“Ready for bed?” Alve asked.
I covered another yawn. “Yep. I’m going to sleep in the nest. Anyone brave enough to join me is welcome for cuddles.”
Alve took care of the cats’ dinner, while the others set about a system of closing duties they had apparently decided on among themselves. Dishes were tidied, throw blankets folded, and the litter box cleaned before they dispersed to wash up for the night. They left nothing for me to do. I would let it slide tonight, but at some point, they would have to let me contribute.
Once I was snuggled in to sleep, Poppy and Pepper perched at the top of the nest, the pack filtered in one at a time. Part of me had expected Leo and Alve to be too nervous, but I was relieved and delighted when all four of them tucked around me wearing their matching pajamas.
I woke from a dreamless sleep, rested and relaxed. Alve and the cats were already gone, but the rest of the pack remained. I wiggled my way free to brush my teeth and go pee, then dipped out to the living room where Poppy and Pepper were swirling around Alve’s ankles, meowing for breakfast.
I watched for a few seconds, touched at how thorough he was being with them. Wet food was evenly divided into two clean bowls and topped with sprinkling of what looked like freeze-dried chicken and pumpkin. They meow-screamed as he lowered each bowl to the floor and started inhaling their food.
He caught my gaze, a blush turning his cheeks pink. “Is it too much?”
“I think it’s sweet,” I assured him. “You don’t have to do so much for them, though. Please don’t feel obligated.”
“I like doing it. I’ve never had cats before and didn’t realize how much life they add to a home.”
I crossed the distance between us, stood on my toes, and kissed his cheek. “Know that I appreciate it, and so do they.”
The others interrupted any further discussion, getting to work on breakfast after sending me off to get dressed. When I returned, it was to the scent of bacon and scrambled eggs.
Nathan nudged me toward the table with the first serving. “We can all go in one car. I’ll drop you at the hospital to see Charlotte and then I’ll inflict myself upon the rest of the pack for the day.”
Curious as I was about what they were going to get up to, I knew Nathan probably wouldn’t tell me. After breakfast, I gathered up a few girl’s day supplies—face masks, nail file and buffer, a brush and hair ties—we could make use of while Charlotte was on bedrest.
I kissed each of the pack goodbye at the hospital entrance and made my way up to the obstetrics wing.
Charlotte brightened immediately when I walked through the door. “Hi! How are you? I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”
“I have about a thousand updates, but let’s get settled first.” I refilled her water and fetched some for myself, laid out what I brought, and sat next to her so I could brush and braid her hair. It was obvious she or her alphas had made a go of it, but I could definitely do better.
“Tell me everything,” Charlotte lovingly demanded.
“Tyler and I broke up.”
I caught the look of glee on her face before she schooled her features. “I’m so sorry, I’m sure that’s upsetting for you.”
“Not as much as you would think.” While I brushed her hair, I told her about all the bullshit he had pulled leaving me on the roadside.
“Oh my god, Madison.” Charlotte grabbed my hand, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. “You should’ve told me.”
“You had baby stuff going on.”
“I still would’ve helped you.”
“Which isexactlywhy I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to add to your stress levels until I had some solutions in place.”
“So what are the solutions then?”
“A pack.” My cheeks burned when her eyes widened.
“Say that again?”
“Um, so I might have found a few scent matches.”
Charlotte’s mouth dropped open, her face absolutely flabbergasted. “Who? Leo?”
“Yes.” I sucked down some water, my throat suddenly dry as the Sahara. “And Ava’s brother, and Beau’s business partner.”
