Pack Plus Three

Pucking Pregnant

Book 1

Melissa Huxley

Contents

A note from the Author:

1.  Jeremy

2.  Daisy

3.  Jeremy

4.  Daisy

5.  Jeremy

6.  Daisy

7.  Nate

8.  Jeremy

9.  Daisy

10.  Jeremy

11.  Devon

12.  Jeremy

13.  Daisy

14.  Daisy

15.  Jeremy

16.  Daisy

17.  Devon

18.  Daisy

19.  Jeremy

20.  Daisy

21.  Nate

22.  Daisy

23.  Daisy

24.  Daisy

25.  Jeremy

26.  Jeremy

27.  Devon

28.  Daisy

29.  Devon

30.  Daisy

31.  Nate

32.  Jeremy

33.  Nate

34.  Daisy

35.  Jeremy

36.  Daisy

37.  Nate

38.  Daisy

39.  Daisy

40.  Daisy

41.  Nate

42.  Jeremy

43.  Devon

44.  Daisy

Coming soon…

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A note from the Author:

Hello!

Thank you for reading Pack Plus Three. This book is special to me and it is my first foray into American English! As such there will undoubtedly be errors, I ask that you guys are patient with me, and if you see any errors please send them my way at melissahuxleyinfo@gmail.com

Chapter 1

Jeremy

If I had to look at one more playbook, I was going to lose my mind.

Work had been a pain in the ass. My team, the California Chargers, had a good chance of making it to the Stanley Cup, so they were working us to death with practice after practice. But that’s not what I wanted. We were entering the beautiful, cool autumn months, and I dreamed of a job where I could use my hands full time.

Hockey was the job I was forced to do, but I much preferred working construction. Owning a small construction company on the side wasn’t the most glamorous of jobs, but it was one of the few things that brought me genuine joy. And I got to take Gilbert—my giant golden retriever, who was so large, he was probably crossbred with a polar bear—to work with me.

We were selective when taking on clients, usually leaving my name out of things, due to my celebrity status. The demand for work gave me that luxury, and we always took on jobs from clients who seemed kind and agreeable. Not a soul had complained about Gilbert’s presence.

Gilbert was lying at my feet while I cooked. I had been craving spicy rice cakes for a few days, so instead of lounging on the couch with a beer, I’d dragged my ass into the kitchen and started cooking.

My stepfather had spent his youth in Korea, so growing up, I was spoiled for choice. My mother had been visiting Korea when the two scent matched. My stepfather hadn’t been able to resist my mother’s scent; he claimed it was like crack. They had been together ever since, blissfully in love.

The kind of love I would do anything for.

I’d done what was expected of me, taking to the ice like a pro since the first moment I’d put on skates. I’d made it my life, whether I wanted it or not, and it was a life others would kill for.

Yet, the kind of happiness my stepdad had found with my mother? That was far out of reach.

I’d tried dating a few omegas, but their scents, while nice, weren’t the kind of life-changing experience my stepdad described.

The closest I had come was a three-month fling with an omega in Dallas, but she had just been looking for a convenient knot to get her through her heat. I’d enjoyed it, like any alpha would, but I wanted more.

Walking over to the fridge, I grabbed a bag of cheese to stir into the sauce, pausing a moment to feed a small pinch to Gilbert, who had been hot on my heels from the moment he had seen me reaching for the cheese. I had spoiled him as a puppy, and now he was a cheese demon.

Sprinkling a little into the sauce, I shrugged to myself before tipping the rest of the bag in. Cheese improved everything. I was halfway towards the cabinet, intending to grab a bowl and indulge in cheesy heaven with a beer, when there was a knock on my door.

Probably Mrs. Jenna, the elderly widow who lived on my floor. She often asked for help with odd jobs, and I was happy to assist. Last time I’d fixed a leaking pipe for her, she’d given me enough cookies to feed an army. I loved jobs like that . . . fixing things and using my hands. So far from skates, drills, competitions, and never-ending fans climbing over themselves for a signature—or worse, a grope.

But when I opened the door, it wasn’t to a sweet elderly lady who smelled like citrus. I paused in surprise as I looked down at a tiny, heavily pregnant omega.

I had seen her before in the building, but I had never really seen her. How on earth could I have missed someone that beautiful right next door? Her hair fell in copper waves, and her nose was covered with a smattering of freckles. She was wearing an oversized T-shirt and denim overalls that looked fit to burst over her bump. She must have been at least six months along, if not ready to pop.

Right now, she was blushing and panting slightly, one hand leaning on my door frame and the other cradling her bump.

Instead of greeting her like a normal, rational human being, I simply stared at her with wide eyes. Where the hell had this omega come from, and why was she alone? She was far too beautiful to be left alone.

“Uh … hi, I’m Daisy. Daisy St. James.” She introduced herself breathlessly.

“Hey!” I replied casually, trying to pull my shit together. I had already heard her name from Mrs. Jenna, who had been quick to tell me of the pretty omega who just moved into the building and was living alone. She had told me with excitement, commenting that the omega could probably use some help settling in, with that wink-wink-nudge-nudge sort of manner that old ladies are so skilled at.

But surely she wasn’t alone if she was expecting? She would have a husband, or a boyfriend, at the very least. Omegas didn’t stay single long, especially not ones as stunning as her.

Her stomach was disproportionately large compared to the rest of her body, and she looked ready to pop.

“Hi . . . uh . . . this is going to sound odd.” She huffed, her face bright pink as she ran her hand through her hair, the movement filling the air with that sweet brown sugar apple scent. “Look, this is an odd request, I know, these hormones are killing me b—”

“How can I help?” I asked with a smile, cutting off her adorable rambling.

She wanted something from me? She could ask for the keys to my car, and I would hand them over in a heartbeat.

She released a long-suffering sigh. “Can I, uh . . .” She chewed on her lip, eyes darting past me. “Can I have some of whatever you’re cooking?”

I looked down at her, and I couldn’t help it—my smile grew even wider.

“Gah! I’m sorry, I know you must think I’m a crazy person.” She spoke so fast, I almost didn’t catch her words. “I would think I’m a crazy person. I swear, this little devil”—she waved at her stomach—“is making nothing smell good. Kicking me in the bladder every ten minutes and giving me the worst backache. I haven’t managed to eat in days, but whatever you’re making smells so damn good, my hormonal ass dragged me off my comfy sofa to investigate! Do you know how hard it is to sit up when you’re smuggling a beach ball in your pants? And don’t even—”

“Come in,” I said, cutting her off before she could say anything else. “There’s plenty.” I opened my door, inviting her in.

Her face softened and she gave me a grateful look. “Are you sure?”

She has to have a partner, I reminded myself, no good will come of this.

But … I didn’t care.

She was absolutely captivating—and she wanted my food.

“My sister had a baby a few years ago. I remember how bad her cravings got. I’m pretty sure I once got a remote thrown at my head because I ate the last chocolate chip cookie.” As I spoke, I walked down the hallway, and Daisy followed me, peering around my apartment anxiously. Well, calling it my apartment was a stretch. It was my pet project. I usually lived with my pack, but this apartment had been in such a state of disrepair, we’d seen an opportunity. While this area wasn’t exactly desirable, the apartment had been a steal, and after a few months of fixing it up, we would be able to sell it for a tidy profit.

“Maybe it’s the hormones, but I say that’s totally fair!” She laughed, following me slowly. “I probably should have asked your name. Or asked if you’re a serial killer. Are you a serial killer? Actually, you know what? I don’t care, as long as you feed me first.”

“Jeremy,” I said, unable to take my eyes from her as we entered the kitchen. She was so adorable, rambling and asking if I was a serial killer—like I could ever hurt her. “Take a seat, I’ll grab you a dish.” I nodded at the small table as I went over to stir the gooey rice cakes.

Gilbert poked his head up from his dog bed, noticing our guest as she took a seat, holding her swollen belly as she did. Why was that so cute? I wanted a heavily pregnant omega of my own to spoil more than anything. Gilbert trotted over to her, a goofy, lopsided grin on his face.

“Oh! Hello, sweetheart,” Daisy cooed as Gilbert rested his head in her lap. “What’s your name?” she asked, gently stroking his head.

“Gilbert.”

“Oh, such a lovely name for a lovely boy!” She looked up at me, her expression so content as she scratched him. “He is perfect, I adore him!” she said, beaming wildly. Pride filled my chest because she liked my dog. Not the ratty thing that lived four doors down that looked like it was mutated in a lab. No, my dog was the one the pretty omega liked.

“He’s a good dog.” I smiled as I dished up two plates. “But I worry he doesn’t get enough attention when I’m at work.”

“What do you do?” she asked, looking up at me, still absentmindedly scratching Gilbert’s ears.

“I’m a . . .” I paused, not wanting to ruin the moment with the truth. “A contractor.” That wasn’t an outright lie; it just wasn’t my only job. “What about you?”

“I do some admin work from home. I used to work at a bookstore and cafe, but this situation makes it a little difficult.” She gestured to her stomach again. “But I need to make ends meet, so working from home, it is!”

“Can’t your boyfriend or husband help you?” I asked, eyes drifting from where I was serving up the rice cakes, suddenly tense. I cleared my throat. “I just mean, you must be exhausted. My sister literally only ate and napped in the later months.”

I walked over to the table with two bowls, setting one in front of her and one next to her for me.

“I’m, uh . . . on my own,” she admitted, not meeting my eye. The smell of her unhappiness filled the room.

She was alone?

How the hell could someone leave her? There was no possible way she’d gotten into her current predicament alone, so she should have had at least one person by her side. Were she mine, I would be on her ass like glue, making sure she had everything she needed. Fulfilling every weird craving or giving three a.m. foot rubs, I would be there with a fucking smile on my face.

I wanted answers, but shit. I hadn’t meant to upset her.

“Chopsticks or fork?” I asked, changing the topic, my mind still racing.

“Chopsticks, if you have them. It feels wrong to eat this sort of food with a fork.” She smiled. “This smells so damn good,” she moaned, gently rubbing her belly, and I couldn’t take my eyes from her.

She had to be lying. No one would leave an omega like her alone. Not expecting.

“I agree.” I grabbed two sets from the drawer to get my thoughts straight and took a seat next to her, handing her a set. “I’m so used to them now. My dad is Korean and would always make me use chopsticks. It’s second nature, now. I’m grateful he did, though. I went to Korea to study for a few summers, and all his training made me a natural.”

“That sounds amazing!” She took the chopsticks gratefully, deftly digging into the plate.

“It is spicy,” I warned, but she looked up at me with a grin that lit up her face.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time!” She laughed before picking up a noodle and shoving it whole into her mouth. The happy little sound she let out was obscene, and I was suddenly grateful that the table was hiding my tightening trousers and obvious hard-on.

Does she really have no support?

Still, that didn’t give me an excuse to skip my manners. And it didn’t mean anything. Not really. She had her life to get to, and I still had the season to complete. The ice never stopped its demands, and there wasn’t room to give an omega like this what she needed. Not really.

Even if she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on.

“How long have you lived here?” I asked.

“Just a few weeks.” Daisy hummed as she took another bite. “You?”

“About six months. It’s a good building. The neighbors are good people.”

“Mrs. Jenna from apartment thirty-six was at my door the moment I moved in, plate of cookies in hand.”

“The butter pecan ones?” I asked with a groan of my own. “I love those things. She hardly ever makes them for me! I get regular chocolate chip, even when I’m her on-call handyman.” I laughed.

“She’s been giving me a plate every week. I would have accused her of trying to fatten me up if I weren’t already the size of a house!”

I looked over at her again. While her stomach was almost comically large, she was still tiny. When standing, her head hardly touched my chest. “My sister couldn’t move by herself at the end. Her mates had to carry her everywhere.”

“Oh, lucky woman! I would love my own human taxi service. This food is amazing, what is it?”

“Spicy Korean rice cakes. I’d been craving them all week and dying for an excuse to make them, plus Gilbert goes nuts whenever I make anything with cheese,” I said. “Sometimes I can’t take him to places because he tries to steal anything with cheese in it.”

“If you ever need someone to watch him, I’m happy to help! It’s the least I can do. This food is seriously a godsend.”

I took a moment to look her over. Despite her happiness, her cheeks were slightly hollow, and she had a slight gray tinge to her skin. It looked like she hadn’t had a good meal in a while. “Morning sickness?” I asked.

“Twenty-four-hour sickness.” She grimaced. “You know, I was told it would stop after the first trimester, but no, it’s never ending.”

“That’s rough. If you ever want more rice cakes, you’re welcome to come over. It’s nice having some company.”

“Thank you. I can’t believe I just knocked on your door.” Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.

“The hormones will make you do crazy things, and you could do with a few good meals. There’s some extra as well. I can pack them up for you if you want?” I didn’t tell her I had planned to use those for my lunch tomorrow, since she clearly needed it more. A deep, instinctual part of me wanted to care for this omega. The idea of her alone, struggling to eat, didn’t sit right with me. Della had had her entire pack and our parents around while she was pregnant, so she’d wanted for nothing, and it had still been hard on her.

“Really?” she asked, looking at me hopefully. “Are you sure?”

I frowned at that, the alpha part of me rejecting the notion that anyone had ever made her nervous to ask for what she needed. Who was responsible for that?

If I had an omega like this, I would never leave her wanting for anything. Nothing, not even the Stanley Cup, would get in my way.

“Of course. I’ll box them up.”

Her eyes lit up, and my heart warmed. She was terrible at hiding her emotions, and I liked that. I liked that her every thought and feeling was written clearly across her face.

“Thank you,” she said. “You could have told me to go away.”

“Only a grade-A asshole would do that.”

She frowned, biting her lip again gently.

Had someone else rejected her when she asked for help? I hated that idea. “Seriously.” I made sure she was looking me in the eye before I continued. “You’re welcome here to attack my kitchen any time. If you can convince Mrs. Jenna to give me more butter pecan cookies, I’ll happily give you my entire pantry!”

My pack might think I was mad, but I didn’t care. There was a pregnant omega in this building with no one to take care of her.

“Thank you.” Her voice was a low whisper as she nibbled on one of the last rice cakes, looking down at her plate with a shy smile. Her mood had lifted considerably from the frazzled omega who had been at my door not long ago. I had done that—I had made her happier by cooking for her. My chest was so full of pride it wanted to burst.

“Do you want to try some Korean desserts before you go?” I asked once she ate the last noodle.

She looked torn. “I’ve imposed enough …”

“Hush.” I waved away the notion. The most beautiful omega I’d ever met was in my house, wanting my food. Not for my autograph, not for skating tips, not making a bid for my money. For my food. “I’ve got plenty. My mother sends me loads. How about strawberry mochi? It’s a soft rice cake.”

“So, the sweet version of what I just ate?” she asked with an adorable frown.

“Basically!” I grinned. I hadn’t made the connection before.

“If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“I’m happy to share. Gilbert is crappy dinner company.”

“He’s so sweet,” she said, looking at the dog sleeping at her feet.

“He would let someone break in and steal everything if they gave him a treat.”

“Well, he and I have that in common. Food is the way to our hearts.” She beamed down at the dog.

I took our plates, putting them in the sink and grabbing two mochi packets out of the pantry.

“Do you need help cleaning up? It’s the least I can do,” she said from her seat, bracing her hand on the table, like she was going to try and stand up.

“You keep your butt there! You should be resting. My mother and sister would skin me alive if they found out I let a pregnant woman clean up—and I happen to like my skin.”

“It is annoyingly clear skin.” Daisy nodded with a serious face.

“It’s those good genes,” I said, placing the mochi in front of her. She took one with a smile and gently nibbled on it.

“My lord!” Her beautiful green eyes found mine, and my heart tripped. “This is so good. My stomach hasn’t been this happy in weeks.”

“Glad I can help. Have you been having any cravings?”

It would, of course, be insane for me to make a mental note of them for later.

“Loads, but I don’t have a car, so unless I want to catch a night bus when I have a three a.m. craving, I have to ignore it.”

A night bus? We lived in a decent area, but those buses were not the safest. The idea of a tiny pregnant omega on one of those filled me with worry.

I wanted to tell her that I would happily drive her to the store if she needed, but that would be coming on a little strong. We were practically strangers.

“Well, if I can satisfy any cravings, let me know. I’m at your disposal.” I smiled.

Her face turned bright red. Ahh. Did that sound dirty?

“Thank you.” She composed herself, fighting her smile before her hand flew to her side and she hissed gently.

“Kicks?” I asked.

Daisy nodded. “Strong ones. I love this little parasite already, but I’m not sure they love me with the way they are using my insides as a punching bag.”

“Do you know what you’re having?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise. The, uh . . . dad wanted to know, but he didn’t bother showing up for the one appointment I booked and told him about, so I decided to find out on their birthday.”

What sort of pathetic excuse for a human didn’t attend sonograms for his own child? She had already mentioned she didn’t have a car, which meant she was traveling alone on a crowded bus to attend doctor’s appointments without anyone looking out for her.

Someone needed a punch to the dick. I didn’t know who this guy was, but I already hated him.

My entire home smelled like apples and sugar, and I found it comforting. Gilbert clearly didn’t mind, either; he was still fast asleep at Daisy’s feet.

“My family is far too impatient. My sister found out the moment she could and decorated the nursery in every shade of blue imaginable. It was like a tornado of blue had come crashing through the house. Between my sister and mother . . . ” I shook my head at the memory. “Dad and I just hid in the basement and discussed work until they summoned us to build furniture. Then we bought them cupcakes and left them to it.”

“You sound like very smart men. Your sister is lucky to have so many people helping her.”

“That’s what family is supposed to do.”

Daisy frowned slightly, her gaze finding the clock on the wall. “Damn, it’s getting late. I should get back. I can’t thank you enough for this. I know it’s not exactly normal.”

“Daisy, I’m happy to help. Seriously.”

She blushed before nodding, and I got the impression she didn’t fully believe me. She pulled herself out of the chair with a groan, gently rubbing her lower back. I wanted to offer her a back rub, but that would just be creepy.

“Thank you,” she repeated when we got to my doorway. She clutched the Tupperware of rice cakes tightly. As if it was precious. I wondered how long it had been since she’d been offered something by someone else. I was glad she was taking some food home with her.

“Anytime, I mean it,” I said as she petted Gilbert goodbye.

I watched for as long as I could get away with as she waddled off to her own apartment. When the door closed behind her, I was left alone. I stood in silence for a long time, surrounded by the fading scent of brown sugar and apple, unable to shake the feeling that the apartment felt oddly empty.

Chapter 2

Daisy

What on god’s green earth is wrong with me? I thought to myself as I stirred the bowl of batter while Taylor Swift blasted from my speakers. I had barrelled my way into the neighbor’s house and practically accosted him for those glorious spicy and cheesy rice cakes.

They had been amazing, and I had eaten them all, and more importantly, they hadn’t come back up. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten a full meal and kept it down.

Though I’d seen and admired Jeremy from a distance, up close, he was stunning. Even through his shirt, his defined muscles had been obvious, and his skin was clear and bright. His brown hair, cut short, and scruff were highlighted by specks of red throughout. He looked like he should have been gracing a magazine cover. Or a billboard.

Then there was me. The pregnant, overtired and sweaty, food-pilfering neighbor. I must have looked like a state, barging into his home, mind completely focused on food. He had been so sweet, even giving me extra to eat the next day—though I doubted the rice cakes would last until then. I had every intention of eating them as a midnight snack.

Once I had sat down, and remained down for a while because I was now the size of a small house with no real center of gravity, I knew I had to do something to thank him. Mrs. Jenna had given me her recipe for those cookies when I had moved in, and now, the least I could do was make Jeremy a batch . . . even if the smell of eggs made me want to hurl. I refused to be sick, not when those delicious rice cakes were making my stomach so happy. I would grab a clothespin and close my nose if I had to.

It was late, and he had mentioned that he worked in construction. I didn’t know much about that sort of job, but I guessed he would have to wake up early. Since I didn’t want to disturb him after he had been so nice to me, I resolved to make a small mountain of cookies for him and deliver them tomorrow evening, during a more respectable hour. I had all the ingredients on hand and had planned to make them when I had some energy, but this seemed like a much better reason to make them.

It took until midnight, but once the cookies were all piled into the largest Tupperware I owned, I stumbled to bed, wrapping myself in the thin duvet and groaning. The dull ache in my lower back was terrible. I thought for a moment about how nice it would be to have a partner, an alpha, who could rub my back and look after me. It was just me and my sweet little parasite. Cole didn’t give two shits about me and had split the moment he learned I was pregnant. He had stuck to my side before that, insisting he be there for every one of my heats. I’d been young and naive, impressed by his fancy car and obvious wealth. I’d let myself get played.

Yet, whenever he texted, my heart skipped a beat. I was like an abused puppy who didn’t know what was good for them. I should have seen the signs when he refused to introduce me to any of his friends, when he didn’t want me around his family. I thought simply being an omega would be enough for him, but apparently, I wasn’t an omega of good breeding, so I was useless to him for anything other than quick heat fun.

Wrapping the thin duvet around me, I resisted the urge to cry. I wanted a nest, a real one, like I saw on TV, with enough pillows and blankets to suffocate yourself in. My meager savings were just enough to afford this apartment, which I had gotten for a steal. Jeremy’s was far nicer, and a lot more modern. Mine had fixtures from the sixties and was in a sad state of disrepair.

After an abysmal night of sleep that consisted of a lot of tossing and turning, I crawled out of bed around midday and settled myself at my laptop to get some work done. The computer was about five years older than it should have been and took an age to boot up. So, as I waited for it to come to life, I went to the kitchen and made myself a cup of ginger tea. The ginger was meant to help with the nausea, but it didn’t do much at all. Still, I drank several cups a day in the vain hope that it would alleviate some of the raging nausea.

Tea in hand, I settled on my lumpy old couch and started tackling my tasks for the day. I had been working as a virtual assistant for a few business owners—answering emails, organizing calendars, and such—and had been finding the work easy enough.

Letting myself get lost in the work, I tried my best to clear my never-ending to-do list and managed to clear the majority of it. In what felt like no time, the sun had set and it was past six. Putting my laptop down, I frowned. If only I could afford a more modern laptop, I would have gotten so much more work done, instead of waiting for the screen to load every time I clicked on something. That was a luxury I couldn’t afford—sadly.

Stretching, I climbed off the sofa, ignoring the pinch in my side as my little parasite moved, kicking me in the ribs. On my trip to the bathroom, I took the time to run my fingers through my hair, taking stock of myself in the mirror. I didn’t hate the way I looked. My hair could be a little wild, but I liked it. My mother had insisted on straightening my hair constantly, and I’d despised it, so when I had moved out, I stopped straightening my hair and let my curls do whatever the heck they wanted.

With a final look in the mirror, I accepted that I couldn’t really do anything to improve my appearance. Pregnancy had made my face swell, and there was a constant flush on my face.

Why did I even care what my neighbor thought? He was stunningly handsome, and probably taken. Even if he was single, there was no way he would be interested in a pregnant omega who was going to be a single mother very soon. No. I was going to give him the treats I had baked as a thank you. I hadn’t been sick all day. Granted, all I had eaten was a bowl of oatmeal, but it had stayed down, which was a serious win, in my opinion.

Grabbing the box of cookies, I waddled over to the door. The ability to walk normally had long since left me.

I felt awkward as I knocked on his door—just a random pregnant lady who’d accosted him the night before to steal his dinner.

The door swung open, and Jeremy’s face lit up as he saw me. His sawdust and hay scent wafted out of the room. My mouth watered as it hit me. There was something innately comforting about it.

“Daisy! How are you? I’m just starting dinner if you want to come in?” He pushed the door open with a grin.

“I-I can’t impose again—” I started to say, but Jeremy cut me off.

“I’m making spicy Korean noodles topped with crunchy garlic sprinkles . . .” He trailed off with a smirk.

Before I opened my mouth, my stomach gurgled loudly, and I flushed with embarrassment as Jeremy beamed at me with a knowing smile.

“Come on, I made plenty.” He stepped to the side, ushering me into his apartment. I trailed after him, my stomach guiding me as I clutched the Tupperware to my chest.

“I, uh, here.” I thrust the cookies into his hand. “A thank you for yesterday,” I rushed to say.

Jeremy cocked his head as he took the container, stepping over to the kitchen island to open it. His face turned from confusion to glee in a split second. “Are these butter pecan?” he asked, turning to beam at me. “You got me cookies! Did you accost Mrs. Jenna for these?”

“She gave me the recipe in case I had any two a.m. cravings—well, she offered to make me cookies at two a.m., but there was no way in hell I was going to wake up a sweet old lady.” As I spoke, I waddled up to the kitchen island. “They’re probably nowhere near as good as Mrs. Jenna’s, but it’s the least I can do after you fed me. Those rice cakes were amazing!”

“Wait, you made me cookies?” His grin widened. “I thought you just convinced the nice old bat to make them for me. Thank you. Did you manage to keep the rice cakes down?”

I beamed. “I did! My stomach hasn’t felt that settled in months. I demolished all the leftovers before I went to sleep—they didn’t last until lunch.”

“I’m glad it helped. Hopefully, tonight’s dish will do the same. It has similar ingredients.” He snatched a cookie from the box and took a bite, moaning and closing his eyes.

The groan was like music to my ears, and my body couldn’t help but respond. My entire body tingled, and I was awfully aware of the slick gathering between my legs. Squeezing my thighs together, I prayed that my scent wasn’t too strong. “These are fucking amazing. Holy shit. These might be better than Mrs. Jenna’s! You’re fucking amazing!” he exclaimed, quickly demolishing the cookie in two more bites.

My chest warmed, and my heart rate increased at the praise. “Now, don’t let Mrs. Jenna hear you say that!” I scolded.

He snorted. “That lady is tougher than an old boot, but I wouldn’t dare! Fuck, these are amazing.” He moaned again, and I shifted in my seat. Pregnancy had only increased my rampant need, and hearing a hot-as-hell alpha moaning over something I made was not helping in the slightest.

“I’ll make you another batch when you finish those,” I said, glad I could do something to make him happy.

Jeremy’s eyes widened, his mouth still stuffed full of cookie as he gazed at me, quickly swallowing before speaking. “You are amazing. I’ll do anything for more cookies.”

I tried to avoid dwelling on the anything part of that sentence. There were several downright inappropriate things I could have asked of this man.

“Honestly, those rice cakes were more than enough. This sweet parasite hasn’t been making it easy for me,” I admitted, resting my hands on top of my bump.

“Are you having any cravings in particular at the moment?” Jeremy asked, walking over to his fridge and pulling out three drinks, placing them on the counter in front of me. Ginger ale, water, and fruit juice. “Drink,” he instructed.

I laughed lightly. “Which one of those is for me?”

He shot me an easy smile. “All of them. Ginger ale for if you’re feeling nauseated; it should help, even though I know you said the ginger tea wasn’t doing much. Fruit juice for vitamins, and you can never be too hydrated when you’re pregnant.”

I looked between the drinks and the alpha. He had really thought about what I needed. When was the last time anyone had cared about me enough to ensure I drank one drink, let alone three? That warm sensation I was starting to get all too familiar with spread throughout my chest.

“My bladder is the size of a pea, thanks to the parasite. There’s no way I can drink this much!”

“Luckily, there’s a bathroom right there.” He pointed to the door to his left.

Reaching out, I took the juice, cracking the bottle open and taking a sip. As I did, a wet nose nudged at my leg, and a sleepy Gilbert appeared. “Hello, there,” I cooed, doing my best to lean down and pet the sweet boy, but I probably looked far from graceful.

“I see, you wake up for Daisy, but my company isn’t good enough?” Jeremy asked with a laugh, glaring playfully at the dog, whose eyes didn’t leave me as he rested his head in my lap.

“It was probably the smell of the cookies,” I said as I played with the golden retriever’s ears.

Jeremy barked a laugh. “I would also come running for the smell of those cookies.”

Note to self: bake all the cookies to attract the sexy man.

Chapter 3

Jeremy

When I got home the next night, I found myself constantly glancing towards the front door. Was she going to come again? The night after her first visit, I had purposely cooked extra, hoping I would see her again. I hadn’t expected her to bring me cookies—and dear god, that woman could bake. Beautiful, sweet, heavily pregnant, and an excellent baker?

I was going to fall head over heels for this omega if I didn’t control myself.

So, after practice, I had driven an extra thirty minutes out of my way to go to the larger Asian grocery store on the other side of town. Clearly, Asian food was helping her, so I wanted to ensure I was well stocked, because I definitely wanted to cook for her again.

I had stocked up with enough food to last a normal person several weeks. Pregnant women eat for two, so it made sense to gather plenty of supplies for the cute pregnant omega next door. My knowledge of Asian cooking was minimal, but I was prepared to call my stepfather and ask for more recipe ideas, if need be.

While in the grocery store, I’d searched on my phone for what kinds of foods were good for pregnant women. Turned out, there was a lot of food they couldn’t eat, including seafood. Unfortunately, a lot of the dishes I’d learned to cook with my stepfather when I was younger happened to include seafood, so I had to get creative. One thing that didn’t require seafood was kimchi stew—and I made sure I bought the kind of kimchi that didn’t have any seafood in it.

If I had more time, I would have made kimchi from scratch. The premade type that I got in the store would have to do that night, but I had purchased everything I needed to make a batch of fresh kimchi myself. My inner alpha would be far more relaxed if I knew exactly what I was feeding Daisy. Pre-packaged food was an unknown, especially when I couldn’t pronounce half the ingredients. That sort of crap was fine to put in my own body, but there was no way in hell I was going to let Daisy have any of it when I could help it.

Maybe I was jumping the gun. I didn’t even know if she was going to come to dinner again. I wanted her to, more than anything. I couldn’t remember the last time I had enjoyed myself so much.

Daisy had no idea what my real job was. She wasn’t interested in me because of my money or my career. She was just someone who was feral for my cooking—which I took as the greatest compliment.

The stew was bubbling away half an hour later, ready to eat, and I still hadn’t heard a knock on the door. I couldn’t decide if I should just go talk to her or wait for her to come to me. I wasn’t usually so indecisive, but something about this omega sang to my senses and made me that much more nervous.

After ten more minutes of indecision, I decided to go for it. My alpha desperately wanted to see her, and I was worried that, if I didn’t go over, she may not eat at all—that idea really didn’t sit well with me. Not bothering to put on shoes, I checked my appearance in the mirror before leaving, since my alpha wanted the approval of the pretty omega. My hair was a wavy mess, but there was really no taming it.

Gilbert followed me as I walked next door to her apartment. He was such a Velcro dog, I had no concerns about him running away from me. Knocking on her door, I shuffled from foot to foot as I anxiously waited. Why was I so nervous? I was tall and athletic, I made good money and considered myself a nice person. Would that be enough to keep her attention?

There was no answer for a long moment. As I was about to raise my hand and knock again, I heard a light thump from inside the apartment, followed by the sound of footsteps. Had she fallen over? My hand reached for her door handle. If she had fallen, she could have hurt herself. Surely, I had to go in and make sure she was okay?

Before I could let my hindbrain take over and storm into the apartment to make sure she was all right, the door opened, and a very bedraggled-looking Daisy stood in front of me. Her hair was wild and messy, and she wore skintight leggings and an oversized sweater that fell off one of her shoulders, exposing her collarbone and neck.

“Jeremy! Hi,” she chirped, rubbing sleep from one of her eyes. Her cheek had a crease on it, like the kind from sleeping deeply.

“Did I wake you?” I frowned. She had been looking exhausted the last few days and needed her rest. I mentally cursed myself for disturbing her. I could have made her food and left it until she was awake.

“I must have dozed off. No worries, though. If I didn’t get up and move soon, that lumpy mattress would have made my back ache like a devil.” She laughed lightly, waving off my concern. “Is everything okay?”

Lumpy mattress? Back pain?

My alpha hindbrain was insisting that I grab the fragile omega, throw her over my shoulder, and drag her back to my place. My mattress was brand new and fancy—Nate’s doing. I could rub her back and ensure she slept without pain. Drown her in pillows so she was always comfortable. Maybe I needed to buy her one of those long, noodle pregnancy pillows Della had during her pregnancy. My sister had kept that thing with her constantly and declared her love for it on a regular basis.

But this was only our third time meeting, and she would likely freak out if I came on that strong. I needed to play it cool, let her get used to me.

Because I certainly wanted to get used to her.

“I, uh . . .” I scrambled to find the words, my mind hyper focused on her. Why had I even come here again? “I cooked,” I said lamely.

Daisy stared at me with wide eyes, saying nothing. She looked so damn rumpled and adorable. It took a moment to realize I hadn’t actually asked her if she wanted to join me.

“I made plenty, and you’re welcome to join me. It’s kimchi stew—it’s similar to what I’ve made the last few nights. I thought it might be good for your stomach.”

Her eyes somehow widened, and she shot me a small smile. “Are you sure? I won’t lie—it smells amazing again.” She bit her lip. “If it’s not an imposition . . .”

“It’s no imposition at all!” I insisted. “I made extra just in case you were hungry.”

“You thought of me?” She shot me another shy smile that made my stomach flip in happiness. I was pleasing her. Good. I wanted to do that more often.

“I did. Are you hungry?” I asked.

“I’m always hungry!” Daisy laughed. “Let me just get changed.” She turned to leave, but I stopped her.

“No need to get changed for me. If you’re comfy, just stay as you are. You’ll probably get covered in Gilbert hair, anyway.” I laughed.

“That’s fair.” Daisy grinned, leaning down to pet Gilbert. “Have you been a good boy for your daddy?”

Daddy? Just hearing that word out of her mouth had me feeling a whole load of things. Immediately, I imagined her holding a newborn, referring to me as Daddy, and a deep longing seeped into my bones.

There was nothing I wanted more than a family. Nate and Devon were my family, but it just wasn’t the same as having a woman—an omega—and children.

“Have you eaten anything yet today?” I asked as she grabbed her cell phone and followed me back to my apartment. I kept glancing at her as she waddled after me. She looked slightly off-balance, and I didn’t want to risk her falling.

Would she just let me carry her everywhere if I asked her? That would be more than okay with me. There would be far less risk of a fall, and not only was she precious cargo, but she was carrying precious cargo.

“I had a string cheese this morning, does that count?” she asked, plopping her butt down at the breakfast bar.

“A string cheese does not count,” I grumbled. This omega needed a keeper, someone to look after her. A string cheese?

“In that case . . . no?” She grinned sheepishly. “Don’t blame me. Blame the sweet parasite!” she rushed to say before I could open my mouth to admonish her.

I glared playfully at her belly as I pulled out several bowls. “You need to let your mama eat, little one!” I instructed her round stomach.

Daisy rubbed her belly, looking down at it with a smile. “They’ll be worth it,” she said.

“Undoubtedly,” I agreed, grabbing a bowl of stew and chopsticks and placing them down in front of her, followed by a glass of ice water.

She smiled at me in thanks around a mouthful of food. “So good,” she mumbled, quickly taking another bite, despite how hot the stew was.

I made a mental note to serve Daisy food at an easily consumable temperature in the future.

Future.

Just the thought of spending more time with this sweet omega in the future was enough to make me turn to hide my smile.

It was something I wanted, more than I had wanted anything in a long time.

Chapter 4

Daisy

Ihad never particularly been a fan of spicy foods, but this man was a god amongst men when it came to cooking. Every dish he had made me was better than last. The kimchi stew was no different.

Jeremy had kept refilling my bowl without me even realizing, so by the time I got to the end, I’d probably eaten close to four bowls of the spicy fermented deliciousness.

“I also took the liberty of pre-making some extra rice and stew for you to have over the next day or two,” Jeremy informed me as he took away my dish and replaced it with a plate holding a slice of what I could only describe as the most amazing-looking cake in existence.

