“One more surprise, Princess! Well, technically two.” Foster grins, wiggling his brows as he walks us to the back door. A wooden deck runs the length of the living room and kitchen, complete with a large grill built in at the far end.
Kaitlin shrieks, nearly tossing herself out of Shepherd’s arms when she spies their surprise. He sets her onto her feet, laughing when she flies across the deck and out into the yard where they’ve built her a house-themed playground with swings and two different slides. What catches her attention most is the trampoline buried in the ground. Laughter floats through the air as she kicks her shoes off and starts jumping.
“You’ve made her whole year,” I tease, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head on his chest. “Thank you. For everything.”
His palm is warm as it runs up my back. “She’s a kid; she needs kid-friendly spaces. And memories to last a lifetime. You all do.”
Manny joins Kait, sending her bouncing extra high and making her giggle like crazy. Foster looks torn, obviously wanting to join them, so I slip away from Shepherd and help him out of the baby carrier. Our little man needs to eat, anyway. Taking a seat on the steps of the deck, I help Everett latch and watch as my mates entertain my little bug. Shep sits on the step above me, knees framing my back so I can lean against him.
Life might not be perfect, but I can’t imagine being anywhere else. These men are my home. Now that I’ve found them, I won’t let my family or my ex take us from them.
When Kaitlin gets worn out, the guys lead us down to the beach to show us the last surprise—a large fire pit and a small dock for fishing and swimming. Sunlight dances on the water, making the oranges and reds of the reflected leaves brighter.
This is paradise.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Yesterday,we moved into our new home. A dreamy space by the lake with a second-story nest. It was a blank space when we originally toured the house. All white walls and bare floors. The painters Shepherd hired had touched up the walls, changing them to black, but everything else is up to me.
I could take a trip to the state’s premier Omega store, Knotted & Nested. When I’d first met my Alpha, and we moved in together, he’d gone all out, following me around the store and buying anything I wanted. He would do the same with this nest if I asked him to, but a big shopping trip sounds overwhelming. So, I ordered a nesting kit instead. They’re packed and delivered scent-free, with everything an Omega needs to outfit their nest.
Scrolling through Knotted & Nested’s website, I found the perfect pre-made setup. Black and gold marble wallpaper, silky gold fabric to hang from the ceiling, and star-shaped string lights. Enough cushions to cover the entire floor and a recessed mattress, each wrapped in soft, easy-clean fabric. I can take all my nesting materials from the apartment and add them to the room without clashing.
My favorite part is the large skylight directly above the mattress. There is a shutter I can use to block out the lightduring my heats, but at night, I get a gorgeous view of the night sky, and this far from the city, we can actually see the stars!
There are still a few things I need to grab for the room, and we have to turn in our keys to finalize the end of our lease, so Shepherd and I are heading back to the apartment today. Hannah and the kids are staying at home with her sister, while Manny and Omen’s mates are at work preparing for the release of their new album.
“Ready?” Shep asks as he parks us in the lot near the community center. This is something else I needed to do today. With everything happening at home, I put off telling the kids we were moving. Being in Starburgh doesn’t mean I won’t be around; I won’t be able to stop by every other day the way I normally would. I’ll always be a phone call away if Ursa or the youth program kids need me.
We picked up a dozen pizzas for lunch after checking in with Ursa to make sure no one else had brought anything. Shepherd grunts, shaking his head when I offer to help, and hefts all of them into his arms. My beefy Alpha looks way too hot with his biceps bulging from the weight.
Shaking off my horny thoughts, I hurry ahead and open the doors for him, calling out to let all the kids know lunch is here. They come running, cheering, and thanking us for the food. Demolishing this much pizza will be easy for this lot, so Shepherd and I leave it for them. While they eat, I glance around, tracking the older kids.
Sable. Vale. Briar. I don’t see Chance anywhere, which is unusual. If the other three are here, he is too. Crossing to where they lean against the edge of a pool table, I ask them about it.
“He presented,” Sable admits. “Got shipped to the Alpha Academy.”
Shit,I missed it. I knew he was close, could sense it. Ursa and I had spoken about helping him get a scholarship to one of thenicer Alpha Academies instead of letting him go to the state-run one in New York City. That place is just as dangerous as living on the streets here.
A hand wraps around my waist, and I feel Shepherd’s presence at my back, steadying me. He must have sensed my distress through the bond. “Which one?”
“Albany,” Sable tells him with a nod, not quite meeting his eye. My relief is immediate. The scholarship must have gone through then.
“So, what’s going on?” Briar asks, scarfing down his fourth slice of pizza. “Not that I’m complaining about free food.”
Glancing around, I see most of the kids are now focused on us. Guess it’s time. “My pack moved to Starburgh over the weekend. We bought a house there, one big enough to fit our growing family.”
“Does that mean you won’t be here anymore?” One of the younger kids asks.
Whispers start to flow, so I rush to cut them off. “No. It means I won’t be here as often, but I’ll still be in at least once a week, excluding when I’m in heat. You guys aren’t getting rid of me that easily!”
Vale steps up beside me, standing tall and projecting the confidence of a future Alpha. His hand rests on my shoulder, the touch light and mindful of Shepherd, who still stands behind me. “Congratulations, Foster. We’re happy for you and your pack.” Everyone murmurs their agreement, falling in line behind him. “Just because he won’t be here every other day, that doesn’t mean things will change around here. Ursa will still be here, and we still have each other. This is our chance to show Foster how much we’ve learned from him over the past half a year.”
His speech bolsters their morale, bringing back laughter and familiarity. I want to clap him on the back, but hold myself back. He doesn’t like physical contact. Instead, I offer him my hand,giving him the choice to shake it or not. Wherever these four end up, it’s clear their pack is going places. Knowing I played a role in helping break them from the chains that their circumstances trapped them in warms my heart.
“Oh! Wait! We have a request!” Briar shouts when he sees Shepherd and me getting ready to leave. I raise a brow, watching him dig through his bag before he grabs a piece of paper and brings it to me. “A bunch of us got together and arranged a trick-or-treating event here next weekend. Could you bring the kids? We have a bunch of fun stuff planned…”
Grinning, I carefully fold the paper and put it in my pocket. “We’d love to come check it out! Let me know if you need anything, and I’ll bring it with us.”
