“That’s right, Ms. Lighthouse Keeper Librarian. Do you know anything about boats?” Ezra asked.
“Grew up lobstering and I’m trained in open water rescue. Those three guys also happen to be mine, so let’s step on it.”
“Oh shit,” Leo said, wiping water out of his face. “This just got interesting. I love me some drama.”
“I would like our rescue to be drama-free, thank you,” Ezra said dryly. “Any chance I can convince you to wait for us here?”
I shook my head.
He sighed deeply. “I figured.” Then he mumbled something about alphas and omegas under his breath before continuing. “I’m the captain. You will listen to me and not get in our way.”
He gestured for me to take a seat under the hardtop as the three of them worked to get us out on the choppy waves. I held on tight as we were jostled side to side. For all my time on boats growing up, it had been rare for us to get caught in bad weather. At least I didn’t get seasick.
I unzipped the top part of my jacket. My skin felt like it was on fire, but I ignored what that meant because my alphas were out here in this, crashed against the rocks. Now that I was forced to stop and think, panic overwhelmed me as I was brought back to that horrible day when I lost my parents. My mom hadn’t been feeling well. Dad had tried to convince her to stay home, but she’d insisted she was fine. We were out on the boat when her symptoms worsened. The race to get back to land had been the most agonizing minutes of my life.
By the time we docked and the medics got to her, she was unconscious. My dad and I rode in the ambulance to the hospital, but shewas already gone when we got there. They said she’d had a myocardial infarction… a widowmaker.
My dad kept repeating, “But I’m not a widow.”
They’d brought us to a small room where we waited for someone to tell us what our next steps were. My dad was having trouble breathing, and then he clutched his chest. I panicked and ran out into the hallway, screaming that my dad was having a heart attack.
I’d watched as a medical team burst into the room. I refused to leave my dad’s side as they got him on a gurney. But it turned out it wasn’t a heart attack. It was a thoracic aortic aneurysm.
Hours later, I was back in the same fucking room. Except this time, I was alone.
Salty spray from the sea hit my face. I struggled to breathe through the panic. I couldn’t lose anyone else. I refused. We would get to them in time.
Once we got out of the harbor, Leo sat down in the seat beside me and shook the water out of his hair. “How did your alphas get themselves into this pickle?”
That was the million-dollar question, but I had a pretty good guess. “I think they’re trying to make a grand romantic gesture. The boat they crashed belonged to my parents.”
“Weird way to make a gesture, but what do I know?” Leo shrugged. His eyes narrowed as he looked me over. “Are you okay? Because I don’t have the greatest sense of smell, but I would swear that the ocean has turned into a pumpkin spice latte.”
My cheeks burned even more. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Yes, absolutely nothing happening here is worrisome,” Michael said as he squeezed in beside us.
I clenched my hands. “Have you gotten any more updates? Any injuries reported?”
“No injuries reported,” he said, his voice raised in an almost-shout to be heard over the engine and the storm. “Seems they got too close to the coast and ran aground on some rocks. This storm wasn’t supposed to hit this hard so early in the day, so I’m sure it took them by surprise.”
It wasn’t long before Ezra let out a shout. My eyes followedwhere he was pointing, and there she was—My Sweet Olive. I was four years old when my dad brought me down to the marina to show me his new boat. I’d just learned to read my name and had jumped up and down when I recognized it written on the side. Seeing it now, battered against the coast, sent a pang through my heart, but it was nothing compared to how I felt seeing my alphas wave at us. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks, mixing with the rain.
Years ago, I’d been devastated to let this boat go. It felt like my parents were dying all over again. But as I’d waded through my grief, I’d come to understand that my parents were present for me in my memories.
The boat was just a boat, but the men on it? They were my home.
Ezra prepared the dinghy to go get them, staunchly refusing to let me join. So my fingers clenched the metal guard rail as I watched the small boat brave the waves until it got to the lobster boat. I clenched my teeth as my alphas piled in, their massive bodies looking way too big for the dinghy. But then they were on their way back. The tension in my chest eased, and so did the storm—the waves growing quiet as my guys crossed them until they were finally back safe with me.
Easton was the first one off the dinghy. He tripped and almost fell, but managed to right himself in time to crash into me. His arms pulled me into a tight hug, enveloping me in his chocolate hazelnut scent. I breathed him in as I clutched at his soaked clothes.
More arms surrounded me as Lars and Finn joined our group hug.
They’re here. They’re safe.
They’re here. They’re safe.
I grew dizzy with relief as I slumped against them.
