Josie snorted and threw her arms around him, forcing him into a hug. “You big softie. I’m so excited about our class expansion, especially since Charlie’s going to join us now,” she said, pulling away from Luc and waving at Charlie, who gave her a thumbs-up from across the room. “Soon, we’ll have to change the name of the gym toAlpha and Omega Gainzz. With two Zs.”
Luc groaned. “Fucking omegas,” he muttered before walking away.
Josie giggled, leaning into my side. I ran my hand down her back, hugging her closer to me.
“Today was perfect,” she sighed.
I leaned down and kissed her, her lips soft and sweet against mine. “Don’t know how I got so fucking lucky,” I murmured, caressing her through the bond.
ChapterSixty-Three
Josie
“You really think it went well?” I asked, not for the first time.
Cam gave me a sweet smile, pulling me close as we headed up the walkway. I glanced up, just as enchanted with our new home as I’d been when I first laid eyes on the brick cottage. We’d only been here for a month, but it was the most at-home I’d ever felt.
“It was perfect. You did a great job organizing everything, and you were the best fighter,” he said, unlocking the front door.
Happiness filled my chest, and I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. I was craving praise even more than usual—probably because my heat was starting soon—and my alphas were happy to oblige me, never making me feel like an inconvenience. Looking at Cam now—the way his forearms flexed with his sweatshirt sleeves rolled up, the messy strands of hair that had escaped his topknot, the way his ass…
Cam cleared his throat, and I realized I was standing unmoving in front of the open door.
“You need more time to eye fuck me, or should we go inside?” he asked, lips twitching.
I stuck my tongue out at him and walked through the door, squealing when he smacked my asshard.
“Ouch,” I said, shooting him the most unconvincing glare.
“Ouch, what?” Ben asked, walking into the foyer. He’d gone in through the back so he could unload the empty food trays in the kitchen.
“Cam smacked my ass,” I said, jutting my lip out in a pout.
Ben chuckled before quickly schooling his expression into something serious.
“I’m so sorry, precious. Can’t believe he would do that.”
Ben moved behind me, grabbed my ass cheeks with both hands and massaged them.
“Brat,” Cam said, gripping my chin. His gaze was heated and I squirmed, feeling warm all over. Ben’s cock brushed against my ass and I was about to suggest we take this to the bedroom when Theo walked in the door, a frown on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my chest clenching.
“You got a letter in the mail,” he said, looking down at the envelope in his hands as if it were something poisonous. I pushed at Cam’s chest, and he reluctantly released me.
I held my hand out for the letter, but Theo hesitated.
“It looks like it’s from your mom,” he said, finally meeting my gaze.
Ice ran through my body as I froze, my open hand dangling midair. Cam growled and wrapped me up in his arms. His body was warm and soothing against mine, and his protective touch helped force the air back into my lungs.
“You don’t have to read it,” Ben said fiercely, a growl ripping through his chest. I jumped, startled by his strong reaction.
“You okay?” I asked, reaching up to cup his face.
Ben often covered his deeper emotions with humor, but right now, there was deep hurt pulsing through the bond. He knew what it was like to have his parents fail him. After long talks with Lilah, he’d reached out to his mother to understand why she’d fallen in line with their community’s wishes and cut off communication all those years ago. They’d had a few stilted conversations, but it hadn’t brought him the closure he’d hoped for. Sometimes the pain ran too deep to repair.
“Don’t like how she treated you,” he muttered.