It must have had at least ten layers, with rich layers of chocolate and sponge.

“This looks phenomenal.” I moaned before I even took my first bite.

“It’s quite high in sugar. You have been tested for gestational diabetes, haven’t you?”

I shook my head. “My doctor didn’t feel it was necessary yet.” Okay, that was bullshit. The real reason was because I couldn’t afford any extra tests, and I was having to make do with this shitty free clinic. Despite the advanced stage of my pregnancy, I had only had one appointment so far, and not a single ultrasound. Anything else would have cost an arm and a leg. I wanted more appointments, more tests. Hell, I would happily test everything under the sun to make sure the little parasite was safe. Unfortunately, due to my rather abysmal financial situation, I had to make do with good old hope and prayers—and I wasn’t particularly religious.

My pregnancy had been fairly easy, other than the nausea, which I had read was very normal. I wasn’t experiencing any pain, so I didn’t believe there was any reason to be concerned.

That didn’t stop me from worrying.

Jeremy frowned at me as he whipped up a bowl of cream to go on top of the cake slice. “I thought the test for gestational diabetes was standard?”

“I think it is. Unfortunately, I have to use the free clinic, and they don’t do extensive testing there. That’s okay, though. I’m feeling good, other than my inability to keep food down.” I kept my voice light. The last thing I wanted to do was complain at the sweet man who had been feeding me. His smile had warped into a frown the moment I mentioned the free clinic. “Anyway . . . what have you been up to today?” I asked.

“I had a few meetings, but I did manage to fit in a trip to the hardware store. I’ve been meaning to get new tiles for the second bathroom here and more wood for several carpentry projects.”

“Are you redoing every room in this apartment?”

Jeremy shrugged. “Pretty much.”

“By yourself?”

“My pack mate Devon helps from time to time, but yeah, I’m doing most of it.”

“He’s the one you own your business with, isn’t it?” I was pretty sure he had told me before, but my memory wasn’t the best, thanks to the pregnancy.

“He is! All six of his fathers worked in construction, so he was practically born to do it.”

“Six fathers?” I spluttered, staring at Jeremy with wide eyes.

“He’s from one of the bigger packs. He loved it growing up.”

“His mother must have been absolutely exhausted, keeping that many alphas happy!” I grinned. The idea of having six alphas to keep happy seemed nearly impossible to me. That much work would wear me down. Most packs only consisted of two to four alphas, and even those were delicate balancing acts.

“She is absolutely spoiled. I’m pretty sure that woman hasn’t had to lift a finger in the last thirty years. She’s got six daughters and one son. They’re an amazing family.” Jeremy beamed. “Have you ever thought about what size you would want your future pack to be?” he asked, spooning up a thick dollop of cream and adding it to my plate before handing me a fork.

“I haven’t really given it much thought,” I said, unable to meet his eye. I had given it thought. Quite a lot of thought, actually. Only, I highly doubted anyone would truly be interested in me at this point. Considering it was only my third meeting with Jeremy, unloading all my stress and worries on him would not be a good idea.

Even if he did seem really sweet.

And an amazing listener.

We could just have him? a small part of my mind insisted, never mind the fact he had a pack. My stupid pregnancy brain was making me all soft and mushy. All I wanted to do was to crawl into this gigantic alpha’s lap and beg for cuddles. Maybe some head scratches?

I would do downright criminal things for cuddles and head scratches.

“What are you planning to do with all the wood you got? What project did you have in mind?” I asked, trying to divert the subject somewhat.

“I was thinking of making a new TV cabinet or bookcase. This place could do with a lot more furniture,” he said as he took a bite of cake.

“You are seriously talented. I feel like something’s breaking in my apartment every other day.”

“If something goes wrong, you are more than welcome to call me, Daisy. Honestly, I’m happy to help.”

“I know. I just don’t want to be an imposition.”

“I’ll happily do any manual labor you need me to, if you will pay me in butter pecan cookies.”

I smiled at him. There were actually several things wrong with my apartment. My shower door never closed properly. I had cabinets that wouldn’t open. I had a floorboard that I was pretty sure was about to cave in and a window that wasn’t latching properly. Thankfully, we lived on the third floor, so I wasn’t too concerned about the window.

Part of me desperately wanted to take him up on his offer, but another part felt like I had already taken so much from him. He hardly knew me. Who was I to demand so much of his time?

I had been so distracted by our conversation that I hadn’t touched my cake yet. Picking up my fork, I took a small bite and, as the flavor burst across my tongue, I made a downright pornographic noise.

Throughout my lifetime, I’d had a lot of cake. I was a cake connoisseur, you could say. Still, that chocolate cake was hands-down one of the best cakes I had ever eaten. It was simultaneously rich and moist, sweet yet irresistibly dark.

“Holy fuck, where did you get this from?” I asked around my mouth full of cake.

“There’s a bakery not far from the hardware store I went to today. I’ve never actually tried it, but I must say, I am pleasantly surprised.”

“I need to find whoever made this cake and marry them.” I moaned, taking another large bite.

Jeremy laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

What did he mean by that?

“I can’t eat another bite.” I moaned, rubbing my stomach and closing my eyes. Between the cake and the kimchi stew, I was about to burst.

“How’s your stomach feeling?” Jeremy asked.

“Considering the copious amount of sugar I just consumed, I feel really good. You know when you’re just so full, you want to take a nap?”

Jeremy’s eyes crinkled as he laughed. “Didn’t you just take a nap? Then again, I guess growing the little one takes a lot of energy.”

“Thank you so much for cooking. Again. I don’t know why you’re being so lovely, but I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. Honestly, I’m happy to cook anytime. It’s nice to cook for someone other than myself. Staying here has been great because I get to work on fixing up the apartment, but I do miss having my pack mates around. At least when they’re around, no food goes to waste.”

“And will you be moving back in with your pack once the apartment’s done?” I asked, subtly looking around. It already looked amazing. The living room had been repainted. The kitchen was immaculate and modern. Surely there wasn’t that much more left to do? My chest tightened at the thought that Jeremy wouldn’t be around much longer. Despite my best efforts, I was getting attached to him.

“Yes, but that’s not going to be for a while yet, several months, in fact. There are so many things I want to do here.”

Why was that such a relief to hear? I couldn’t allow myself to get so attached to this alpha that lived next door to me. Even on the off chance that he was attracted to me, I was about to be a single mother, and he had a whole pack full of alphas who probably wouldn’t find me appealing.

Why was I even thinking about alphas? I’ve been so content just to go about my life, be a single mother, and do my best by this parasite.

Then my ridiculously hot neighbor had to make me food.

You know that old saying, that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? That doesn’t just apply to men; it also very much applies to pregnant women.

“I think you’re going to have to roll me out of here.” I laughed, lightly rubbing my stomach.

“There’s a sofa only a few feet away. I could always roll you over there if you need a pit stop.” Jeremy chuckled.

“That is tempting. That sofa looks far too comfortable.”

“It really is. You should give it a try,” Jeremy said as he whisked my plate away.

“Maybe next time?”

I should have taken his offer for a pit stop on the couch.

My own lumpy threadbare mattress was nowhere near as comfortable as his couch. I knew that for a fact, and I hadn’t even sat on his couch yet.

Crawling into bed the moment I got home, I hoped that the good food would lull me into a nice and easy sleep.

Four hours later, I was wide awake and staring at my ceiling.

Pregnancy was unusually cruel. The exhaustion tugging at me was intense and all-consuming. All I wanted was several hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep. I felt exhausted because I was pregnant. But because I was pregnant, I also really struggled to fall and stay asleep, as the sweet little parasite I was growing would kick my ribs or give me absolutely horrific back pain.

Neither of those things was conducive to a good night’s sleep.

When counting the cracks in my ceiling became too much, I finally threw my pillow across the room and stomped to the kitchen. If I was going to be awake, I may as well have been doing something useful. I still had enough ingredients to make another batch of butter pecan cookies for Jeremy, so I started pulling everything out and laying them on my kitchen counter.

My kitchen equipment was pretty abysmal, most of it purchased second hand, but thankfully, cookies just required a mixing bowl and a cookie sheet.

Twenty minutes later, the dough was ready. Taking a small scoop, I started to individually scoop out the cookies for baking. Humming happily to myself, I reached out to grab another baking tray when the heavens opened above me, and a torrent of ice-cold water drenched me—and everything around me—making me scream in shock.

Rain.

It was raining.

Inside my apartment?

Squealing, I ran out of the kitchen, looking behind me to see that, sure enough, the entirety of my kitchen ceiling was soaking wet as heavy streams of water flooded from it.

It was like a series of sprinklers had decided my apartment was on fire and every surface needed to be doused with water.

Well, shit.

Chapter 5

Jeremy

Aloud, rhythmic knocking on my door pulled me out of deep sleep. I glared in the direction of the front door as I forced myself out of bed. Who the fuck was knocking on my door at this hour? Checking my alarm clock, I groaned. One a.m. The frantic knocks didn’t let up as I stomped over towards the door, prepared to yell at whatever crackhead had decided to disturb me just when I had finally managed to fall asleep.

Gilbert didn’t even stir—excellent guard dog, that one.

My anger melted away the moment I swung the door open, revealing the very pregnant, very wet omega who lived next door.

“Oh no, I woke you—I’m so sorry, uh, I kind of have a situation. A pipe broke? Or burst? I don’t know. All I know is that it’s now raining in my kitchen!” Daisy spoke so quickly it was difficult to keep up, but I caught the gist of it. “And now I—oh . . .” She trailed off, eyes roaming over my very naked chest, her face flushing bright red. I had opened the door wearing only my boxers, half expecting to be yelling at a crackhead and not a bedraggled, soggy omega.

“Let me get some sweatpants on and grab my toolbox,” I said, dashing back into my apartment and grabbing the pair of gray sweatpants I had abandoned on the sofa last night. Because the apartment was a work in progress, I had several toolboxes dotted around the place.

Daisy followed me as I headed into her apartment. She wasn’t lying; it was, indeed, raining in her kitchen. A pipe in her ceiling must have burst. Jumping straight into action, I ducked under the sink to find the water shutoff for her apartment. It was easy to find because mine was in the exact same spot.

Giving the lever a firm tug, I was pleased when the rainfall started to slow, eventually stopping altogether.

“Oh, I didn’t know that was under there,” Daisy said quietly. She was standing in the kitchen doorway, her hand on her bump. Now that the situation was less urgent, I could take her in. She was wearing a thin T-shirt and short pajama set . . . that was completely drenched.

Giving me an excellent view of her rather impressive breasts. Nipples strained against the fabric, and I resisted the desperate urge to free them, to taste them.

I was standing in the poor omega’s kitchen, staring at her chest like a total creeper—what was wrong with me?

“Don’t worry, I only know because I’m renovating my place.” That was a lie— everyone should know where their water shutoff valve is—but I didn’t want to upset the distressed omega any further.

The worst of the water was contained to the kitchen and could easily be mopped up. If this had happened in the living room or bedroom, the damage would have been far worse.

“Still, I can’t believe I woke you up! I’m so sorry, I just didn’t know what to do, and it was raining inside . . .” she babbled.

“Hey”—I kept my voice low and soothing—“I said you could ask me for help whenever you needed to, and I meant that.”

“But one in the morning?”

“When I say something, I mean it,” I affirmed.

Her eyes widened and she nodded, biting her lip. Judging by her situation, she wasn’t exactly used to alphas who kept their word. I was going to show her how an alpha should behave.

Hopping up on the counter, I removed a few of the ceiling tiles, looking for the cause of the damage. It didn’t take long to figure it out. A long nail had been slammed straight into one of her pipes.

“Well”—I laughed dryly, looking down at the nervous omega—“it looks like someone upstairs tried to do some DIY and failed, badly. I can patch this up easily, but I wouldn’t recommend turning the water back on until the apartment building does a deeper fix and deals with the idiot upstairs.”

Daisy laughed. “You’ve met the apartment manager, right? I’d be better off hiring someone to fix this, not that I can afford it.”

“I can do it,” I offered. Though I worded it as an offer, my stomach twisted violently at the idea of another man entering her apartment. If she needed something fixed, I would do it. Why had I even suggested telling the apartment manager? He was a slimy asshole who could use a few punches to the face.

“I’ll be without water for a day or two, won’t I?” she asked nervously, shifting from foot to foot.

“I should have it back on in the morning. I just need to patch this up tonight, and tomorrow, I’ll inform the apartment management that the upstairs tenant is being a dumbass.”

“Thank you!” She beamed at me as she shivered. The water wasn’t exactly warm.

“Why don’t you go take a shower at my place while I patch this up? It’ll take a few minutes, and you’re shivering,” I said, climbing down from the counter to talk to her. She was soaked through, and it was taking everything in me to keep my eyes averted from her chest. If she didn’t get dry and warm soon, she could get sick—I couldn’t have that.

“Are you sure? I could help?”

I frowned at her. “If you think there’s any way I’m letting a heavily pregnant omega climb over wet counters, then you’ve got another thing coming. Gather your girly shower bits and go get clean and dry while I fix this.”

“You’ve been feeding me and fixing things for me. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“Cookies. Cookies are all I want and need.” I laughed. “I ate that last batch so quickly. They were delectable.”

Daisy nodded, a smile breaking out across her face. “I can do cookies!” She turned to the kitchen counter looking at a mixing bowl that once held dough, but now held water. “Well… I was doing cookies.”

I suppressed a grin. She had been making me cookies again?

“We can take a raincheck on those,” I said, nodding at the ruined dough. The oven was also making a peculiar noise, so I switched it off.

She grinned, and burst into laughter. “Thank you!” She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around me briefly before scampering off to get her things from her bathroom. Scamper may have been the wrong word—it was more of an excited waddle? Whatever it was, it was cute and enthusiastic.

“Are you sure?” she asked again, appearing with a handful of toiletries.

“Dead sure. I just put in a new shower, and the water pressure is amazing. It would be rude to keep it to myself. Just watch out for Gilbert—the fluffy asshole keeps trying to join me in the shower. He’s a water dog and takes every opportunity to get wet and then shakes himself all over the apartment.”

Daisy laughed. “I’ll keep him out of the shower.”

“There are clean towels in the cabinet next to the sink as well. Do you even have any towels left?” I asked with a grin, looking at the towels lining the damp floor.

“I don’t! I didn’t even think of that, thank you. You’re amazing. How did I get so lucky?” She beamed at me before leaving to shower.

Lucky? I would have hardly called her lucky; she deserved the world.

Left alone in her apartment, I took a moment to absorb my surroundings. Her place was in worse disrepair than mine was when I’d bought it, and that was saying something. My place had barely been fit for human habitation back then.

Daisy had clearly done her best. Every surface was clean, but that didn’t change the peeling wallpaper or the chipped and scratched countertops. A few of the cabinets didn’t even have doors.

Grabbing a few tools, I did a basic patch job on the pipe. It would hold for several months, but the pipes desperately needed replacing . They were all rusted and shockingly brittle.

Daisy needed to live somewhere better. She deserved a home like the one I had with my pack. One with modern fixtures and all the bells and whistles that made life convenient. Personally, I wasn’t too concerned about those things, but she should have had every convenience at her fingertips, especially when she had much more important things to focus on, like growing the tiny human.

The patch took ten minutes and, once I was convinced it wouldn’t leak and would hold up, I got to work cleaning up the kitchen. There was dust and crap that had become dislodged when I had accessed the pipe, and the room was still coated in a thin layer of water.

Grabbing a mop, I got to work, quickly drying the entire room.

Before I jumped back onto the counter to make sure it was drying, I poked my head into the living room. There was a damp smell, and it wasn’t because of the recent indoor rainfall. Her windows were single pane and let in a terrible draft. And I spotted mold in the corners, even though she had clearly tried cleaning it.

The door was a whole other story. The wood was thin, and the lock looked about fifty years out of date. What on earth was she doing? This area wasn’t exactly secure—she should have had her door reinforced, at the very least.

Grumbling to myself, I started rummaging through my toolbox. If memory served, I had something I could use to make Daisy’s home a little bit safer.

Chapter 6

Daisy

Jeremy hadn’t been kidding when he said the water pressure in his bathroom was amazing. Three different showerheads jetted water at my poor, tense back. As I slowly relaxed under the water, I couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful Jeremy’s place was. The bathroom was all marble and sleek black fixtures. The fact that he had done it all himself blew my mind.

Earlier, I’d stood outside of my kitchen for a few moments, looking out at the complete carnage as the room slowly filled with water. What the hell did someone do in a situation like that? The only plumbers who would answer my call would have charged an extortionate amount.

Then I had remembered my stupidly hot neighbor and his offer to help. Mrs. Jenna had told me several times about how he had so kindly helped her with a plumbing issue in the past, and he had seemed pretty adamant that I could ask him for help if I needed it. Mind made up in panic, I had darted over there, despite the late hour. I’d half-expected him to be angry. Instead, he had jumped right into helping. Not only did he fix the issue, but he was letting me use his magical shower while he patched the pipe.

Gilbert had looked downright heartbroken when I didn’t let him into the bathroom with me. I had almost given in, but I didn’t want a soggy dog causing chaos in Jeremy’s apartment. He had already been so nice to me, and that would have been a lousy way to repay him.

I took my sweet time showering, letting my back slowly relax under the hot water. When I finally did extract myself from the spray, I grabbed one of the clean towels, letting out an audible moan as I wrapped myself up. They were fancy towels. Large, soft, and oh so fluffy. My towels were threadbare and scratchy.

Once dry, I threw on my pajamas, grimacing as I realized I had grabbed the T-shirt and shorts that were covered in little rainbows. Why were all my nightclothes so juvenile? Jeremy looked like a sex god sleeping in just his boxers. When he had swung his door open, I’d struggled not to gape at the chiseled planes of his chest on display. I had almost blurted out can I lick it? and only just managed to restrain myself.

I let Gilbert follow me as I waddled back to my apartment. The sweet golden retriever was sticking to my side like glue. I had expected to find Jeremy in my kitchen, patching up the pipe, but instead, he was kneeling behind my front door, screwing something into the frame.

“Erm . . . what are you doing?” I asked. I didn’t want to be rude, but I had a strong suspicion that my doorframe had nothing to do with my burst pipe.

Jeremy looked away from what he was working on to me, his face breaking out in a smile. “Hey, you look more relaxed now. I told you the water pressure was amazing. I’m just installing a deadbolt.”

“A deadbolt?” His answer did nothing to rid me of my confusion.

“Your security is frankly tragic, Daisy. This door would be exceptionally easy to break down. I couldn’t, in good conscience, leave it like this, especially when I had a spare deadbolt from when I started the remodel.”

“Oh, thank you—I’ve been asking the apartment manager for a deadbolt since I moved in.”

“And how long have you lived here?” he asked, turning to pet Gilbert. “Hello, boy. How did I know you wouldn’t be able to resist following the pretty omega around?”

He was talking to his dog, but that didn’t change that fact he had called me pretty, and my chest was bursting with pride at the alpha’s compliment.

“I’ve lived here for about eight weeks. My parents kicked me out when I told them about . . . well, this.” I gestured down to my gigantic belly.

“Sounds like pretty shitty parents, if you ask me,” Jeremy growled, getting up and shaking the dust off his sweatpants. He hadn’t put a shirt on, so I had the gargantuan task of trying to avoid ogling his chest.

“I won’t disagree with you there. The idea of their daughter pregnant out of wedlock horrified them. Then again, I guess most parents wouldn’t like that.”

Jeremy snorted. “If one of my sisters got pregnant with no father in sight, my parents would throw a party. My mother would love the excuse to have a daughter and a grandbaby in her house. Decorating the nursery and all that shit.”

I moaned wistfully. “She sounds lovely.”

“She’s a force of nature, but we all love her. My eldest sister, Della, got pregnant at a time when her pack was super busy with work commitments they couldn’t escape, so she just went ahead and turned up on my parents’ doorstep one day with her bags and didn’t leave for several months until they were all settled and comfortable.”

“Can I borrow your mother?” I laughed.

“Take her! It’ll get her off my back about giving her a litter of grandbabies.” He laughed, but he clearly didn’t mean it. “You need to sit your butt down. You look exhausted.”

I did as I was told and plopped down on the sofa, making a pleased sound when Gilbert followed my lead by jumping on the cushion next to me and resting his head on my bump.

“Do you want kids?” I asked, absentmindedly petting Gilbert as Jeremy packed up his tools from the doorway.

“Oh, for sure.” He grinned, his whole face lighting up. “I want a whole football team one day. I love kids. I’ve considered kidnapping my niece and nephew a few times, but I think my sister would get violent, and she’s a vicious little creature when she wants to be.”

“That’s nice.” I hummed. “I thought most guys were scared of kids—I know that my dating life is pretty much dead in the water. No man wants to raise a child that isn’t his.”

Jeremy walked to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water and handing it to me. “Packs do it all the time. Most of the time, they have no idea whose kid is whose. What difference does it make if a kid was born beforehand? Legally, all children become part of the pack, don’t they?”

I nodded. He was right, and it was something I had considered. “It would be nice to give this parasite a pack, in theory. Only, most of the packs interested in a single mother omega are very . . .”

“Predatory? Creepy?” Jeremy helpfully suggested.

“You hit the nail on the head! I talked to a pack or two when I first learned I was pregnant. They made it clear I would basically be their house maid and bedroom slave just because I had the audacity to keep my child. That isn’t exactly a good environment to raise a baby in.”

“Who were these packs?” Jeremy growled.

“No one of importance,” I insisted.

“Still, I think they need someone to screw their heads on straight.”

“And you’re going to be the one to do that?” I laughed, but his face was dead serious.

“Don’t doubt what I would do for you, Daisy. You deserve a fuck ton better than the hand the world has dealt you.”

He needed to stop talking, immediately, otherwise I was going to start blubbering. Where had this alpha come from? He cooked, wanted children, looked after me, and asked me for nothing.

“Are you a hallucination?” I blurted out.

“A hallucination?” Jeremy asked with a laugh, running his hands through his hair.

“Pregnancy is weird. You could be a figment of my imagination. That would explain why you are so dang nice to me.” I shrugged. “You’re basically the perfect man.”

Somehow, his grin got even wider, and he beamed down at me. “I can assure you I’m not a figment of your imagination.” He leaned down, his hand gently grabbing the back of my head as he planted a kiss on my forehead. “And I’m not going anywhere—you’re just going to have to get used to me. I’ll take this at your pace, but this is happening, omega.”

I looked up at him, confused. “What is happening?”

“Us,” he said simply, leaving me dumbfounded.

“Wha—”

“Make sure you lock the deadbolt,” he instructed as he made his way towards the door. “Dinner tomorrow? I can make dumplings?”

“Sure.” I nodded, following him to the door, almost in a trance . . . Had he just said what I thought he had said?

When I closed the door behind him, latching the brand-new deadbolt, I couldn’t help but let a crazy grin spread over my face.

The alpha liked me!

Chapter 7

Nate

“You look like shit.” Devon laughed, taking in Jeremy’s face. We were all sitting in a coffee shop, grabbing something to eat after Jeremy’s hockey game. While the arena had plenty of salty, fried food readily available, Jeremy preferred something slightly healthier after a game, and I was inclined to agree. He had been extra tired and irritable, and this was just a friendly pre-season game.

Hence the bowl of sweet potatoes, chicken, and peas in front of me that I had hardly touched.

Jeremy had just finished a game against the Falcons, and it seemed they had decided not to play fair. Their defenseman, Connors, had spent the entire game hitting every member of the Chargers into the boards or throwing high elbows—just playing dirty.

My pack mate didn’t suffer bullies easily, so he’d rounded on him, intending to intimidate and give him a clear message to back off, but the little shit had taken his chance to try and deck him. The idiot was oblivious to the fact Jeremy was both significantly taller and wider—he easily had fifty pounds on him. When he’d swung to start something, Jeremy had swung to end it.

It had only been a small scuffle, but Connors had landed a few decent blows to Jeremy’s face before he had him on the ground, and the referees finally intervened and pulled them apart. The resulting bruises weren’t the nicest to look at, but they would fade in a day or two.

“Why don’t you come home tonight?” Devon suggested before taking a large bite of his sandwich.

“You have been at the project apartment a lot,” I commented with a frown. “We hardly see you at home anymore.” Until recently, he had only been spending a night or two a week at the fixer-upper apartment, but now, he was easily spending the majority of his time there. Something about that unsettled me, even if I couldn’t put my finger on exactly why that was.

Jeremy took his time chewing the tiny bite of chicken he had just put in his mouth. His brow was furrowed, like he was carefully trying to pick his words. He wasn’t usually so reserved with us. We were family, after all.

He swallowed before speaking. “One of the neighbors is on their own, and I’ve been helping out where I can.”

“Another little old lady? I swear, you’re collecting them at this point!” Devon laughed, as if he wouldn’t do the exact same thing in Jeremy’s shoes. That pair had hearts bigger than their heads at times, and that was saying something, considering Jeremy’s sheer muscle mass.

“She’s not an old lady. It’s an omega. She’s single and heavily pregnant,” Jeremy admitted with a sigh.

An omega?

A single omega?

“You’re not getting attached to her?” I asked quickly. “We agreed—no omegas.”

There was no missing Devon’s grimace as Jeremy opened his mouth to speak. “You decided no omega for you, Nate. We understand why, but I won’t lie—I am kind of getting attached to Daisy. She’s so damn sweet.”

“Why haven’t we met her yet?” Devon asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

“But you said she’s pregnant? She must have an alpha, then,” I said with a frown, doing my best to ignore the panic rising in my chest. I couldn’t do it again. Being with an omega was a risk—one I couldn’t take. I wouldn’t survive it.

A small part of me that I had squashed down knew that Devon and Jeremy wanted more. They wanted a family, Jeremy more than anyone. He loved kids and wanted nothing more than to be a stay-at-home dad one day. He took every opportunity to kidnap his nieces and nephews. I also loved having the kids around—I wasn’t a total Grinch—but opening myself up to that kind of pain again was an impossibility.

“From what I gather, the sperm donor split the moment he found out about her pregnancy. She lives alone in a run-down apartment, making what little she can working from home—it’s beyond unfair to her. She’s had terrible morning sickness, and she hasn’t admitted it, but I think she’s also got vertigo. She’s been wobbling around a lot.”

“What sorry excuse for a sperm donor—what alpha in their right mind—would leave an omega alone to fend for themselves in the first place, let alone a pregnant one?”

As much as I disliked the situation, I had to agree with that. The motherfucker that had abandoned a pregnant omega was absolutely a waste of the air they breathed.

“While I agree, it’s not your job to look after her,” I said, but the words felt hollow.

Jeremy turned to glare at me so fiercely, I almost shrank back. “It may not be my job, but I want to help her. I’m not going to flaunt her in front of you, but I’m not going to lie. I like her, a lot. I fully intend to date her.”

“Even though she’s a single mother?” I asked, and I knew the words were total bullshit.

“Fuck, yes. She and the squirt are a package deal. You know I want kids. This just escalates the timeline, and that makes me insanely happy.”

I started to grasp at straws. “But what if the father makes an appearance?”

“If I’m bonded with Daisy, her kids essentially become mine, legally speaking. Considering the sperm donor split, I highly doubt he’ll be around to sign the birth certificate, so he won’t have any rights.” Jeremy shrugged, a dopey grin on his face.

Bonded. Jeremy was already thinking about bonding. The fucker was head over heels, and there was no talking him down.

Fuck.

“Dude, you’re talking about bonding and adopting her kid . . . Have you even asked her on a date yet?” Devon laughed.

Jeremy shook his head. “I can tell she’s attracted to me, though. There was a . . . moment recently. She smells so fucking good, like apples and brown sugar. I don’t see how anything between us could be wrong.”

“I just want you guys to stay safe,” I said, dread sticking to my gut like glue. “We can all date without bonding. That way, you guys aren’t at risk of going through everything I am.”

Severing sickness. My bonded omega had died less than twenty-four hours after we solidified our bond. To die so tragically and violently so soon after bonding . .  it had destroyed a part of my soul and left me physically sick. Leaving me with medications that cost an arm and a leg and a deep emotional pain that would never ebb.

Jeremy sighed. “Look, I know how badly the severing sickness has fucked you up, man, but having an omega around could be a good thing.”

I shook my head. “You guys can do whatever you want, but keep me out of it.” As I took a bite of sweet potato, I couldn’t help the sinking sensation in my stomach.

Was this the beginning of the end for our little pack?

Chapter 8

Jeremy

Trudging up the stairs to the apartment, I slowly pulled out my keys. Nate hadn’t exactly been angry with me, but I could see his disappointment and fear clear as day when I told him about Daisy. Not that I blamed him; what Jilly’s death put him through was rough.

Once inside, I didn’t even get a chance to take off my shoes before there was a knock on the door. Without even looking to see who it was, my face broke out into a smile. There was reasonably only one person it could be.

Daisy stood in my doorway, panting slightly, a big grin on her face.

“Raincheck cookies!” she declared as she thrust another Tupperware in my direction. “I had a craving and decided to—What the hell happened to your face?” she cried, eyes roaming over me as she noticed the bruises on my face.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I said, opening the tub and inhaling deeply. It was floral. I didn’t know that cookies could be floral. Hopefully, this was one of those nice cravings, and I wasn’t about to eat a cookie that tasted like grass clippings.

“That is most certainly not nothing! Jeremy, you have a cut on your eyebrow!”

“It’s a light scrape.” I did my best to keep my voice soothing.

“It’s still bleeding!” Her face reddened, and I paused. The last thing I wanted was for her to stress herself out. That wouldn’t be good for the baby.

“Oh, crap, it must have reopened—”

I was cut off by a tiny pair of hands shoving me in the chest, pushing me back inside the apartment.

“Sit your ass down. I’m going to clean that mess and then you can tell me how you managed to royally mess up your face.” Daisy growled—she actually growled—and I had to resist the urge to coo at her because it was so damn cute.

“Daisy—”

“Down!” She jabbed her finger in the direction of the dining chair, a scowl firmly on her face. “Where is your first aid kit?” she asked.

“Under the sink. But let me get it, you shouldn’t be—”

“Sit your fucking ass down, Jeremy,” she snarled.

My eyes widened as my ass plopped down on the chair. She was so pissed at me she was actually cursing. Daisy disappeared behind the counter, muttering under her breath as she rummaged through my cabinet for a few minutes before resurfacing, first aid kit in hand. Stomping over to me, she started going through the kit, pulling out an antiseptic wipe and ripping it open with a grumble.

“You should sit down. Stress isn’t good for the baby,” I tried to reason.

A sharp, stinging sensation exploded across the back of my skull as Daisy clipped me round the back of the head in an almost skillful move. “Shut up. Let me fix this. Don’t you dare comment on my stress levels, or I’ll just get more stressed!” Her voice took on a shrill tone.

“Okay,” I said, holding my hands up in surrender.

Grabbing my chin with one hand, she delicately dabbed at my eyebrow. It stung—antiseptic always did—but I kept my face calm and even. When her hand reached for a butterfly bandage, I resisted the urge to tell her she was overreacting.I had a distinct feeling that wouldn’t work out for me.

“How did this happen?” she asked, pulling back to inspect her work.

“It’s nothing,” I insisted, gently grabbing her wrist that was reached out to me. Her skin was so soft; I wanted to taste it, but it hardly seemed like an ideal moment.

“Why won’t you tell me? Are you a criminal?” Her face paled. “Jeremy, if you’re into some iffy stuff, I can’t be spending time with you. I’m about to have a baby! I refuse to bring a baby around that stuff!” Her breathing was increasing, and she tried to take a step back, but I was still holding on to her wrist.

Panic gripped me. I couldn’t let her leave—she was mine, whether she realized it or not. She was retreating, and I couldn’t have that. Fear and panic weren’t good for her or the baby. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to make the situation right, to soothe the omega.

“Hey.” Standing up, I pulled her closer to me, my hands gently gripping her upper arms. “I’m not a criminal, okay? I’m a hockey player,”

Daisy stilled, looking up at me with wide eyes. “A-a hockey player?” she asked, confused.

“Yeah. There was a little scuffle during the game. It’s normal.”

Her brows were pinched. Did she believe me? I wasn’t going to let her think I was a criminal—no way in hell. I would happily explain every little part of my life to her if it made her feel better.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me that?”

“I’m, uh . . . I’m quite well known. I hate it. I hate the sport, but I’m good at it, so I do it for my pack. I’m in the NHL.”

Daisy bit her lip. “I can’t say I know much about hockey, but even I know what the NHL is. Are you even a contractor?”

“I am!” I nodded eagerly. “It’s only part time, but it’s what I want to do full time more than anything.” She swayed slightly as I spoke. “How about you sit down while we talk? I’ve got spicy peanut noodles I can make.”

“It’s nearly midnight,” Daisy said, confused. “Do you really eat at this time?”

I shrugged. “I eat when I’m hungry. Have you managed to eat anything today?” I asked pointedly. I could see clearly from the pale color of her face that she hadn’t. Daisy’s face was so expressive—it was one of the things I adored about her. “I’ll make you some. Spicy Asian food seems to be all your stomach can cope with right now.”

“You can’t keep feeding me,” Daisy grumbled.

“Watch me,” I said, leading her towards the kitchen. She headed for the breakfast bar, but I’d decided a few days ago that the bar stools weren’t good enough for her. She deserved to be comfy and refused to wait on the sofa while I cooked. She insisted on being with me, and I loved the company, so I was inclined to agree.

So, the only solution had been to buy one of those big, overly stuffed armchairs and place it in the corner of my kitchen. It had been delivered just yesterday, and Daisy hadn’t seen it yet. It was a deep emerald green—I had picked that color because, thanks to her glorious red hair, she looked stunning in green. She looked lovely all the time, but green just hit differently. I had also taken the liberty of adding a throw pillow and a cream blanket that was stupidly soft.

It was a throne for a queen.

“What is that?” Daisy asked with a frown when I turned her to look at it.

“You’re heavily pregnant, so there’s no way in hell I’m letting you sit on those bar stools—they’ll destroy your back. This is your seat while I’m cooking.”

Her eyes filled with tears, and my heart stuttered. Had I fucked up? Oh no. Shit.

“You got me an armchair so I would be comfy?” she asked in a broken voice.

“Yeah.” I nodded, watching her with wide eyes. “If you don’t like it, I can return it! I be—oomph!” I was cut off by a petite, pregnant omega throwing herself at me. Her bump was so big, she couldn’t fully get her arms around me.

“I love it,” she sobbed.

Looking down at her with panic, I gently brushed her hair out of her face. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? I can get a different color if you want?”

“No! I’m crying because it’s perfect. Stupid pregnancy hormones. You got me a chair!” She pulled back and furiously wiped at the tears. Even with a blotchy, tear-stained face, she was beautiful. “This isn’t getting you out of explaining what the hell is going on,” she grumbled, padding towards the chair and sitting down with a moan. “Oh, this is lovely,” she admitted, running her hands up and down her arms.

A wave of pride and joy washed over me. She liked the gift I had gotten her! She wiggled her ass deeper into the seat, a smile breaking out across her face. Now she could be near me while I cooked for her—it was perfect.

Keeping her in my eyeline, I went to the fridge, pulling out all the necessary vegetables to make the spicy noodle dish that I knew was likely to be a hit, if her recent palate was anything to go by.

“What do you want to know?” I asked as I started chopping up the various ingredients.

“So, you play hockey professionally?” she asked.

“Yes, I have for four years now.”

“But you want to be a contractor full time? That seems like a major career jump. How did you get into hockey? What does your pack think of it?”

