.
“You’re weird.”
“Been called worse.”
“By me.”
“Frequently.”
I can’t help myself, so I pull her closer to me for a moment.
She smells like blue skies and woodsmoke.
Delicious.
Her mouth curves.
Monster practically fucking purrs.
Mate happy.
Yeah.
I like her happy, too.
I don’t hesitate. I lean over the console and kiss her.
Not long.
Not nearly long enough.
Just a slow press of my mouth against hers that has her breath catching and mine doing the same fucking thing.
Her fingers slide into my hair.
Well.
Fuck.
Maybe a little longer.
“Havoc!”
I ignore it.
Gabby smiles against my mouth, which only makes me want to kiss her harder.
“HAVOC!”
I freeze.
Gabby snorts against my lips.
That sounds a lot like Wreck.
I reluctantly lift my head and find the Alpha Bear standing outside my truck, arms crossed over his massive chest and a shit-eating grin spread across his dumb face.
“What?” I snap.
Wreck jerks his chin toward the back seat.
“There are children present.”
“So?”
“So maybe stop trying to eat his mother’s face in front of him.”
I glance over my shoulder. Matteo is covering his eyes with both hands.
Except his fingers are spread wide enough that I can see his eyes perfectly.
Little shit.
I grin.
Hell, I think I might adore this kid.
“So there are.” I nod at him. “You good back there, Champ?”
“Yes, sir.”
Wreck snorts. “Kid’s watching you attack his mother.”
“I’m not attacking her.”
“Looked pretty fucking aggressive from out here.”
Gabby’s shoulders start shaking beside me. I glare at him.
“You been standing there watching us kiss, asshole?”
“I came over to welcome your guests. Hard to do that while your tongue’s down her throat.”
“Fuck off, Wreck.”
“Rowan!” Gabby scolds, even as a laugh slips through.
“Sorry.”
Wreck immediately points at me. “See? That's what I’m talking about. Terrible influence.”
“Coming from you?”
“I’m about to be a father. I’m responsible now.”
I stare at him. Gabby stares at him.
Even Matteo lowers his hands.
Then the kid asks, completely serious, “Were you not responsible before?”
Gabby loses it. A bark of laughter punches out of me before I can stop it. Wreck’s smug expression disappears.
“I like this kid less every fucking day.”
“Grayson!” Gia calls from somewhere behind him.
Now I’m fucking howling. Wreck twists around.
“How did you even hear that?”
“I’m pregnant, not deaf!”
Matteo giggles so hard his feet start kicking against the seat. Gabby smacks my chest while laughing.
“You swore in front of my son, too.”
“He’s heard worse.”
“From you!”
“Probably.”
“Rowan.”
“Working on it, Honey Girl.”
“You’re terrible at it.”
“I know.”
Wreck shakes his head. “She’s got your number already, Wolf.”
“Why are you still standing here?”
“Because watching you turn into a lovesick asshole is the best birthday present Gia could've asked for.”
I reach for the door handle. Wreck immediately backs away.
“Okay, okay. Violence in front of children is also frowned upon.”
“Then start running.”
He grins.
“Come on, Matteo. There’s barbecue.”
“AND DINOSAUR BALLOONS!” Gia shouts.
Matteo gasps.
“More Dinosaur balloons?”
He starts fumbling frantically with his seatbelt. Gabby is still laughing when she turns back to me, amber eyes shining.
And fuck.
That sound. That smile.
My Honey Girl happy in my truck with her son laughing behind us and my asshole Alpha outside giving me shit.
I don’t know when this became something I wanted.
But I do. I fucking want it.
All of it.
Gabby leans over and kisses my cheek. I turn my head toward her.
“Careful.”
“Why?”
I glance pointedly at her mouth.
“Kissing eyes.”
She laughs all over again. My chest goes tight.
Fuck.
This woman.
I love her.
The realization slams into me like a two ton weight.
“Rowan? You okay.”
I nod. I can’t talk.
Not yet.
This woman is gonna drive me crazy for the rest of my life. I just know it.
And I can’t fucking wait.
