He cocks his head. “Bathtub?”
I laugh. “Well, that might be worth trying sometime.” I sit down across the aisle, opposite Callisto, as the plane’s engines rev to life and the host closes and seals the door.
“You were awesome out there today,” I tell my best friend.
“So were you.” He slumps back in the seat, a small smile tugging on his lips. “But I have to admit to feeling drained. This has been a real whirlwind.”
I nod, knowing exactly what he means, and I only have one client on my hands. Callisto has dozens. “At least we get a few days off now. But do you know what Zack’s planning?”
His gaze flicks out the small port window. “Not a hundred percent.”
Which means he has a good idea but doesn’t want to talk about it. Guess we’ll know soon enough, so I help him out by changing the subject. “I called LexiMomtoday.” I won’t apologize to Callisto or ask for his permission. We’re way beyond that sort of thing. “Titles aside, it’s you guys who got me through.”
Callisto reaches across the table, silently asking for my hand. When I slip my palm into his, he closes his warm fingers around mine. “I realized something today. You say I helped you, but you’re the one who gave me the confidence to act like king of the playground. Sure, people lived in awe of the Wren name, but it was you . . .” His voice breaks. “It was you who gave me wings.”
I squeeze his hand, my heart too full for words.
Callisto clears his throat and grins. “You realize Mom will slide adoption papers your way by Christmas?”
I laugh and pull back to buckle my seatbelt. “That won’t be necessary,” I muse.
“Sure, but just so you know, she’s talked about it for years but was worried about offending you.”
I glance back at Calli, meeting his bottomless black eyes. Their only blood son isn’t jealous at all. “I had a family all along, didn’t I?”
He smiles, and it means everything.
The plane taxis out. Red switches to her and merrily feeds Zack snacks provided by the air hostess to keep his jaw moving for the pressure change. I ought to help, but my lids keep slidingclosed. If I’m honest with myself, I haven’t slept properly since Zack left, but now he’s here, his fresh-baked bread scent filling the cabin beside Red’s honeyed macadamia and Callisto’s fresh timber aromas, and I feel perfectly safe.
We level off, the heavy engine noises fading away, and someone tucks a blanket around me. I mumble a thanks, but the warmth smothers me into oblivion.
When I drift back into consciousness, the sounds have changed from a dull roar to a fainter whine, and the vehicle bumps me around. I flail, my sleepy brain deducing turbulence, but Zack shushes me as he traps my hands. A steady heartbeat pounds beside my ear, and I relax.
Opening my eyes, I discover I’m cradled on Zack’s lap in a car, and the window reveals tall aspen and spruce trees.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” Red says, reaching for my hand.
I blink at her, wondering what karma in my previous cycles brought this gorgeous woman into my life. It sure wasn’t anything good I did in this one.
“Damn, look at you.” My omega leans out of her seatbelt to nuzzle her head on our joined hands. “Like a sleepy kitten waking up. Calli says we’re almost at the cabin, FYI.”
I stroke my fingers idly across her face before glancing out at the winding mountain road. “I can’t believe I slept through the plane landing,” I murmur. To say nothing of being carried out.
Red chuckles, her voice vibrating pleasantly in my hands. “Well, you were snoring like a freight train.”
“Was not,” I shoot back. Glancing up, I catch Calli’s amused eyes in the rearview mirror.
“You kinda were,” he says. “We figured you were exhausted.”
My ears heat and I turn away.
Zack squeezes me before shifting one hand to stroke Red’s hair lovingly.
“Did you carry me, Zack?” I ask.
“Yes. Easy for I. Ri-ckon is mine.”
I chuckle and close my eyes again, concentrating on his powerful heartbeat. Judging by the flex of muscles wrapped around me, Callisto isn’t the only one who bulked up in the last month. I suppose his arm healing properly and the dangers in prison made Zack train himself. Even if it’s physically easy for him to carry me, I don’t think that’s what he meant. As members of his pack, nothing is too difficult for Zack to do for us.
