“So, what does that mean for Kaitlin and me? Do I need to find an apartment?”
Silence meets my question. For a second, I think Shepherd has already left, but when I turn, I find him watching me with down-turned lips. “Until the rest of your family is in custody, the DAU believes it is best for you to stay under protective custody.”
Oh, I suppose that makes sense. If we were on our own, I’d be too stressed out watching over our shoulders. “Another safe house?”
“You’re staying with us.” My lips part, a gasp slipping through as I imagine waking every day in their space. Shepherd closes the distance between us and takes my hands in his. They’re pressed to his chest where I can feel each beat of his heart as it thuds against his ribs. “Give us this chance to woo you. While you’re at our place, let go of your worries about Colin and immerse yourself in what our life together could be like. Let us love you the way you’ve always deserved. You and the kids.”
What he’s offering sounds like a fever dream. A future I’d long given up hope of ever having. To have it dangled before me, so close I can feel it, it’s impossible to resist. “Okay.”
The grin that spreads across his face pulls my lips up to match. I don’t fight his arms as they wrap around me, pulling me into a hug that reaches deep into my soul and soothes some ofthe loneliness harbored there. Things might not work the way we hope, but the risk is worth it.
Taking a chance on them—on us—is worth it, because I am worthy of the love they’re offering.
Having spent much of my life in a small town, driving through the city to the Wilson Pack’s apartment is anxiety-inducing. There are so many cars, so many people. Kaitlin stares out the window in wonder as we pass towering buildings and glittering storefronts. If her commentary weren’t so amusing, I’d be mid-panic attack by now. How will we ever know if someone is following us?
A security guard mans the parking garage Shepherd steers us into, giving me a small slice of peace. At least they seem to take the safety of their occupants seriously.
“Well, Princess, are you ready to see your new home?” Foster asks as he swings Kaitlin onto his hip. He grabs two of our bags with his other hand, leaving me with only a small backpack to take inside.
“It’s so tall! I can’t sees the top!” Kaitlin gasps, pointing at the sleek building across from us. Sunlight glints off the mirrored exterior, making it appear as if it’s made of gold. How expensive would it be to live somewhere like that?Shoot, are Foster and Shepherd rich?! They have to be to afford to live in this neighborhood.
Words dry in my mouth when we finally arrive at their apartment. I expect masculine minimalism, but what we step into is gilded warmth. A patterned cream rug complements thegolden oak floors and off-white walls. Two overstuffed chairs sit opposite a curved couch. Between them is a marble coffee table with golden trim. The living area screams wealth, but the fluffy pillows and throws littering the space give it warmth. As does the array of photos covering the back wall.
Foster has Kaitlin take her shoes off and shows her the small closet behind the door where we can store them. I lean one arm against the wall, ready to undo my sandals, but Foster turns and kneels to help me. He stands with a wink and offers me a hand. “Ready for the grand tour, Angel?”
Am I ready to invade their home? I should say no, but the truth is this feels like my home, too. I’m comfortable here, wrapped in the everyday remnants of their scents and surrounded by luxury. “That sound lovely.”
To our left is a door. He swings it open to reveal a dark, dreamy bedroom. Their bedroom, I quickly realize when Shepherd drops their bags on the tufted bench at the end of the massive four-poster bed. The black frame is inlaid with golden details that match the silk bedding. It’s sparse otherwise, with only a few pieces of art hung on the walls.
“My nest is through the door at the end,” Foster tells me. The casual way he directs me to the entrance to his space makes my pulse flutter. No one may enter an Omega’s nest uninvited, and a guest would never have the entrance pointed out. But I’m not a guest, am I? They don’t want me to be here temporarily; they’ve already admitted they want me here forever. Here in the apartment, and here in Foster’s nest.
“Down here is the bathroom.” He moves on quickly, likely trying not to overwhelm me with too many invitations in one day. “And here is our laundry nook. This will be your room.” ‘For now’goes unspoken, but I can see the words written in the pointed look he gives me as he opens the door.
“Woah! Do I really get to sleep on this big bed, Mommy?” Kaitlin turns to look at me from the bottom of the queen-sized mattress. She’s looking around the space with wide eyes. Her room in Whitlan was barely half the size of this one, and a bed like this never would have fit inside.
Running a hand along the soft, tan bedspread, I smile down at my daughter. “You sure do, Little Bug.”
Excited chatter fills the air as she climbs up and face-plants into the pillows. I meet Foster’s eye from across the room and offer him a watery smile. All the gratitude and longing held in my body are let loose for that one moment, just long enough for him to see. He nods, pressing a hand to his heart and pointing at Kaitlin and me. He doesn’t just see what I feel; he understands it.
“The kitchen is between this room and the living room. I’m going to check on our grocery situation and leave you two beauties to get settled.”
“Thank you, Foster!” Kait yells, springing upright with a toothy grin. “I loves it here!”
Grabbing my bags from Shepherd when he arrives with them, I take a moment for myself. To soak in my new reality. It’s been so long since I felt any hope for a happy future. I’d accepted the hand Fate had dealt me and settled for eventually escaping my father’s cult.
The possibility of a pack, a family who loves us…
If I’m dreaming, I pray Fate never wakes me. Let me exist in this paradise until the end of time.
Walking into Willow Gardens Women’s Clinic is…weird. There’s no ghastly green or smoky yellow paint on the walls. The staff have actual computers to track patient information, and the questionnaire they have me fill out is extensive. It’s like stepping into a different world when compared to the doctor’s office I went to in Whitlan.
Only Foster is with me today. Kaitlin wouldn’t have been allowed back with us, so Shepherd took her to a nearby shopping mall to grab some essentials. Given his past shopping trips, I have a feeling they’ll be visiting the closest toy store to spoil my girl.
I’m nervous as we’re called back, but having Foster here helps. He’s a nurse, and even if he doesn’t work in pediatrics or obstetrics, he knows enough to understand if anything seems amiss during the appointment. I trust him to look out for me, which feels weird to admit. Fate-matched mates work like that, though. You meet, feel the spark of that connection, and after that everything moves in fast forward.
The room we’re directed to is bright and welcoming. After taking my vitals, the nurse sends in an ultrasound tech. Lying on the bed is uncomfortable, but I distract myself by memorizing Foster’s reactions. He stands beside me, holding my hand and shifting every couple of seconds as he waits for the technician to turn her screen around. His impatience makes me laugh and fills me with wonder. I cannot tell which of us is more excited.
“Alright, Hannah, ready to hear your little one?”
