“I’m surprised you can even walk today.”
“Oh, I feel it, but I kinda like the reminder. Every time I move, I think about the double cuties who fucked me into next week.” He grinned, cupping my ass with both hands. “I’m happy to be free labor if you want to boss me around.”
“Why do I feel like getting bossed around would be something you’d enjoy on a less-than-professional level?”
“Listen, if I revealed anything about myself last night, it’s that I get turned on by authority and a guiding hand.”
Alve’s gentle smile turned mischievous. “Yes, I did find that revelation rather fascinating.”
“You can fuck me too,” Nathan promised. “I’m not gatekeeping the booty.”
Alve’s cheeks were adorably flushed. “I’ll give you a few days to recover first.”
“Appreciated, but unnecessary. I’m a little rusty, but it won’t take me long to get back into the swing of it. Anyone want to come shower with me before brunch?”
Jude went with him. Leo had already fallen back asleep, and Alve lay quietly with me in his arms while he scrolled on his phone. Knowing I’d have socializing and work soon, I savored the silence. It didn’t last very long before Jude and Nathan returned, and we very slowly got dressed to head to Ava’s.
Lucy practically flung herself out of her mother’s arms to get to Nathan when we arrived, and he kissed her little cheeks whileshe shrieked with laughter. He hugged his sister with his free arm and she aimed for me next, squeezing me tightly around her very pregnant belly.
“I’m so glad you guys could come.” She greeted the rest of the pack with hugs, too. “Bryce and Jesse are finishing everything up. Micah and Luke are on a grocery run for berries because Lucy ate all of them yesterday.” Ava booped her daughter’s nose. “The berry phase is going to bankrupt us, but at least she’s cute.”
“Berry phase?” I asked as Ava ushered us farther inside and toward the open concept kitchen and dining space.
“You never know when it’s going to start, but suddenly, berries become the best food in the entire world to the toddler tongue, and they’ll demand everything you have and more. I might have to put in some berry bushes so by the time baby number two hits that phase, the bushes will be producing enough to keep up.”
“Note to self.” I turned to Alve. “We need a place with room to plant berry bushes.”
Ava stopped short, her eyes laser-focusing on me. “I’m gonna need you to elaborate on that.” Her gaze whipped to Nathan and back again. “Are you planting with a specific, conversationally relevant purpose and timeline in mind, or just because you like berries in general?”
“I mean, I do like berries, but in this case, it’s relevant.”
Nathan swung his arm over my shoulder. “It’s still early, but we’re rolling with fate and heat flares.”
“Oh my god!” Ava burst into tears, hugged me again, and stood on her toes to clutch Nathan’s cheeks. “You’re going to be a dad? I’m going to be an auntie!”
Her two alphas at home were by her side in an instant. I wasn’t sure which was which, but they sandwiched her between them while she got herself under control.
Before I could worry that she might be upset over the news, she turned to me, still sniffling away. “Can I plan a baby shower?”
“You’re more than welcome to, but maybe when I’m a bit further along.”
“Okay.” Ava swiped at her cheeks and counted out something on her fingers. “You’re like, what, max four or five weeks now? Mine is due in about six weeks, so maybe if we plan for when you’re around six months? That’ll give me lots of time to recover and plan.”
Tears burned behind my eyes, and Leo slipped his hand into mine, letting me hold on tight. In all my imaginings of a pack, I’d missed a key component of what that entailed.
Family.
Lots and lots of family. People who loved my pack and therefore loved me, embraced me, drew me into their worlds and treated me like their own.
I sucked in a shaky breath. Ava offered her acceptance so easily, and I hadn’t expected the way it would punch me in the chest. I’d felt the same with Jude’s sisters getting so excited about the pregnancy. How had I been so alone all of these years and not realized how lonely I was until that feeling vanished?
Ava noticed my sudden emotional shift and tugged me away. “I’ve got emergency chocolate in the fridge. I cry at the drop of a hat when I’m pregnant, and it helps.”
While I nibbled a square of milk chocolate, the packs mingled. Nathan obviously knew everyone, so he took charge of introductions.
“How’re you feeling?” Ava asked. “Did you have a full heat or a flare?”
“A flare, and I’m feeling pretty good so far. I’d never had a flare before meeting my pack.”
