I swallow, putting down my cup. Before I risk all of us by putting my face on the news.
Glancing at Leah, I see her chin wobble before she drops her head, hiding her face behind her red hair. Guilt twists in my gut. “Leah?”
She looks back up with a watery smile. “I’m fine, Ava. I’m just worried about all of you.”
The guilt gets worse. I’ve been so wrapped up with the pack and our plan that I haven’t even talked to her properly about it. And this affects Leah just as much as it does us.
Because if it goes wrong, Leah and Nash are going to run.
“Are you okay?” I ask her. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been around much.” Leah shakes her head. “You’ve had enough going on. I think… it’s just sinking in, y’know? Like, we have a real shot at doing this, Ava. At taking it all down. As much as I’m absolutely petrified, this is the first time I’ve felt any sort of hope that things might change.”
I stare at her, this beta who gave us everything for her family. Leah stays on the sidelines, not part of the pack, caring for Nash and the rest of us, helping Bastien to pick out lotions and not making a murmur about how she might be affected. Reaching out, I grab her hand. “Thank you. For everything you’ve done for me since I got here, Leah.”
Her cheeks flush. “Don’t make me cry,” she warns. “It’s not a pretty sight.”
Hesitating, I look into my cup. “What do you want, Leah?” I ask quietly. “If this insane plan actually works, and we can leave here. What would you want to do?”
Her brown eyes soften, and she looks toward the window. “I’d like to go back to teaching. I didn’t have chance to pass my final exams before… everything happened.”
I nod. “You’re a born teacher. You’re so patient with Nash.”
She grins. “I love that kid. He’s got Em’s sass and Nikolai’s heart. He’s gonna be a heartbreaker when he’s older.” She side-eyes me. “He loves you, you know.”
A lump appears in my throat. “I know. And having these two won’t change that, Leah. I’m doing this for them, but I’m doing it for Nash too. I want him to have a life free of all of this.”
She pats my hand. “You’re going to be a great mom, Ava.”
I can’t stop the sob. “Great. Now I’m crying!”
Both of us smile at each other with watery eyes, until a commotion outside makes our head swing around. Leah dashes to the door and sticks her head out, briefly murmuring something before coming back in and pushing the door shut. I raise my eyes as she leans against it, doing the worst impression of nonchalant I’ve ever seen.
“It’s fine,” she says breezily. “They just need us to stay out of the way.”
“Out of the way of what?”
“Er… they’re fixing some of the railings on the stairs. Some of them are a bit loose, and they’re worried about you falling.”
She shifts from foot to foot, avoiding my eyes, and I raise a brow at her but leave it be.
The odd thumping noise draws my attention, footsteps banging over our heads as Leah maintains a determined stream of chatter.
Finally, the door swings open, and four very pleased men pile through with swagger in their steps. Nikolai is first, his blue eyes lit up with anticipation as he pulls me out of my chair and sweeps me into a kiss that leaves me dizzy.
“What’s going on?” I ask with a breathless laugh. “I’ve heard all sorts of noises, and Leah wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Leah curtseys dramatically. “Just as we planned!”
Nik laughs, his normally serious face alight. “We have a surprise for you, little bird.”
My stomach twists as I look between them. “For me?”
Even Luc’s normal smirk is absent, a hint of boyish excitement in his green eyes that leaves me a little weak at the knees. He leans forward and bops me on the nose.
“We’re not going to tell you,” Max interjects with a grin. “You’ll have to come and see.”
Before I can move, darkness drops over my face. When I gasp, Bastien’s voice sounds in my ear. “Trust us, love. We don’t want to ruin the surprise.”
Rather than carry me as they like to do, they carefully guide me out of the door and over the wooden floor, my steps creaking as we reach the stairs and slowly climb up. I can’t stop smiling at the excitement radiating from them – whatever this is, it was worth it to see them like this. Carefree and happy.
