Chapter 32 Mona
I wake with a yawn, and it only takes me a second to notice the bed is empty. One side is still warm. I press my palm into the indent and breathe it in. Orion.
The other side still smells like Grayson, and I'm not surprised or offended that it's cold. In fact, I can barely keep the smile off my face.
Memories from last night filter in. I feel giddy, almost. That was… unlike anything I've ever done before.
I guess that's how one handles two mates. Though it's more like they handled me, but I'm okay with that. My grin stretches so wide my cheeks actually hurt. With a laugh, I get up and get dressed, hurrying downstairs to find my mates.
Grayson isn't around, I can tell before I reach the landing. Orion is in the kitchen with Kellen. Rosemary lingers in the air, though Eli isn't here—he must have just left. Other scents mingle with theirs. Must have had a full house before I even woke.
Heat rises to my cheeks when I see Orion, memories of last night flashing through my mind.
Before I can even mutter a hello, he's crosses the kitchen in three long strides, pulling me against him with a possessive grip on my hips.
Our mouths find each other instantly, and I can't help the soft laugh that escapes me as we kiss.
"Omega," he whispers gruffly. "How did you sleep?"
He lets go, and behind him, Kellen waves, a stupid grin on his face, a cup of coffee in one hand. I clear my throat. "I slept good. Great, actually. Where's Grayson?"
"Meeting with the enforcers. He's thinking of pulling all the wolves off the mountain into the heart, to keep everyone close and safe until we're off red-level. But it's a task, collecting everyone…"
I pour a glass of juice and take a seat at the table. "He really thinks that's necessary?"
Orion and Kellen exchange glances. I narrow my eyes, but before I can demand answers, the front door swings open, and Orion rushes off, returning a minute later with his arms full of grocery bags.
"Well, I hear you had quite the adventure last night," Hilde announces with her characteristic bluntness.
I squeak, wondering how in the hell she knows what we got up to last night, before I realize she didn't mean our sexcapades.
She gives me a side hug, grip lingering on my forearm as she directs the guys on what to put where, as if this were her kitchen. I kind of love her.
With a gentle squeeze of my arm, she settles into the chair across from me, capturing my hand between her weathered palms.
"So. I hear we have a prophetic omega in our midst."
Orion groans from the refrigerator. "Leave her be, Hilde."
She lifts her shoulders in mock innocence. "The whole clan is buzzing, Orion." To me, she says, "I wanted to give you a heads up. Might want to keep a low profile for a bit. Between what happened with Vin and Craig, and now this prophecy business with Lily? You've certainly made an impression."
"I didn't—" The words catch in my throat.
I swallow hard. "I don't even know if it's real.
Or, at least, I didn't think… And anyway, with the fertility thing, I just..
." My eyes find Kellen across the room, his lips curled in amusement behind his mug.
"You saw what happened!" I accuse and point, hoping he'll help explain.
You're so awkward, Beep sighs.
Orion saves me. "Hilde, leave Mona alone. She's got enough on her plate."
"I'm just saying. If she needs anything, she can call me. She doesn't have to hide out here alone. Especially if the clan is going into lockdown after what happened last night."
Orion growls. He rubs the small space between his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "She's not alone. And Hilde..."
"Anyway, I should go." She slaps the table and comes to a stand. "Lunch won't cook itself. Breakfast is in one of the bags. Call me if anything's missing. But nothing is."
And with that, Hilde leans in, kisses my cheek, takes a deep inhale, then wanders back out of the house.
When the door shuts, I turn to Orion. "What happened last night?" He grimaces with guilt.
To me, Kellen says, "I'm just gonna go hang out in the living room. I'm with you today."
"What's going on, Orion?" I ask once he disappears.
"Nothing, firefly. Everything's fine."
"Wow. You almost sound as condescending as Grayson. That take practice?"
He winces, then takes the seat Hilde vacated. "Everything is fine. We're just being overly cautious. But last night—this morning, really—a witch broke into the main office. There's nothing there, just old paperwork. We don't know what they were after."
I remember the office from when I broke into it. I can confirm there's nothing of value there. But something about that pricks at me. I say slowly, thinking out loud, "So, they came onto the land while I was running through the woods. Then again, this time into the office where Andrea attacked me—"
Orion's jaw tightens. "Yes, traces of your blood were there. We thought we'd cleaned everything, but it's possible they could still trace it back to you. I don't know what they were looking for, but the chances of them targeting two locations connected to you…"
"So why bring all the wolves in if I'm the target?"
If I hadn't spent so much time with him, I might've missed the strain around his eyes.
The way his muscles tighten. "This is the third time in as many months the witches have infiltrated our land.
That's… unprecedented. And concerning. We don't know if you're the only target, but regardless, the witches have escalated things.
We're not in full-out war, but I fear we aren't far from it.
They can't just traipse around our lands. We have families, kids…"
"I get it."
He nods, then reaches out and swipes my empty glass. "More?"
I shake my head. But I get the feeling he needs to keep his hands busy. "Did you eat?" I ask.
He smirks. "Not yet." Rising from the chair, he reaches one hand out to me.
I take it, and together, we prepare food for us and Kellen.
We make extras since several enforcers will stop by the cabin throughout the day.
Protocol, he explains. Hilde must have anticipated this because there's extra of everything.
The day unfolds easily, and while Orion has to leave for work with the enforcers, I'm never with fewer than two guards.
Kellen stays longest, and I get to meet some of the female alpha enforcers, Amber and Cynthia.
I connect with them immediately—they've got the same commanding energy as their male counterparts, but without making me feel self-conscious.
They don't fawn over me as much as the betas in town do, either. I got perfunctory introductions—like the first time I met Eli—welcoming me to the clan, reiterating their honor-bound loyalty. That part's a little awkward, but once that's done, they treat me like an equal. It's nice.
Despite Grayson's strict rules about venturing into the woods, Amber and Cynthia coax me outside for some shifting practice.
They strip down without hesitation, and I try to do the same.
It helps that they know my limitations—not just about being an omega, but wolf culture as well—and don't judge me for it.
They talk me through my issues, both in shift timing and our strength.
They listen and offer helpful advice, while Beep and I try all of their suggestions.
Each shift is easier than the last, though I'm nowhere near as fast as the other women.
By sunset, I'm exhausted, but in the best way.
Grayson and Orion get home well after dark. I'm surprised at how much I missed them. I'm relieved when the enforcers file out, leaving the three of us alone.
I glance between the two of them as they pass dishes back and forth at the dinner table. These two men have become fixtures in my life. I was worried the other day about all the chaos—witches and enforcers, clan politics and shifting struggles—but that seems distant now.
I never imagined my life could feel this complete. Watching them across the kitchen table, something unfamiliar expands in my chest.
Grayson leans forward, nostrils flaring dramatically over the half-cooked meat. "High mountain grazing. This deer ate juniper berries and dandelions." He sniffs again. "And had a fondness for clover."
"Such bullshit," Orion mutters, rolling his eyes. He reaches across me for the salt, his arm brushing mine deliberately. "Fucking party tricks, don't let him fool you."
They bicker and perform for my benefit—these powerful alpha wolves, with so much responsibility—tease and argue like competitive brothers for my attention. By the end of dinner, I'm laughing so hard I nearly fall out of my chair.
My chest aches. The words are right there on the tip of my tongue.
These two fucking idiots. I love them.
I really love them.
And when Grayson's phone rings, breaking the easy laughter—his expression immediately transforming into Alpha-mode—I don't even mind the interruption, because I know we're going to have a lot more nights like this.