“I played in high school and was recruited during college for the Chargers. I like the game well enough, but it isn’t what excites me. The benefits couldn’t be ignored, though. My pack loves that I play hockey.”

“But do you love it? From the sounds of it, you’re not a fan. You always talk about building things with such excitement, yet you’ve never mentioned hockey to me.” She blushed. “Then again, I don’t want to assume you talk to me about everything. We aren’t exactly close—”

“Daisy.” I said her name firmly, stopping her rambling. “I talk to you more than I talk to my own pack mates. Whatever this is”—I waved my spatula between the two of us—“is important to me, okay?”

She bit her lip as her blush deepened. “Okay,” she said as a small smile broke out on her face.

I sighed deeply. The last thing I wanted to do was to lie to Daisy. She deserved the truth. “As a player in the NHL, all of my pack mates are entitled to my health insurance, and one of my pack mates is sick, so I have to keep playing.”

Daisy’s face dropped. “Oh no, are they okay?”

I grimaced. “Yes and no. Nate has severing sickness.”

“Oh shit,” Daisy cursed, and if not for the severity of the situation, I would have laughed. Her eyes widened as she realized what she had just said. “Shoot! I meant shoot!” She looked down at her belly, talking to her unborn baby. “I’m going to give this baby a potty mouth, aren’t I?” She groaned.

I laughed. “I’m sure the little squirt will survive.”

“Severing sickness?” she asked. “How? Isn’t that super rare and super fatal?”

“The survival rate is something stupid, like seven percent, but somehow, Nate pulled through. He hadn’t been bonded to his mate Jilly for even a full twenty-four hours when she died in a nasty car crash. The resulting sickness for Nate has been . . . intense, to say the least. With regular medication, he’s practically back to normal.”

“A broken heart never truly heals, though,” Daisy murmured.

She was right there; Nate had never really been the same.

“Anyway, the meds that keep him normal are expensive . . .”

“So, you’re doing a job you hate to pay for his healthcare?” Daisy asked, mouth agape. “Are your pack mates really okay with that?”

“They don’t know,” I admitted. “As far as they’re concerned, I love hockey. Nate would insist I quit if he knew, health be damned. I love the belligerent ass too much to let that happen.” I dished up a large bowl of the noodles, adding a set of chopsticks and passing them to Daisy, who took them with a hungry look. Making a mental note to meal prep her some easy spicy foods, I dished up my own plate. She had mentioned she wasn’t cooking for herself because the smell of raw ingredients didn’t agree with her—but I had my theory that it was because she was struggling financially.

One way or another, I had to help her.

Chapter 9

Daisy

Ahockey player?

Why hadn’t he told me?

The following day I gave into the urge to look him up online.

My simple search of “Jeremy NHL California” yielded plenty of results.

Jeremy wasn’t just a hockey player—he was widely known as a brutal player. There were several videos of him and a player from the opposite team getting into it.

It was hard to reconcile the videos of this gigantic man brutally punching another player with the sweet alpha who smelled like pure comfort and had insisted I needed a deadbolt on my door and had rescued me from a burst pipe and had fed me for several nights in a row.

After clicking on a few links, I realized another reason why he may not have wanted me to know. It was widely publicized that his last contract was worth millions. So, he wasn’t just doing good for himself—he was wealthy. The neighborhood we were living in wasn’t exactly a nice one. If I were in his position, I would also want to keep my financial security a secret. Letting people know would just be asking to be burglarized.

My quick search of hockey players revealed that quite a few of them were missing their teeth. Many of their profile pictures included toothy, gapped smiles. I silently gave thanks that Jeremy had all his teeth intact.

Now that I knew so much about him, I started to debate whether I should go over to his apartment. On the one hand, we had discussed seeing each other for dinner again, but on the other hand, I didn’t want him to feel like I was using him. He had been feeding me an awful lot. And making my apartment safer.

After sitting on my sofa for what felt like a decade as the sun slowly sank, I finally made the decision to go and talk to him. Now the only issue was getting off the sofa.

Considering I still had three months left in my pregnancy, I was starting to get mildly concerned. If it was already this difficult to get up off the sofa, then I really was going to struggle in my later months.

Opting for the roll off method, I gracefully landed on my knees with a humph and slowly made my way to my feet.

I would have made him cookies. That was one thing I could do that he couldn’t; only, ever since the downpour in my kitchen, the oven hadn’t been working. I’d attempted to bake some oven fries when a particularly violent craving had hit, only to be sorely disappointed.

When I got to his front door and knocked, I was puffing and panting like I had just run a mile. Not even a full second after I had knocked, the door swung open, and Jeremy stood there with a smile plastered on his face.

Had he been waiting for me?

“You’re here!” he exclaimed. “I didn’t want to knock in case I woke you. I know how exhausted you’ve been. Come in. I’ve got spicy rice cakes again. Is that okay?”

“More than okay!” I nodded my head eagerly. His face was already starting to clear up. The bruising was turning yellow, and the graze above his eye was starting to heal over.

“Good.” As he spoke, he opened the door wider, letting me in and leading me to the kitchen. He gestured toward my armchair. “Your throne awaits, milady.”

“You’re going to make me spoiled.” I laughed as I took my seat with a happy little moan. The armchair was made of marshmallows, or something equally soft and squishy. It was glorious.

“You deserve to be spoiled,” Jeremy insisted as he stirred a pot, glancing over at me as I wiggled my butt until I was situated just right in my chair.

Gilbert jumped up next to me, lying mostly on the arm of the chair and resting his head on the top of my bump.

“Oh, hello there.” I laughed, petting his sweet, fluffy ears.

“Gilbert!” Jeremy admonished. “Get down from there. You could hurt Daisy!”

“He’s okay here. Honestly, it’s kind of nice,” I admitted, looking down at the friendly dog. “He’s keeping my bump company, it seems.”

Jeremy’s gaze softened as he took in the sight of Gilbert resting on me. We must have looked downright domestic.

Is this what life could have been like if I had made different choices? If I had gotten pregnant with an alpha like Jeremy instead of Cole? Curled up in a comfy armchair while a handsome alpha cooked for me and an adorable dog demanded snuggles? It was so vastly different from the reality of my life—yet I was sitting right here.

“He does seem rather comfortable there,” Jeremy agreed.

“Where does he go while you’re at practice?” I asked.

“I tried to take him with me, but we’re doing so much right now that it’s a bit more difficult.”

“I’m still happy to keep an eye on him, if you ever need it. It’s the least I can do after you saved my kitchen from totally flooding. I was going to make you some more cookies, but my oven seems to be dying a painful death. I tried to make fries today, and the results were just sad and soggy.” I crinkled my nose as I spoke.

Jeremy gave me a look of playful horror. “Soggy fries? The worst!”

“They are,” I agreed, with an enthusiastic nod. “I’d been craving them for hours—I wanted those wonderfully greasy crispy fries you can get from a greasy burger joint, but of course, I had to do the budget version. But my oven fries were sadly disappointing—even for oven fries.” I pouted.

“You still craving them?” Jeremy asked as he moved around the kitchen.

“Violently.” I nodded. “The cravings tend to last a few days, but they eventually go away.”

Jeremy pursed his lips in thought.

“You know, all of this food could easily be packed away to eat tomorrow . . .” He put down his spatula. “If you feel up to it, we could go for a walk. I need to take Gilbert out, anyway. I’m pretty sure there’s a really nice place that does those Dutch-style fries only fifteen minutes from here.”

My mouth immediately started to water at the idea. I knew exactly where he was talking about, and the food they made was indeed delicious. But it was out of my price range, and I wouldn’t walk there at night on my own.

But if I had a six-foot-tall alpha guarding me?

“Isn’t that place a little expensive?” I asked with a grimace.

“Does it sound good?” Jeremy insisted.

I groaned, throwing my head back. “Of course, it sounds good. It sounds phenomenal, but unfortunately, I am broke and can’t go out and get fries that cost over fifteen dollars!”

He turned to me, a frown on his face. “Do you really think I was going to let you pay? These are my treat. Now, you can either come with me for a walk, or you can wait here. I will take Gilbert out, and I will bring you back fries. It’s up to you.”

“But—”

“I’m sure you Googled me after you learned what I do for a job, am I right?” he asked, crouching down in front of me.

I looked at my lap, biting my lip. “I did,” I admitted. “I don’t want you to think I’m using you for your money or anything, though. I really like spending time with you, and you’ve been so nice to me.”

Jeremy barked a laugh, and my head shot up to meet his eye. He had a grin plastered across his face. “Daisy, you are the last person who I could ever think would use me for my money. Now, you know that I like you, and I want to get you fries. You know that I can more than afford it. So, would you like to come for a walk, or would you like to wait here?”

“I’m really slow walking at the moment. Is that okay?” I asked sheepishly.

“More than okay.” Jeremy nodded. “Gilbert likes to take the opportunity to pee on every lamppost or fire hydrant he can find, so the slower, the better.”

“I should probably go for a walk,” I admitted, but grudgingly. “To help with my overly swollen ankles. I’ve been meaning to go for a walk, but most of the time, I’m either working during the day or it’s dark, and I am not about to go walking on my own in this neighborhood after dark.”

“No, you definitely should not be walking in the dark. If you need anything at night, talk to me,” he insisted.

“You need to stop saying things like that. I’m going to get attached.” I laughed, playing it off as a joke, even though it was very much real. This alpha was barrelling into my life, and I had a feeling that, when he left, I was going to be devastated.

Had I learned nothing from the past?

“I’m not going anywhere, Daisy. I can promise you that,” he said, getting up and quickly packaging up the spicy rice cakes he’d been making.

Once that was done, he grabbed Gilbert’s leash, and the dog needed no more prompting. He was off my lap like a shot and happily sitting at Jeremy’s feet, moving from paw to paw in excitement.

While he clipped the leash on, I slowly pulled myself out of the armchair. I could feel the excitement building in my chest already at the idea of this craving that had been bugging me for days being fulfilled.

I could very quickly become accustomed to this sort of treatment.

“Do you want me to grab your sneakers for you?” Jeremy asked, looking down at my sock-covered feet.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to put shoes on. . . .”

“No worries, they’re by your front door, right? In that small shoe rack? I saw them while I was installing the deadbolt.”

I cringed internally at the fact that he would have seen just how threadbare my shoes were. I had lost most of my possessions when my family had kicked me out, and I was down to three pairs of shoes.

“Yeah, those are the ones,” I admitted.

“Did you lock your door?” he asked, frowning when I shook my head.

“Didn’t think I needed to lock up if I was just coming over here.”

Jeremy sighed. “Where are your keys?”

“Right by the front door, above the shoes. I can go lock up,” I said.

“Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute with your shoes, then we can go get your fries. After I lock your door.”

“Blame the baby brain!” I called after him as he walked out of his apartment. Gilbert came and sat next to me, not even bothering to follow his owner. “I would have just gone to get my shoes and keys myself, but I have a feeling your dad would not be very happy about that,” I told the dog.

He just looked up at me with those big puppy dog eyes.

He totally agreed with me.

Chapter 10

Jeremy

Iwas happy to run to Daisy’s apartment and grab her keys and shoes. Part of me wanted to insist on driving her to get fries, but a little light exercise was probably good for her.

Grabbing her shoes, I checked to see if she had any sturdier pairs and was disappointed that there weren’t any. Daisy wasn’t the most stubborn of people, but she definitely wouldn’t let me buy her new shoes. Yet.

Maybe I could get her a gift card and say that it was left over from Christmas? I wasn’t above lying to help her. If things went the way I wanted them to, then soon enough, Daisy would be totally open to my love and affection and overbearingly caring ways.

But I had to take things slowly.

She’d clearly been hurt before. Her current predicament was evidence of that. I didn’t know how she would react if I just came barrelling in, insisting on all this change. Everything I wanted to do was for her own benefit, but she could be resistant to that.

I was pleased to see that the deadbolt was still firmly in place. I hoped she had been using it. When I had left that first night after installing it, I had waited until I heard the click of the latch before going back to my own place.

Part of me had considered installing a security camera outside of my own front door. The camera would conveniently also cover the space in front of her front door, so I could make sure she was safe—y’know, because I was a good neighbor.

I was probably going into stalker territory, but frankly, I was beyond caring. I wanted Daisy to be safe and happy; if I had to do some creepy things to make that happen, well, that was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

Once I locked her door, I placed her keys in my back pocket and made my way back. Daisy was leaning over and petting Gilbert. They looked so perfect together. Despite her clearly exhausted and aching state, she was radiant.

“I’ve got your shoes. They were right where you said they would be.”

“That’s good.” She laughed. “Knowing my baby brain, I probably would have forgotten that I’d left them in the trash can or something.”

“Have you been leaving things in the trash can a lot?” I asked, not sure I really wanted to know the answer.

“I put a load of clean laundry in the trash the other day. My stupid pregnancy brain thought it was the laundry hamper. I had to wash them all over again.”

I pursed my lips, trying not to laugh at her. “That’s . . . something.”

“You can laugh. It’s downright idiotic. I really hope once this little parasite leaves my body, I will get some semblance of my intelligence back.”

She sat down on the armchair and leaned forward to try and get her shoes on. Unfortunately, her belly was in the way, and she made a frankly adorable grunting noise as she did so.

“Here,” I smiled at her as I knelt and gently took her shoe off her. “Let me help.”

She groaned. “I’m useless.”

“You’re not useless. You’re growing an entire human being right now. I think it’s forgivable that you can’t manage a lot of things,” I reasoned, gently sliding her foot into the shoe and tying up the laces. Up close, I was treated to a waft of her delectable pastry and apple scent. God, I wanted to drown in that scent. “There, ready to go.” I smiled up at her.

“Thank you,” she said as I stood, holding out my arms to help her up.

“Let’s go get you some fries.”

A moan that was almost indecent slipped from her sweet lips. “I swear, a man has never said anything sexier!” At my laugh, she stilled, her eyes going wide. “I should have kept that thought to myself, shouldn’t I?”

“No, I want to know what you’re thinking. How will I know you need fries if you don’t tell me?” I stayed a step behind her as she slowly made her way out the door. Gilbert trotted dutifully at my side.

While we weren’t in the safest of areas, it wasn’t too terrible, especially when walking in pairs. It was actually kind of beautiful, a lot of old 1940s buildings and condos. Many new buildings were being built, including a community center and a pool. Hopefully, the area would vastly improve within the next ten years. That was why I saw the apartment project as such a good bet. It was an investment of my time, money, and effort. With any luck, I would sell the apartment at a good profit, and I could put that money into looking after my future family.

Into looking after Daisy.

“So, what have you been up to today?” I gestured to her stomach as we walked. “Other than growing the little one.”

“Not much. I did a little bit of admin work, and I tried to make my fries, but again, I was sadly disappointed. I don’t know how I’m going to go about making cookies for you next time. No one likes a soggy cookie.”

“Use my oven,” I said. The answer was so simple. Why would she need to use hers when I had a new oven in a recently renovated kitchen? The space was ideal for baking.

And, bonus, she would be closer to me, and I would be getting more cookies.

“I can’t keep imposing on you!” Daisy cried.

I hummed thoughtfully. “Well, why don’t you use my kitchen when you come over to my place during the day to look after Gilbert while I’m at practice? You’d actually be helping me that way.”

Daisy gave me a knowing grin. “I could just look after him at my place.”

“But he’s so used to my place now, it would be cruel to constantly move him around,” I insisted, unable to keep the grin off my face.

“Oh, yes, the dog who is currently peeing on a tree and hasn’t got two brain cells to rub together is definitely too fragile to be moved around.” She laughed, the sound music to my ears.

“Certainly.” I nodded sagely. My place had plenty of baking equipment, most of it only used for cooking because I was in no way a baker. I could easily stock the place with anything else she might need. It was really a win for me—having her baking at my place would mean even more delicious, chewy butter pecan cookies.

“I guess I can do that—if you really don’t mind,” she said.

“I insist.”

“Your whole place is going to smell like cookies,” she warned me.

“You say that like it’s a problem!”

The takeout place that offered the fancy fries was right next to the river, so it was a fairly beautiful walk. At one point, Daisy looked a touch wobbly, so my hand shot out instinctively and grabbed hers.

When she didn’t complain or pull her hand away, I took it as a good sign and kept her small, soft hand in mine as we walked toward our destination. My heart pounded erratically, even though it was such an innocent touch. Was she just as affected?

We didn’t say much, walking in an easy, companionable silence. None of the conversation or lapses felt forced or awkward. Her scent alone was enough to lull me into a relaxed, almost boneless, state.

I could tell I would get the best sleep of my life with her in my arms—I just needed to convince her that she needed a snuggle.

“I can smell them,” Daisy moaned as we got closer.

“Really?” I asked in surprise; we were still a few minutes away. Alphas and omegas had damn good senses of smell—it made sense, given how important scent was to our existence—but that was still an impressive distance.

“Pregnant, remember?” She laughed. “I’ve got the nose of a bloodhound.”

“What do I smell like? I probably stink of sweat from practice.” I frowned. If I smelled bad, I would need to rectify that immediately. She already had a sensitive stomach; the last thing I wanted to do was make it worse.

Even in the low evening lighting, I could see the blush spreading across her cheeks. “Not at all!” she rushed to say. “You smell . . . uh . . . good. You smell good,” she admitted, her face now bright pink. “Ah! Here we are!” she exclaimed, turning to look in the distance, tugging me along.

We weren’t there yet—it was still a good two-minute walk away—but now it was in sight, and I got the feeling that Daisy was happy for the diversion.

I was too distracted with the overwhelming pride and joy I felt at the idea that she liked my scent—maybe a little too much.

She could huff my scent any day; I would be a willing participant. More than willing.

We had arrived at just the right time. The dinner rush had died down, and the late-night partiers had yet to make their appearance, so there weren’t many people in line.

“What sauce would you like? They toss the fries in a sauce of your choice,” I told her, leaning down, so I didn’t have to yell as we stood in line.

“The only acceptable answer is ketchup,” she said gleefully, her eyes never leaving the menu. “Though the peppercorn does intrigue me,” she admitted.

“You get the ketchup, and I’ll get the peppercorn. That way, you can have both.”

“Why do you keep suggesting such amazing things?” she groaned.

I shrugged. “I’m just awesome like that.”

“You won’t hear me disagreeing.”

She thought I was awesome. Daisy had been nothing but sweet and complimenting since she had crashed into my life. My ego was in serious danger of exploding with how big it was getting.

Sure, I was an NHL-level hockey player, highly sought after by women, but Daisy’s admiration just hit differently.

“Go sit down.” I gestured to the small picnic table in my line of sight. “I’ll order.”

Daisy nodded, waddling over to the table and plopping down. She was only a few feet away, so I could keep her firmly in sight.

There was no way in hell I was going to have my omega where I couldn’t see her late at night.

My omega?

I was losing it. Daisy wasn’t my anything, no matter how much I wanted her to be.

Maybe it was time for me to make my intentions clearer . . . but I didn’t want to risk spooking her. If I came on too hard, too fast, she would run for the hills.

The fries didn’t take long, and within minutes I had two large cones of sauce-coated fries in hand and was heading towards the beautiful omega who was sitting, petting my dog.

“Thank you.” She beamed at me as she took the cone of ketchup-covered fries off me. She didn’t hesitate, diving right in, letting out a pornographic moan at the first bite. “I’ve been dreaming about this!” She groaned, eyes filling with tears.

Tears?

“Are you crying?” I asked, panicked.

How had I made her cry? How did I fix it? I couldn’t let her be upset.

“They’re good tears,” she insisted around a mouthful of fries. “Happy. These taste so good!”

“Ah.” I smiled, nodding. Pregnancy hormones made omegas a touch emotional at times.

Apparently, I was falling for an omega with a deep, unconditional love of fries.

I had won the jackpot.

Wiping at her eyes, she continued munching on her food, the tears eventually evaporating as I took a few bites of my own.

“Thank you for this . . . and for being so cool with me being a mess,” she said.

“But you’re an adorable mess. It makes all the difference,” I said in a matter-of-fact tone, making her giggle.

“I suppose it does.” She nodded sagely, returning to her fries. With her next bite, she gave a little hum of happiness, wiggling in her seat in the little happy dance I had grown accustomed to seeing when she was happily enjoying food.

Taking out my phone, I snapped a photo of Gilbert looking longingly at the beaming omega, begging for food.

They looked perfect together.

Chapter 11

Devon

When Jeremy had told me he needed extra plywood for the project apartment in an offhand comment, I decided that I needed to be a good pack mate and take some to him.

It had nothing to do with the fact that I wanted to catch a glance of the omega who Jeremy was falling for, hard and fast.

He had sent me a photo of the omega sitting with Gilbert, feeding him a fry. Her face was obscured somewhat by her hair, but it was a cute scene.

On the drive over, I had thought about how I would need to be sneaky to catch a glance of her without seeming like a total creep-show stalker.

Turns out, I didn’t need to be careful at all, because she was standing in the recently renovated kitchen in the project apartment, blaring some sort of bubble-gum pop as she baked.

While forming dough of some variety, she sang along with the music. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail of cascading red curls, and she wore a tight, long-sleeve black shirt that hugged her bump beautifully and leggings that showed off every curve of her body.

She was stunning, and either she was baking with apples and some sort of rich brown sugar—which was a possibility—or she smelled fucking divine.

She hadn’t even noticed me entering the apartment, which gave me pause. Her lack of awareness was worrying; I could have been anyone. Then again, Jeremy had outfitted the place with a sturdy door and two separate locks—I just happened to have keys to both locks. Jeremy had mentioned putting a deadbolt on her door, so clearly, she needed the extra security.

“You don’t look like Jeremy,” I said from the doorway, not bothering to stifle my chuckle.

“Holy f—” She jumped, the ceramic mixing bowl in her hand falling to the floor, shattering against the very tile I had helped Jeremy install a few weeks ago.

I darted forward, driven by instinct, holding my hands out. “Don’t move!” I ordered, putting all my alpha growl behind the words to ensure she listened, since the ceramic was sharp and could easily cut her. She had nothing on her feet, not even a pair of slippers. Why hadn’t Jeremy bought her some slippers? The tile was cold and not ideal for bare feet. If she hurt herself, I would feel terrible, and Jeremy would probably do his best to maim me—and succeed.

“Who are you?” she asked, panting. One hand rested over her heart while the other reached behind her, pressing against her lower back, which no doubt ached from the sheer pressure of her baby bump. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m Devon, and I should be asking you why you’re here,” I said, leaning down and picking up the larger bits of broken bowl. Even though it was fairly obvious who she was, I still wanted her to introduce herself, so I didn’t come off creepy and stalkerish.

“Oh! You’re Jeremy’s pack mate, the one he owns the construction company with?” she said. Up close I could tell that the delicious smell was, in fact, her and not whatever she was making.

“I am. He’s told you about me?” I asked, looking up. She was still panting from the surprise, and it only drew my attention to her low-cut top. I didn’t think the top was meant to be revealing, but she was spilling out of it, exposing curves that had my cock standing to attention and straining against my zipper.

“He talks about you and Nate fairly regularly.”

“And I’m guessing you’re Daisy?” I asked, doing my best to avoid looking at her chest. I couldn’t let myself have dirty thoughts about a noticeably pregnant omega I’d just met.

“I am.” She nodded in confirmation. Not that I needed it. How many heavily pregnant, redheaded omegas would be in my pack mate’s apartment?

“Whatever you’re making smells amazing. Sorry for startling you,” I said sheepishly, taking in the mess I had caused. From the looks of it, she’d been having a nice day of baking, listening to music, and playing with the dog.

“No worries. You have more right to be here than me.”

What I didn’t say was that her presence warmed the apartment in a way we’d never experienced at the packhouse. The apartment felt homey—full of sweet smells and music—and that was because of her.

I shrugged. “You have every right to be here if Jeremy invited you.”

“He did.” She nodded. “I kept baking him cookies to say thank you for all the help he’s been giving me, but a pipe burst in my place, and now my oven just refuses to work, so Jeremy offered his kitchen.”

“Ahh, you’re the reason he’s consuming a million cookies a week. His coach is pissed he’s gained weight, but Jeremy couldn’t care less. He loves those cookies. I stole one from him, and he nearly threw me out the window!”

“Well, that’s not very nice of him! To answer your earlier question, I’m making snickerdoodles. There are some about to come out of the oven if you want some? There won’t be as many as I planned . . .” She looked at the discarded dough being cleaned off the floor.

“If I ever say no to cookies, could you just do me a favor and put me down? Because something would be very wrong with me to reject freshly baked treats.” One thing about me—I had a sweet tooth that could rival a feral toddler’s. If it was sweet, I would eat it.

I wouldn’t have minded including a certain sweet-smelling omega in that.

She bit her lip, but that did nothing to stop her laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Why don’t you go sit down? I can get these out of the oven when they’re ready. You look ready to pop.” I looked around and noticed the overly stuffed green armchair in the corner of the room. “Yours?” I asked with raised eyebrows.

Her face turned a beautiful shade of pink. “Jeremy hated that there was nowhere for me to sit while he cooked,” she admitted.

That pleased me. She should have somewhere comfortable to sit down while her cookies baked.

“Sounds like Jeremy. Go sit, and I’ll start cleanup—actually, wait.” I was wearing thick work boots, and she wasn’t. “Can I pick you up? I don’t want you to cut your feet on any wayward pieces of broken bowl.”

“Oh, it’s okay. Thanks to the sweet parasite, I’m the size of a house. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Was she insinuating that she, a tiny slip of an omega, was too heavy for me to carry?

I scoffed. “I may not look the strongest, but I assure you, I can lift you easily. Come here.” Without waiting for an answer, I scooped her up in my arms. I didn’t want to give her time to come up with more stupid excuses, because that’s exactly what they were: stupid. She yipped in surprise, her hands shooting out to grip my neck as I held her bridal style. Her concerns were unfounded—she hardly weighed anything, even with her extra passenger. If anything, she felt too light. Was Jeremy making sure she ate enough? I was going to have a word with him as soon as possible. He wasn’t the kind to let an omega in need go hungry, but her spine felt a little too pronounced for my liking.

“Oh, I—” She stumbled over her words.

“I’m wearing steel-toed work boots, and you have adorable bare feet, so this is for your own good,” I insisted, gently placing her on the armchair, marveling at the genius of Jeremy’s idea. This way, she was near but resting.

That puck head was a lot smarter than most people gave him credit for.

She remained in her seat as I grabbed the throw blanket and placed it over her lap before returning to the chaos I had created in front of the oven.

“What brings you to our neck of the woods?” Daisy asked as I grabbed a pair of oven mitts.

“Jeremy mentioned needing some plywood for a project of his, and I thought I would be a good pack mate and bring it to him. Also, getting to see the omega he’s infatuated with is a bonus.” I smirked at her as I grabbed a broom and started sweeping up every last shard of bowl and cookie dough that had been flung around the kitchen.

She blushed a delightful pink color. “He’s not infatuated with me,” she muttered, unable to meet my eye.

“He totally is. Last time we saw him, he spoke about you at length—and he only had glowing praise.”

That boy was downright twitterpated, and I was starting to see why.

She snorted, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. “Did he tell you how we met? It’s really not a story I can be praised for!”

“He didn’t,” I admitted.

“I’ve been having some really bad morning sickness, only it is in no way restricted to just the morning. It’s all-day sickness.” She grimaced, and I winced—that truly sucked. “Anyway, one day, Jeremy was cooking, and holy heck, it smelled so good. I tried to ignore it, but the smell kept wafting into my place until I thought I was genuinely starting to go mad with need.”

“I’m guessing it was Korean food . . . or any Asian food. That’s his strong suit, for sure.”

“It was!” She nodded her head eagerly. “Spicy rice cakes. After an hour of slowly going insane, the pregnancy hormones took over my body, and next thing I knew, I was at his door, begging a total stranger for some of his food!”

I bent over, laughing so hard I was wheezing. Pregnancy hormones were no fucking joke. “Holy fuck. I bet the smooth fucker didn’t even bat an eyelid, did he?”

“Nope, he just welcomed me into his house, totally unfazed. He should be a military sniper because nothing shakes him!”

“Chickens do!” I declared with glee. “He hates them. Thinks they’re going to peck his toes off.”

Daisy’s eyes widened and she chuckled. “Chickens?”

I nodded.

The timer dinged, and I looked pointedly at Daisy. “Is that my cue?”

“It is. Get them out, and let them rest for ten minutes. If you eat them right away, you’ll burn yourself.”

“Do you think I can eat them all before Jeremy gets home?” I asked, pulling out the tray. The cookies were giant, definitely alpha-sized.

“There are twenty-four cookies there!” She laughed.

“Challenge accepted.” Grabbing one of the cookies, I hissed slightly at just how hot it was. It was too late now. I couldn’t back down, so I took the entire cookie, despite its steaming, and shoveled the entire thing into my mouth.

Daisy raised her eyebrows at me with a knowing look. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked, her tone making it clear that she knew full well that I wasn’t okay.

“Yeah, of course, I am,” I mumbled around a mouthful of cookie. How could something that tastes so damn good also be so painful?

Instead of answering me immediately, Daisy got up and waddled over to the fridge. Her stomach was so round that she couldn’t take straightforward steps and, instead, swayed side to side with every movement. Reaching into the fridge, she pulled out a glass bottle of milk and handed it to me.

Holy fuck, she is the perfect woman.

Grabbing the cold bottle that promised relief with an eager grunt of excitement, I downed half of it in three gulps. She apparently couldn’t hold back any longer and broke out into a fit of laughter.

“Oh, my word.” She wheezed with laughter. “You were really going to burn your entire mouth off just to prove a point, weren’t you?”

“I never claimed to be an intelligent man,” I grumbled, taking my time finishing the bottle of milk. If Jeremy wanted milk for his coffee, he was going to have to go to the store and get some. I didn’t even feel bad about it. If he complained, I would say that his adorable neighbor nearly poisoned me with boiling-hot cookies.

She looked so stunning and smelled beyond description. Sweet and warm, but also tart and bright. I probably would have accepted any food she handed to me, no questions asked.

It was a miracle I had survived as long as I had. Honestly, my survival instincts were pretty shit, especially when it came to a pretty omega.

“Despite them going down like lava, those are some delicious cookies,” I complimented, taking slow sips of what little milk remained in the bottle, rationing the delicious cooling beverage.

“Next time, wait for them to cool. I assure you, the experience is a lot nicer without having to deal with molten sugar.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Does that mean there’s going to be a next time?” I asked, probably a little too excitedly.

She smiled indulgently at me. “Considering I’m constantly baking for Jeremy at the moment, I would say it’s likely. I’ll be around until he gets sick of me.” She laughed lightly, but the humor didn’t reach her eyes.

Surely she didn’t think Jeremy could possibly get sick of her?

“I highly doubt that will happen,” I told her, reaching for another cookie. “May I?”

She nodded. “Sure. Just be careful, they’re still warm.”

“Warm, I can handle,” I laughed, picking up the now significantly cooler cookie and shoving it into my mouth as Daisy moved over to her armchair and slowly lowered herself with a wince. The sheer size of her stomach must have made moving difficult.

“How far along are you?” I asked.

“Still three months to go, believe it or not!” She cradled her bump with a serene smile. “The sooner, the better. I could live without this back pain!”

She was in pain? I didn’t like that, I didn’t like that at all. It was easy to see why Jeremy had become protective of this little omega so fast.

“Gosh, I don’t know how you do it. I would suck at pregnancy!”

“I’ve not really got a choice, do I?” She laughed. “They’ve got to come out one way or another.”

I winced. I would seriously suck at being pregnant. Women were angels, in my opinion, for going through with that shit.

My phone chirped, and I saw an email from a client. I sighed.

“Bad news?” Daisy asked, cocking her head.

“Not really, just our latest client. We’re helping with an extension build, and they’re being . . . needy? That’s the right word. They’re calling me every twenty minutes with a new concern or complaint, and we don’t even start construction until next month!”

“Ouch.” She winced. “That sounds painful.”

“I better go deal with them. Are you okay? You should rest. Jeremy will be home from practice soon.”

“I’m fine,” she cried with exasperation. “Go, or I’ll shove you out of the apartment myself, and that means making the tired, pregnant woman get up,” she insisted.

“Playing dirty, are we?” I laughed, grabbing my keys off the counter.

“I’m not above getting down and dirty, if need be,” she said primly. It wasn’t until she took in my smug, amused grin that the meaning of her words struck, and she blushed deeply.

“Take care of yourself, flower,” I told her as I left. Flower suited her; she had a floral name after all.

On the way to my car, I couldn’t resist grabbing my phone and texting Jeremy.

DEVON:

I met Daisy. She’s sweet, I can see why you’re obsessed.

Hopefully he wouldn’t murder me.

Chapter 12

Jeremy

My hair stuck to the back of my neck as I rushed home. I had showered at the arena because I didn’t want to smell bad when I got home, but I wanted to get back quickly.

I had someone waiting for me.

Someone who was a hell of a lot more important to me than my sweaty, stinky teammates. I liked my teammates, but we weren’t particularly close. Instead of being a social butterfly, I kept to myself because I didn’t want my negativity around the job to infect them.

I had admitted to Grayson one evening that I despised the job. It was after several drinks and in a moment of weakness. He swore not to talk about it to anyone else on the team—though I assumed his pack mates knew.

There should be no secrets between a pack. I should have felt bad about the secrets I kept from my pack, but I did it to protect them.

I ran up the stairs to my apartment, two at a time. When I hit the hallway, the delicious smell of baked goods hit me.

Daisy was in my home, and she was baking. The sugary scent assaulted my senses in the best way. This time, there was a hint of spice to the baked goods. Maybe she was making gingerbread or working with cardamom? Either way, I was excited for it.

Life was good.

The only way for it to be better would be if she was in our packhouse, baking.

Opening the front door loudly, I greeted Gilbert as he ran to my side. “Hey, boy. Have you been good for Daisy today ?”

“He’s been an angel. Would you expect anything less of him?” Daisy asked with a small laugh as she rounded the kitchen counter and made her way toward me.

“He’s got an innocent face, but you haven’t seen him around cheese.”

Daisy patted Gilbert’s ear briefly before leaning forward and hugging me, wrapping her arms around my middle and squeezing tightly. As she pulled back, she gazed up at me with a slightly concerned look on her face, like she was trying to decide whether or not she should do something, before leaning up on her tiptoes and planting a quick kiss on my cheek.

“Well, I also become a demon around cheese, so I empathize heavily with Gilbert.”

“Is that with any cheese, or is there a particular kind that makes you extra demonic?”

She hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin for a moment while looking up. “Most cheese will make me some kind of demonic, but Brie is definitely the worst culprit. I will do downright criminal things for a good bacon, cranberry, and Brie grilled cheese.”

“And if I promise to make one of those for you the next time you come over?”

She moaned loudly. “Mr. Thorne, it isn’t nice to tease a pregnant lady.”

“Is it a tease if I promise to follow through?”

“You are aware I’ll be thinking about that sandwich for the next twenty-four hours?” she asked with a pout.

“We can always go out and get one now,” I reasoned.

“No! That would be silly, and I hate being the voice of reason.”

“Reason is overrated,” I agreed. “Have you been baking again? The whole building smells amazing.”

She bit her lip. “I have been baking, but the cookies kind of got kidnapped,” she said as she waddled toward the kitchen, cradling her bump.

“Kidnapped? Who kidnapped them? Was it you?” I directed the last question to Gilbert, who was trotting at my heels.

It was then I noticed the plywood resting against the wall in the hallway. When did I put that there? I’d been meaning to go and buy more plywood, but I hadn’t had the chance.

