“I wasn’t sure I’d be able to because my heat ended just a couple days ago and my alphas are always super protective post-heat.” She rolled her eyes, but her smile gave her away. My heart ached withlonging—to be cared for, even fussed over—and my gaze wandered to my guys.
No. Not my guys.
Theguys.
“But I finally convinced them I’m not a fragile little flower, so here I am and ready for gossip,” she continued.
“Hmm? What gossip?”
“What gossip, she asks.” Parisa pointed at Blossom and then gestured at Wilder, King, and Leo at their respective booths. I bit my lip.
“Well, this is Blossom. She’s an omega.”
Parisa gasped. “We come in bunny, too?” She reached out and stroked Blossom’s ears. “Oh my goodness, you are the sweetest little baby. I love you so much already, yes I do.”
Blossom yawned and flopped on her side, immediately falling asleep. Parisa laughed. “How do you get anything done? I would stare at her all day.”
I grinned. “That pretty much sums it up.”
A loud cheer across the field pulled my attention. I had to purse my lips to keep from laughing once I saw the source of the commotion. James had wandered over to King’s booth, and now they were both surrounded by a group of children chanting “Fish James! Fish King!”
Parisa snorted. “Okay, spill. What’s going on with you and them?”
I aggressively plucked blades of grass. “I don’t know. We’re not together, but they want to be. Except, they weren’t interested in me until I stopped being interested in them. It’s just about the chase. I’m sure they’ll lose interest soon.”
“You really believe that?”
I shrugged.
“Lucy.” Her tone was full of the familiar reproach I frequently heard from my friends when I said something they didn’t like. “That’s not true. Leo has had a crush on you from day one. Obviously I can’tspeak for the alphas, except that Bibi told me Leo brought an alpha home because they had a goat’s milk emergency. I thought she was having a stroke because what the hell does that mean?”
My lips twitched in a smile. Okay, that was pretty funny. “They were getting goat’s milk for Blossom. Thank Bibi for me.”
“I don’t think goat’s milk delivery is the behavior of people who are just in it for the chase.”
I hated how hopeful her words made me feel. I didn’t want to be hopeful—it just led to me being disappointed. “Maybe I’m just meant to be single forever.” Oh god, that sounded extra pathetic even to my ears. “Sorry, I’m just in a weird mood.”
She squeezed my hand. “Courting is hard. I’m here for you if you want to talk about it, and don’t feel like you have to hold back on complaints about Leo, either.”
I grinned because I had told Olive the same thing after she bonded with Lars. “I might take you up on that.” I glanced down to check on Blossom, and my heart stopped when I didn’t see her.
“Do you see her? Blossom?” I scanned the blanket and surrounding area. Panic drenched my voice. I was scared to move in case I crushed her.
“She was right here.” Parisa stood and carefully walked the perimeter of the blanket while I got on my hands and knees and ran my hands over the material. When we still didn’t find her, Parisa and I lifted the blanket to check underneath it.
Still nothing.
Nausea churned in my stomach and I felt dizzy with fear as I looked out into the crowded field. Her leg had only just gotten better. What if she got hurt again?
Parisa gripped my shoulder and squeezed. “We’ll find her.”
Just then Stanley walked by, megaphone in hand. Acting on pure instinct, I grabbed it from him. “Attention everyone!” My voice emerged from the speaker tinny and crackly but loud enough to grab everyone’s attention. “Blossom the bunny is missing. Look down when you walk so you don’t step on her.”
Everyone froze and looked at the ground except for Wilder, whose eyes went straight to me. Waves of his alpha protectiveness reached me from across the field, and seconds later, he abandoned his booth and carefully made his way over.
He pulled me into his arms without hesitation and I half collapsed into his chest, my fingers clutching his flannel shirt.
“We’ll find her, sweetheart.” He gently pried the megaphone from my hand. “Everyone gather round. We’ll section off the field in a grid pattern, and everyone will be responsible for one section.”