I inhale, trying to get myself under control.
We get out of the truck. And Matteo launches himself from the backseat like somebody fired him from a cannon.
“DINOSAURS!”
“Don’t run—”
Too late.
He’s gone.
“Let him go.”
My hand automatically finds Gabby’s lower back. She looks up at me. I nod toward the clearing.
“He’s got three Alphas watching him.”
Her eyebrows rise.
“That is not as reassuring as you think it is.”
Fair.
Especially since Justin is currently staring at the barbecue like it personally insulted his ancestors.
“It’s not hot enough.”
Wreck doesn’t even look up from the cooler he’s digging through.
“It’s fire.”
“It’s inadequate fire.”
“You’re grilling hamburgers, Spark. Not forging a fucking sword.”
Justin’s gold eyes narrow.
“Temperature matters.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“Move.”
Wreck straightens and grabs the spatula. He tries to check the burgers, but Justin doesn’t budge.
“What are you doing?”
Justin holds out one hand.
“Give me the spatula.”
“No.”
“You’re ruining the meat.”
“It’s raw.”
“Exactly.”
“You’ve been grilling for three minutes!”
“You lack patience.”
“You lack social skills.”
I snort. Gabby looks between them.
“Do they always do this?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Wreck and Justin answer simultaneously. Gabby laughs.
“Got it.”
Gia appears behind Wreck. And there goes the Grizzly. His entire fucking face changes.
It’s disgusting.
One second he’s arguing with Justin about meat temperatures.
The next Gia slides her arms around his waist from behind, and this giant hybrid Bear who once scared the shit out of half the Shifters in Montana practically melts.
Wreck immediately covers her hands with his. Then frowns.
“Why are you standing?”
Gia blinks.
“What?”
“You’ve been on your feet too long.”
“I walked twenty feet.”
“You’re carrying my cub.”
“I’m pregnant, Grayson. Not made of glass.”
“Same fucking difference.”
Gia rolls her eyes, but there’s so much affection in them it makes something tug inside my chest.
“Leave Justin alone and stop hovering.”
“He started it.”
Justin looks offended.
“I absolutely did not.”
“You insulted my grill.”
“You were abusing it.”
“See?”
Gia kisses Wreck’s shoulder. He immediately forgets Justin exists.
Yeah. I understand that now.
Monster gives a smug grunt.
Mate.
I glance down.
Gabby is already looking at me. Her cheeks turn pink.
Fuck me.
The matebond warms. And now I know she feels it too.
Something passes between us without a single word.
Memory.
Last night.
Her choosing me.
Me choosing her right back.
I reach for her automatically. My fingers settle around her hip. Her body shifts that tiny bit closer to mine.
Like she belongs there.
Because she fucking does.
Not because the Fates say so.
Because she chose it.
Because we did.
“Eww!”
We both look down. Matteo has returned, two balloons tied to his wrist.
Of course.
“What’s up, Champ?”
“You’re doing the kissing eyes again.”
Gabby chokes. I frown.
“The what?”
“The kissing eyes.”
“I don’t have kissing eyes.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No, I don’t,” I argue without heat.
He nods solemnly.
“Mommy has them, too.”
Gabriella covers her face.
“I’m moving to another state.”
“No.”
Her head snaps toward me. I grin.
“Can’t let you get that far away.”
Her lips twitch despite herself. Matteo looks between us.
“Can I have a hamburger?”
Saved by the pup.
“Yeah, Champ. Go tell Uncle Sparky you want one.”
Justin’s head whips around.
“Do not call me that.”
Matteo lights up.
“Uncle Sparky!”
Wreck fucking loses it.
I do too. Justin points the spatula at me.
“I hate you.”
“You love me, Uncle Sparky.”
“I genuinely do not.”
“UNCLE SPARKY!” Matteo races toward him.
Justin looks like he might walk directly into the forest and never return.
Instead, when Matteo reaches the grill, the big bastard immediately puts one hand out to stop him from getting too close to the heat.
“Stay there, little man.”
“Can I help?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re six.”
“I’m almost seven.”