That was a lie. I’d had the opportunity to go purchase plywood several times, but instead, I’d opted to spend time with Daisy.

“Devon came over and brought plywood for you. He said you needed it for a project? I was baking a small batch of cookies, and he took them with him. I did manage to save one for you, though.”

Frowning, I pulled out my phone. Devon had been to the apartment? Usually, he would have given me a heads-up, and the fucker definitely knew that I had practice today. The reason I’d caught the scent of spices suddenly hit me—Devon smelled like the strongest spiced chai tea you could get.

With a silent groan, I noticed his text message. He had been here, and he’d had an ulterior motive. I wasn’t naive enough to think he visited just to give me some plywood.

Daisy bent down, pulling a tray out of the oven. “Do you want some?” she asked, nodding at the casserole. “It’s not as good as what you make, but it’s something to eat. I noticed you had a bunch of veggies that were about to go bad, so I thought I could use them up and make us dinner.” She smiled.

“Please,” I said, wandering over to her and opening the nearby cabinet to grab a few plates.

She wandered around the kitchen, gathering the bowls and dishing up steaming plates of casserole while I grabbed the cutlery. On the outside, I was calm, but internally, I was screaming. She had met my pack mate. What did she think of him? Did she like him? Had he found her attractive? Had he been a total ass and turned her off for me? Or had he been charming?

“So … what did you think of Devon?” I finally asked.

“He was nice. He used his keys to get into the apartment and scared the daylights out of me, but I can’t exactly blame him for that. How would he have known I was here? He was kind and helped me clean up the mess that I made when he started toward me.”

“The mess you made?”

“Ah. Yeah. I was using one of those ceramic mixing bowls, and when he appeared, I jumped and it kind of smashed on the ground—I’m so sorry, I’ll replace it.”

I waved her off. “There’s no need to replace it. Are you okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine. Devon literally insisted on picking me up because he was wearing steel-toed work boots, and I had bare feet. He plopped my ass on the chair and refused to let me clean up. Your pack mate seems to be just as stubborn as you.” She laughed lightly.

My gaze raked over the floor, looking for any residual shards. The flooring was immaculately clean. Good. If Devon had left a single shard, I would have wrung his neck.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” I repeated my earlier question.

“I’m fine,” she insisted.

“And you liked Devon?”

She nodded. I moved over to her, gently turning her to face me, my hands on her hips keeping her in place. She was so close to me, her bump brushed my abdomen, which made me smile at the reminder of the little one that would be coming soon.

“But did you like Devon?” I asked, emphasizing the important word.

Daisy’s mouth fell open into a cute little O shape as she gawked at me, the meaning of my words hitting her.

“I-I mean . . . He was nice, and not terrible to look at, but we are—”

“Going to be a thing,” I confirmed. “But if my pack mates also have feelings for you . . . I’m not opposed to sharing.” I kissed the top of her head as she stared at me, her eyes so wide, I started to become concerned that her eyeballs would pop out of their sockets. We couldn’t have that; her emerald eyes were far too pretty to be damaged.

Pulling her into my arms, I gently rubbed her back as she tried to compute my words. It was obvious that she was startled at that declaration, so I needed to give it time to sink in.

I hadn’t expected it to be such a surprise for her. I had made my intentions clear in the gentlest way possible. Packs were common for omegas, and she knew I had one. Surely that wasn’t such a large leap.

“Talk to me, Duckie,” I said, resting my chin on the top of her head.

“Duckie?” she asked with a frown.

My face heated. Dare I admit where that name came from? “You’re waddling a bit at the moment thanks to the bump. You’re reminding me of an adorable duckling,” I said.

Daisy bit her lip and giggled. I sighed in relief. She wasn’t mad at me.

“Now don’t distract me, why were you so surprised Devon liked you?”

“Surely, I’m not good enough for a whole pack?” she admitted in a small voice.

Wait.

What the fuck?

Grabbing her gently by the upper arms, I pulled us apart so I could look her in the eye. Chewing on her lip, she didn’t even meet my eye.

“Excuse me?” I asked incredulously.

“Oh, don’t be like that!” she snapped, but there was no anger in her voice. “I’m an omega with no family, a baby on the way, with no father in sight! I’m a disaster and hardly appealing to packs. Packs want perfectly primped-and-primed omegas with no history or baggage.”

“Young, dumb idiots may want that. We want a good person, a kind person. Someone who brings us joy and lights up a fucking room. Money isn’t an issue to me; I’ve got more of the stuff than I know what to do with. As for your past? I don’t give one single fuck, and I know Devon won’t, either. You’re more than your past—and you and the little one are a package deal, and that is more than okay. We love kids and want them, so having one around sooner rather than later that we can fuss over is the opposite of a problem, Daisy St. James.”

Her jaw went slack with shock as I talked. Instead of trying to talk any more, I seized the opportunity, leaning down and capturing her lips with mine.

She melted into my arms at the touch. Taking that as a positive sign, I deepened the kiss, one hand reaching up to tangle in the nape of her red curls. Sweetness and sugar exploded in my mouth—I would never have enough of that taste. I knew that as deeply as I knew myself.

Pulling back, I rested my forehead on hers. I wanted to keep kissing her for longer, but her lungs had been working overtime with her pregnancy, so she likely needed the air. Judging by the way she was panting, I was right.

“In case this isn’t crystal clear, I am courting you, Daisy St. James. I want you, either alone or with my pack—I don’t care how—but I am quickly becoming obsessed with you.” She opened her mouth to talk, her brow furrowing. “Before you say anything, I’m willing to go slow. I know you have the little one to think of, but I am serious here, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make you feel secure throughout this.”

When she lightly bit her lip, looking up at me with trusting eyes and nodded, I felt so fucking proud, I thought my chest would explode.

Chapter 13

Daisy

Sleep wasn’t going to happen. I needed to accept that. Ever since Jeremy had—so frankly—declared that he intended to court me, I had been unable to relax. Was it an exciting prospect? Yes. Was it a terrifying prospect? Absolutely. I was a mess. I was more than a mess. I was alone, broke, and very pregnant.

He didn’t seem to mind the fact you are pregnant, a small voice whispered in the corner of my mind. I had never considered that someone would actually be more than happy for me to already have a child. Everyone I had spoken to made it seem like my having a baby would ruin any potential relationships because no one would want a child in their pack that didn’t belong to them.

Then there was Jeremy, who seemed more than excited by the fact that I was about to pop.

Did Devon feel the same?

Even if I had considered finding a singular partner for my future, my wildest dreams had failed to conjure the prospect of an entire pack. Devon had been sweet. He was handsome, and I could easily see myself getting to know him better. But we’d only met once, and part of my brain was worried that I was jumping in too fast again. I had run headlong into relationships before, and it had ended very badly for me.

Lying in my bed, I stared at the ceiling, trying to rest. What would it be like to be a pack omega? From what I understood, they were very spoiled, they were loved, and they were usually homemakers who got to focus on having children. Rubbing my stomach gently, I sighed. Having all the time in the world to look after my baby would have been perfect. I’d been planning to start looking for full-time work as soon as I could after the birth. I was going to have to pay for childcare, which would be exorbitant, but I didn’t really have another choice. I needed to be working in order to support us.

As a pack omega, I wouldn’t have to do that. I was the type of omega who had always wanted children. Even as a young kid myself, I would chatter about how, one day, I would have a house full of babies. I hadn’t really thought about the men in the equation. I’d just wanted to have lots of children to look after and raise and bake with. The realities of adulthood hadn’t been anywhere near as idyllic.

As if trying to remind me of my place, my phone pinged. Thinking it could be Jeremy, I rolled over, groaning as my stomach complained, and grabbed my phone off the bedside table.

COLE:

You up?

I glared at the screen angrily. You up? That was what he chose to send me after two months of no contact? Looking at the time, I noticed that it was nearly four a.m. That made sense. He was probably just horny and looking for a hook-up.

Maybe he was high and forgot that I was pregnant . . . and that he had abandoned me.

I was torn about whether to answer. I definitely wasn’t going to be a late-night hook-up for him. I refused to go anywhere near his penis again in my lifetime. After all, his man parts got me into this mess. As much as I loved my little parasite, I was struggling—financially and emotionally.

But if we had a conversation, maybe I could convince him to be a part of the child’s life. Surely, every baby needed a father figure. Cole would be a pretty shitty father figure, but he would at least be one. When he decided to turn up.

Then again, there was another option now.

Jeremy.

He seemed like the kind of man who would take his children on trips to national parks. He would teach them how to change tires, how to make things, and he would actually spend time with them and enjoy it.

Cole was far more likely to leave them with a nanny, because that was how he had been raised. He came from the upper echelons of society, and they weren’t exactly the most maternal or paternal people.

Shoving my phone under my pillow, I took a deep breath. I owed it to my child to give them the best life possible. And if I was honest, Cole was not that life. Sure, he could provide finance and opportunities in the form of private schooling and connections, but he wouldn’t actually love the child.

Jeremy, on the other hand …

There was also no denying how attached I was quickly becoming to the alpha next door. He seemed like the kind of man who would keep his word, and I wanted to believe that. He and Cole were two very different humans, so it was unfair of me to compare them. Just because Cole hurt me didn’t mean that Jeremy would.

Sitting up, I ran my hand through my hair and touched my lips. Kissing Jeremy had felt like coming home. He had tasted so warm, soft, and welcoming, but at the same time, there was a hard edge to the kiss that excited me and made my stomach flutter. His woodsy scent put me at ease, but also excited me.

My sex life with Cole had been . . . subpar, at best. He never actually helped me finish. He’d been too busy chasing his own release.

I deserved better.

And Jeremy was definitely better.

No alpha had ever declared his intention to court me so clearly. My heart rate hadn’t settled since then. It was pounding around my chest, freaking out at the prospect that the alpha wanted me. If I didn’t get some sleep soon, I was going to need to be sedated.

An idea formed. If Jeremy was going to court me, then I was going to court him right the fuck back.

Grabbing my phone, I scrolled through my contacts and found the one I was looking for.

Devon.

He had given me his number shortly after the incident with the shattered bowl. And if there was anyone who knew Jeremy better than me, it would be Devon.

DAISY:

Hey, I guess you’re asleep right now, but I have a question. What food does Jeremy usually like to eat after a game?

I put my phone down and curled onto my side. I didn’t expect to get an answer until morning, at the earliest, so when my phone buzzed only seconds later, I stared at it with wide eyes before opening the message.

DEVON:

Hello, flower. The grumpy bastard likes pretty basic food after games. Chicken, sweet potatoes, and a mountain of veggies. Pretty boring, if you ask me, especially since the arena has some amazing fried food. Who on earth would choose plain chicken over fried pickles?

DAISY:

Fried pickles? They actually do those? Oh God, I’m gonna be dreaming about them now . . .

DEVON:

They’re delicious. I’ll have to convince you to come to the game, so you can try them.

DAISY:

How are you even awake right now? It’s four in the morning.

DEVON:

It was just pure luck. Why aren’t you asleep?

DAISY:

My brain won’t turn off.

DEVON:

Because Jeremy told you very clearly that he intends to court you?

I stared at the phone screen, my mouth falling open.

DAISY:

How do you know about that?

DEVON:

We’re pack mates, we tell each other everything. Just so you know, I’m on board 100%. I really want to get to know you more as well, if you’re open to that?

DAISY:

I am, it’s just a little daunting.

DEVON:

We can be patient men. Now, I’ve answered your question and you need to get some sleep. You’re growing a little human. That requires rest!

DAISY:

I am getting tired. Thank you so much for telling me what to make. I appreciate it.

DEVON:

I’m more than happy to accept appreciation in the form of cookies. I’m just saying.

I laughed loudly, my hand flying to my mouth when I realized how loudly I’d just laughed at four in the morning.

DAISY:

Done.

Chapter 14

Daisy

Istirred the pot once, leaning in to smell the sauce I was attempting to make. I’d wanted to do something nice for Jeremy, so I was preparing fresh chicken breasts, sweet potato fries, and a medley of greens that I was going to douse in a homemade cheese sauce.

Only, thanks to pregnancy ruining my sense of smell and taste, I couldn’t tell if the cheese sauce was incredibly bland or over salted.

Jeremy had left early in the morning for his game, but he had left his keys with me so I could get into the apartment and keep Gilbert company while baking. The first thing I did was make a raspberry-and-honey layered sponge cake.

Then I’d followed Devon’s advice and scrounged the well-stocked fridge to put together a sensible, healthy meal. I’d known what time Jeremy was due to come home because he had told me in explicit detail. He’d wanted me to know he wouldn’t be back too late, so I wouldn’t have to stay with Gilbert too long.

Not that I would have minded. I would have happily snuggled with Gilbert on the couch late into the evening. He was basically a breathing pregnancy pillow, so fluffy and so comfortable.

I had also turned on his gigantic TV and flicked through the channels until I’d found the California Chargers game. Hockey was clearly important to Jeremy, even if he didn’t intend to play forever, and I found myself curious about that part of his life.

The players had whizzed across the ice as I peeled the sweet potatoes. It was almost impossible to keep track of any of them, even with the helpful commentary. By the time I was cutting the sweet potatoes into fries, I had only glimpsed Jeremy once, and I had only recognized him because he had removed his helmet to take a drink of water at the exact moment the camera panned to him.

The game was broken into three periods, each lasting twenty minutes. Then there was a twenty-minute gap between each. Between the speed of the game and the short periods, it felt like no time at all. When I was putting the sweet potatoes in the oven and seasoning the chicken breasts, the game was already halfway done.

I purposely left part of the chicken unseasoned so I could give Gilbert a little snack as I was dishing up the meal.

“Do you want this?” I asked sweetly as he sat at my feet, giving me those gorgeous puppy dog eyes. “You’re impossible to say no to, you know that? No wonder your daddy can’t stop giving you cheese.”

On the word cheese, his ears perked up, and he started tapping his paws ever so lightly against the floor in excitement.

Oh, crap. I had said the C word out loud.

“I guess I can’t let you down now.” I sighed, moving across the kitchen to the fridge and pulling out a slice of cheese. “Don’t tell your daddy,” I whispered as I leaned down to feed the gentle giant. Content with his snacks, he gave my palm one last rub with his nose before wandering over to his bed and flopping down with a satisfied harrumph.

As the game came to a close, I started to focus more on the task at hand. Jeremy had told me that there would be a short meeting after the game, and then he would come straight home. We were only fifteen minutes away from the rink, so he would be home imminently.

My timing was impeccable. As I placed the chicken breast, smothered in butter, on his plate, I was alerted to someone at the front door when Gilbert jumped up and ran at a breakneck speed to the door in pure excitement.

“Hey, boy!” Jeremy’s voice drifted in from the doorway, where he was no doubt fussing over the excitable dog. “Have you been looking after Daisy?” he asked. Footsteps echoed around the apartment as he rounded the corner to the kitchen.

Freshly showered, Jeremy looked divine. He wore a pair of simple black jeans and a black T-shirt, with his messy hair, still damp from the shower, slicked back. The now familiar scent of sawdust and fresh hay was extra potent, fresh out of the shower. When he noticed me, his grin became even wider.

“It smells amazing in here,” he said, coming straight over to me and enveloping me in a hug. Despite my heavily rounded stomach, I molded into his side with ease.

“I made dinner,” I told him.

“You did?” he asked excitedly.

“I remember you said you preferred healthier food after a game, so I made chicken and sweet potato fries.”

Jeremy’s grin somehow got wider. “You remembered? How did you know exactly what I eat after a game?”

“Of course, I remembered . . . and I may have asked Devon what you eat. Though there is a raspberry and honey cake for dessert, so I don’t know how healthy that really is.”

His arms tightened around me, and he kissed the top of my head. “I will never complain about desserts, Duckie.”

We stayed like that, wrapped around each other, for several minutes.

“We should probably go eat,” I said begrudgingly.

“But it’s so nice having you here,” he grumbled, pulling me tighter to him.

I sighed. I wouldn’t disagree. I could very quickly become attached to being in his arms. There was a sense of security there that made me feel at ease.

Unlike my past relationships, when I was with Jeremy, I felt safe. He wasn’t going to betray me or mistreat me. He was a genuinely amazing guy, and I had faith in him.

“I don’t want to move, either, but the veggies are going to burn if I don’t get them soon,” I admitted.

“Ugh, fine, then. Go rescue the disgusting vegetables, even though I’m sure they’re not disgusting because you made them.” Jeremy sighed dramatically, gently pushing me toward the kitchen.

I reached for the oven mitts, but he swiped them away before I could even touch them, pulling the tray of roasted vegetables out of the oven with a smile.

“I was about to do that.”

“I’m here, and I can be helpful.”

“You must be tired from the game. Hockey looks like a lot of work.”

“It is, but I’m used to it.” He shrugged. “Did you watch?” he asked, nodding toward the TV, where the sports station still played.

“I had it on in the background while I cooked. It’s really hard to keep up with, though. You guys all look so small on camera, and you’re moving so fast.”

“Maybe one day, if you’re feeling good, you can come watch the game in person? The players have access to several of the boxes. Three of the guys on the team are a part of the same pack, and their fourth pack member is often in one of the boxes with their omega, watching. Devon or Nate can come with us, and they can show you where the boxes are, because I’ve gotta go warm up. I’d love to have you there for one, though.”

I nodded thoughtfully. “That does sound fun. Maybe once my ankles are no longer the size of swollen sausages and the little parasite isn’t draining me of all my energy?”

Was it wrong to suggest doing something so far in the future? Part of me still felt like we had a time limit. Soon enough, I would have to focus on being a mother. And Jeremy would go back to his glitzy life and his packhouse.

“That sounds perfect. Hey, maybe when the little one is a few months old, you can bring them. People often bring their kids. They just make sure they wear those big ear defenders. They are honestly so stinking cute!” His face lit up as he thought about babies wearing ear defenders. I had to agree with that sentiment and, as he spoke, my chest both tightened and swelled at the same time. He was talking like he was going to be in my life for many months.

That shouldn’t have been so exciting.

“Have I told you lately you’re amazing?” Jeremy moaned, leaning back. “I’m so full. That food was amazing.”

“No room for cake, then?” I asked with a smile.

He looked at me in abject horror. “There’s always room for cake!” he insisted, standing up and grabbing both our empty plates, taking them over to the sink and rinsing them, Gilbert hot on his heels, begging for scraps.

“Aren’t you supposed to be an athlete? At the rate you’re eating cookies and cake, you’re not going to be an athlete for much longer,” I teased, trying to get up from my chair and struggling because of my abnormally large stomach.

“Bring it on.” Jeremy laughed from the sink. “I will be more than happy with a dad bod.”

I would also be more than happy with his dad bod, I thought as I slowly made my way over to him. Jeremy’s current body was physically amazing; it was all hard lines and defined muscles, making it obvious how much he worked out. There was a small part of me—that inner omega of mine—that loved the idea of fattening him up a little bit with all the baked goodies I made. Giving my alpha all the baked treats and seeing the results.

“What are your plans for the evening?” I asked as I pulled out the cake and a few dishes to serve it with. “What do you usually do after a game?”

“It depends on how the game went, honestly,” he said as he placed the rinsed dishes in the dishwasher and dried his hands on a kitchen towel. “If the game went well, I would probably be lazy for the evening, and if it went badly, I may go to the gym and work out some extra stress in the form of a run or a few rounds with the punching bag.”

“Guess it’s good the game went well today, then. Once we’ve had our cake, I’ll leave you to rest.”

“Or you could stay? I just subscribed to a new streaming service, so we can check out what’s on there…”

I only had to think about his offer for a moment. I wanted to spend all the time with Jeremy that I could, and even though I felt like I should give him his privacy, I didn’t want to.

“Okay.”

His face broke into a dazzling smile. “Thank you,” he said, stalking over to me and gently pulling me into his arms, leaning down and capturing my lips in his.

Sinking into his embrace, I let him have his way with me, thoroughly enjoying every touch. Even his hands on my hips sent fire running through my veins.

He’d only kissed me two times, but I was quickly becoming addicted to Jeremy’s kisses. He started off slow, almost leisurely in pace. His tongue pressed against my lips, demanding entry, and my whole body went molten. The pressure of his hands on my hips pulled us closer together, and I could feel myself starting to get wet.

Usually, I would have been embarrassed that a simple kiss was such a turn-on, but Jeremy wasn’t a boring kisser by any means—his kisses consumed me in a way no other kiss had before.

I wanted him.

Chapter 15

Jeremy

Kissing Daisy was a goddamn dream come true. How the fuck did a bastard like me get so lucky?

Her hands fisted in my shirt, pulling me closer, and the scent of her arousal hit me full force as she whimpered.

Sweet, oh so fucking sweet. It was like I’d shoved my face into a freshly baked apple pie smothered in caramel.

She whimpered again, and my knees wanted to give out with the sheer intensity of the euphoria running through my body. I had dated, but nothing had felt like this before—not so exciting or so right. Deep down, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

I just needed to convince Daisy of that.

Releasing her, I let her drag in a few deep breaths of air. Her face was flushed, pupils blown with need. Her smell saturated the kitchen, and I wanted to do everything in my power to keep her scent in my space. It was so strong. She was aroused—very aroused.

“Feeling needy?” I asked with a smile, giving her another quick kiss.

“S-sorry,” she stuttered, her face turning a deeper red.

“Why on earth are you apologizing?”

“It’s the pregnancy, so annoying, and it just comes on so suddenly that, like mini heats—I should really go back to my place?” She spoke quickly, and with every word, her face got redder. She was embarrassed? Because she was turned on by what we were doing?

She attempted to pull herself out of my grip, and I held her firmly to me. “Nope,” I said simply, grabbing her hips and lifting her so she was sitting on the kitchen countertop.

Her mouth dropped open in shock, like she was surprised that I could lift her. I knew that came from a place of self-deprecation, but I wanted to rip off my shirt and show her just how muscular I was after all my years of hockey training . . . just to prove a point.

If it got her even more excited, then that would be fine by me.

“What you aren’t going to do is apologize for totally normal things that happen while you’re growing an entire human being. You smell fucking amazing, and I’m not complaining at all, okay?”

Daisy bit her lip and nodded, though she clearly didn’t believe me.

“I’m more than happy to help you through this,” I said, nodding down, clearly indicating her current state. As expected, her flush deepened. If her face got any redder, I was going to start worrying for her health.

“No! I can’t expect you to—”

“I want to,” I said, making sure my voice was clear as day. “Do you realize the smell of you is driving me absolutely insane right now? You smell amazing, and I want nothing more than to make you come. To make you happy and relaxed. But we are doing this at your pace, and your pace only, not mine. So, it’s up to you.” When she continued blinking up at me, I continued. “Look, Daisy. You are clearly struggling, and I’m happy to help you take care of it. Or we can just snuggle and wait for the wave to pass.”

“But …”

“And I’m not saying this because I want to get my dick wet. I’m saying that this is about you. You don’t even have to touch me—as much as I hope, one day, you will, that’s not important right now. I just want to see you through this wave.”

“Wait, you won’t even … y’know … finish?”

Daisy looked up at me, appearing so conflicted. How could I let this woman know that I would give her the world if she let me? In my attempts to avoid coming on too strong, had I failed to make my intentions clear? I’d stated several times, very obviously, that I intended to court her.

“You want to?” Daisy asked, her nose scrunched up in confusion.

“Talk to me—why not? Do you think I wouldn’t want to take care of you?”

“I’ve never had anyone do that before,” she admitted in a small voice.

Was she being serious? I fully understood that the man who had impregnated her and fled was a complete douchebag and was probably a selfish asshole, but I hadn’t expected all of her past lovers to be so inconsiderate. She was beautiful and an omega. Surely that would have attracted her to some of the best men out there?

I guess it was up to me to show her a better way.

“Trust me, if you give me the opportunity to make you feel better, I will feel ten feet tall. I don’t need to orgasm myself to be a very happy guy. Just making you feel better is more than enough pleasure. Trust me, it is not a chore.” I leaned down to whisper in her ear. “You smell so fucking delicious that I have been dying for a taste since the day I met you.”

She squeaked when I said that, her eyes widening almost comically. “I mean . . . maybe? I don’t know.”

“Do you want to? That’s what matters.”

She nodded. “I do. I do want to. I just don’t know if I should,” she admitted with a frown.

“Why shouldn’t you?”

“It’s not … proper?”

“Fuck proper,” I growled, leaning forward and taking her lips in mine. Now that she’d let me know she wanted it but was just a bit insecure, all bets were off.

I was going to make her come harder than she had in years.

And I was going to love every second of it.

My mouth never leaving hers, I let my hands slide up the skirt of her dress, enjoying the feel of the silky-smooth skin underneath my fingers.

Her scent bloomed, almost choking me—what a way to go that would be.

My fingers slid into her underwear, and I couldn’t resist groaning as my fingers encountered her wetness. She was drenched, and part of that was because of me.

As I rubbed her clit in slow, leisurely circles, she writhed at my touch. She was so amped up, it wasn’t going to take long at all.

Pulling back, I took in her flushed face, the hazy look, pupils blown.

Fuck, she’s never been so beautiful.

Flashing a grin, I held her eyes as I sank to my knees, which happened to be the perfect height to see her underwear, drenched with her need.

“Well, these aren’t needed, lovely as they are,” I muttered, before ripping them from her body, making her gasp, but she didn’t complain.

Part of me wanted to just sit there for ages, staring at her. It’s her fault for being so damn beautiful. But I knew it was making her uncomfortable, so instead, I just dove in and ate like a starving man.

The sweetest flavor burst across my tongue, and I couldn’t help but moan with the sheer pleasure of it. Hands flew to my hair and fisted, pulling and making me that much more on edge.

Using one hand, I slid my fingers deep inside, meeting zero resistance, thanks to her wetness. I found that sweet spot inside of her that made her scream as I rubbed it while sucking lightly on her clit.

Her thighs on either side of me started to shake as she got closer. Clearly, she’d been on edge for a while.

Never again. Anytime she needed a release, I would be a willing, happy outlet for her to use.

It only took seconds after I started sucking harder on her, fingers increasing in pace, for her to explode with release. My face was covered in her juices as she gushed. And I was so hard I wouldn’t have been surprised if my jeans broke from the sheer strength of my cock’s desperation to be buried in that wet warmth.

“Jeremy!” Daisy panted as she came, her body trembling violently with the intensity of her release.

Once I was sure I had wrung out every last drop of her release, I gently withdrew my fingers and extracted myself from between her legs.

She was leaning back on her elbows on the countertop, her face flushed and eyes wide as she took in the shit-eating grin on my face.

Knowing that panic was likely forthcoming, I distracted her by claiming her lips once again for a quick, dirty kiss before placing my forehead on hers.

“Delicious,” I purred.

“Oh my god …”

Chapter 16

Daisy

Jeremy was running late. I’d spent hours sitting in the living room, wrapped up on the comfortable sofa in a throw blanket, with Gilbert curled into my side. He told me he’d be home by four—the game had ended at two, so he’d had plenty of time to make it home.

He had insisted that I wait at his place during the game, claiming that he liked knowing I was at his place while he was gone. Plus, I could keep Gilbert company. I wasn’t hard to convince; his place was so much more comfortable than mine, and I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to sit on that overly stuffed sofa.

Had something happened to make him run late? Had something distracted him? The Chargers had won by a landslide. Having watched a few of his games now, I was starting to understand the rules, and I even managed to distinguish Jeremy’s figure out of the throng of similarly colored players several times.

I had decided to pass the time by working. My decrepit old laptop looked out of place in Jeremy’s apartment. It was so old and outdated next to the recently renovated apartment.

Plus, I had to resist the urge to throw it against the wall every ten minutes because it was so goddamn slow. The moment I had some spare income, I was going to buy myself a better computer.

The admin work had been slowing down, and I was starting to get worried. How was I going to be able to afford to give birth? Everything was so expensive, and some hospitals would even charge for letting me cuddle my baby for half an hour after they were born—it was ludicrous.

I had less than $100 in my bank account. Sadly, the only reason I had that much was because Jeremy had been feeding me so much lately that I hadn’t needed to do any grocery shopping of my own. Otherwise, my bank balance would have looked even more pathetic.

After an hour of admin work, I put the laptop down, taking a deep breath. My stomach turned with the usual morning-sickness-turned-all-day sickness, and I focused on snuggling with Gilbert. Lying down fully on the gigantic sofa, he easily cuddled into my side as I lay my head down and let myself rest for a moment. The warm, woodsy scent of Jeremy helped calm my raging nausea.

Between his cooking and his scent, my sickness had decreased significantly .

A moment of rest turned into much longer as I drifted into a relatively deep sleep, only to be woken by the sound of the front door clattering open, and Gilbert excitedly hopping down from the couch and running to the front door.

Stretching, I slowly sat up, groaning as my back complained. The further along I was getting in my pregnancy, the more everything ached. As much as I was dreading childbirth, I was looking forward to having my body back and somewhat less achy. Then again, once I had the little parasite, I would probably be too sleep deprived to notice any pains.

Reaching both my hands up, I viciously rubbed both my eyes, desperately trying to wake myself up.

“Hey, flower, were you asleep?” a voice asked from the living room doorway. My eyes shot open. That wasn’t Jeremy.

Devon was standing in the doorway. He was wearing black jeans and a white button down, his hair pushed back out of his face, emphasizing his widow’s peak. Sweet spicy cinnamon wafted towards me, and I couldn’t resist sucking in a lungful.

“I, uh . . . yeah, I was,” I admitted weakly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“Jeremy called me from the arena. He said there was some bureaucratic stuff going on, and he was being kept late. He assured me he was fine, but he was concerned about you being left on your own for so long.”

“Left on my own for so long? What am I, a puppy?” I smiled sleepily at him. Jeremy’s concern was sweet, and it was nice to be thought of that way.

“I see the pregnancy brain is getting the better of you, but Gilbert is the puppy. You are the heavily pregnant woman.”

“Ah, so, that’s why I look like I’m smuggling a beach ball in my dress. It makes perfect sense,” I said dryly, looking down at my belly with a surprised expression. “That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

“Well, Jeremy informed me you were going to be on your own for dinner. I thought coming to take you out for some food was the polite thing to do. How do you feel about a greasy burger and fries?”

I opened my mouth to tell him he didn’t have to do that, as nice as the gesture was. But before I could even say the first word, my stomach grumbled violently and Devon’s grin widened. “Someone’s clearly hungry. Come on, let me take advantage of this opportunity. It’s not often I get time for a one-on-one date with you, since Jeremy’s usually hovering around like a big, angry bear.”

A date? Is that what he’d come here for? I probably should have been more freaked out by the prospect that a second alpha now wanted to take me on a date, but I was honestly too tired to think straight. Having just woken up, everything felt a bit hazy. But this man was offering me food, and I wasn’t going to reject that.

“Where do you want to go? I don’t think I’m exactly good company right now. I can hardly see straight.”

“I could always go pick up the food and bring it back here. We could eat it while lying around on the sofa or, hey, even in bed. Jeremy mentioned that your back has been sore.”

There was no way in hell I was going to lie on Jeremy’s bed without him, or even at all. My pathetic bed was out of the question. It would be downright cruel to subject Devon to that.

“No, I could probably do with getting out and stretching my legs,” I insisted, slowly standing. The sentiment was somewhat diminished, though, when I wobbled, the room spinning ever so slightly.

Devon, seeing me going off-balance, rushed forward, grabbing me gently by the elbows and steadying me.

He smelled just as good as I remembered, all spicy-sweet chai. His scent complemented Jeremy’s well; they were both warm and comforting scents I could easily get wrapped up in and fall asleep with.

“Careful there. Are you okay?”

I nodded. “Just the little parasite causing some light-headedness. I’ll be fine in a second,” I assured him.

“Car’s got heated seats, and it’s a large vehicle, so it should be easy to get in and out of. How does a drive-through sound? We can eat in the car and get rid of the trash before we even get back.”

“You know how to please a pregnant lady.” I laughed wryly.

“I’m learning. Do you need to grab anything, or should we go? Before you say anything, Jeremy has made it very clear that you are not allowed to grab your purse. I am to purchase any food that we consume—not that he needed to tell me that.” Devon rolled his eyes. “Like I would dream of making a woman pay. What does Jeremy think I am? A caveman?”

“Jeremy has strong opinions when it comes to me paying. I offered once or twice, and he was gravely offended.”

“Rightly so. If an omega is kind enough to join an alpha for dinner, then the alpha should pay for the pleasure of getting to fatten up the omega.”

“I think I’m big enough as it is, at the moment,” I said with a grin, gesturing to my stomach. I was pretty sure I’d had the exact same conversation with Jeremy.

“Nope, you are far too tiny. Remember, I picked you up when I met you, and you were far too light, especially considering you’re carrying a passenger. Maybe one cheeseburger won’t be enough. Maybe you should have two cheeseburgers or even three? Or maybe like a cheeseburger and a hot dog?”

I burst into laughter at his eagerness. “If I eat that much, I’ll explode!”

His brow furrowed as he thought about it for a moment. “True, I do rather like you and don’t want you to explode, so I guess I’ll just have to feed you a normal cheeseburger and fries, but I will add a milkshake.”

“Can you even go for a burger and fries and not have a strawberry milkshake?” I asked.

Devon smacked his palm to his forehead. “Of course not. I’m just being obtuse. Come on, flower, time to feed you.”

“Let me put out some food for Gilbert first. Jeremy usually feeds him right now, and I don’t want to leave him on his own with no dinner.”

“We could take him with us. I’m sure he’ll be happy in the back seat.”

“I will warn you right now—he will try and steal your burger, especially if you have cheese on it.”

Devon sighed and playfully glared at the dog. “Fine. In that case, we’ll leave the beast here. Put the TV on, so he has some noise, and I’ll get his dinner.” He left the living room and made a beeline for the kitchen while I grabbed the TV remote.

The sound of kibble pouring into a bowl grabbed Gilbert’s attention, and he hightailed it out of the room as I put on a random home renovation show.

“All ready?” Devon asked from the doorway.

“Yep, I’m coming. I’m just a little slow,” I said as I grabbed my jacket from the hallway.

It turned out that Devon’s car was gigantic.

“You call that a car?” I asked, incredulously.

He grinned. “It has four wheels and doors and gets you from A to B.”

“That looks like a tank on wheels!”

“What can I say? I like a spacious car, and in this thing, I feel like the king of the road.”

I stared at what looked like an armored SUV. It was practically a military-grade vehicle. Where on earth did he even get that thing? It was so tall. I looked at it for a moment. Stupidly, I’d decided to put on a dress this morning, thinking I was going to have dinner with Jeremy.

“How am I supposed to get into that thing? I’m not exactly flexible right now,” I said, frowning. “And I’m wearing a dress.”

“And it’s a beautiful dress on a beautiful omega,” Devon praised as his eyes raked over me.

“That doesn’t mean I want to flash the entire parking lot what’s underneath said dress.”

That got Devon’s attention. His brows knitted together as his eyes raked over me once more.

“No, we don’t want anyone else seeing something they shouldn’t. Give it a go, there’s a step up. Jeremy’s little sister is short, and she’s gotten into that car a few times.”

He walked round to my side of the car and opened the door. Sure enough, a small step popped out, making it decidedly easier to get in. There was also a handle on the doorframe near the roof that Devon pointed out.

“This seems doable,” I agreed.

“I’m going to stay behind you, just in case. That way, you only flash me.” He shot me a dazzling smile and my core tightened. It almost felt wrong to be so attracted to him, since I was quickly getting attached to Jeremy. But he had made it clear that he would be happy for me to be part of his pack. It was going to take me a while to wrap my head around this idea.

