“And I'm just happy to be here,” Wilder said with a dopey smile.
As I watched the three of them staring intently at the board, I couldn’t hold back my giggle. They looked so…normal.
Talking to Walker really had changed everything. Suddenly, there was a level of friendship between Merrick and the other two that hadn't been there before.
Our suspicions toward them had eased, and now everyone was starting to genuinely get to know each other and grow as a pack.
In a way, I understood Nolan a lot better and could understand his actions leading up to this point. Sure, he’d been secretive and surly, but he’d been protecting his pack mate in the only way he knew how.
I could appreciate that.
“Do you want to join?” Merrick asked.
“I’m grabbing a snack, but then I’ll come watch. Keep kicking their asses.” I laughed.
“That’s easy.” Merrick chuckled as I padded into the kitchen.
I could hear the three of them bickering playfully as they played. At one point, Wilder suggested Scrabble while I was putting cream cheese on my freshly toasted bagel, and either Merrick or Nolan had slapped him on the back of the head for that suggestion.
It was all verydomestic.
Once I had my snack in hand, I made my way back to the living room, sinking onto the couch to watch them be utter goons.
They had all had a few drinks, so their hand-eye coordination was a little less than stellar. Still, they were all cackling as they tried to navigate the complex world of chutes that forced them back to the start and ladders that would gleefully take them higher.
Sitting behind Merrick, I ran my hands over his hair occasionally as I watched. “I’m jealous I can’t join you drinking.”
“We’ll take you to one of those fancy cocktail bars when you can drink again, those ones with all the fun drinks!” Wilder insisted.
“I’m going to hold you to that.” I giggled. “Oh, and sushi. I willneedsushi.”
“I’d like to hold you to me,” Wilder said with his own laugh.
“All in good time, cutie.”
They turned back to the game, taking turns and shouting at one another, no matter if the outcome was good or bad. I loved it.
“Oh, also, what’s your favorite color?” Nolan asked after celebrating landing on a ladder by sticking his tongue out at the others.
“Pink,” I said, without even having to think about it.
Sure, I was a girl who liked all different colors, but the subtle pink and white theme to my nest was definitely my favorite.
He nodded, looking over at Merrick. “You called it. We’ll get her a pink car.”
I looked between the two drunk alphas in confusion. “Car? Why are we talking about cars?”
How had a question about my favorite color turned into a discussion on cars? Sometimes the way alpha brains worked truly baffled me.
“Because we’re buying a safer car for you and the baby,” Nolan said, as if it was totally obvious.
“I have a car…” I pointed out.
I loved my car. I'd had it since I graduated high school. Yes, it was kind of falling apart, but that was part of its charm.
Merrick shook his head. “Yours is old. You need a safer one.”
“And we’re going to get it in your favorite color. A pink SUV!” Nolan declared, so much louder and animated than he usually was.