“That changes nothing.”
“I help Mommy cook.”
Justin glances toward Gabby.
“Does he?”
“All the time.”
Traitor.
Justin looks back at Matteo.
“Fine. You can supervise.”
“What does supervise mean?”
“It means you help me with this, then we tell Wreck everything he’s doing wrong.”
Wreck stops laughing.
“Fuck you, Dragon.”
“Rowan!”
“Wasn’t me!”
Gabby points at Wreck.
“You owe me a dollar.”
“What?”
“Swear jar.”
Wreck looks horrified.
“You’re charging me?”
“If Matteo can hear it, you’re paying.”
I like this game.
“A dollar per swear?”
“Yes.”
I point at Wreck.
“You’re gonna be fucking broke.”
Gabby slowly turns toward me.
Shit.
Matteo bursts into laughter.
“That’s two!”
“You little narc.”
“Three!”
“Fuck.”
“FOUR!”
The whole clearing erupts.
Even Justin laughs.
I reach for my wallet.
“This is bullshit.”
“Five!”
“Goddammit.”
“Six!”
Gabby is laughing so hard she has tears in her eyes by the time I slap a hundred into Gia’s hand.
“There. Advance payment.”
Gabby looks down at the bill. Then up at me.
“You’re impossible.”
I hook an arm around Gabby’s waist.
“And yet.”
“And yet what?”
I pull her closer.
Her palms land against my chest. That heat moves through the matebond again.
“And yet you’re still here.”
Her smile softens.
The laughter in her eyes fades into something that makes my chest hurt.
“Yeah,” she whispers. “I am.”
Fuck.
The clearing disappears again.
All I see is her.
Just her.
My Honey Girl.
My Omega.
Her fingertips flex against my shirt.
I lower my head.
“Don’t kiss again!” Matteo shouts.
Gabby bursts out laughing.
I growl.
The pup is going to be the death of me.
Our pup.
Monster corrects me so firmly I stop.
I look over at Matteo. He’s standing beside Justin, holding grilling tongs while the Dragon watches him like a fucking hawk.
Our pup.
Yeah. The words don’t scare me.
Not even a little.
“Havoc! Be nice on my birthday!”
Gia turns toward us, smiling. Birthday girl looks happy.
Mostly.
There’s a tiny line between her brows that appears every time she glances toward her phone.
Wreck notices it too. He notices everything about his mate.
“You hear from Valerie yet?”
Gia shakes her head.
“Not since earlier.”
“She’s fine.”
“I know.”
But Gia glances at her phone again. Gabby immediately goes to her.
“Still nothing?”
“She said she was getting everything together.”
“She’s probably busy.”
“I know. I’m being ridiculous.”
“You’re allowed to worry about your sister.”
Wreck comes up behind Gia and settles both hands protectively over her belly.
“You want me to call her?”
“No.” Gia leans back against him. “She’ll call. I just wish she was here already.”
“She will be.”
The absolute certainty in Wreck’s voice makes Gia relax.
Just a little.
I watch them.
Then I look at Gabby. She’s watching them too.
And I know exactly what she sees.
Mate.
Family.
Someone to lean on.
Someone who stays.
Her eyes meet mine.
Shit.
That look hits me right in the fucking chest.
I open my arms to her. She comes without hesitation.
Right into my embrace.
I tighten my hold and kiss the top of her head.
No words.
Just here.
I’m fucking here.
And through the matebond, I feel her soften.
Dinner turns into complete chaos.
Matteo sits between me and Gabby at the picnic table because apparently the little cockblocker knows exactly what he’s doing.
Gia is at the head because birthday rules.
Wreck sits beside her with his hand permanently attached to some part of his pregnant mate.
Justin takes the end.
And the chaos is just beginning.
I look down at my Honey Girl. She’s smiling up at me.
Happy.
Here.
With me.
Monster settles deep inside my chest.
Mate.
Pup.
Clan.
Yeah.
I wrap my arm tighter around Gabriella.
What the fuck is my life right now? And I really mean whatever it is?
I think I fucking love it.