Chapter 17

Devon

Even when climbing into my car in a very clumsy manner, Daisy was gorgeous.

As soon as she was situated, I closed her door, jogging to my side and hopping in.

“You did that far too easily,” Daisy groused, narrowing her eyes at me.

“What can I say? I’m a graceful swan.” I beamed, throwing the car into drive.

“If you’re a swan, what on earth is Jeremy?”

“An old duck,” I said.

Daisy burst out laughing. “Oh god,” she wheezed. “That name fits. He’s been calling me Duckie because I waddle like a duck.”

“That’s a very fitting name.” I grinned at her as we pulled out of the parking lot.

“Do you think he’ll be home soon?” she asked, biting her lip.

“Probably. From the sound of it, he just got dragged into a few strategy meetings—actually, can you do me a favor?” As I spoke, I grabbed my cell phone from the center console and handed it to her. “Can you text Jeremy and let him know we are going out for dinner? I don’t want the mother hen to freak out if he comes home while we’re still out.”

Daisy took the phone, eyes wide. “Are you sure you want me to use your phone?” she asked in a small voice.

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “The passcode is 4-3-9-8-7-0.”

“Most guys aren’t willing to hand out their passcode,” Daisy said, looking down at the screen and tapping the numbers in.

“Insecure little assholes who have things to hide don’t like handing out their passcodes, but I have nothing to hide. Feel free to raid my phone, flower.”

“Oh … Cole always …” She shook her head.

“Cole, is that your ex?”

Daisy nodded, plastering on a smile. “Never mind! Should I send Jeremy a selfie of us?” She grinned at me conspiringly.

“Hell, yes,” I said, looking between her and the road as we came up on a set of traffic lights.

She raised the phone, so we were both on the screen, snapping a picture when I looked over. It was a lovely photo, and I was very glad it was saved on my phone.

As soon as I was alone, I was making that shit my screensaver. Jeremy was going to be seething with jealousy.

“Okay, sent!” Daisy chirped happily, reaching to put the phone back in the center console.

I shook my head. “Keep a hold of it, just in case Jeremy replies.”

She nodded in agreement, resting the phone on top of her bump. I chuckled at the sight. I hadn’t even considered that use for her protruding stomach.

“It makes a good shelf!” she cried.

“It’s awesome,” I agreed. “You’re going to miss it when it’s gone.”

“Part of me will. There’s no doubt about that,” she said as she gently rubbed her belly, leaning back. “But part of me will be happy to have my center of gravity back to normal—and less back pain. Oh god, I can’t wait for that!”

“Speaking of back pain.” I leaned forward, touching the button that would turn on her heated seat. “This should help.”

The car was quiet for a moment while the heat kicked in. It was obvious the moment it hit because Daisy’s face became serene, and she sagged in her seat. “Oh, my . . . that is magical.” She sighed, turning to look at me with a dazed look in her eyes. “Can I live in your car?”

“You’re more than welcome to,” I replied with a grin. “But I don’t think it would be very comfortable, long term.”

“I suppose.” She pouted.

“You are welcome to come and stay in my car anytime you want. I will say, my bed is far more comfortable, though.” I wagged my eyebrows at her as we pulled up to the drive-through.

“Devon! You are being very presumptuous. This is only a first date. You’re not getting me into your bed anytime soon.”

My heart beat erratically, and I couldn’t help but beam at her. “So, we are in agreement. This is a date.”

Her face flushed bright red, and her mouth opened and closed while she tried to find the words. “I … uh … I mean …” she stammered.

My hand that wasn’t on the steering wheel reached out to grab hers. I gently pulled it toward my mouth and kissed the back of her hand. “Oh, this is definitely a date. I’m just glad you agree with me.”

“My hair isn’t even brushed. It can’t be a date!” she cried, trying to retrieve her hand. But it was futile.

“Is hair brushing a prerequisite to a date? If so, let me know, and I’ll make sure I keep one in my car at all times.”

She burst into laughter, shaking her head. “You know what I mean.”

“I do, but I think it’s silly. You look stunning tonight, and we’re going to enjoy some good food, and it’s going to be an amazing date. And don’t go thinking I’m easy. I’m a classy guy. I require at least three dates before you go nesting in my bed.”

Daisy laughed. “I’m sorry I assumed differently.”

Who was I kidding? If she asked right now, I would drive her straight to the packhouse, put her in my bed, and let her nest to her heart’s content.

Jeremy probably wouldn’t like that, but I was willing to fight the grumpy old bastard to get Daisy nesting in my bedroom instead of his.

Yes, he was much bigger than me. Yes, he was much stronger than me. Yes, he would undoubtedly win. But I would still have Daisy in my bedroom, making a nest, for a few minutes, and those would be the best few minutes ever.

“I don’t recognize this place,” Daisy said with a frown, looking at the diner.

We had taken several side roads to get there, and it was off the beaten path. “It’s something of a hidden gem. Nate and I got far too drunk in college and got lost trying to find our way home, and instead, we found this place and discovered possibly some of the best burgers in the city.”

“It’s adorable. I can’t believe something this cute is hiding behind all these back alleys.”

The diner had a 50s vibe to it and was definitely well loved, but she was right in the fact that it had a certain charm.

“What would you like to do? Do you want to go in and eat or eat in the car as we discussed? You are in charge here.”

Daisy bit her lip. “Are you sure you don’t mind eating in the car? It’s such a nice car. I’m scared I’m going to get it dirty.”

“Like I care about a little bit of grease. Dirty this car up all you want. I’ll just get it detailed next week.” A car was for living in, not for keeping, like a monument that belonged in a museum. “The heated seat is helping your back, isn’t it? Surely, it would be nicer to stay in the car where you can keep it on and relax,” I reasoned.

She thought for a moment, chewing on that lip, and I resisted the urge to lean forward and free it. “If you’re sure, I think I would rather stay in the car.” Her voice was quiet.

“We can do that! How do you like your burger?”

Twenty minutes later, we were sitting in the parking lot, food spread out on the dashboard in front of us.

I may have gone overboard, but I wanted Daisy to have more options than just the cheeseburger, fries, and strawberry shake she had ordered. There were onion rings, mozzarella sticks, some sort of peanut butter burger that fascinated me, and sweet potato fries.

“Who’s going to try the peanut butter one first?” I laughed, taking in the spread.

“Whoever invented that burger had to be pregnant. While peanut butter and raspberry jelly is an amazing combination, only a pregnant woman could have come up with the idea of adding it to a burger.”

“What’s been your weirdest craving?” I asked, grabbing the onion rings and offering her one before taking one for myself.

Daisy thought for a moment, slowing chewing on the fried onion. “The weirdest one is, hands down, my hand soap,” she said casually.

“Wait, hand soap?”

“Yep. I have one that smells delicious, like floral and sweet. I know I can’t eat soap, but my body seems to want that soap and only that!”

“Dear god, is that normal?”

“It is.” She nodded. “Women have weird cravings all the time. There are some who have serious cravings for coal, like actual for-a-fireplace coal. Pregnancy hormones are no joke.”

“I need to make sure I’m feeding you more often. I don’t want you giving in to any insane craving . . . and we are buying you a new hand soap. One that smells like something disgusting!” She was a smart woman, but I wasn’t going to risk letting the little one send her bonkers before we even had a chance to really date.

Having a fry, she opened the milkshake and dipped it in before taking a bite with a happy hum. “I never used to like this combination,” she admitted.

“Milkshake and fries is one of the best combinations out there. You don’t need to be pregnant to appreciate a good milkshake and fry,” I insisted, grabbing a fry of my own and dipping it. “I will say, chocolate is the superior flavor for dipping fries, though.”

“We can get chocolate shakes next time.”

“Deal.” I smiled to myself. That meant there was going to be a next time.

Between the two of us, the food didn’t last ten minutes.

“Oh my God, I’m so full.” Daisy moaned as she leaned back in the chair, rubbing her stomach and closing her eyes.

“I would say that’s a job well done, then.” I was also pretty full, having ordered a small mountain of food.

“I think I’m going to have to accept your offer of letting me live in your car because I don’t think I’ll be moving anytime soon.”

“Well, I am a gentleman. I can’t let you live in my car on your own. I’ll have to join you. I’ll bring some blankets.”

“How gallant.” She laughed before turning to look at me. “Seriously, though, it’s been a really nice evening. I’m glad you decided to come and keep me company.”

“I’ll happily come and keep you company anytime, flower. And you’ll have to come to dinner at our house sometime.”

“Maybe.” Daisy frowned. “I don’t really know much about Nate, and I get the impression that he doesn’t really want to meet me, so maybe it’s best if you come to us for dinner.”

“Nate’s a grumpy old bastard. But we love him. He’ll get over it, but if you feel more comfortable with meeting at your place, we will do that.” I shifted in my seat. “Now, we should get you back, ‘cause Jeremy is probably home by now and not happy about your absence. Should we grab him a burger to take home? I know he loves to eat.”

Daisy’s face turned bright red, and she looked straight ahead. What I said that made her so embarrassed? “Wha—” I started to say, then broke off when I realized. Jeremy likes to eat. He had admitted that their relationship was developing. Had my lucky fucking pack mate managed to get a taste of this sweet omega? Did she taste like she smelled? All apple pie and brown sugar?

“You’re right, it’s, uh, it’s getting late,” Daisy said, stumbling over her words.

“Yeah, we better get going. We wouldn’t want this SUV to turn into a pumpkin.” I laughed, grabbing the various food wrappers and shoving them into a paper bag to dispose of later.

Her sweet scent overpowered the smell of greasy junk food in the car. Ever since her face had turned that delightful shade of red, she had been slightly turned on.

She was going to be a lot of fun, and I was looking forward to every second of it.

We made it home in record time. I’d been tempted to draw out the drive to spend more time in her presence, but we had opted to get Jeremy a burger and fries, and they were rapidly cooling.

As we pulled into the parking lot, I turned to her.

“I don’t wanna move. These heated seats are so nice,” she admitted with a whine. Were it not for the fact that I had a handy solution for her, I would have sat in the car with her all night.

“Well, if it helps, I have a present for you that may do the same job,” I said, leaning back and grabbing the gift bag off the back seat.

Daisy’s eyes widened comically as she took in the bag. “Devon, you didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to. It’s going to be useful—here.” I handed her the bag, and she bit her lip, looking at me in excitement for a moment before opening it.

Jeremy had mentioned she had back pain, and I remembered when his sister was pregnant, her mate had bought her a little electric heating pad, and she had carried that thing around with her constantly. So, I had ordered one online that first night after meeting her.

“Is this . . .?” Daisy asked, her eyes raking over the box for a moment before tearing up.

Oh shit. I fucked up. How did I fuck up?

“I can return it if—” I started to say.

“Don’t you dare!” Daisy cried, clutching the box to her chest. “This is amazing. More than amazing!”

“But you’re crying?” I asked, extremely confused.

“Pregnancy hormones! They’re happy tears, I swear.”

“Okay.” I nodded slowly. “How about we get you upstairs and settled on the couch with your heating pad?”

She nodded, giving me a watery smile.

Hauling ass out of the car, I jogged over to her side before she had even managed to unclip her seat belt. “Let me help,” I said, holding my hand out. She smiled at me and didn’t even hesitate to grab onto me—did that mean she was getting more comfortable with me?

“Thank you again for tonight,” she said once both feet were safely on the ground.

“Anytime, flower, remember that.”

Daisy gently gnawed on her lip, looking up at me. I was about to open my mouth to ask what she was thinking when she leaned up on her tiptoes, her lips brushing mine ever so gently.

It was over before I registered that it had even happened, and she was looking around anxiously. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

I could have spoken with her and explained that I was more than okay with what just happened, but instead, I opted for the more direct approach. One of my hands flew to her hip while the other tangled in her hair as I drew her close to me and claimed her mouth in a much deeper kiss than the small brush she’d just given me.

She tasted like warmth and sweetness. I was far more demanding with my kiss, claiming her mouth with my own.

When we pulled apart, she was flushed and panting, and I couldn’t help but think about how she would look after a few good orgasms.

Jeremy may have already seen that, the lucky bastard.

“I plan on doing that a lot more, flower,” I admitted, tucking a wayward red curl out of her face. “Are you okay with that?”

“I think so.” Her face broke into a small, shy smile, and she didn’t quite meet my eye.

“Perfect, now let’s go get your feet up and the heating pad on your back!”

Chapter 18

Daisy

My back ached as I hauled my groceries down the street. The bus had stopped farther from my apartment building than the normal stop, making me walk that much more to get home—much to my displeasure, because the low burning sensation at the base of my spine was starting to infuriate me. If grocery delivery wasn’t so darn expensive, I would have opted for that. Then again, in a neighborhood like mine, I doubted the delivery boy would be willing to walk up a set of stairs.

As soon as I got home, I was going to lie down with the heating pad on my back—it was hands down the most practical gift I had ever received, and I loved it so damn much. It had been with me pretty much constantly since Devon had given it to me.

Every few steps, my eyes would travel down to look at my bags as I took wobbly step after wobbly step. Part of me was convinced my center of gravity would never be the same again.

“Daisy?”

I looked up and found Jeremy standing on the pavement. “Oh, hello!”

“What on earth are you doing?” he asked, his lips turned down as he took me in.

“I needed groceries?”

“You should have told me. I could have driven you!”

“It’s only a short bus ride, and it’s a nice day,” I insisted. Yes, my back was in agony, but I didn’t want to put him out any more. Not until I had made him a mountain of cookies, at the very least. I had been riding the bus at least once a week since moving in, so I was more than used to it.

I couldn’t let myself become too reliant on Jeremy, either. Part of me had to stay realistic—his interest in me would only last so long. That had been my experience with alphas, anyway. Soon enough, I would be a mother, which meant that I had to be sensible. My abysmal living situation was thanks to me blindly placing faith in a man.

“Give me those.” Jeremy took the bags off me without waiting for me to hand them over. “You shouldn’t be carrying things with your sore back!”

“You have a life. I can’t keep interrupting it,” I insisted.

Jeremy rolled his eyes, leaning over to place a quick kiss on the top of my head. “You aren’t an interruption; you’re a joy.”

His warm sawdust and hay scent washed over me, and the pain eased up ever so slightly. His smell was like a drug that eased all my troubles.

Who was I kidding? I was a goner for this alpha.

“Fine,” I grumbled playfully, letting him take the bags.

“Have you eaten yet?” he asked as we entered the building, tapping the pin into the rusty old door lock. It was so old that with one good shove, it would fall to bits.

The moment I had some decent money, I was moving to a much better neighborhood. One with a good school district, so my little parasite could grow up with plenty of opportunities.

“I had the leftovers you gave me just before I left,” I told him with a smile, happy I could give him a satisfactory answer for once.

“Good.” He nodded happily as we slowly started ascending the stairs to our third-floor apartments.

“I got all the things to make fresh strawberry shortcake cookies as well.”

Jeremy groaned. “You’re going to make me so chubby—my trainer is going to kill me.”

“I can stop baking for you if that helps?”

“Please don’t!” Jeremy rushed to say. “That old bastard can deal with me gaining a few pounds.”

“Don’t talk about gaining a few pounds while you look like that.” I gestured to his body. He had the body of a sexy lumberjack. Defined, but not garishly so. “You look far too good, and you’re not even out of breath?” I puffed. He was carrying the groceries and wasn’t even slightly out of breath, whereas I was panting like a beached whale.

“That’s because I’m an athlete who gets to have no fun. If you deprive me of cookies—”

He stopped still, and I almost ran headlong into his back. “—Daisy. Stay back.” His voice took on a hard tone. Firm, no nonsense.

“Wh—”

“Stay,” he growled, his eyes firmly on my apartment door.

My open apartment door.

“Did you forget to close your door?” Jeremy asked, his voice overly calm.

“I’m pretty sure I locked it. I knew that if you came home before me and found my door unlocked, you would have been unhappy with me, so I triple checked!” The only reason I had actually remembered was because I hadn’t wanted to displease him.

So, the fact that my door was wide open was more than slightly disconcerting.

“Stay here,” he instructed, slowly putting the shopping bags down before heading forward.

Part of me wanted to follow him, but I got the distinct impression he would not be happy with me if I did that.

“I probably just forgot,” I admitted with a grimace.

“Considering I can see your doorjamb is broken from here, I don’t think that’s the case,” Jeremy said in a low voice. His hand reached into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out his keys, and without even looking at me, he handed them back to me. “Go wait in my apartment.”

“But—”

“Do it. Please.”

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me, gently taking the keys out of his hands and turning toward his door. His doorway was untouched. There wasn’t even a scuff mark on it. It was clear from the outside that it was a very well-sealed door. The door was thick and sturdy, and there were several obvious locks.

It took me a moment to open both locks, especially with my hands shaking. I was trying to convince myself that I’d just had a pregnancy brain moment and forgotten to lock the door and left it open. The damaged doorframe made it painfully obvious that wasn’t the case, though.

Gilbert greeted me excitedly at the door, and I quickly pushed him into the apartment, giving him a quick pet as I made my way toward Jeremy’s living room.

Unsure what to do with myself, I sat down on the sofa for a moment. Should I have been calling the police? The neighborhood was so bad, I reasoned there was probably no point in calling the police because it would take them half a day to even answer the call.

When Jeremy didn’t return in ten minutes, I couldn’t stay still any longer and opted to get up and start pacing his kitchen, pulling out any baking ingredients I could find. At least I could fill my time with something useful, like baking apple pie cookies.

He had mentioned he’d been having a craving for apple pie. As if he could feel my stress, Gilbert stayed glued to my side. Even while I was baking, he refused to leave my heels, staring up at me with those big puppy-dog eyes, like he could tell my insides were churning violently. There had been a brief moment when I’d first moved into my apartment when I had considered getting a dog for safety. Then I realized how expensive it was to feed a dog and concluded that it wasn’t a viable option.

Even though Gilbert wasn’t exactly a guard dog, he was still good company, especially when I was feeling stressed.

I was putting the first batch of cookies in the oven when Jeremy came in, his lips turned down in a frown.

“I’m guessing I didn’t just forget to lock the door?”

“No, someone broke into your apartment,” he growled. “The place has been ransacked. I’m so sorry, sweet girl. There’s no way in hell you’re going back there tonight.”

“Where else would I go?” I asked, bewildered. I had admitted to Jeremy a long time ago just how bad my family situation was. There was no one I could go and seek sanctuary with.

“You’re staying with me,” he declared.

“I thought this place only had one bedroom?” Though I wouldn’t be opposed to staying with Jeremy—I was quite fond of his apartment—I felt like it would be a massive imposition.

“Not here. You’re coming back with me to the packhouse. Tonight.”

I stuttered, trying to find the right words. He wanted me to go to his packhouse with him. Where his pack lived? What sane alpha would bring a random pregnant omega back to their packhouse?

“Jeremy, I …”

“It’s not safe here—they trashed the place. I spoke to some of the neighbors, and a few other places were broken into. It’s only sheer luck that this place wasn’t, because I installed some good security, but that doesn’t mean I think the security is good enough for you. The packhouse is far more secure. We’ve got plenty of space. And we have a whole omega suite.”

“I can’t just encroach on your pack’s space!” I cried.

“It’s not encroaching. I’m inviting you.”

“Well, I’m turning down your invitation,” I said haughtily, tilting my head up.

Jeremy frowned, thinking deeply for a second. “Okay, in that case, I’m kidnapping you.”

“Excuse me?”

He took several steps until he was right in front of me, looking down at me, only mere inches away. “My alpha is very close to the surface right now. He is infuriated that there’s a chance you were in danger. What if you had been home when this had happened? I can’t even think about that. I need you to be safe, okay?”

“But …” I struggled to find the words.

“I know I keep having to remind you, but I’m serious about us. I will never be able to forgive myself if you get hurt and there was something I could have done to stop it.”

“Nate hasn’t even met me.”

“He’s a big boy. He can handle it.”

But could he? Everything I’d heard about him made him sound like a complete enigma.

“Someone could have hurt you or the little one,” Jeremy reasoned. “Even if you’re not 100% on board, surely, you’ll do it for the safety of the baby.”

“Bastard,” I grumbled, even though the word held no heat.

“I’m not above playing dirty to keep you safe.”

“Can I at least go and get a few of my things?” I asked.

Jeremy nodded. “I’ll go with you. I have to warn you, though. The place has been ransacked, and it smells like someone threw bleach around. Most of your belongings won’t be salvageable.”

“Why would they destroy my belongings if they were there to steal things?”

“Probably angry that they didn’t find something better to steal,” Jeremy admitted.

“That’s fair. I definitely didn’t have anything decent to steal.”

I should have been freaking out, screaming, crying. I had just been told that my home was broken into and most of my things ruined, and yet, I felt oddly calm.

“Just pack things of sentimental value. We can grab you new clothes and that sort of stuff.”

“I’m not letting you buy me things!”

“We’ve covered this. I’m rich and I want to.”

“You’re a stubborn asshole,” I grumbled.

“Can call me all the names you want, as long as you’re safe. Now, I’m going to go pack a bag for myself. You need to get your cookies out—they’re burning—and then we will go and get your stuff,” Jeremy said in a matter-of-fact tone, striding off to his bedroom and pulling out a duffel bag.

Crap! The cookies. Turning to the oven, I quickly pulled the tray out. Thankfully, they were just slightly browner than I would usually let them get. I could add a butter glaze, and that would make everything better and softer.

Butter improved everything.

He wasn’t kidding. My place was destroyed.

Bookcases had been upturned and my sofa slashed open. The whole place stank of bleach, and I couldn’t see a single item of clothing that had survived.

“All stuff. We can replace it,” Jeremy said lightly, rubbing my lower back as I took in the carnage.

“It was all I had,” I said around quiet sobs.

“I’m sorry,” Jeremy soothed, pulling me in for a hug.

In the end, we only managed to rescue one or two T-shirts, a few items from the kitchen, and some old photos I had stashed under the bed.

My tears had been quite small until I found the baby blanket I’d slowly been crocheting destroyed, pulled apart and covered in bleach. Finding the small blanket I’d been working so hard on for my future child destroyed in such a violent manner, I broke down into full body-wracking sobs.

Strong arms wrapped around me, and I was dragged into Jeremy’s chest. “I shouldn’t have let you see this,” he muttered.

“N-no. I needed to see it,” I said, still sobbing.

I had nothing. What little I had fought to build for myself had been taken out in one fell swoop.

“I’ve texted Devon. He knows you’re coming, and he said he’ll order several pizzas. They’ll be there by the time we arrive.”

“Where do you guys even live?” I asked as my sobs quieted somewhat. In all the time I’d known Jeremy, I’d never actually bothered to ask where his pack lived. Maybe I just didn’t want to admit to myself that he lived somewhere that wasn’t next door to me.

“We live in Guildford,” he told me softly.

That told me everything I needed to know. Guildford was an infamously wealthy area. My parents had been firmly middle class, and they had dreamed of owning a house in Guildford. Every property there came with a price tag in the millions.

“That’s a very nice area,” I said uneasily. “Probably not the kind of place I should be.”

I was pretty sure that Cole’s parents lived in Guildford, and they had more money than they knew what to do with. The type of wealth where they would just buy another holiday house because they were bored. They made every penny of that money by exploiting our very broken medical system.

No wonder their son was such an asshole.

“If there’s any place you belong, it’s our packhouse. Come on, there’s no point in hanging around here. Let’s get you back. You’re exhausted, and you could do with a nap.”

He wasn’t wrong. I’d already been exhausted and in pain before I realized my home had been burglarized. The agony in my back was only spreading, and the idea of lying down was blissful.

“I’m only agreeing right now because my back hurts,” I admitted with a pout.

“I’ll take it. You know, my car has heated seats. I’m sure that’ll help with the back pain and there’s also a jetted tub at the packhouse you can use.”

I groaned. He was fighting dirty, and he was winning. You couldn’t just dangle a jetted bathtub and heated seats in front of a pregnant woman and not expect them to jump at the opportunity. It would be like putting the tastiest bone in front of a rabid dog. It just wasn’t fair.

“I’m going to have to open up a bakery at the rate that I’m making cookies for you.”

“As long as I’m the only customer at the bakery, I’m okay with that. I did eat one of those apple pie cookies before we came over here, and it was absolutely divine, as always.” Jeremy grinned, taking the small bag of possessions I had gathered off me before gently guiding me out of the apartment.

“Are we just going to leave it open? It’s not like the door will lock now,” I said, looking at the shattered door jamb.

“Devon is already on his way over. He’s going to replace the door quickly with a temporary hardware one and then meet us back at the house.”

“Thank you. I know there’s not really much left here to protect, but it’s all I’ve got in the world.”

“I know, but you deserve so much more,” Jeremy said. “Hopefully, in time, you’ll understand just how amazing you are. Cole was an idiot, but I can’t complain, because his loss is my gain.”

After a quick trip back to Jeremy’s to grab the cookies and Gilbert, he led me down to the parking garage. I had never actually been in the shady parking garage next to our building—everyone in the building had a space, but a lot of us didn’t have cars. I certainly couldn’t afford one, and I imagined that was the case for many of the residents.

“Here I am,” Jeremy said, pulling out his keys and unlocking the car.

His car stuck out like a sore thumb—I was shocked it hadn’t been stolen or taken apart. The large, dark-green SUV looked expensive. Cars were not my area of expertise, but even I could tell someone needed serious money to own a car like that.

“This is a little fancy,” I said.

Jeremy grimaced. “This is the most low-key car I own,” he admitted sheepishly, making me laugh.

I reached out for the door handle of the passenger side as Jeremy opened the back door, Gilbert jumping in with ease. It clearly wasn’t the dog’s first rodeo.

“Uhhh … Jeremy?”

“Is everything okay?” he asked from the back of the car, where he was placing my meager bag of possessions into the trunk.

“How am I supposed to get in?” I asked. “I’m vertically challenged, and this car is clearly made for giants.”

Were I not smuggling a beach ball under my shirt, I would have made a good effort at jumping into the seat, but in my heavily pregnant state, it was far more likely that I would hurt myself instead of landing in the seat.

Jeremy rounded the car, a frown on his face as he looked between the passenger seat and me. “I need to get an appropriate car. I can’t have my girl struggling,” he mused, leaning down to gently grab my hips. Before I could answer and tell him that there was no need for him to buy a new car for me, I was in the air, then being placed in the passenger seat.

As much as I liked being referred to as his girl, I knew we still had a few barriers in the way. The fact that I still hadn’t met his third pack mate was quite the issue. Then again, from the sounds of it, I would be living in the same house as him, so we were about to get very well acquainted with each other.

That was a terrifying thought.

Both Jeremy and Devon had made it clear that my relationship would be with them and not with Nate, because he was still mourning the loss of his ex. Something about that didn’t feel right, though. Dating a single member of a pack could be seen as normal, but dating two-thirds of a pack and leaving one member out? I’d never heard of anyone doing something like that before.

“Have you asked Nate about me staying with you guys?” I asked as Jeremy slid into the driver’s seat.

“I sent him a message.”

“A message isn’t a conversation. You can’t just bring a stranger into his home. It’s rude!”

“I’m allowed to invite whoever the hell I want into my home, and both Devon and I are firmly on the same page that you will not be returning to an apartment someone broke into”

“I swear to God, you are a stubborn old mule,” I muttered, crossing my arms.

“Yes, I am stubborn, and I am not going to compromise when it comes to your safety.”

The firmness in his voice shouldn’t have been such a turn-on.

Chapter 19

Jeremy

She was nervous. It was obvious from the burnt sugar smell and her lack of conversation. She stared out the front window for almost the entire drive back to the packhouse. Not wanting to push her, I flipped on the radio, shuffling through the stations until I found the same artist she had been listening to while baking and leaving that on.

Her home had been broken into. My hindbrain was riding me hard. I needed to protect Daisy. If she had slept in even an extra hour, she probably would have been home during the break-in.

I tried not to think too much about what would have happened if she’d been home. It made my stomach flip uncomfortably and my alpha absolutely lose his shit.

Never again.

Never again would I allow her to be in a situation where this was even the vaguest possibility.

The packhouse was in a gated community and had more security than the White House. She would be safe there, safe and comfortable. The suite of rooms we had for our potential future omega was vast and contained several comfy items already, but I could quickly purchase more. I was beyond caring if she protested—she was coming with me, and she would be safe, whether she liked it or not.

It wasn’t up for debate.

Even if it made Daisy hate me, I was going to protect her. I would rather have her safe and despising me than liking me and in danger.

As we pulled up to the packhouse, after going through the gated doors, I tried to imagine what it looked like through Daisy’s eyes. It was a pretty expensive property, and it did cost us a pretty penny, but it was one of the first things I bought when I got my big signing bonus. The others had also contributed to buying the house, as they had both saved considerably as well.

That meant we were more than comfortably able to afford the three-story classic English country mansion. It had cost a lot when we’d purchased it, but that didn’t mean it had been in good condition. It had actually been a very cheap price, considering what it was, because it had been missing nearly all of its interior and needed significant work.

Now it stood proud, with a garden full of all different kinds of wildflowers and even a small orchard. It looked like something out of a classic novel, and I was pretty attached to it.

If Daisy wasn’t a fan, I would happily sell it and get a different style home. Her opinion mattered far more than my own.

Pulling into the garage and turning the car off, I turned to her. She was glancing around with wide eyes.

“This is home,” I admitted with a smile.

“I-it’s beautiful,” she stammered.

The tightness in my chest eased slightly at her approval. I needed this omega’s approval more than anything. Was my behavior logical? Some may say no—but to me, I was thinking the most clearly and logically I had in years. Daisy was my omega. There was no denying that now. My reaction to her scent and rabid need to protect her spoke for itself.

“Come on, let’s get you settled down on a couch.”

Or the nest?

We had a nest in the omega suite, and it had never been used. It was intended for our future omega. I couldn’t imagine any other omega in our future other than Daisy—so, surely, that nest was hers? Her own bed was threadbare and only had one blanket; when I’d been adding some extra security to her apartment, I had been horrified at the state of it. She deserved a gigantic nest full of all kinds of silks and velvets.

At the packhouse, I could make that happen.

Leading her out of the garage and through the kitchen, her head was on a swivel, taking in the fixtures.

“This kitchen is downright pornographic!” she muttered.

“You’re welcome to use it whenever you want.” I grinned at her. “In fact, I encourage you to use it. I’ll stock the pantry with every cookie ingredient you could possibly need.”

“I bet that oven would also be good for baking cakes,” she mused with a knowing grin.

“My kitchen is your kitchen,” I said, leading her down the hallway.

I found myself worrying as we wandered through the house. Was it clean enough? Did she like it? Could she see herself living here full time? I had no intention of letting her go back to her apartment. Even if she did decide one day that she didn’t want to live with me anymore, it definitely wouldn’t mean going back to that place. She should be set up in a nice area. One with a good school district for the little one.

Coincidentally enough, we lived in an excellent school district; some of the best preschools in the country were conveniently just down the road. Maybe I could use that to convince Daisy to stay?

Instead of leading her straight up to the omega suite, we stopped by the informal sitting room. I gestured toward the overly stuffed couch that we’d had since we were teenagers living in a tiny two-bedroom apartment. It was old, but it was damn comfortable.

“Sit down and get your feet up,” I instructed. “How are your feet feeling? They’re not too swollen, are they?”

“They feel a little sore, but I’ll be fine,” Daisy assured me as she took her seat.

Fine wasn’t good enough. I wanted her to feel better than fine. Sitting down on the couch next to her, I gently lifted her feet until they were in my lap, sliding off her little slip-on shoes and digging my thumb into the arch of her foot.

“Oh, holy fuck, that’s amazing.” She groaned, throwing her head back. Her feet were a lot more swollen than the last time I’d seen them. What would help reduce the swelling in her feet? Maybe a bath? Staying off her feet for a period would certainly help.

I gently worked over both her feet until she was completely relaxed, sinking into the couch cushions.

“Did somebody order pizza?” Devon shouted as he walked through the front door.

“We’re in here!” I shouted back. Daisy didn’t even move. Clearly, the foot rub had done wonders.

Devon rounded the corner, arms full of three pizza boxes. “Hello there, flower. How are we feeling?” he asked Daisy, setting the boxes on the coffee table and placing his focus on her.

“Sleepy,” she admitted.

“I don’t blame you after the day you’ve had. Is it true you went for groceries without telling Jeremy?”

“It won’t be happening again,” I muttered grumpily. Why had she done that? She could have hurt her back further or fallen over—she had been getting dizzier and unsteadier by the day. She was too independent. It would have been easy for me to drive her to the store. Fuck it, I would have enjoyed driving her to the store. Looking after her made my alpha bang his chest with pride.

“I can go to the grocery store! I’m not an invalid,” she cried. I got the distinct impression that, were I not rubbing her feet, she would have been stomping away.

Foot rubs keep her in place. Good information for future use.

“We aren’t saying you’re an invalid, flower. You’re pregnant, and all pregnant women could use a hand,” Devon reasoned with the grumpy, heavily pregnant omega.

“But I’m not your responsibility,” she grumbled, pouting adorably.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. When she turned to glare at me, I leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek. “You became my responsibility the day you turned up at my apartment, feral for Korean food.”

Chapter 20

Daisy

Placing my meager bag of belongings on the bed, I looked around the room. What the hell had happened? That morning, I’d woken up in my apartment—my dirty, decrepit, disgusting apartment—and now I was going to bed in possibly one of the most beautiful rooms I had ever seen.

The furniture was more expensive than anything I’d ever owned. The bed had plenty of blankets and pillows thrown on top of it. That wasn’t the focal point of the room, though. Every wall had beautiful arched windows full of intricate and colorful stained glass. When light filtered through the windows, it turned the furniture and bedding a riot of colors. It was almost ethereal in nature. There were also several potted plants on various surfaces.

Was I supposed to water those? I didn’t exactly have a green thumb. My previous attempts to keep a plant alive had been unsuccessful. Then again, if there was ever a time to learn, it was now. I was going to have a real, screaming human baby in a few short months. If I couldn’t keep a plant alive, how the hell was I going to keep a human alive?

Pulling back the bedding, I took a moment to appreciate the intricately carved headboard. It looked handmade, with several pieces of ivy and foliage carved into the light-colored wood. Either this had been a very expensive purchase, or Jeremy or Devon had made it. They had both mentioned that they liked working with wood—but as I ran my hand gently over the pattern, I marveled at just how beautiful a creation it was.

And I was going to be staying here, sleeping in such a gorgeous room. The sun was just starting to set, and the late-evening light was staining the room a multitude of colors.

I could just lie in bed all day and stare at the light as it shone through those windows. Before I changed into my pajamas, I scooped up my phone and did a quick internet search. If I enjoyed the stained-glass windows so much, I was sure a baby would love the bright colors. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a mobile with stained glass in it. Though there were some plastic versions, they looked glaringly fake.

The phone screen flashed. I had two missed calls. Cole. Why had he tried to call me? He didn’t leave a voicemail, and I had no intention of calling him back. If he had something important to say, he could leave a message. If we spoke on the phone, I knew there was a good chance that I would get ensnared in his web again.

I couldn’t do that—to myself or to my baby.

Sighing to myself, I threw the phone down and grabbed my pajamas before padding into the bathroom. If I wanted bright, colorful lights from stained-glass windows for my baby, I would just have to find a way, someday. Probably when I was a millionaire . . . which was unlikely to happen.

Unless their father decided to come back into the picture and treat his child with some dignity and respect. He had plenty of money to throw around; he just didn’t want to use it on his child. Sometimes I wondered what I’d ever seen in that man. But as much as I wanted to curse his name, I couldn’t say I regretted my choice to keep my baby. The little parasite and I were going to be a family. I was going to love this baby with everything I had.

