I take a deep breath and relax my muscles. Okay, this is all okay. I don’t have to worry about Ethan or Bram. I just need to worry about Max and how the hell I’m going to make this pack work because come hell or high water, I’m going to make these two like each other.
“How do you think my heat went?” I ask, my hands playing with his wet hair.
“That’s a loaded question. All I know is you need a better nest next heat. This is tight fucking quarters. We need more space and options.”
“A designated nest sounds nice,” I reply.
“My house has a basement. I want to give you your dream nest.”
I pull back and search his face. He means it, he’s truly all in, and it’s the greatest relief of my life. I kiss him gently, and his purr intensifies.
“I want to bond. As soon as we have a better grip on what’s happening with the four of us, I want to bond you.”
“Truly?” he asks.
“Truly. I also want a wedding someday, but we can talk about that later.”
I yawn and rest on his chest again.
“Should we get out and sleep?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“No, I’m quite happy right now in your arms.”
When I wake up, I’m snuggled in clean sheets and more revelations of doom because Max is nowhere to be found. In fact, neither is Bram.
My heart is racing, and it quickly goes away as Ethan hurries over to the bed with a chocolate croissant and a pumpkin spiced latte.
“Hey. It’s okay. They had to go to practice.”
“But they’re probably so tired.”
“Sweetheart, you’ve been asleep for nearly a whole day.”
My eyes widen. “A whole day?”
I grab the croissant and moan as the flakey pastry melts on my tongue.
“Your dad Henderson dropped off breakfast for us. He’s a whole lot less intimidating than Coach. But I think your mom Rosemary might take the cake for the scariest Applegate.”
I snort and grab the coffee.
Sweet caffeine.
“What did she say?”
“She didn’t say anything. That was the scary part. It’s like she could read my mind by just staring at me.”
“They’ve always been protective of me, only child syndrome and all of that.”
I take another sip of coffee before inhaling the rest of the pastry.
“How did they seem before they left?” I ask.
He moves up the bed, tossing his arm around my shoulder, and I lean against him with ease. I sigh with contentment. Things with Ethan have always been easy, and I’m so grateful for that.
“They didn’t talk to each other. Neither of them wanted to leave you, but they did miss six days already.”
I jolt up and blink at him. “Six days?”
