When Walters rounds the front of his car, his face coming fully into view, Hannah exhales in relief and nods. “I recognize him.”
Grabbing the few things stuffed between my feet, I climb out of the car, rushing to open Hannah’s door and offer her my hand. She hesitates to accept it, but when I raise a brow and give her baby bump a look, she concedes and slips her palm into mine. My skin tingles where she touches me, a subtle vibration that grows in intensity the closer it gets to my soul.
The sharp intake of breath from my Beta tells me she feels it too.Good. I want her to feel it. To be as drawn to me as I am to her. If this connection can shake her foundation, it will be easier for me to slip in and help support her.
“Finally getting out of there, huh?” Walters asks, pulling Hannah against him for a one-armed hug. I bite back a laugh when Shepherd tenses, jealousy piercing sharply through our bond at the sight of another Alpha touching his mate.
When Walters and Shepherd start discussing our next steps, I leave them to it. The DAU takes safety seriously, so we willswitch cars and only learn of our next destination from the agent waiting for us there. Limiting the amount of information each agent can access prevents leaks and ensures Hannah and her daughter’s safety.
Opening the back door, I squat down and smile at the nervous, sleepy-eyed darling peering at me from her car seat. “Hello, Princess, do you remember meeting me this morning?” Her tiny head bobs up and down once, tiny hazel eyes flickering to her mother as she comes to stand behind me. “Do you like pancakes?”
She hesitates before answering, still uncertain about me. “With syrup.”
“Definitely with syrup! Can I unbuckle you and help you out of your seat? Then we can go inside that restaurant and get pancakes with lots of syrup.” I point to the building across the lot, offering her a big grin.
“Do we have time for that?” Hannah asks from behind me, still watching our surroundings nervously.
Glancing at her over my shoulder, I smile wider. “We’re far enough from New Hampshire that we can take the time to eat. We’ve been in the car for several hours, and I imagine this little princess needs a potty break.”
“She isn’t the only one,” Hannah mutters, shifting on her feet. Her attention turns to her daughter, a soft look crossing her face. “Come on, Kaitlin, let’s go use the bathroom and get something for you to eat.”
I unbuckle the car seat, helping the four-year-old down onto the pavement. Her little hand stays in mine as we walk across the parking lot. Protective urges stronger than I’ve ever felt surge in my mind, straightening my spine and heightening my awareness of our surroundings. No one will take them away from me. Not the Montgomery family, and not Hannah’s prick of a husband.
Shepherd catches up with us as both girls head into the bathroom. He ushers me into the men’s room, waiting outside until I return so Hannah and Kaitlin aren’t left outside on their own.
“What type of pancakes do you want?” I ask as we settle into our seats in the restaurant, our bladders empty and hands washed. The kids’ menu is double-sided, with one side for coloring and the other showing the options. Delight sparkles in Kaitlin’s eyes when she sees the picture of a stack of pink, sprinkle-covered princess pancakes. “Oh, those look yummy! And they’re perfect for our little princess!”
Shepherd knocks his foot into my shin, tilting his head toward Hannah, whose brows are furrowed. If my Alpha thinks I am going to act like these two traumatized beauties aren’t meant to be part of my pack, he is out of his damn mind. I will be patient and give them the time they need to accept it, but I will take every opportunity to reinforce how loved and wanted they are. How will they know if I don’t show them they are mine?
Rolling his eyes, he flips open his own menu and scans through the options. I don’t miss the way he glances at Hannah every few seconds. He may tell me to chill out, but he’s barely reining in his instinctive need to care for them. Sticking my tongue out, I grin at Kaitlin when she giggles quietly. Everything about her so far has been subdued, from her hushed voice to the careful way she moves. I can’t imagine how difficult their life has been if this sweet little girl wasn’t allowed to be loud or openly express herself.
That all changes now. She will enjoy the rest of her childhood, and the sibling in Hannah’s belly will never know the strictness Kaitlin has faced. We will spoil them with so much love they won’t know what to do with themselves. All three of them.
A server arrives to take our order, cutting through the anger swirling inside me. Shepherd orders for both of us, knowing what I want without asking. When it is Hannah’s turn, she asks for the princess pancakes for Kaitlin, but only orders a coffee for herself.
“You need to eat,” Shep grumbles, narrowing his eyes on our pregnant Beta.
Hannah’s lips purse, her head tilting up a little. “I’m not hungry.”
“We’ll take a side order of toast,” Shepherd tells our server, who quickly walks away with a mumbled promise to return soon with our drinks. “Whether it is morning sickness or anxiety, you need something in your stomach. You aren’t just taking care of yourself.”
“This isn’t my first pregnancy. I know how to handle my body’s needs.”
“Exactly, so you know you need to eat something to soak up the acid in your stomach before you make yourself sick.”
I have to bite my lip to hide a smile when Hannah stares at Shepherd, her pouty lips parted in shock and brows pinched in annoyance. Her mouth opens and closes twice before she crosses her arms over her chest and turns to stare out the window. “Fine, but don’t let my acceptance fool you into thinking I’m going to allow you to boss me around.”
Her confidence is way too attractive for a family setting, and I have to shift in my seat to adjust myself. The backbone she’s been hiding makes me wonder why she stayed in New Hampshire for as long as she has. Her younger sister is an Omega who presented five years ago. The DAU was called in to pull her out, meaning Hannah could have left, yet she stayed.
Why? Was it for her husband?
Does she… love him?
Shepherd’s lips stretch into a grin, showing off one of his dimples. I’m obsessed with his smile. The one he saves for the people closest to him. He’s too pretty for his own good.
“I wouldn’t dream of controlling you, Wildfire, but I won’t sit by when you aren’t taking care of yourself either.”
At lunchtime, we stopped for our second car swap and found a small park for Kaitlin to play in, letting her wear off some of the restless energy from being stuck on the road for so long. We didn’t stay long, only half an hour, but it seemed to help. I can’t wait until we reach the safe house and can settle in. We’re all exhausted and antsy as we head to our third and final swap of the day.