Something about the missed calls didn’t sit right with me, and they weighed on my mind as I started the shower. He hadn’t bothered to contact me in a week. Then, by some chance of fate, he decided to call me not once, but twice on the same day my apartment was broken into? What were the chances of that?

God, I wanted a glass of wine.

But seeing as I was being a responsible mother, I hadn’t had a glass of wine since the day I found out I was pregnant. The moment I stopped breastfeeding, I planned to treat myself to a bottle of wine and a gigantic platter of sushi.

I would give Jeremy Thorne one thing—he had excellent taste in showers. Somehow, this shower was even better than the one in the apartment, which I hadn’t thought was possible. I’d been prepared to write a love letter to the shower at the apartment.

The floor tile was a type of stone that didn’t feel ultra smooth or slippery. And there were several different places where the water could come from. You just had to flick a lever. There was also a handheld showerhead with glorious water pressure.

What cinched it for me, though, was the thick stone bench carved into the wall. There was plenty of room for me to sit down and take a breather while showering. Usually, I hurried through my shower routine because I got fatigued so quickly, thanks to the little parasite. The prospects of being able to rest in the shower while still feeling that magical water pressure was downright titillating.

After what was probably a ridiculously long shower, I pulled myself away from the glorious steam and used one of the ultra-fluffy towels before getting into my pajamas.

They were nothing fancy, but they were what had survived the break-in. My usual black shorts and a gigantic sweatshirt that I had found in a thrift shop years ago. I had no idea what fabric the sweatshirt was made out of, but it was so soft and comfortable. And over time, it had only got softer, instead of getting stiff or scratchy after too many washes to count. It got better with age . . .

Like fine wine.

Or silver foxes.

Back in the bedroom, now freshly clean, with my hair scraped into a tight bun on my head, I took in the room again. There were no discernible scents, so I didn’t think the room had been used by anyone before me. I appreciated that, but part of me thought it was a shame. These rooms were clearly designed for an omega—for Jeremy’s future omega.

Would they be able to clean everything enough to remove my scent? We could be really picky about scents, especially in our own spaces. The last thing I wanted was to upset their future omega because the guys had decided to be nice and let me stay for a few nights.

“Hey, I see you’ve already showered,” Jeremy said from the doorway.

Turning to him with a smile, I took a deep breath, welcoming that warm, woodsy smell that had been driving me insane. He was holding something huge that kind of resembled a pillow.

“I want to marry that shower,” I admitted. “I would have taken a bath, but I was scared I wouldn’t be able to get out.” I laughed, looking down at my bump.

“Take a bath next time. I’ll help you get out,” he offered.

“I—”

“It’ll be good for your back pain.” Jeremy grinned. “Plus, we have so many fancy bath products here. Don’t let him know I told you this, but Nate is a bit of a bath bomb aficionado.”

Nate? He was the last person I would have expected to have a love of bath bombs.

“Nate already dislikes me enough. I think if I go stealing his bath bombs, he may actually revolt . . . What on earth is in your arms?”

Jeremy’s face lit up. “It’s a present for you. Actually, I don’t know if you’d consider it a present. It’s secondhand, but I did wash it!”

I couldn’t help laughing. “Jeremy, you’ve seen where I live. I can handle secondhand items.”

“This belonged to my sister. She said it was absolutely amazing during the later months of her pregnancy.” He strode into the room and threw the pillow onto the bed, arranging it. It was like a gigantic stuffed pool noodle in the shape of a U.

“A pregnancy pillow!” I cried happily.

“You mentioned one before, and I’ve been meaning to get you one. I will get you one of your own, but for tonight, I thought my sister’s would do. I’ve washed it and sprayed it down with the de-scenter, so it doesn’t smell like anything.”

My chest fluttered at his thoughtfulness. “You didn’t have to do that, but thank you so much. Also, you don’t need to get me a new one. This is more than perfect!” I squealed happily, crawling onto the bed and wrapping myself around the pillow. I gently pushed part of it under my bump as I lay on my side, throwing one of my legs over the pillow. “Holy crap, this is actually amazing,” I muttered, melting into the bed sheets.

“I’m glad you like it.” Jeremy smiled, grabbing the comforter and placing it over me before sitting on the edge of the bed. “Do you want me to leave the door open? Gilbert tends to wander around at night.”

I smiled lazily. “I’m down for puppy dog cuddles anytime.” Between the shower and the new pillow, every part of my body felt relaxed. When had I last been this comfortable?

It was beginning to feel like every time Jeremy opened his mouth, he did something thoughtful and kind and sweet, and I was going to fall madly in love with this man. How could I not? Even with my many bad experiences, he was making me feel special, cared for.

“The next time Gilbert comes in from a walk and is covered head to toe in mud, I’ll remember you said that you’re up for cuddles anytime.”

“Okay, I’m down for doggy cuddles anytime, within reason.”

“I’ll leave the door open, then. My bedroom is just down the hall. If you need me, don’t be afraid to bug me.” He leaned down, gently kissing my forehead, his thumb rubbing over my cheek gently. I melted into his touch. “I know the reason behind you being here isn’t a positive one, but I can’t deny that I’m glad you’re here with me. I like having you here with us—you suit this place well.”

“This room is stunning. Your future omega is very lucky.”

Jeremy snorted lightly and I frowned. “What did I say?”

“My future omega—you mean yourself? Because if I haven’t made it clear enough that you’re the only one for me, then I really need to up my game.”

My eyes widened. While he had made several declarations before, I hadn’t really believed them. Also, I was kind of terrified what upping his game meant. The man had already done so much for me.

“But …”

“No buts, sweet girl. Devon and I are on the same page. The only thing you need to do is sit back, relax, and take it easy until the little one comes along.” Bending over, he gently brushed my lips with his for a moment, his hand sliding to the nape of my neck to hold me in place.

After a few seconds, he pulled away, looking pained when I let out a small whine.

“Why did you stop?”

“I need to go back to my room. I only have so much willpower. If I hadn’t stopped, I would have crawled into bed and kept you in my arms all night.”

“Oh no, the horror,” I deadpanned, making him laugh loudly.

“Sleep, trouble. I’m not crawling into bed with you on your first night in our packhouse.” He kissed my forehead once again before standing up.

“So, that’s a tomorrow thing?” I mumbled sleepily. “I’ll mark my calendar.”

“You’re trouble.” He laughed, looking back at me from the doorway. “Totally worth it, though.”

Chapter 21

Nate

My phone had been ringing off the hook, but work had been so damn intense that, I threw my phone onto the back seat the moment I got into my car and ignored its incessant buzzing.

If my pack needed to get in touch with me, they could damn well wait until I was home. Sitting in my car on the boring drive home was the first moment of peace I’d had in almost two days. Every time I had sat down to even eat a bite of my sandwich, I had been distracted by depositions, phone calls from prosecutors, or some other dumpster fire.

At one point, I wasted an entire hour trying to fix the photocopier that an intern had somehow managed to kill. While copier fixing was a little below my pay grade, it felt good to do something with my hands that actually had an achievable outcome for the day.

Sometimes I envied Jeremy and Devon. While construction wasn’t for me, I could certainly see the appeal of building something with your hands and seeing real, tangible evidence of what you’ve created.

I, on the other hand, could spend three weeks crafting a single legal document, and it meant nothing. Their working hours were also a lot more sociable. I was driving home at two in the afternoon because I had spent the entire night at the office. All-nighters weren’t uncommon in my field, and despite my hatred of them, I had to accept them as a necessary evil.

Being a lawyer was not for the faint of heart . . . or those easily bored.

The phone buzzed again from the back seat, and I considered pulling over and throwing the damn thing into the river. That felt like a bit too much effort, though, so instead, I cranked up the speakers to blare some rock music I had listened to in college.

As my hand reached for the dial, I could see it visibly shaking. Cursing to myself as I turned the music up, I tried not to dwell on it as I quickly focused on the road again.

Sooner or later, I would have to go back to the doctor for another infusion. I felt like most of my spare time was spent at the doctor’s office.

I was sick of being sick.

My pack mates were nothing but supportive, but I still despised being a burden. When Jeremy had signed his contract with the Chargers, we had gotten incredibly lucky. The insurance the NHL provided was extensive, and ever since then, I had been getting my infusions at least twice a month, instead of the one a month I had been getting prior.

Despite the early afternoon hour, I was ready to pass out in bed. Pulling into the driveway, I smiled when I saw both Jeremy’s and Devon’s cars in the driveway. Even in my exhausted state, I could appreciate that my pack mates were home. Jeremy had been so busy with practice and the project apartment that I hardly saw him anymore.

They were probably working, so I didn’t go looking for them as I opened the front door and made my way toward the kitchen in the back of the house. Snack, then sleep. Only then could I pretend to be an actual human being for a few hours.

The closer I got to the kitchen, the louder my stomach growled. Something smelled amazing. Actually, the whole house smelled amazing. Like brown sugar and candied apples. Had Jeremy brought more cookies home with him? He’d become something of a Cookie Monster of late. I wasn’t immune to the cookies, either. I’d swiped one when he wasn’t looking, and I’d had to grudgingly admit it was possibly the best cookie I’d ever eaten.

When I walked through the doorway to the kitchen, intending to make a beeline to the fridge, I stopped in my tracks.

Someone was in my kitchen.

Someone who wasn’t one of my pack mates.

Her back was to me, and all I could see was a large, oversized T-shirt and shorts and piles of curly red hair spilling out of the claw clip at the back of her head. Her exposed legs were beautifully shaped, and I immediately thought of them wrapped around my waist.

And then, a second later, I felt disgusted with myself. I couldn’t let myself think of anyone else in that way. Not after Jilly.

After the disgust came anger. Who was this person in my kitchen, and why was she fucking with my mind?

The woman clearly hadn’t heard my arrival, thanks to the pop music she had blaring out of the speaker on the counter.

“Who the hell are you?” I snapped, probably a little angrier than I should have.

She jumped, dropping whatever she was holding onto the counter and whirling around to look at me.

Fuck me.

She was beautiful.

Masses of dark red hair, perfectly offset by emerald-green eyes. Her cheeks were slightly chubby in the most adorable way. And they were covered in a smattering of freckles.

Freckles.

It was like my fucking wet dream had walked into my kitchen.

And I hated that.

Huh. Her stomach was rounded. She was clearly in the later stages of pregnancy. I felt bad for startling her. I was an asshole, but I wasn’t so much of an asshole that I would willingly startle a pregnant woman.

A pregnant omega, judging by her scent.

She was the source of that candy apple scent I had followed to the kitchen.

“Oh! Hi. You’re Nate, right?” she asked sweetly. “I’m Daisy.”

I nodded. That much I’d gathered from the fact that she was pregnant and in my house. It didn’t take a genius to realize that she was the pregnant omega Jeremy had been obsessing over.

“I am. Why are you here?” I repeated my earlier question.

“Didn’t Jeremy talk to you?” she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion. She winced slightly, and her hand flew to her stomach.

“He didn’t talk to me. Are you okay?” I may have been annoyed, but I wasn’t going to ignore a pregnant woman in pain in my house.

“Just kicks, nothing serious.” She waved off my concern. “Jeremy kind of invited me to stay,” she admitted, biting her lip.

“He what?” I asked. Surely, I was hallucinating? Jeremy knew my past. There was no way he would invite an omega to live under the same roof as us. My pack mates could be pains in my ass, but they weren’t heartless. Being around an omega would be a special kind of torture for me.

“I’m so sorry. I thought he had a conversation with you. I will get out of your hair. Erm . . .” She turned to look at what she was cooking. “I’ve just made some lasagna, so if you’re hungry, please help yourself. It’s the least I can do, considering I’ve invaded your home without you even knowing.” She started flitting around the kitchen, grabbing dish towels and cleaning up after herself. “As soon as Jeremy is back, I will get him to take me home. I think he ran to the store.”

“Isn’t he at work?”

“No, he stayed home today after everything that happened. But I’m sure he’ll be back any minute, and I will be out of your way. I am so sorry. I thought they cleared it with you before I stayed here last night. I never, ever would have agreed to stay here if I thought they hadn’t told you.”

“You stayed here last night?” Where? What room did they put her in and why didn’t they warn me that there was an omega sleeping at my house? I had left my cell phone on the back seat of my car, so I couldn’t even check to see if the idiots had gotten in touch with me. The omega—Daisy—seemed truly horrified that I wasn’t kept up to date with the situation. She flitted around, grabbing dishes and putting them away, like she was desperate to get out of my way.

While I wanted her gone, part of me found her presence oddly comforting, even if she was running around like a chaotic little whirlwind. Several tendrils of her red curls had fallen out of the claw clip and were swinging wildly around her face as she moved around the kitchen.

“My home was kind of broken into. I, uh, live next door to the apartment Jeremy’s fixing up. He insisted I stay here. Oh god, I feel so rude. I—agh!” Her babbling was cut off with a cry as she grabbed the steaming pan of lasagna with her bare hands.

Jumping into action, I strode forward, gently grabbing her waist and pulling her toward the sink. Flicking on the faucet, I waited until the water was running cool and held her hand under the stream. Her wrist felt ridiculously tiny and fragile in my hand, and a deep red welt was already emerging on her palm.

“Hold it under the water,” I instructed gently. My grip on her wrist was firm, so even if she wanted to, she couldn’t remove the burned skin from the stream of water.

Since my eyes were locked on the injury, I didn’t realize she was crying until I heard her sniffle and turned my head to see her eyes full of tears.

It was official. I was a colossal asshole.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to cry. I’m just hormonal,” she said, using her free hand to wipe her tears furiously.

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have startled you.”

“That’s not your fault at all. You didn’t even know I was here to be startled!”

Footsteps thundered on the marble entryway as someone ran into the kitchen. Devon came to a skidding halt beside us, eyes wide. “What on earth happened? Are you okay, flower?”

Flower? He even had a pet name for her already?

“I’m fine,” Daisy insisted.

“You’ve been crying! And Nate is holding your hand under water. Did you burn yourself?”

“I accidentally grabbed the lasagna pan with my bare hand. It’s no big deal. As soon as the pain lessens, I’ll be on my way.” She gave me a reassuring look as she said the last part.

“Be on your way?” Devon asked with a frown.

“I’m hardly going to stay here. One of your pack members wasn’t even aware!” she hissed at Devon, leveling him with a glare. I shouldn’t have found that attractive, but watching her glare at my pack mate just did something to me. Excitement. I was excited by her glare.

For three years, my heart had been a cold, dead husk. Incapable of feeling any true emotion. Thirty seconds with this omega, and I could feel the cold stone around my heart starting to crack.

I didn’t know what sort of voodoo she was working, but she needed to get out of my house.

“Only because Nate didn’t answer his phone. He’s fine with you staying. Or, at least, he will be,” Devon rushed to Daisy before turning to glare at me. “What the hell did you say to her?” he growled.

“Nothing! I just asked why she was here. A stranger, standing in my kitchen, cooking a lasagna—I think I have a right to know why they’re there!”

“It’s okay, Devon. I am more than happy to go home. I’m just thankful for getting away for the night,” Daisy assured him, a sincere smile on her face.

“Let me get some ice to put on this. Don’t remove your hand,” I instructed Daisy with a firm look before heading to the pantry, where the large industrial freezer was located. We had all gone through a phase of watching social media videos of various types of ice and had decided to invest in an ice machine that we now hardly used.

“You better be nice to her,” Devon said from behind me, having followed me to the ice machine. He watched me as I grabbed a little plastic scoop and placed a bunch of ice in a dishcloth, forming a makeshift ice pack.

“Who the hell thought it was a good idea to bring an omega into our home?” I asked, making sure my voice was quiet enough that it wouldn’t be heard by said omega.

“Someone broke into her home.”

“She mentioned that.”

“No, it wasn’t a small thing. The place was trashed. There wasn’t a single surface that didn’t have bleach or broken glass or something like that on it. Everything she owned was destroyed, her door completely smashed in.”

I turned to look at my pack mate, unable to keep the frown off my face.

“That sounds a little more severe than just a regular break-in,” I admitted.

“She has no family, and Jeremy is fond of her. Hell, I’m fond of her. She’s a really sweet girl. She’s alone, pregnant, and struggling. Surely, you can understand why Jeremy brought her here?”

I sighed. “But why did he have to bring her here? He could have set her up in a hotel.”

“Hotels are expensive, for one. I’m guessing Jeremy wanted to be around to help her. Just dumping her in a hotel room and leaving her probably wouldn’t have actually helped her that much.”

He had a point there. Even though she was managing to navigate her way around the kitchen easily, I could understand that the rather large bump would create several issues in day-to-day life.

“It’s not like she’s the first woman ever to be pregnant. Loads of women have to deal with it. She would be fine at a hotel,” I tried to reason.

Devon snorted. “Every single pregnant omega we have known has had several alphas doting on her. Can you think of a single woman you’ve seen go through pregnancy alone?”

“Well, where’s the alpha that created the child?”

“He ran the moment he learned she was pregnant. Left her with nothing. She hasn’t told us much more, but I’m pretty sure he hurt her badly.”

“Jesus Christ. That’s a special kind of asshole,” I admitted.

“Look, we can talk about this as a pack when she goes to sleep. Please don’t tell me you want to throw her out right now? I know that being around an omega can be difficult for you, but given the situation, surely you can make an exception? This is someone who is important to Jeremy and someone who is quickly becoming important to me, too. We are a pack, and we want you to know the important people in our lives.”

He had a point. While I knew that I didn’t want an omega, I had to accept that my pack would one day want one. I had avoided thinking about what that would mean for our dynamic. Would I move out so they could be happy with their new omega? Over the last year or so, I had found a kind of peace with my life and my pack, and I didn’t want it to change. But it would be cruel to expect Jeremy and Devon to remain frozen in time like I was.

“Fine, we can stay out of each other’s way. This house is big enough,” I grumbled. “Now, I need to go ice that burn of hers.”

“I’m telling Jeremy that she burned herself while you were talking with her.” Devon grinned as I left the pantry.

I cursed at myself. Apparently, Devon had a death wish.

For my death.

Chapter 22

Daisy

The smell of something delicious tickled my nose, pulling me out of a deep sleep. Groaning, I rolled over and lifted my head from the pillow, glaring at whoever was standing in front of me.

Jeremy was holding a tray in his hands. “Good morning, Duckie. Are you hungry?”

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. The nest had been so damn comfortable, it felt like I’d been in a coma instead of a deep sleep. The pregnancy pillow Jeremy gave me had done its job spectacularly, and I didn’t think I’d tossed and turned a single time.

It was a miracle, really.

“Is that bacon?” I asked sleepily.

Jeremy nodded. “It is, as well as eggs, toast, and a few other snacks I thought you would like. I know you haven’t been the biggest fan of eggs lately, but they’re great for protein. Remember, you’re growing the little one, and they need good food.”

As he spoke, he sat on the edge of the nest, handing me the tray. It smelled divine.

“I can try and eat the eggs,” I said with a pout.

Jeremy smiled. “I added lots of butter and cheese to the scrambled eggs, so they should taste good.”

That sounded bearable. I picked up a strip of bacon, cooked to perfection, and took a bite, satisfied with the crunch it made as I bit down. My palate had changed so much since getting pregnant. Beforehand, I liked bacon well enough. But now that I was pregnant, bacon was the nectar of the gods. I couldn’t get enough of the stuff. I was tempted to beg Jeremy to make the spicy rice cakes that he had fed me the first night I had met him with bacon in it—just the thought of that combination had me salivating.

“What did I do to get breakfast in bed?” I asked after I finished my slice of bacon.

“You’re growing a tiny human and you need rest. Now that you’re here, you’re just gonna have to put up with me taking care of you.”

“Oh no, the horror,” I deadpanned.

Jeremy laughed, shaking his head. “Eat your breakfast. I was thinking we could go spend some time outside today. It’s a lovely sunny day, and you could probably use the vitamin D.”

He was probably right there. When had I last just sat in the sun? Daylight wasn’t exactly an easy thing to come by when I could hardly leave my apartment because I lived in one of the city’s worst neighborhoods.

“That sounds nice. Does this place have a big yard?” I asked.

Jeremy nodded. “Oh, yeah. The landscaping is Devon’s baby. There’s a pond and a gazebo. It looks amazing. I told him I wanted to put in an herb garden, so I could grow some mint for food, and he swiftly told me that there was no way in hell because, apparently, mint is evil and will overtake the entire garden.” Jeremy shrugged with a laugh.

“It’s an invasive plant. If you don’t put it somewhere like a pot, it will grow everywhere—which is kind of useful when you have the opposite of a green thumb, like me.”

“I think we will leave the gardening to Devon,” Jeremy said, leaning forward and plucking a piece of bacon from my plate, biting down on it before I could even protest.

“You’re a brave man, stealing bacon from a pregnant woman,” I growled.

“What if I told you there was a whole tray of bacon downstairs?”

I stilled. “I would say you’re very sexy.”

Jeremy threw his head back with a roaring laugh. “I’ve seen the way you’ve been leaning toward bacon lately. I thought it was better safe than sorry.”

“Sexy and smart.”

The yard was indeed stunning. Jeremy had made a fresh pitcher of lemonade, and we were sitting on the comfortable outdoor furniture, soaking up the rays.

“This may just be heaven,” I moaned.

“It’s pretty spectacular, isn’t it?” Jeremy agreed. “Give me your feet.”

I did as I was told, kicking off my flip-flops and placing my feet in his lap. Foot rubs and sunshine? I could officially die a happy woman.

We basked in the sunshine, not saying much, content to watch Gilbert frolic around the yard.

“He must hate it when you are at the apartment without a yard to play in.”

“Gilbert is a simple creature. As long as I take him for plenty of walks, he’s happy with just a bed. I did feel a touch guilty, though, so I would take him for extra walks while staying there. It’s nice to be home.”

“You could have spent less time at the apartment and more time at home.”

“No, there were things keeping me there.”

“So, we need to go back soon? I’m assuming I’ll be coming with you?”

Jeremy snorted. “You are not going back to that apartment anytime soon, I can assure you of that. It’s dangerous, and I’m not letting you stay somewhere dangerous when you have a newborn baby.”

“But if you’re going back . . .” I scrambled to find the words. “Don’t get me wrong, I like Devon, but I think it’ll be weird being on my own here without you.”

“I happen to know for a fact that you’re getting along well with Devon. He told me about your date.”

My eyes shot to Jeremy, wide as saucers. How much had Devon told him? “Uh . . .”

“I’m glad it went well! I’m pretty sure he intends to take you on many more dates, just like I do.”

“Is this ever going to feel normal?” I sighed. “I keep feeling like I’m going to go to sleep and wake up back in the apartment and for none of this to have been real. When you guys finally get bored of me, it’s going to be a harsh fall back to reality for me. I kn—ohh,” I moaned as Jeremy dug his fingers in the arch of my foot just right, and my entire body melted into mush.

“Don’t know how many times I have to tell you this, Daisy, but I’m in this for the long haul. I’m quickly falling in love with you and the little one. I am not afraid to admit it.” Jeremy shrugged. “Do I need to start telling you I love you every single day? If so, I will happily start doing that if it makes you believe that I mean what I say.”

“You’ve mentioned it plenty, and I’m not gonna lie, I also have feelings for you. But a pack? We’ve never really discussed how that would work. I’ve never really thought about how that would work, either. Your pack mate doesn’t seem to like me or that I’m here.”

“Devon seems to like you very much,” Jeremy reasoned.

“You know what I mean.” I frowned. “I’m talking about Nate.”

“That grumpy bastard just needs time.”

“I feel like I’m forcing my presence on him. It’s not very nice.”

“You are far too considerate. Nate . . . He has its own issues and, honestly, he may never want to date again after his past. He’s part of our pack, but he is . . . damaged.”

“Have you ever seen a pack where an omega is dating more than one member, but not the entire pack?”

“It’s unusual, I admit. I don’t know the best way forward. All I know is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, raising your little one and watching cheesy movies while I cook and Gilbert steals cheese. I want to watch the little one crawling around with Gilbert. See them take their first steps. Go on adventures together as a family. You are my family now, Daisy.”

It was such a bold declaration. “But we haven’t even . . . y’know,” I hissed.

Jeremy laughed. “Had sex?” Hands gripped my waist, and before I could even blink, I was situated on his lap. He lifted me as if I was as light as a feather. Considering I was the size of a small house, it was impressive.

“Jeremy!” I cried.

“I think I need to make something clear. Do you feel that?” Using the hands on my hips, he ground me down, and I could feel his extremely hard cock through his jeans. His woodsy scent exploded around me, and I resisted the urge to moan.

“Oh,” I whimpered. The friction set my nerve endings on fire, and my hands flew to his shoulders.

“I want you. I have wanted you more than I have wanted anyone in a long, long time, if not ever. Every time you lean over in front of me, I can’t take my eyes off your cleavage. You have amazing tits and an ass that I can’t stop staring at. I don’t know how I can make it any clearer that I want you. Do you understand?”

I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t find the words, so instead, I simply nodded. His voice had a low, growly tone that made my insides tighten in anticipation. This man kept telling me he liked me, and I kept brushing it off, but there was no denying it. I needed to accept that he had clearly developed feelings for me.

“I am so serious about you, Daisy. If you were ready, I would bond with you today.”

“Wait, what?” I cried, pulling back in shock.

There was serious, then there was ready to bond serious.

Jeremy leaned back, giving me a lazy smile as he cupped my face in one hand, his thumb brushing over my cheek.

“I’m falling in love with you, Daisy St. James, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” he declared proudly.

Maybe I wasn’t ready to bond, but there were certainly other things I wanted to do.

Lurching forward, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling myself tightly against him. Wiggling my ass, I was elated to feel his hardness. I wasn’t going to let him just give me a happy ending this time.

Jeremy groaned. “If you keep doing that, I’m not responsible for what happens,” he growled in a voice that made my core tighten and my nipples pebble—who knew a voice could do that? I certainly didn’t until I had Jeremy Thorne growling in my ear.

Pulling back slightly to look him dead in the eye, I maintained eye contact as I purposefully wiggled my hips again. The air probably stank of my arousal, but Jeremy had smelled that many times before, and I just didn’t have it in me to care.

“You’re asking for it,” Jeremy growled, his hands snaking under my sweater to palm my breasts as his lips found my neck, gently kissing and nipping at the juncture between my neck and shoulder.

“I really am.” I laughed lightly, reaching out to grab whatever part of him I could. It felt wrong to be doing this outside, but it was also thrilling.

Jeremy mumbled against my lips, like he had read my mind. “I think we should take this inside.”

“I think that’s a mighty fine idea,” I agreed.

Before I could even make an attempt to climb off of his lap, I was airborne. Carrying me bridal style, he practically ran toward the house, straight up the stairs, not stopping until he deposited me in the nest.

I was only alone for a split second before Jeremy was hovering over me, claiming my lips with his own, his calloused hands exploring every curve of my body as I moaned obscenely into his mouth.

It had been so long, and considering I’d never actually crossed the finishing line with Cole, it felt like I had never really had a good time in the bedroom.

Thanks to Jeremy, I’d had a damn good time in the kitchen, so I was quivering with excitement to see what his actions in the bedroom would hold for me.

Alpha. Mine. Bite! a small voice in the back of my mind screamed. My inner omega was a little needy . . . I needed to rein her in a bit.

Pregnancy was making everything more elevated, more sensitive.

Or that could have been Jeremy’s sheer sex appeal. I wasn’t sure which.

“Off,” I ordered, plucking at his shirt.

“Patience, omega,” Jeremy chided. I growled in response, and his eyes widened as a smile spread across his face.

Instead of responding verbally, I reached my hand down and thrust it inside his pants. Holy fuck, that’s a monster.

“Everything okay, Duckie?” he asked. I must have had my surprise written across my face.

“Yep, all good. Totally good. Fuck . . .” I started to slowly stroke up and down his length, and he hung his head, closing his eyes and groaning.

“You can’t keep doing that, or I’m going to make a mess all over your hand,” he said, but he didn’t make any attempts to move away.

Why did that sound so good? “Hmm, maybe another day,” I panted.

“Good idea,” he agreed as I pulled my hand away.

A cramp rippled across my midsection, a sickeningly familiar feeling. It had nothing to do with the pregnancy and everything to do with the heat spikes.

Jeremy’s nostrils flattened as he took in the scent. “Is that . . .?”

“Slick? Yeah, it’s a spike,” I moaned. “It’s your own fault for setting it off.”

“Well, I guess I better take care of it, then,” he said as I pulled his shirt over his head.

Sitting back on his haunches to give me enough space, he did the same to me, making quick work of getting my sweatshirt over my head, leaving me completely naked from the waist up.

“No bra?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

“My tits have grown at least two sizes. Nothing fits anymore.” I shrugged.

“Oh, I’m not complaining,” Jeremy mumbled, his eyes firmly locked on my nipples. Leaning down, he captured one in his mouth, biting down lightly, startling me, but then the spike of pain ebbed into a low burn that had me on the edge before he had even touched my poor, neglected pussy.

“Off,” I instructed, pawing at his pants. Rising to my knees, I helped him remove both his pants and his boxers, the monster of a cock I had just been feeling springing free.

It was far bigger than any I had ever played with, but instead of being terrified and resisting the urge to run for the hills, I was excited to see just want parts of me that cock could touch.

My leggings followed shortly after, and we were both naked, me lying down while Jeremy knelt between my legs, his fingers idly gliding up and down my slick-soaked lips.

He was taking too long. I needed to feel full, and I needed it immediately.

“How’s best for you? I don’t want to do any position that’ll be uncomfortable,” Jeremy said.

I bit my lip. There was one position that would probably be the most comfortable; it was one of my favorites, and it had the added benefit of calling to an alpha’s baser instincts.

Without replying to him, I rolled over, which took a little effort but was worth it. Presenting, as it was often referred to, was essentially displaying your slick-coated sex to an alpha, usually with the omega bent over in front of them, ass wagging in the air.

It was hard for any alpha to resist a presenting omega.

“Fuck,” Jeremy ground out, taking in the sight with an appreciative grunt. “That’s not fair.”

“Who said I was playing fair?” I panted.

Hands gently brushed across my ass, admiring it as they came to settle in a firm but soft grip at my hips.

Jeremy had me firmly in place, and I wasn’t going anywhere. I was in for the duration, and if the slick that was probably pooling onto the nest sheets at this point was any indication, I was more than excited for it.

“Are you sure?” Jeremy asked.

“Hurry up and fuck me!” I snarled.

I didn’t need to tell him twice.

One second, I was whining and gyrating my hips against nothing in Jeremy’s grip, and the next, my pussy felt like it was being split open as he filled me in one complete thrust.

“Holy fuck!” Jeremy moaned as I howled in pleasure.

I wanted more, I wanted friction. I tried to move my hips, but he held them so firmly in place.

“More,” I moaned.

“Give your body a moment to adjust,” he panted.

I wanted to snarl at him. I needed more. So, while he waited for me to grow accustomed to his size, I clenched down on him several times in rapid succession. His grip almost slipped from my hips as he cursed at the sensation.

Omega muscles were a glorious thing.

“Please,” I whined.

He listened, setting a fast and firm pace that made my mind hum. Everything felt electrified, and I was ready to explode after just a few thrusts.

“I’m not going to last long,” Jeremy admitted. “You feel like a fucking vice.”

I didn’t care, I was already hurtling towards release. We could be one-pump chumps together.

His fingers snaked round to my clit, gently rubbing in firm circles, making me howl with how good it felt.

My mind felt fuzzy, like someone had filled my brain with cotton. All I could focus on was the tightening of my core, the pleasure mounting with each thrust as his cock hit parts of my inner walls that had never been touched before.

A ragged purr built in my chest—sex had never felt so good. Every touch of Jeremy’s sent sparked through my body.

“Alpha,” I whined, demanding more, faster, harder, everything.

“I’m trying to be gentle,” Jeremy groaned, but I could tell his resolve was slipping. I didn’t want gentle, I wanted to feel protected, full, dominated. I wanted to be fucked by a large, overbearing, hockey-playing alpha who had a monster cock and insane cooking skills.

“I don’t want gentle,” I growled back.

“You’re too fucking tempting, omega.”

My chest tightened with excitement at being called omega. I was just an omega getting fucked nice, long, and hard by her alpha. Jeremy’s hands tightened as his pace increased. As I fell forward ever so slightly, the angle changed, and now his cock was roughly raking over my G-spot with every thrust.

I was done for. My ears rang as the blood rushed through my head, making me euphorically lightheaded.

When I fell off the cliff only moments later, it was so intense, my entire body convulsed, and I couldn’t contain my screams of pleasure. My walls clamped down almost violently on Jeremy’s cock, and I could feel it throbbing as he followed me off the edge.

Instead of pulling out as we both slowly came down, Jeremy gently maneuvered us so we were spooning, his softening cock firmly lodged inside of me.

“We should have done that a long time ago,” I admitted between pants when the ability to speak finally returned.

Jeremy laughed, kissed the top of my head, and said, “I firmly agree. I guess we’ll have to make up for lost time.”

I wanted to retort, but my body was sapped of energy, and my eyelids were heavy as I snuggled into Jeremy’s embrace, drifting off into an easy, comfortable sleep.

Chapter 23

Daisy

Iwas bored.

Jeremy was at an all-day practice before a game, and Devon had a contractor meeting he couldn’t reschedule. Not that I wanted him to reschedule anything—he couldn’t stop living his life just because he had a pregnant omega cramping his style.

For the past few months, I had been just fine with my own company, so why was I struggling so much now? Boredom and I were old friends.

Thanks to the laptop they had loaned me, I’d gotten through all my work in a few hours, taken a nap, and had a long shower.

With a huff, I rolled out of bed, ignoring the slight spinning of the room as I righted myself. I really needed to go see a doctor, but the free clinic had very specific hours and long wait times. There was no way in hell Devon or Jeremy would let me go on my own, and I didn’t want to subject them to that.

A snack was the best thing for me, something sweet but covered in salt. The craving had been pretty persistent for the last two days, so I decided it was about time I indulge it.

Padding down the hallway, I took my sweet time; the closer my due date became, the harder it was to walk. Taking thirty steps to get to the kitchen was a full-on workout.

Hands supporting my belly, I waddled down the first flight of stairs.

“Ugh!” The pained groan made me pause—was that me? My condition was messing with me, but I was fairly certain that noise hadn’t come from me. In fact, it had come from the closed door to my right.

“Hello?” I called out, knocking on the door. No answer.

It wasn’t a sexy moan; it was a struggling one. Hesitating with my hand on the doorknob, I took a deep breath, opening the door and taking in the room before me.

It was an office. A very traditional one, with an imposing wood desk and high-backed leather chairs.

That wasn’t what grabbed my attention, though. Nate was on his knees, hunched over, groaning in pain.

“Nate! Are you okay?” I cried, running up to him as fast as my heavily pregnant state would allow, gently grabbing his arm.

“Shit. I’m fine!” he snarled, pulling his arm away from me with such anger, I flinched back at the sheer vitriol in his voice.

“Nate … I can help you,” I tried to reason.

“I don’t need help, I’m fine,” he growled.

It was utter bullshit—he was white as a ghost, sweating, and visibly shaking. His dirty blond hair was falling in front of his face, sticking to his damp forehead.

“Yes, you’re clearly fine,” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Go away!” He tried to stand up but lost his footing and ended up back on the floor. Balling up his fist, he slammed it on the floor, like that would improve his situation.

“Okay, you can be mad at me all you want later, but why don’t we get you to the armchair over there?” I suggested, nodding over to one of the stuffed high-back chairs in the corner of the room. “Or I could call Jeremy.”

