Page 17

We piled on my bed in a sated heap, my Alphas and Beta on the bottom, my Gamma and me sprawled on top of them. From the sounds drifting up, it seemed the rest of the pack rested as well. One of the new packmates brought up water and snacks before heading back down to lie with the others.

I rubbed my belly, wondering when I’d be able to tell if I caught. Morning sickness wasn’t something I looked forward to, but I suspected my pack would dote on me hand and foot. Getting me pregnant was the only mission I wanted them to partake in from here on out, but getting out of the military wouldn’t be easy. They’d balk at losing this many men—two elite teams—but they’d done it to themselves with the eight they’d sent. Not that I was complaining… I lifted Jonah’s hand and kissed his knuckles.

He chuckled wryly and mumbled agreement. “They screwed the pooch.”

Jason barked out a dry laugh. “That’s one way to put it.”

I heard the faint ding of the elevator doors sliding open and lifted my head. “Oh, shit.” I grabbed my phone and thumbed on the camera feed as Vance rolled off the bed, scooped up Auggie’s rifle, and aimed it at my front door.

Colonel Wallace stood just inside the doorway, hands on his hips as he stared around at the wet kitchen, the overturned furniture, and finally stopped upon seeing the pile of his soldiers resting on my living room furniture. “What the ever-loving fuck happened here?” he shouted.

That got the men up and standing in loose formation, most of them naked as the day they were born, but there’d already been a shift in them. They no longer recognized the military’s authority. Instead of looking straight ahead or at the colonel, they all looked up to where we were. Where their Alpha was.

Jason tugged on his pants and ran a hand over his hair as he jogged down the stairs. “Not really sure what you were thinking, Colonel,” he said coolly, nodding at the former soldiers who bared their throats as he passed by, acknowledging their obeisance. “A couple of you get dressed and head to the market. Our Omegas need food. Let’s get this place cleaned up as well.”

“Yes, Alpha,” they murmured, turning away to do his bidding.

Jonah and Vance—who’d given the rifle to Jules—joined Jason, flanking him, facing off with Colonel Wallace and the half-dozen humans he’d arrived with. Auggie and I reclined on the bed, watching the encounter via my camera feed. All of my Alphas were shirtless, their bare torsos works of art I could stare at all day, and I became annoyed at another disruption to our pack-bonding.

“Get rid of them,” I growled under my breath, and wasn’t surprised to see my Alphas’ heads all tilt as they heard me. The Colonel’s as well…

Jason stared at Wallace. “You did a stupid thing here, and now you’ve lost a lot of good soldiers. You don’t mess with a pack. Ever.” His eyes glowed gold for a moment, enough to startle the men Wallace had come with, many of whom took a large step back.

“Goddamnit,” Wallace cursed, and then he sagged, knowing he was defeated. “All of them?”

“All of them.”

Wallace looked at Jonah. “Even you?”

Jonah squared his shoulders. “Yes, Colonel. Even me. Sending wolves to bring down other wolves… I tried to warn Major Molerato.”

“Right. The major.” Wallace looked around again. “Where is Major Molerato?”

Vance snorted derisively and pointed at the closed coat closet door.

Wallace glanced from Vance to the closet, then to Jason before splashing three steps through the water on the floor and yanking open the door. He peered down at the drenched and hogtied major for a moment in silence before his shoulders started shaking. A howl of laughter erupted from his mouth, surprising all of us.

Unable to stop himself, Wallace gestured for two of his men to pull Molerato out. Shaking his head, he peered around one more time before looking up toward the loft. I slid off the bed and slipped Jason’s tee over my head. The hem fell mid-thigh, covering my bits, and I stood at the railing to meet Wallace’s gaze.

He looked up at me quite sternly, with a deep frown and furrowed brow. “Well, River, you did it.”

Joy pulsed through me. “I did.” Damn, I knew he’d be mad, but I was ecstatic; I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. But then I saw the twitch at the corner of his mouth.

He nodded, his smile growing. “Good job. I’m proud of you.”

I laughed then. How could I not? “Thanks, Dad.”

“Dad?!” my Alphas shouted. Jason bolted up the stairs and swept me into his arms, howling his glee. Jonah and Vance encircled us both, pulling Jules and Auggie in as well.

We set up another howl… the howl of Pack Evermore.

And ever since then…

Team Evermore is no more—except where it counts. In the bedroom, on my bed, under my sheets, and in the shower, the kitchen, the living room... You get the picture. There is only the pack now, and we’re growing. I rubbed my swollen belly and wondered for the millionth time which of my Alphas our son would look like. Not that it mattered… all my Alphas were gorgeous.

“River!” Jason bellowed.

Speaking of Alphas…

“Get your sweet ass in here!”

Sorry, but that’s my cue... Gotta run! Bye!