Nate looked at me with anger. “Fine. Don’t fucking call him.”

“Then you better do as I say and let me help you. Come on, between the two of us, we almost have the strength of one human being,” I joked as I gently gripped his upper arm and helped him hobble over to the armchair.

“It’ll pass soon enough,” he grunted, not meeting my eye.

“Does this happen often?” I asked as he sank into the chair, visibly shaking.

“Every now and then,” he admitted.

“What helps?”

“There are pills . . . they’re in the top drawer of my bedside table. I’ll get them when this has passed.”

“I’ll get them now. Stay put,” I instructed, running out of the room before Nate could even open his mouth to complain. Running was the wrong word . . . it was more of a speedy waddle.

I had never been in Nate’s room, but I knew where it was, thanks to Jeremy’s tour when I’d first moved in. Thankfully, there was only one flight of stairs I needed to take. By the time I reached his door, I was huffing and puffing.

As I opened the door, Nate’s scent hit me square in the face. Every member of this goddamn pack smelled like warmth, and Nate was no different. He smelled like delicious fresh baked bread or, possibly, pastry. Just warm and freshly baked. It kind of reminded me of toast that I’d left to cook until it was just a little browner than I usually liked.

Every time I had seen Nate, he had been dressed impeccably in a suit without a hair out of place, so I expected his bedroom to be a reflection of that. I don’t know why, but I was imagining cool gray tones, an impeccably made bed and a closet where every coat hanger was exactly one inch apart.

The reality was very far from that.

Nate’s bedroom was chaos.

There wasn’t a single surface devoid of clutter—textbooks piled up, knickknacks, and random shirts thrown over surfaces. His bed wasn’t made and looked like someone had been tossing and turning in it all night. The sheet was even beginning to detach from the corner of the mattress.

There were piles of clothing on the floor and even a textbook he was using as a doorstop.

Taking in the space, I laughed silently to myself. It served me right for judging him. Padding over to the bedside table, I opened the drawer and was met with a mess of cables. How many power cables could one alpha own? Surely, he didn’t own that many electrical devices.

Nestled between the cables, I spotted what I was looking for—the orange pill bottle. I had never heard of the name of the medication, so I was hoping it was what Nate needed.

Grabbing the bottle, I waddled back down to the office, taking a quick pit stop in my nest to grab a bottle of water out of the mini fridge.

“Okay, I’ve got your medication and a bottle of water. Is this the right stuff?” I asked as I entered the office.

Nate was slumped over in the armchair, his face pale. “Nate?” I asked, dashing over to him and giving his shoulder a small shake. “Nate? Talk to me. I swear to god, if you don’t start talking to me right now, I’m calling Jeremy and Devon. Don’t test me!” My voice took on a shrill note as I spoke.

“I’m fine. I’m just exhausted,” he grumbled in a low voice that was so quiet, I almost didn’t hear it. “That’s the right one.” He nodded at the pill bottle in my hand.

“You’re a funny man, you know that? You’re the furthest thing from fine right now!” I said as he lifted his head to look at me through blurry eyes. “Take these,” I instructed, popping open the pill bottle and placing two pills in his hand. He tossed the pills into his mouth, and I cracked open the bottle of water, handing it to him so he could take a sip. Once he was done, his head slumped back against the armchair, and he looked at me with an oddly neutral expression.

What was going through his mind? I knew he wasn’t a fan of mine, but I didn’t think he hated me, either.

“How long does the medication take to kick in?” I asked. “You look really pale.”

“I’ve been busy with work, so I haven’t been taking my medication or injections all that regularly,” he admitted weakly.

“Okay.” I nodded. “Your butt needs to get to bed and rest.”

“I’ll be fine in ten,” he insisted.

“The only way you’ll be fine in ten minutes is for you to let me help you get back to your bedroom, so you can lie down in bed. I would insist on carrying you, but unfortunately, you are a lot bigger than me, and I am very pregnant.” I gestured to my stomach.

“You don’t need to—”

“Well, I’m going to, and you are going to let me help, or I am calling Jeremy and Devon.”

“Objection,” he mumbled, his eyes drooping. My hand flew to my mouth as I tried to muffle my snort of laughter.

“Okay, Your Honour, let’s get you to bed, shall we?” I said, gently pulling him up. He swayed ever so slightly. I reached my hands out to grab his forearms and balance him.

He was grinning lazily, his eyes drooping, like he’d had a few too many drinks. Was that the medication taking effect?

“Fineee, you can take me to bed,” he moaned, throwing his arm around me.

“Good boy. Come on.” I gently guided him out of the office. Thankfully, he was pretty mobile. I just needed to keep an eye on him as he wobbled every so often.

“You smell annoyingly nice,” Nate grumbled as we reached his door.

“Thank you?” I honestly wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or an insult.

“I’m tired,” he admitted.

“Then, I guess it’s a good thing your bed is only a few feet away!” I told him. “Now, how about you sit in the desk chair while I make your bed? Your sheets are all coming off, and that’s not going to be comfortable to sleep in.”

“Thank you. You’re pretty,” he mumbled, plopping down on the desk chair with an impressive thud.

Laughing to myself, I turned to his bed. I had no idea where they kept the clean linens, so I simply had to make do. Throwing off the comforter, I focused on realigning the sheets and tucking them in tightly, so he could sleep on a smooth surface.

It took me longer than I wanted; thanks to my beach-ball-sized stomach, I wasn’t the speediest.

When I turned back to Nate, he was looking at me with hazy eyes, his elbow on his desk, his chin cupped in his hand. He was acting like a drunken toddler, and it was frankly adorable. I was struggling to remain firm with him when he was looking and acting like that.

“Okay, let’s get you to bed,” I told him, taking his hand and gently tugging him over to the bed. He sat on the edge, and we were eye to eye. “Can you take off your shoes for me?” I asked. He was wearing some sort of leather dress shoe—the type that would be a nightmare to sleep in.

He nodded sleepily, leaning down. My hands flew to his shoulders to stop him from toppling over completely as he undid his shoes and threw them across the room with a triumphant smile.

“Did it,” he declared proudly. His hair was sticking up at every angle, and he looked so disheveled and loopy.

“Good. Now, let’s get you into bed.” He probably should take his slacks off, but I was not going to be present for that. Getting him to remove his shoes was about the extent of what I was willing to do with this alpha I hardly knew.

“Don’t tell the others about this,” he whined with his eyes only half open as he watched me throw the comforter over him. “They worry so much. I don’t want them to worry.”

“I won’t tell them,” I assured him. I immediately regretted saying that. If he was sick, shouldn’t his pack mates know?

“You’re so nice,” he grumbled as he crawled into the bed, nestling down into the pillows. “I can see why Jeremy really likes you. And Devon. You’re pretty, you smell good, and you’re nice.”

Smiling like a loon, I watched him as his eyes closed and he promptly started snoring. Turns out, he was rather sweet when medicated. What the hell happened to that grumpy alpha I had met just a few short days ago?

Once I was sure he was asleep and wasn’t going to hurt himself, I grabbed a bottle of water and left it on his bedside table, along with the bottle of pills, in case he needed more.

Chapter 24

Daisy

Inhaling deeply as I wandered into the kitchen, I moaned. The sweet, spicy smell that was filling the room was delightfully familiar.

Jeremy stood at the burner, stirring a pot while Gilbert lay at his feet. Devon was sitting at the breakfast bar, a bottle of beer in hand.

“Is that what I think it is?” I asked excitedly.

“Spicy rice cakes?” Jeremy grinned. “Why, yes, it is!” He grabbed a bowl of shredded cheese and added a liberal amount to the pot.

“Ahh, the dish that started it all,” I hummed happily, grabbing a bottle of water and taking a seat at the breakfast bar.

Devon pulled me in for a quick hug, kissing the top of my head briefly. “I love having you here. Jeremy never usually cooks for us this much!”

“How mean of him.” I laughed, narrowing my eyes playfully at Jeremy as he cooked.

“I thought it best that I break this out. you’ve been more nauseated the last few days and this dish is tried-and-true when it comes to that.”

“You’re right about that,” I mumbled, rubbing my stomach. “Baby is feeling a little cranky at the moment.”

“After you eat, maybe go lie down and rest?” Jeremy suggested.

I groaned. “I feel like all I do is rest!”

“I know, but you only have a few weeks left, right?”

Devon lightly rubbed my back as I looked longingly at the beer in his hands. “The moment I’m no longer pregnant, I’m having a large glass of wine,” I grumbled.

“I’ll get you a fancy bottle as soon as you’re able to drink.” Jeremy laughed as he got plates out. “Also, I stopped by the apartments today and picked up your mail.” He nodded toward the small stack of letters on the counter. I leaned forward to grab them, but my stomach stopped me, so I pouted at Devon, who laughed, scooping them up with ease and handing them to me.

I riffled through the envelopes as Jeremy dished up the food. It was a few bills, some junk mail, and then one large envelope made from a very thick paper.

Frowning, I opened the unfamiliar letter. There was no way it was a bill. Bills didn’t come on expensive paper like that. Pulling out the stack of papers, I read the first few lines and felt my stomach drop.

Petition for sole child custody.

It was a legal document—from Cole, of all people. I hadn’t had a conversation in months, and now he was filing for sole custody?

He was going to try and take my child away? Staring at the paper in shock, I tried to understand what this meant. Cole had been crystal clear that he had no intention of being a father, that he had no interest in it, and he’d abandoned me. So, why the hell would he have done this?

“Duckie?” Jeremy asked, putting his spatula down.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the paper as my breathing increased, spots appearing in my vision as my heartbeat pounded in my ears.

Hands gently plucked the paperwork from my hands—Devon.

“No fucking way,” Devon growled as he looked over the paperwork.

“What the hell is it?” Jeremy asked, abandoning the food to circle the counter to where we were sitting.

My hands started to shake as tears burned my eyes. Surely, he couldn’t just take my baby?

Who was I kidding? Cole’s family was so rich, they could get away with murder if they so wanted.

“T-they want to take my baby,” I stammered as the tears started to fall.

“Surely, they can’t?” Jeremy said as he started frantically reading the papers over Devon’s shoulder.

Devon frowned. “The fucker is certainly trying.”

Warm arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a chest. Woodsy warmth filled my nose. Jeremy. Sinking into his embrace, the floodgates opened and I started to sob.

Heavily.

“We need to talk to Nate about this,” Devon said as Jeremy rubbed my back, holding me tightly in his arms.

Nate wasn’t exactly my biggest fan, so that wasn’t a comfort.

“Text him—say it’s an emergency, and he needs to come home,” Jeremy instructed.

“On it.”

“Please tell me he can’t just take my baby. It’s my baby,” I sobbed, pulling away from Jeremy.

“There’s no way in hell he’s going to take your child away. We won’t let him,” Jeremy assured me.

As much as I wanted to believe his words, past me couldn’t help but feel the impending dread.

“I hate to break it to you, but he’s got a very good lawyer on this. Wells is well known for being a ruthless asshole of a lawyer with few emotions. He’s also an incredibly expensive one.”

We were all in the main living space, sitting around the coffee table while Nate read over the paperwork. I held Jeremy’s hand tightly in both of mine as I waited for him to finish reading several times.

Nate had been home in less than thirty minutes after Devon called him. I’d expected him to be angry when he realized he’d rushed home for something to do with me, but instead, he had simply taken the paperwork off of Devon and started reading.

“Cole’s family has a lot of money,” I admitted. “They own a pharmaceutical company.”

Devon snorted. “That says all we need to know about them. Money-grabbing shitstains.”

“Why would he do this?” I asked, furiously wiping out the tears that were still leaking from my eyes. “He’s made it very clear he has no interest in being a father.”

Nate grimaced. “If he’s as rich as you say he is, he may be doing this so he doesn’t have to pay child support. Have you filed for any child support yet?”

I shook my head. “That would require money for a lawyer—money I don’t have—and I was pretty sure his lawyers would crush me in court, and it would all be a waste of time.”

“In theory, you should be able to take him to the cleaners. If his family has as much money as you say they do, you could be entitled to thousands per month.”

“Thousands?” I asked weakly.

Nate nodded. “But that would also come with him getting to see the child and having rights to the child.”

“I don’t want that,” I insisted. “He never treated me kindly, and I worry that he wouldn’t treat the baby well, either.”

“Is there anything we can do, legally speaking?” Devon asked.

“I’ll happily find a few lawyers who are willing to work pro bono on this, but . . .” Nate took a deep breath. “There is one way you can easily cut him out, legally.”

“I’ll do anything,” I rushed to say. I didn’t want to spend my nights terrified that someone was going to come and take my child. I didn’t need Cole’s money. I just needed my baby.

Still, I didn’t expect the next words out of his mouth at all.

“You could bond with either Jeremy or Devon.”

“What?” I gaped at him.

“What on earth?” Devon asked.

Nate shook his head. “I’m not particularly fond of the idea, but if Daisy is legally bonded to someone else when the baby is born, then the father of her child has no legal say, unless they are bonded to the mother or are pack mates with someone who is bonded with the omega.”

Jeremy had made it clear he was looking forward to a future with me—one where we were bonded—but this was rather sudden. And it wouldn’t be for the right reasons.

“I can’t ask you to—”

“I’ll do it,” Jeremy rushed to say, a smile breaking out across his face. He didn’t look concerned or worried. He looked elated.

Chapter 25

Jeremy

It was such an easy solution.

I had decided weeks ago that Daisy was the one for me; I just needed to convince her of that. She’d been hurt before and had a child on the way, so I’d understood that it was going to take her longer to come around. But now the situation had changed.

“You haven’t even thought about it!” Daisy cried, pulling herself out of my arms to glare at me.

Her face was red and blotchy from crying, and my stomach twisted, seeing her like that.

I needed to make it better—I could make it better, by bonding with her. It was a win-win. Our relationship would be cemented, and the baby would officially be mine.

My child.

Pride and excitement filled my chest so tightly, I was set to burst.

“I’ve thought about it loads, Duckie,” I soothed, cupping her face gently, using my thumbs to wipe away the tears. “I want you. We’ve discussed this: I am more than happy to bond with you.”

“You can’t bond with me just because you want to save me!” she growled adorably.

I couldn’t resist. I planted a kiss on her forehead and chuckled lightly. “While saving you is a nice bonus, that’s not why I want to bond with you.”

Devon grinned. “I’m also completely down to bond, but you’ve known Jeremy a lot longer . . . plus, you’ve actually tried him out,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. Daisy blushed and buried her head in my chest.

“What do you think?” she asked, turning to Nate. His eyes widened at her question. “I know you’re not my biggest fan.”

“I, uh, well . . .” Nate stumbled over his words, clearly not expecting to be called out in such a direct manner.

“This is your pack as well, so you have a say.”

Nate sighed. “I don’t want an omega, Daisy. It’s nothing against you.”

He just couldn’t handle losing another omega.

“And are you honestly okay with members of your pack being bonded if you’re not?”

Wait, was she actually considering it?

“Not fully, but again, that’s my issue to get over. You’re nice enough, and I could see you as family. I don’t want the guys to be miserable just because I’m sick.” He took a deep breath. “If you’re bonded, you’re included on Jeremy’s insurance—when’s the last time you had a doctor’s appointment?”

Daisy winced. “I only had one at the free clinic early on,” she admitted.

“If you’re bonded and officially part of Pack Price, then you get full health benefits, and your child is safe. It would be wrong not to join, frankly.”

Daisy rubbed her hand over her stomach, chewing on her bottom lip.

“I want to do this Daisy, I really do,” I tell her. “Sure, it’s not the right romantic way to declare that you want to be with someone forever, but it’s better than that, because I want to make sure that you and your baby—our baby—is safe.”

Devon placed a cup of camomile tea in front of Daisy, which she took with a small, thankful smile. Taking a small sip, she appeared to be mulling over the proposition.

After she had downed half the tea, she turned to Nate. “Legally speaking, how would we go about this? Is there some sort of prenuptial agreement for bonding? If so, I’ll happily sign.”

“You don’t need to sign anything,” I growled.

“If your pack mates feel more comfortable with me signing something, I’ll do it,” she said, brows furrowing.

“I don’t want you to,” I insisted.

“But I want to,” she growled back.

Damn her stubborn independence.

Nate raised his hands to get our attention as we glared at each other. “Before you guys bite each other’s heads off, there’s no point in arguing. Daisy, there’s nothing you can sign. Bonding is forever, so there’s zero point in any documentation.”

“Oh,” Daisy mumbled as I grinned. Devon beamed at me. He knew that if Daisy and I bonded, there was a damn good chance they would end up together.

A small part of me was holding out hope that Nate would come around and see just how amazing Daisy was—I had caught him looking at her occasionally when he thought we couldn’t see him, and there was almost a longing behind his eyes.

“I think that, all things considered, this is the best path forward for you,” Nate admitted, somewhat begrudgingly.

“Okay.” Daisy nodded once again, taking a shaky break before looking to me. “How do we go about this?”

Devon barked out a laugh, and my face was probably a touch pink.

“Well, uh …” Words failed me.

“You do the beautiful nasty, and you bite each other,” Devon supplied helpfully.

“I know that!” Daisy hissed, glaring at Devon, who only grinned back at her. “I mean . . . do we just go do it now . . . or later? What’s the protocol here?”

I was definitely blushing.

“How about we just see how it goes?” I asked. “If we pressure ourselves, it’ll be forced, and none of us are going to enjoy that.”

“Well, we know she enjoys you.” Devon laughed. “The whole house heard how much she enjoyed y—Ow!”

Devon was cut off by Nate whacking him lightly on the back of the head. “Shut it,” he grumbled.

“As long as it happens in the next few days, you’re legally in the clear. There’s no need to respond to these papers at the moment. Once the bond is in place, I’ll make sure it’s registered, then if Cole decides to take this further, we can easily nip it in the bud, okay?” Nate said softly to Daisy, giving her a reassuring look.

“Okay. So, we’re doing this?”

Devon pulled Daisy out of my arms and into a hug, declaring, “Welcome to the family!”

Chapter 26

Jeremy

“You need a nap,” I said, gently pushing Daisy up the stairs.

“Just a nap?” she asked, looking back at me with raised eyebrows.

“Yes, just a nap.” I glared playfully at her. “Hush your dirty mind.”

“Fine.” She sighed dramatically. “I suppose I could do with some rest, especially if it includes some Gilbert snuggles.”

“You just need to accept that I know best,” I declared happily as we walked into the nest.

“Never!” Laughing, she lazily stretched, her arms reaching into the air, her shirt riding up and exposing the smooth, pale skin of her bump. She was wearing my hoodie; I had noticed it the moment I got home but didn’t say anything. Seeing her in my clothes gave me a rush of pride every time. My omega was wearing my clothes. It was like a brand for the whole world to see—that adorable omega was mine.

“I’m going to take a quick shower,” Daisy said as she ran her hands through her hair.

“I showered at the rink, so I’m good. Stupid of me, really, because if I’d waited, I could have joined you.”

“Who says you need to be dirty to get clean?” Daisy asked with raised eyebrows.

“Put your dirty mind away. We are just sleeping and resting tonight.”

“Maybe I just wanted you to help me wash my hair,” she said innocently, widening her eyes.

“Duckie, we are going to be bonded—I can tell exactly what you want, and I can also tell that you’re very anxious.”

Daisy’s face fell and she pouted. “Of course, I’m anxious. I’ve never been bonded. It’s a big step.”

“Which we will take … after we’ve rested.”

“Fine, give me five minutes to clean up. Then I need to find my comfy pajamas.”

“The ones with doughnuts on them or the ones with weiner dogs?”

“Doughnuts,” she confirmed. “They are, by far, my best and most comfortable set. They’re ultra stretchy, so they don’t feel tight on the bump.”

“I’ll remember that. I’ll go find them while you take a shower.”

She leaned up and planted a quick kiss on my cheek. “Thank you!” she said before heading into the connecting bathroom.

Walking over to the large closet, I rummaged through the drawers of comfortable clothing and located the doughnut pajamas. Was there a part of me that was tempted to leave them there, so Daisy would wander into the closet to find them while naked or wrapped in just a towel? Totally.

But alas, I was too much of a gentleman for my own good. Gathering the soft fabric, I made my way to the bathroom, where she had left the door ajar. Steam filled the room, and I could just make out the shape of her form in the shower.

“I’m leaving the pajamas on the counter,” I told her, taking a deep breath of her sweet apple pastry scent.

“Thank you! I will try and be fast—it’s your own fault for installing such amazing bathrooms!” Daisy laughed.

I took off my pants and my T-shirt, throwing them into the hamper, leaving me in just my boxers as I crawled into the nest.

Part of me considered joining her, but she was tired, and the moment I saw her naked and dripping wet, I would be hard as a rock for the rest of the night. Once we were bonded, everything would be more intense—I would feel what Daisy felt. I eagerly awaited that, because if I could ascertain her emotions or stress, I could be there to help before she even thought about asking for it.

There was no smell better than Daisy’s nest because it smelled like her. Lying back on the pillows, I rested my hands behind my head, splayed out and waiting for my omega.

There was no way she was going to be quick; thanks to her pregnancy, she was slower in her movements, but I didn’t mind waiting. I took the opportunity to look around the nest. Her chest of drawers had a few scratches and could do with an extra coat of paint, and the large window on the far right needed to be resealed soon. The nest had to be perfect for Daisy to bring our baby home to.

Yes, that’s right. Our baby. As far as I was concerned, that little one was mine. DNA be fucked.

“I think I’ll need to go book a wax soon. Shaving everywhere is getting increasingly difficult.” Daisy laughed as she appeared at the edge of the nest wearing her adorable pajamas, her face flushed from the shower.

I lifted the covers, inviting her in. She didn’t hesitate to crawl into the nest, giving me an excellent view of her cleavage as she bent forward. Nestling into my side, wrapping her body around me, her head on my pec, humming contentedly.

“This is nice,” she said softly, melting against me.

“It is,” I agreed.

I felt a flutter of movement against my hip, and for a moment, I wondered if Daisy had gas—totally understandable, given her situation.

Then again …

Could it be?

“Are you okay?” I asked gently.

“Yeah.” Daisy nodded sleepily. “Baby is just kicking up a storm and wriggling around. If they’re disturbing you, I can move.”

“No way in hell are you moving,” I grumbled quietly, pleased when a small smile spread across her face. “Can I . . .”

“Sure,” she said, reaching out and taking my hand, placing it on the lower portion of her bump.

Everything was still.

Then there was a kick.

It was such a small movement, I probably wouldn’t have recognized the feeling if I hadn’t been waiting for it intently. But the moment I felt that small kick, my heart practically exploded with the rush of emotion.

“They’re strong!” I commented excitedly.

“They are,” Daisy agreed. “The sooner they are out, the better, and my poor spine and bladder will be thankful for it.”

“Have you thought about names yet?”

Daisy’s brow furrowed. “Nothing sounds right, honestly. I’m kind of hoping that, once they come out, I’ll be able to figure out their name just by looking at them. Cole wanted his child to take his name if it was a boy, but I don’t think I’ll be doing that considering he split the moment I told him I was pregnant.” She chuckled wryly.

There was no way in hell the baby was going to take that fucker’s name when he hadn’t been present for a single moment of its life. Having a child named after you was an honor—one that childish idiot didn’t deserve in the slightest.

“There’s no rush,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “We’ve got weeks yet.”

“It’ll come sooner than we think, and with Cole doing what he’s doing . . .” She took a deep breath. “I’m so nervous.”

“Daisy . . .” I pulled back, ensuring she was looking at me. “Regardless of what’s happening, do you still want to be bonded to me? If this isn’t what you want, we will do everything we can to protect you and your child. We can get lawyers involved. Between my career and Nate’s, we have connections that we can use.”

“No!” Daisy shook her head vehemently. “I do want this, but I don’t want you to feel pressured into it. I’ve got a lot of baggage.”

“Well, I want to be bonded to you more than anything else; I don’t care about baggage. Have you seen my arm muscles? I can carry it all.”

“You know you’re going to be stuck with me?” she asked softly.

“Oh no, the horror,” I deadpanned, before we both broke into laughter.

“I’m thinking about making tacos tomorrow. What do you think?” I asked, changing the topic.

When Daisy didn’t reply, I tilted my head, only to see her eyes closed, as she had swiftly passed out, her cheek pressed up against my chest.

Using my free hand, I gently brushed the hair out of her face, appreciating her unabashedly for a few minutes before letting my own exhaustion take over and following my omega into a good night’s sleep.

Awareness tugged at my consciousness, a warm sensation slowly spreading through my abdomen. Thick, sweet perfume hit my nose. For a split second, I thought I was waking up in a bakery, because sweet apple pie was smothering my nostrils—and my body was taking notice.

Before I even took a second to open my eyes, I knew I was hard as rock. My entire body felt tense, even though I was only just waking up.

I was usually at a permanent state of arousal, thanks to Daisy, but this was something more. Light fingers circled my cock, lazily dragging themselves up and down.

Neither of my hands were on my cock.

So, who was touching it?

Cracking my eyelid open, I looked at the omega lying curled into my chest. Her hand in my boxers, our blankets long since discarded, and her legs tangled with mine.

Was she asleep as well?

The small smile on her face made me think she wasn’t.

That didn’t matter, though. What mattered was how fucking good her hand felt on me.

If I didn’t hold myself together, I was going to finish in thirty seconds flat, like a teenage boy.

“You’re not fooling me,” I said, my voice thick from sleep.

Her smile widened and her eyelids cracked open. “Who said I was trying to fool you? I was just enjoying myself. I can stop if you want?” she asked, her eyes widening innocently as her hand stilled.

“I didn’t say that,” I drawled as my hand snaked around her back, tugging sharply, so she was on top of me.

She followed my guidance easily, straddling me so her core was pressed against my cock, with only two thin scraps of fabric between us. Her hair was mussed, her eyelids heavy, as she smirked at me lazily.

“Don’t you have to get to practice?” she asked, her hands softly running over my chest.

“Nope. You’ve got me all morning,” I told her, my hands resting lightly on her hips, pulling her tighter to me, grinding her sweet pussy against me. The friction made her whimper. Her eyes closing, she threw her head back, exposing her neck.

My teeth ached with the familiar urge to bite that sweet spot under her jaw.

Soon.

Wetness seeped through my boxers, her slick having soaked through both layers of fabric.

“Feeling a little needy?” I asked huskily, enjoying the way her face flushed as she gave me a small nod, her eyes burning into mine. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” I asked, sitting up to capture her lips in mine.

Hands pushed against my pecs. “Morning breath,” she muttered, “let me brush first.”

Laughing, I pulled her back to me before she could scramble off my lap, kissing her until she was a whimpering mess, grinding down on me and desperately seeking that sweet friction.

“You’re not going anywhere,” I declared against her lips. “You happen to taste amazing to me.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t pull away completely, letting me lavish my attention on her. My hands on her hips rubbed small circles as I claimed every inch of her mouth.

“This is fun and all,” she mumbled against my lips, “but if you don’t make me come soon, I will explode.”

At her pout, I nipped at her protruding bottom lip with a grin of my own. My omega was getting needy for me, and that made my chest burst with pride.

Lavishing kisses on her neck, my hands found the buttons of her doughnut pajamas, and I thanked the gods that she had chosen a button-down to sleep in. It made deftly undoing it with one hand, while the other remained on her hip, holding her firmly to me as her scent bloomed around us, possible.

She cried out as my fingers found her nipple, giving it a gentle tug. “Holy fuck,” she whimpered. “So sensitive.”

“Good to know.” I smirked, tugging on the nipple again, only to be rewarded with a wave of her arousal soaking my cloth-covered cock.

Daisy stilled for a moment, pulling back. Her chest heaved as she panted, her face a delicious, flushed shade. “Are we going to . . .” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

“If it feels right,” I said, running my hands up and down her upper arms. “If you want to bite me, I’ll happily bite back. I’ll let you take the lead on this one, Duckie. Remember, I want it, but only when you’re ready for it, okay?”

A glimmer of doubt flickered in her eyes before she resolved herself and leaned in to kiss me again. I wanted nothing more than to claim her, to rut my omega and fill her with my cum.

Instead of saying anything, she let her hands do the talking. Reaching down and thrusting her hand into my boxers, she pulled out my cock and looked down at it appreciatively as her hand glided up and down the length. The hungry look in her eyes had me wanting to rip the scrap of fabric from her body and bury myself in her immediately.

I groaned. “I should keep you here all day.”

“You think you can last all day?” Her eyes lit up as she laughed. “That’s impressive, but I’m pretty sure I would pass out after two hours.”

“We could put that to the test,” I said, raising my eyebrow. It was impossible to keep my voice even with her hand on me. Every touch sent electric shocks up my spine, and I was on the edge.

Daisy snorted lightly. “Please. You would freak out the second I passed out!”

I frowned. “You’re right . . . I guess we will have to table that idea for a few months, then.”

“In the meantime, how about you let me have my fun?” she asked, shuffling back, leaning down to lick me from base to tip. The small touch set my body on fire, and I nearly leapt off the bed with the intensity of it.

I let her have her fun—greatly enjoying it myself for a few seconds before gently pulling her up. “How about you sit on my face and let me have my fun?” I asked in a gravelly voice.

“I’ll squash you!” she cried.

“Quiet, omega,” I growled, hoisting her over, so her pussy was inches away from my face. Her hand reached out, grabbing the headboard to balance herself as I wrapped my arms around her thighs, the damp fabric of her shorts so close to my face, tempting me with that potent baked-goods aroma.

The offending scrap of fabric was easily tugged to the side, exposing her slick pussy to me. “Now that’s a pretty sight,” I murmured before diving in and feasting like a starving man.

Every time, she tasted better than the last. I focused my attention on her clit, teasing it slowly before increasing my pace, sending her quickly over the edge. Her thighs clamped down around my face, my hands clenching down on her thighs so hard, I was probably going to leave bruises.

I lessened my grip ever so slightly. Even though the idea of marking her made my alpha growl in pride, she was rather fragile.

Daisy spasmed a few more times as I slowly licked every sweet drop of release from her lips. Once she was well and truly wrung out, her hand came to rest on my head, tangling in my hair as she panted. “You need to come with a warning sign.”

She laughed breathlessly as she slowly inched her way off me. I almost grabbed her again, keeping her firmly in place. But I didn’t want her to be sore from kneeling for too long.

“A warning? Maybe I should put it on my hockey jersey. Gives amazing orgasms. How does that sound?” I grinned lazily at her as she sat up next to me.

“It would certainly make the puck bunnies crazy.”

“But I don’t want to make the puck bunnies crazy. I only want to make you crazy.” As we spoke, I gently grabbed her hips, pulling her to me so her back was pressed against my chest, my cock nestled between her beautiful ass cheeks that I constantly found myself staring at.

The sweet embrace only lasted for a second before Daisy was wiggling her ass against my cock, searching for friction.

I had been thinking ahead when pulling her into the spooning position. Given her rather large stomach, extracurricular activities could be difficult, but this angle was perfect.

Grazing a hand up and down her upper thigh, I took a moment to appreciate the softness of her skin before gently hooking my arm under her knee and lifting, exposing her damp pussy to the air.

“You’re taking your time,” Daisy grumbled, thrusting her ass back against me.

“Patience is a virtue, isn’t it?”

“Fuck patience,” she growled.

I nipped at her neck lightly. “No, I would much rather fuck Daisy,” I cooed as I lined up my cock, running the tip over her sensitive clit.

“If you don’t fuck me soon, I’ll—fuck!” She broke off as I thrust forward, gliding into her warm heat until she was strangling every inch of me.

“You were saying?” I asked as I kissed her neck. The hand that wasn’t holding her thigh wrapped around and found her nipple, gently twisting.

I set a leisurely pace, knowing she wouldn’t last long before she was clawing at me, goading me into hurrying up. I was in no rush, though; every thrust felt like heaven, and I never wanted it to end.

When the familiar humming in my spine started, I knew I was getting close, but I wasn’t done with her yet. As I pulled back, she whimpered at the loss, and I was right there with her.

“Time for you to set the pace for a bit.”

“Fuck, yes,” she hissed, eagerly moving to straddle my cock, like she had been straddling my face not that long ago.

She wasted no time sinking down on my length, the sight amazing. Unlike my leisurely pace, she set a faster one, desperately grinding down with each thrust, seeking friction on her clit.

I lay back and enjoyed the view of Daisy looking amazing with her head thrown back in ecstasy. There was nothing I wanted more than to spend the rest of my days like that.

Her muscles were tightening further with each thrust, and my mind was starting to feel fuzzy with the sheer glorious sensation of it.

“I’m getting close,” I warned her.

“Me too,” she moaned, her pace becoming disjointed as she neared her release.

Hot breath tickled my neck as she lowered her head, thrusting on my cock once more as her teeth clamped down on my shoulder, biting.

My vision blurred as white-hot fire burned through my veins. The sensation ricocheting through me was so potent, so heady, as if every fiber of my being was changing for the better.

Through the fog of sensation, I could feel the teeth in my neck, the thighs clenching around my hips, her hands on my chest.

A warmth, an awareness, settled in my chest as the bond opened—but it wasn’t quite complete yet.

I needed to bite her back.

Daisy reared back, her eyes hazy as the bond started to take root in her. “Bite,” she whined.

I didn’t need to be told twice. Leaning up, my lips found the juncture between her neck and her shoulder, and I bit down—probably harder than I intended, but the blood pounding through my head was setting me on edge.

The moment my teeth punctured her skin, the cascade of sensations set off both of our releases, the base of my cock swelling, her pussy clamping down on my knot as she milked me for every drop of cum.

The bond fell into place quickly. The overwhelming sensation of everything being right settled in my chest.

Daisy was mine.

We were bonded.

Our foreheads pressed together as we desperately tried to catch our breaths.

Daisy was my omega.

“I can feel you,” she panted in wonder.

“It’s amazing.” I couldn’t stop myself from beaming. Her happiness hummed in my chest, and I became acutely aware that she was still having some back pain.

As I gently maneuvered the boneless omega back into a snuggling position in my arms, still firmly attached to my knot, I marveled at just how amazing this bond was going to be.

Chapter 27

Devon

“Well, flower, how do you feel about going to your first-ever hockey game today?” I asked as I sauntered into Daisy’s room, my arms full of various hockey jerseys.

She was lying in her nest, reading a book, and upon my entrance, she sat up straighter, discarding the book and smiling at me. It hadn’t failed my notice that, other than the quick trip to the garden the other day, she hadn’t left the property at all. While we all agreed that she needed to rest, she didn’t need to be cooped up, either.

Her new bond mark peeked out of her shirt. Jeremy had been proudly showing his off since he got his, the arrogant bastard. The pair of them had spent the first day as a bonded couple refusing to leave the nest.

Jeremy had been anxious that he had to go to practice and play a home game, followed by an away game the next day, right after they had bonded. He was discussing either bringing Daisy to the away game or sitting it out with his coach. People tended to be sympathetic to the newly bonded. We were all so absorbed in work that we didn’t have a chance to really talk to her. So, I’d decided that getting her out of the house may be helpful in getting her to talk a bit more.

“A real game?” she asked excitedly, slowly sitting up straight.

“Jeremy has a game starting in about two hours, which I think gives us plenty of time to pick out a hockey jersey for you, take you to our box, and fill you up with junk food before the game starts.”

“I have been wanting to watch Jeremy play live,” she admitted.

“Well, then, let’s pick a jersey out. I have several of Jeremy’s old ones here.” I placed the pile of fabric on the bed, pulling individual ones out. They were all for the Chargers because, if she was going to be cheering Jeremy on, she needed to wear his name and his team’s jersey.

“These are amazing. I doubt I’ll fit into them, though,” Daisy whined. “I’m the size of a house!”

“A little secret about hockey jerseys. They are gigantic. When you aren’t pregnant, you are a teeny, tiny little nugget of an omega. So, even in your current state, I think several of these jerseys will fit.” I grabbed one of the larger ones and handed it over to her, holding out a hand to help her climb out of the bed/nest hybrid she had created.

“If you’re sure,” she said, taking the jersey and pulling off her sweatshirt, leaving her in just leggings and a camisole that her cleavage practically spilled out of. I had to stop myself from gawking at the sight.

I was a gentleman, after all.

While she did that, I folded up the extra jerseys, piling them neatly at the end of the bed. Despite the beautiful windows, this room had been cold before she’d moved in. There was a warmth that only a real, living, breathing omega could bring to a space, and she had done so beautifully.

Over the next few years, I desperately hoped that I would be able to fill this room with our family.

“You haven’t left the nest for the last few days. Are you feeling okay?” I asked as she pulled the jersey over her head.

“Yeah, I’m feeling fine. The baby is just using my bladder as a bouncy castle.” She laughed.

Kneeling in front of her, I gently gripped her belly with both my hands and stared at it as I spoke. “Now, young man, that isn’t a nice thing to do to your mama. We like her, we are nice to her, okay?” I tried to keep my voice stern, but Daisy’s laughter made it hard to maintain composure. “We are about to go to a hockey game, so Mama can watch Daddy Jeremy play his game, and you’re going to leave her bladder alone for the entire game, okay?”

Daisy snorted. “I’m not so sure they will listen. And why are you so sure they are a he?” she asked, raising one eyebrow.

“It has to be a boy,” I declared simply.

“Oh yeah, and why is that?”

“A little girl who looks like you would have every single one of us wrapped around her finger, and it would be a nightmare. No one’s going to be able to say no to her.”

“I hate to break it to you, but even if it is a girl, people will have to say no to her.”

“Nope,” I said, shaking my head. “Not me.”

Daisy snorted, turning to me, now dressed in a jersey. “We’ll discuss that later. What do you think? It’s not even tight on my bump!” she exclaimed excitedly.

“You look absolutely adorable,” I remarked. She really did. The jersey fell almost to her knees, and Jeremy’s scent lingered on it.

Now that they were bonded, their scents would forever be slightly intermingled. My chest burned with want when I thought about that. I wanted Daisy to bear my mark, not just Jeremy’s. Our dates had been going well. I had kissed her several times, and with any luck, she was falling for me just as hard as I was falling for her.

“Do we need to go right away?” she asked.

“Pretty much, if we want plenty of time to get some food and rest before the crowds trickle in.”

“Okay, let me just go pee, and I’ll be ready in two minutes—I just need to run a brush through my hair,” she declared before waddling off to the bathroom. I swear she was getting curvier and more delectable by the day. My obsession with her behind was rapidly growing.

Once the bathroom door closed, I walked over to her bedside table and grabbed the giant water bottle she had been using lately, intending to refill it before we left.

We couldn’t let her get dehydrated, especially when she was drinking for two.

Filling her water bottle had been the right call. As soon as we got in the car, she admitted to being thirsty and started sipping from the comically large bottle.

“So, who is Jeremy playing today?” she asked between sips.

“I think it’s the Colts tonight. I haven’t actually checked. I know that there’s a game.” I laughed.

“Didn’t he play them last week?” she asked, her brow furrowing.

“Probably.” I shrugged. “They play teams several times throughout the season. It’s bizarre, but fun, especially if there are players who like to beat each other up a lot.”

Daisy snorted delicately. “We do love a bit of violence on occasion, don’t we?”

Our conversation rolled into silence for a moment while she took several deep gulps of her water. We pulled up outside the arena, and Daisy stared wide-eyed at the masses of people milling into the rink.

“It looks like it’s going to be difficult to get in there. Even the parking lot looks jam-packed.”

“Ahh. See, we get special privileges. Being pack mates to a player means we get to use the private parking lot,” I told her as I drove around the back of the arena to the smaller lot that the players used.

“No one told me there were perks!” Daisy cried happily.

“Yeah, we get private parking and our own box, so we don’t have to mingle with the riff raff. The only time we have to deal with the public is when we want to go for snacks.”

“Which is a very important part of the game,” Daisy said with total seriousness.

“It is!” I agreed. “How about we get you up to the box and get you settled in, and then I will go and do a quick snack run for us? That way, you can rest with your feet up while the game starts.”

Daisy moaned. “Putting my feet up does sound good. Why are you so nice to me?”

I leaned over the central console and quickly pressed my lips to hers in a chaste kiss, getting a taste of that sweet apple sugar I was quickly becoming addicted to. “Because you’re pretty and funny and I like you,” I said, beaming at her. “Now, come on. Snacks await!”

“I got one order of loaded fries, one triple cheeseburger with extra pickles, an order of nachos, and a chili cheese dog!” I declared as I re-entered the box.

Daisy was sitting in the comfortable armchair I’d left her in, her feet resting in front of her as she watched the players warm up on the ice.

Her face lit up as I showed her all the food I had gathered. “Extra pickles?” she asked excitedly.

“I’ve seen the way you’ve been eating pickles lately. I just assumed they were a craving, so I got extra. I also picked up an order of those fried pickles I told you about.”

“Thank you! Gimme!” she moaned, greedily taking the tray of fried deliciousness off me.

She hadn’t asked for extra, but I’d seen the several jars of pickles she had eaten over the last three days. Pickles were amazing, though, so it could have just been a regular food craving instead of pregnancy craving, because I would have also eaten three jars of pickles in a day if left to my own devices.

“You are a god amongst men,” she said excitedly, making a grabby hand gesture for the burger. Handing it to her without delay, I watched her take an almost inhumanly large bite, moaning in pleasure.

Don’t get a boner over the pregnant omega enjoying food.

“Is it just us here today?” Daisy asked after she had polished off most of the burger.

“Yeah, it’s just the two of us. Why do you ask?”

“Doesn’t Nate usually come to these things?” she asked, biting her lip. I needed to find some sort of motivation to stop her from biting her lip. If she kept going at it this way, there was going to be no bottom lip left, and I happened to be quite attracted to that lip.

“He comes sometimes, but he’s working today. He’s seen hundreds of Jeremy’s games, so it’s no big loss for him.”

“Okay . . .” Daisy nodded absentmindedly, her eyes going back to the ice.

Scooting closer to her, I grabbed her hand and gently pulled her to look at me. “Talk to me, flower. What’s going through your mind? You seem a bit out of sorts.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

“If it’s nothing, then you can talk about it.”

Daisy started fiddling with her food, moving the fries around on her plate. “What’s Nate’s deal?” she finally asked.

“His deal?”

“He’s made it clear he doesn’t want me around. No one’s really talked about his situation before, and the other day, when I was on my own with him, he seemed . . . ”

“What happened?” I asked, my chest tightening. Had he been mean to her? If that fucker had made her feel unwelcome, I was going to kick his ass five ways to Sunday.

“I was walking past his office the other day when you had that construction emergency and Jeremy was at practice. I heard something fall and what sounded like a groan, so I investigated. Nate was on the floor, and he looked sick.”

My heart hammered in my chest. We had been skating around the Jilly issue. I know that Jeremy hadn’t told her anything yet, so she was completely in the dark, because Nate wasn’t exactly forthcoming about his situation.

I wanted to share my life with this omega. I could see a real clear future with her. And the last thing I wanted to do was skirt around an issue or lie to her. Jeremy would potentially be pissed at me for telling her without him, but if Nate had another attack, then this was getting serious.

“Nate has severing sickness,” I admitted.

“Jeremy mentioned that a while ago, but I didn’t realize it was this severe. He was on the floor, barely able to see straight. I wanted to mention it sooner, but given everything with the potential custody battle, I became distracted.”

“He tends to hide it from us a lot. I will talk to him soon, see if we can go to the doctors with him for another checkup.”

“I try to stay away from him. I know he doesn’t like having me around. I can’t exactly blame him, given his past. I get the impression that Jilly wasn’t a pack omega?”

I shook my head. “No, she wasn’t. Jilly was a friend of ours growing up, and she and Nate weren’t even that close. He helped her through a heat, and they accidently bonded. They had been bonded for a mere few hours when the car crash happened. Jeremy and I never dated her. That’s why dating is so easy for us. For Nate . . . I don’t know when he’s going to be ready, or if he is ever going to be ready. Even though he wasn’t emotionally that close with her, the severing sickness really did a number on him.”

“Are you sure he’s okay with what we are doing? Me dating both you and Jeremy? If he’s still fighting the sickness, surely this could be difficult for him?”

I hummed, nodding. Daisy was a compassionate person, almost to a fault. While she was getting attached to both me and Jeremy, I knew for a fact that, if she thought it was hurting Nate, she would walk away and never look back.

“We had a few discussions. Nate doesn’t want to stop us from living our lives, but it is difficult for him.”

“I’m guessing it really didn’t help that Jeremy just moved me into the pack house with no notice.”

“It was certainly a shock for him, but once Jeremy explained the situation, he wasn’t going to say no. Nate is a good guy, and he would never let an omega be on her own in this situation. Believe it or not, before he got sick, he was the biggest softie out of all of us.”

Daisy snorted. “I would have loved to see that.”

“Just give him time.”

“He’s my family now. I’ve got nothing but time to give him.”

Somehow, Jeremy had managed to find the one omega who was relaxed and sweet, kind and considerate for our situation, who didn’t want to rush Nate into something he didn’t want to do, but was also content with him being part of our pack.

I’d half expected us to fracture as a pack one day when Jeremy and I decided we wanted an omega. Even though Nate was being a bit grumpy with Daisy, he wasn’t being a complete monster, like I’d expected. He had handled the panic over the custody papers shockingly well.

I could only hope that, with time, he’d find the kindness Daisy was showing him and truly accept her into our pack.

Chapter 28

Daisy

“How did you like your first big game?” Devon asked as the players all filtered back to the locker room.

“It was really fun! Though it was hard to find Jeremy at times—they’re so dang fast,” I admitted.

“They really are.” Devon nodded. “If we go down there now, we can probably see him before he heads for the showers.”

“Okay, let’s go!” I said, hauling myself out of the chair with a grunt. The baby wiggled, and my hand flew to my stomach.

“Movement?” Devon asked.

“They’re a little acrobat,” I told him, grabbing his hand and gently placing it on my bump. It took a few seconds, but when the baby moved, Devon’s face lit up with amazement.

“That’s got to feel insane.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it,” I admitted.

The security guard waved us in when they saw Devon. He explained he had come down to the private, player-only areas several times to see Jeremy—usually because he forgot something or had forgotten to grab lunch.

“They’ll come out of that door there and walk through here on the way to the changing rooms,” Devon said as we waited in a long hallway.

Jeremy’s smell hit me long before I saw him; the familiar sawdust and musk scent was intensified significantly, thanks to the copious exercise and sweating he had been doing. The corridor smelled pretty strongly of alpha, not just Jeremy. A whole hockey team made a stink, and my nose was extra sensitive, due to being pregnant.

“Jeremy!” Devon shouted, making me jump. He was waving at someone a few feet away—Jeremy. I had been so zoned out, focusing on smells, I hadn’t noticed him leaving the main rink. He was still in his hockey gear, his helmet off and hair sticking to his sweaty forehead.

“Hey, Duckie,” he said, making a beeline for me, his arms open. I didn’t hesitate to accept his hug. Despite the overwhelming nature of his scent, it was comforting to me. It was home.

“Hey,” I whispered into his chest.

“What are you doing back here?”

“I thought I would bring her down to see you before I take her home,” Devon explained.

“Did you like the game?” Jeremy asked, leaning back to look me in the eye.

“It was really good!” I nodded. “I could feel a lot of your emotions . . .”

Jeremy laughed. “Is that why you seem amped up?”

“Yeah, it was exciting.” I beamed. “I could feel all your adrenaline!”

He smiled ruefully, leaning down to kiss me quickly. “I need to go shower and have a meeting, sadly.”

“But you smell so good sweaty!” I whispered with a pout.

Jeremy leaned down to whisper in my ear, “I can smell how much you like my scent when I’m all sweaty.”

I reared back. “You can tell?! Is it obvious?” I squeaked.

“Just to me . . . and probably to Devon as well.” He looked over to his pack mate, who grinned knowingly.

“Nothing to be ashamed of.” Devon shrugged with a smirk of his own. “Though, maybe we shouldn’t let everyone smell how damn good you are.”

“That’s very true,” Jeremy hummed, looking at his pack mate before turning to me, kissing the top of my head and leaning down so only I could hear him. “Go have some fun with Devon. I look forward to hearing about it when I come home.”

“You mean . . .?” I asked quietly, gazing at him with wide eyes. “You’re okay with that?”

Devon had turned to talk to another player briefly, so he wasn’t privy to our conversation.

“I’m more than okay with that,” he said as I chewed on my lip. “In fact, the idea excites me.”

“I thought the bond made you all possessive?”

“Oh, it does.” He nodded. “If any other fucker on my team so much as looks at you, I would be livid. Devon doesn’t count. He’s pack . . . he’s ours.”

I nodded, trying to let his words sink in. The need was growing—my hormones were a disaster, and I was constantly feeling horny.

Devon was busy in conversation with another sweaty hockey player who smelled like lime pudding, so he didn’t notice me perusing him. He was handsome; that hadn’t escaped my notice. With every day that passed, my curiosity had been growing, and I knew he liked me, so why shouldn’t I go for it?

Deep down, a part of me had known that, when I had bitten Jeremy, I would most likely end up with Devon as well. They were a pack, after all. Nate was the wildcard.

“Just go spend the evening with him, see how it goes. If you don’t want to do anything, you don’t have to,” Jeremy assured me.

“Oh, I want to,” I admitted, my eyes never leaving Devon as he laughed loudly at whatever Lime Pudding had just said.

Jeremy laughed, his lips still touching the top of my head, his arms squeezing around me.

“Good girl … now go have fun.”

I want to fuck this alpha who isn’t my bonded mate.

That was all I could think of the entire way home. There was no denying how wet I had become just thinking about Devon.

Then, naturally, my brain veered into what I could do with both Jeremy and Devon. I knew they wanted to share an omega, but did that mean separate alone time or group activities?

My core clenched at the thought of group activities.

I wanted that.

“You’ve been awfully quiet,” Devon said as we pulled into the driveway, turning to me, tilting his head and meeting my eyes. “Are you okay? Was the game too much?” His body was rigid, and he looked worried.

“I’m horny.” I blurted out the words before I even had a single second of thought; otherwise, I would have worded that a hell of a lot better.

Devon’s entire body relaxed, the tenseness escaping his form as an easy smile took over his face. “Well, if that’s the case, I’m happy to help,” he said, the front of his jeans tightening with obvious arousal. The sweet, spicy chai scent intensified with his desire in the small cab of the SUV.

“I . . .” My mouth opened and closed several times as I attempted to find the words.

“Or I can leave you alone, so you can play with toys in your nest. There’s no pressure,” he said softly.

“I want to,” I admitted quietly. “With you, I mean.”

Devon’s eyes darkened with my admission. “In that case, I think it’s best we get inside. This vehicle is starting to smell like a slick shop, and while I personally love the scent, I think we would have more space inside.”

I nodded dumbly. A car definitely wasn’t the ideal place, considering I was the size of a whale.

“Come on. How about a snack and then how about a movie marathon?”

That sounded good, far less pressure. “I’d like that,” I said as I undid my seat belt.

Devon led me to the kitchen, where he started pulling out various items. “Do you want a sweet or savory snack?” he asked as he perused the fridge.

“Sweet. Definitely sweet,” I said. While savory snacks certainly had a place, I much preferred sweet foods. Though, with Jeremy’s recent cooking, I had become quite the fan of spicy food, which I had never imagined would happen.

“How about apple slices with almond butter and cinnamon?” he asked as he pulled out a bag of red apples.

“Sounds perfect.” Despite having eaten a mere hour ago at the rink, I was already peckish again. Growing a human was hungry work.

“Could you go and grab the almond butter while I slice these?”

Without answering, I padded over to the cabinet where we kept all of the various condiments and sauces. Jeremy had apparently gone all out once I had moved in. I had been told that this cabinet had been nearly bare beforehand, but now it was full of at least six different kinds of nut butter because they were apparently good for pregnant omegas.

Grabbing the first jar of almond butter my eyes landed on, I padded over to Devon and placed it on the counter next to him.

He was slicing the apple into perfect little segments that I could easily dip. “Here.” He handed me a plate of sliced apples and a little dish of almond butter. While I took my first bite, he ate the less aesthetically pleasing scraps of apple.

“Isn’t it the mother’s job to eat leftovers?” I asked with a laugh, nodding at his plate.

He looked down at the plate and then to me, his face breaking out in a grin, despite his mouth still being full of food. He swallowed before speaking. “I suppose that is what tends to happen. But do you really think Jeremy is going to let you eat scraps with the way he cooks?”

I groaned. “He won’t. And while I appreciate that, it’s also going to mean I’ll be the size of a whale, even when I’m no longer pregnant.”

“Hush. You’re stunning just the way you are. And I’m sure you’ll be just as amazing once you’ve given birth.”

“No, I won’t. I will have saggy skin and stretch marks!” I laughed. This wasn’t exactly the best conversation to have with an alpha I was hoping to have sex with in the imminent future, but I was hardly a logical creature this late in my pregnancy.

A piece of apple peel flew my way, lightly hitting the top of my head. “Now that is defeatist talk, and I won’t hear it. You are going to be stunning, even if you have stretch marks and sagging skin. Do you wanna know why? Because those stretch marks and sagging skin are the marks that were left on your body by creating an entire freaking human. You should be proud of that!”

“I am . . . I just kind of feel bad that I bonded with Jeremy when I was pregnant, and he never got to see me before my body became a mess.” I sighed. I hadn’t vocalized that concern until this moment, but it was one that had been weighing on me. Cole had nitpicked my appearance before I was pregnant, and if he could see me pregnant, with my face bloated and stretch marks, I could only imagine what he would say to me.

“What makes you think your body is any less attractive? The opinions of alphas who are conceited assholes who would rather brag about being a man than have a family really don’t apply here.” He snorted lightly as I bit into an apple slice. “In my opinion—and it’s an opinion I know that Jeremy shares with me—the fact that you’ve been able to create a human is damn sexy in its own way, so don’t talk yourself down. Remember, I’m the nice one. Jeremy won’t be so kind if he hears you talking bad about yourself.”

I laughed. “I don’t think Jeremy knows how to be anything but kind.”

“Oh, he’s not opposed to spanking if you’ve been misbehaving.” He smirked at me as he cleaned away the apple shreds.

Spanking? I hadn’t thought about that before . . . but when I did, my stomach did a little somersault.

Devon’s eyebrows raised. “I’ll be sure to let Jeremy know that you like that idea. Once the baby is here, of course.” He smirked as my face flushed.

Once my apple was finished, Devon led me to the den that had several overstuffed armchairs and a ridiculously large TV.

“How big is that thing?” I asked as I crawled onto the sofa, letting myself sink into its depths of comfy squishiness.

“It’s eighty inches. We nearly went for the seventy-eight-inch model, but you know what? Those two inches were just too important.”

I smirked. “Every inch counts when you’re an alpha.”

Devon shot me a dazzling smile. “See, I knew you’d get it! Now, what do you want to watch? Movies or a TV show? We’ve got all the streaming services, so the world is your oyster, flower.”

I hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe a TV show? There’s that one about paranormal monsters that’s been on for like eighteen seasons that I really want to see. I could never afford cable, so I haven’t had a chance to watch it,” I admitted with a shrug.

“I’ll happily start an eighteen-season show with you!” He tossed the remote to me. “Put it on. I’ll go get popcorn.”

I smiled at his retreating form as I flicked through the channels, trying to find the show. Eighteen seasons were a bit of a commitment, but I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. Who knew when I’d be able to afford cable again?

Then again, I needed to accept that my financial situation was forever going to be different. Now that I was bonded to an NHL player, what was Jeremy’s was also mine. The reverse was also true, but I didn’t exactly have anything that Jeremy would want.

How much things could change in a few short months.

Devon sat next to me, his legs kicked up and his arm wrapped around me as I nestled into his chest. We had gotten through the first episode, but the entire time, my focus had been shifting to the alpha under me.

I was needy. I knew I was needy. I knew I wanted release, but I also really wanted to enjoy spending time with him. While Jeremy could be intense, Devon had an ease to his existence. He was like the human version of camomile, just relaxing and easy to be around.

His hands on me, though, started to light a fire in my chest. Halfway through the episode, I started shifting around. Devon had asked if I was uncomfortable because of the baby, but in reality, I was desperate, trying to seek some friction. Slick was pooling between my legs, and there was no way Devon couldn’t smell it.

As the second episode started to play, I lunged forward, grabbing the remote and pausing the TV.

“Is everything okay? Devon asked with a frown.

“If I don’t come soon, I’m going to explode,” I admitted breathlessly with a whine.

His eyes lit up. “Do you still want me to help?”

Instead of answering, I lurched forward, clutching him by the neck and crashing my lips to his. It was a clumsy attempt, but it got his attention. His arms flew to my shoulders, trailing up to my neck, holding my head in place as he quickly took over the kiss, his mouth commanding mine.

“Swear to god, you smelled so fucking good throughout that entire episode,” he growled against my lips. “I wanted to take things slow, give you time.”

“We can do slow next time,” I said, my hands scrambling to find the hem of his shirt. “Right now, I want you naked.”

“Your wish is my command.” He chuckled, reaching down and ripping his shirt over his head, his lips vanishing from mine for a second as the fabric got in our way. I’d been leaning over him as I’d kissed him, and once his shirt was off, I took the opportunity to pay attention to his smooth expanse of chest. There was a slight smattering of hair my lips brushed as I slowly kissed my way down. I wanted to feel every inch of him. I wanted to taste every inch of him too.

“Your turn,” he said in a gravelly voice.

Just like he didn’t need to be told twice, neither did I. Ripping the jersey over my head, I threw it into the corner of the room. Devon’s eyes were firmly on my cleavage, wide with wonder.

“Holy shit, you’ve got amazing tits,” he said with a groan. “But as stunning as that bra looks, I can’t decide if it should stay or go,” he admitted, looking torn.

“You can decide later, but for now, these need to come off,” I instructed, plucking at the button of his jeans.

“Impatient omega,” he tutted.

“Needy omega,” I countered. “If you’re not up for the task, I’m happy to go and play with some toys and leave you to your own devices.”

Devon’s eyes darkened at my words, his grip on my neck and hip tightening. Before, the idea of an alpha holding me so tightly had been semi terrifying. Now it was just a turn on. I had that effect on him. No one else. Just me. Devon was looking at me like he wanted to devour me whole, and I was looking forward to every second of it.

“Are you sure you don’t want to take things slowly?” he asked.

“If your cock is in me in the next five seconds, I would be a very happy omega,” I grumbled, tugging at his jeans.

Devon growled. “Fuck it, time for foreplay later!” Launching himself off the couch, he sank to his knees at the edge, dragging my legs so I was splayed before him in my leggings. He roughly pulled down the fabric, and it fell away from my body with ease.

“No underwear?” he growled.

“It had seemed unnecessary. If I’d known I was going to get turned on in a public place, I would have rethought that decision.”

“I can’t wait to tell Jeremy that you watched his entire hockey game with no underwear on.” He smirked. “Why don’t you do that for every game? It will drive him insane.”

“As long as it’s the good kind of insane, where he fucks me after, I am more than happy to oblige.” My laugh cut off as Devon’s hands went to his waistband, pulling his jeans and boxers off in one fell swoop, his cock bobbing free. The tip glistened with precum, and I resisted the urge to lean forward and lick it—did it taste as good as he smelled? Sweet and spicy, warm and delicious?

“You’re fucking drenched.” Devon hummed happily as he ran his fingers through my folds. “You definitely don’t need any foreplay, no matter how fun it would be.”

“Good, because I want you to fuck me,” I whined.

There had been a time in my life when I would have loved a slow, relaxing fuck. Now was not that time. Thanks to my hormones, I constantly felt like I was on the verge of heat, and there was no way to satisfy it. I had done plenty of reading and it wasn’t going to last.

Everything would settle down as soon as I gave birth. On the flip side, about two to three months after I give birth, I would go through the mother of all heats. It was my omega biology insisting that I get pregnant again right after giving birth by giving me a super long heat that would be nearly impossible to satisfy. My thoughts about my impending extra-long heat were quickly quieted when Devon’s hands landed on my hips, pulling me forward, so my pussy was splayed open before him.

“Just a quick taste.” He grinned up at me before lowering his mouth and sucking on my clit. Hard.

An almost inhuman shout escaped my chest as my body bowed at the sensation of a thousand electric sparks running through my body. Devon wasn’t gentle in his ministrations. He was demanding, licking and sucking, his fingers finding my entrance and sliding in to roughly scrape over my G-spot.

“I’m g-gonna …” I started to stammer.

Devon looked up at me with a smirk before pulling his hands out, leaving me to whine at the loss. I’d been so close. Why did he stop? I was about to sit up and physically claw at him to finish what he’d started when he spoke. “If you’re going to finish, it’s going to be on my cock,” he declared, kneeling in front of me and lining himself up.

Oh.

Yes.

That was an acceptable reason to stop.

Devon didn’t make me beg or wait. He pushed forward with one slow, powerful thrust until he was buried completely in me. He was so large, parts of my inner walls that had never been touched were now being stretched and glided over.

Before Jeremy, I had no idea that sex could feel this good, and I had thought that, with him, it was a fluke or one-off. Cole had been a selfish lover, and his junk had left something to be desired.

But Devon’s cock felt just as amazing as Jeremy’s.

“I’ve never felt a pussy so perfect.” He groaned, throwing his head back. I would have happily stayed in that position, my legs in his arms over the edge of the sofa, him on his knees in front of me, buried in me so deeply that I knew my hips would be feeling it for days.

Before he could rear back and thrust in a second time, I was coming from the intensity of my pussy being stretched over his cock. My entire body spasmed as I rode every wave of pleasure, babbling to myself, almost sobbing with the sheer force of my orgasm.

On their own, both Jeremy and Devon had given me mind-blowing orgasms that had left me sobbing with pleasure. If they really did want to share me at the same time, I doubted I would survive. The two of them together would be lethal.

As my orgasm eased, but didn’t stop, Devon started moving, and I lost all sense of reason. Every brush of his cock against my inner walls sent me hurtling to new heights. I clawed at the couch beneath me as I howled with need. How long could I possibly come for? It felt never ending.

Every thrust stretched my walls, pushing against them, demanding more. I was open, exposed, but I wasn’t self-conscious. Devon’s eyes were filled with nothing but pure molten heat, like I was having the same impact on him that he was having on me.

“Such a good little omega, taking my cock so nicely, like you were built for me. Coming on my cock so beautifully.” Devon hummed, his fingers grazing over my clit, never stopping his thrusts.

“Fuck, Dev, it’s so good,” I cried.

“Now I’ve had a taste of this sweet pussy, I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to stop,” he panted. “Going to want to fuck you constantly, omega. In the shower, over the kitchen counter, it’s going to be so hard to resist the urge to just walk up to you, rid you of your panties, and bury my cock in this sweet cunt.”

“Fuck. More. More. More,” I chanted softly, throwing my head back as my body felt strung tight, like it was going to explode.

Every sensation was so damn intense that part of me worried that, if he did indeed give me more, it would irrevocably destroy me.

What a way to go, though.

“You’re going to come, omega,” Devon growled, his fingers speeding up on my clit.

“Too much,” I babbled, desperately trying to suck in a lungful of air.

“You can do it, omega,” he cooed, increasing his thrusts to an almost punishing pace.

“I’m gonna …”

“Not until I say.” After a too-long pause, he added, “On the count of three?”

My entire body shook. How on earth was I meant to be able to wait?

“One.”

My body shook, the tightness in my core almost painful. I needed to come. Needed it more than I needed air. The couch probably had several rips from my nails digging into the seats as I thrashed around.

“Two.”

His thrusts became disjointed as he neared release himself. My walls were so tight, it was a surprise he could even move.

“Three.”

Devon roared the last word, thrusting in one final, rough time as his cock throbbed, the base rapidly expanding until I felt impossibly full. I detonated. Every part of me convulsed as wave after wave of ecstasy washed over me.

“Holy shit . . . omega,” Devon said in a strangled voice, slumping forward, desperately trying to catch his breath.

“Yeah,” I agreed lightly.

It took us a good ten minutes to extract ourselves from each other, and even then, we kept our hands on each other as we righted our clothes and picked up the discarded popcorn that had spilled on the floor before climbing under a blanket together and restarting the second episode.

Chapter 29

Devon

“Do you have any plans for the day?” Jeremy asked as I buttered a slice of toast. He was standing at the burner, turning several slices of bacon that she was excitedly waiting for while sitting at the breakfast bar.

“Maybe a nap?” Daisy laughed, scrunching her nose. “I’m all caught up on work, so there’s not much for me to do. Why?”

As she spoke, she ripped off small bites of bacon, sneakily feeding them to Gilbert who was waiting eagerly at her feet.

“We put you on my insurance the other day, and the OBGYN has an opening today, but I’ve got practice,” he said as he scooped up a few bits of bacon, placing them on the eager omega’s plate.

“I can take her,” I said before Daisy even had a chance to answer herself.

“Don’t you have client meetings today?” Jeremy asked.

“Nothing I can’t move.” I shrugged. “Would you mind me coming with you, sweetheart?” I turned to look at her, and she looked away from her bacon to nod.

“If you really don’t mind taking some time off, I would appreciate it. It would be nice to get a look at the little parasite,” she said as she absentmindedly rubbed her belly, chomping on bacon.

“I’ll call my foreman and let him know.” I shot her a smile before taking out my phone and texting the relevant people.

A day out with the pretty omega sounded like a far better time than what I had planned, anyway.

“Be sure you ask the doctor about any vitamins she should be taking. I got her some over-the-counter ones, but I’m betting there are better ones out there for her.” Jeremy’s brows furrowed as he spoke. Knowing him as well as I did, I could tell he was unhappy he wasn’t going to get to be there himself—he probably had a million questions for the doctor.

“Text me any questions you have for the doctor. I’ll make sure we ask them.”

Jeremy’s face broke out in a grin, and he picked up his phone. “I’ll do that now.” He started tapping away at the screen . . . and kept typing . . . and typing. Daisy and I watched, our eyes slowly getting wider and wider as we realized the extent of his questions. “I would come, but I’m stupidly contracted to be at this event today,” he grumbled as he furiously typed his inquisition.

Daisy looked at me, biting her lip. “Maybe it’s for the best you’re going with me,” she whispered lowly, so only I could hear.

“His heart is in the right place,” I said back in a hushed tone.

“Oh, I know that. I just don’t want to get kicked out of the doctor’s office because he can’t stop asking questions. No matter how adorable he is as he does it, I’m sure it would annoy the doctors.”

“I’m sure they’re used to overprotective alphas by now,” I whispered. “If not, why do we pay them the big bucks?”

“You know, I can tell you’re whispering about me,” Jeremy said, eyebrows raised as he held a piece of bacon aloft. Daisy reached out for the bacon, and for a moment, I thought he was going to pull it back and keep it for himself. But one pleading look from the omega, and he was putty in her hands.

“We are just talking about how amazing you are.” Daisy beamed at him, and his stern expression melted away.

“The appointment is at eleven, so you guys will need to leave soon. It’s in Hampton,” he explained.

That was a good fifty-minute drive away. There must have been doctor’s offices nearer, but given the rather affluent area we lived in, I imagined the costs and fees for those doctors would have been astronomical, and the NHL insurance wouldn’t touch them.

Don’t get me wrong—the NHL insurance was damn good. They just wouldn’t cover the insane plastic surgeons that worked in our area.

“Is that far away?” Daisy asked around a mouthful of bacon. Somehow, even with a mouthful of bacon, her hair piled onto her head like a wild bird’s nest, she looked amazing. No other woman looked that good with her face creased from being smashed into a pillow while she slept.

“About an hour,” Jeremy supplied.

“Oh, crap!” She took her slice of bacon, giving it to the dog, slowly extracting herself from the chair. “In that case, I need to get changed and pee . . . and run a brush through my hair!” She ran—or at least what passed for a run at her advanced stage of pregnancy—to go do just that.

“She’s going to be a while. You know that, right?” Jeremy laughed, taking a bite of bacon as he leaned against the counter.

“I’ll give her ten minutes, then go get her,” I said, taking my dirty plate and putting it in the dishwasher.

“Good idea. Otherwise, you’re never going to make it to that appointment. I don’t think there are many available ones you can take if you miss this one.”

We made it just in time. Daisy had spent a good ten minutes trying on half of her wardrobe, searching for a top that fit. Eventually, she stole a hockey hoodie from Jeremy, declaring it would have to do.

The Riverside doctors’ office was far fancier than I had imagined. The place specialized in babies, so I’d had no reason to have ever stepped foot into the building. Everything was a muted blue color, and the walls were adorned with posters of babies. Somehow, the air even smelled fresh, instead of sterile, like most doctors’ offices did.

There was a pleasant beta woman sitting behind the counter, who greeted us warmly and instructed us to take a seat in the waiting room, and told us that the doctor would see us shortly.

Taking my seat in the plastic chair next to Daisy, I couldn’t help noticing as she ran her hand through her hair, her foot tapping constantly. She was struggling to stay still.

“Hey,” I said in a soft, hopefully soothing, tone. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, not meeting my eye. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just . . . I guess I’m nervous. I mean, I’ve only been to one appointment, and they didn’t even do a proper scan or blood tests or anything because it was a free clinic. And now I’m beginning to worry about all the things that could possibly be wrong with the little parasite, and I really want everything to go well,” she babbled like a damn had broken.

“Daisy!” My hand flew to her knee, softly forcing her jiggling leg to cease its movements. “You’re doing brilliantly. Don’t worry. If there’s anything wrong, we will take care of it. You did the best you could with the resources you had, and you shouldn’t feel ashamed about that.”

If any of the doctors or nurses made her feel bad, I would personally write a very strongly worded email, then make a few very aggressive calls.

Or I could just set Jeremy on them. I was certain, if he knew his omega was upset, he would move heaven and earth to fix it.

“Miss St. James?” a nurse called, reading the name off a clipboard.

“That’s me,” Daisy said, struggling up out of her seat. I reached out, gently gripping her upper arm to help hoist her out of the chair. The nurse looked us over, her face remaining totally neutral.

“Do you want your partner to join you or wait out here?” she asked casually.

I frowned. As far as she was concerned, I was her alpha, a member of her pack. The idea that I wouldn’t want to be with her was downright absurd.

“He can come in with me.” Daisy smiled, waving off the nurse’s question.

“Okay, then, if you would like to just follow me, the doctor’s ready for you.” The nurse gave her a sweet smile before leading the way down a corridor. “They are grabbing your file, so if you wait in here, they will only be a minute!”

She left us in a typical little doctor’s office. Daisy frowned at the elevated bed for her to sit on. “How the hell am I going to be able to get up there?” she grumbled. “This place is literally designed for pregnant women. Why are they adding tall places for the pregnant women to scale? It seems like quite the design flaw.”

I chuckled, taking a step forward before gently sweeping Daisy into my arms. “That’s because there are plenty of handsome alphas willing to sweep the pretty little omegas off their feet and put them where they need to be,” I told her as I set her on the table with ease.

Daisy didn’t answer—she just rolled her eyes at me—but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

“Hello. Miss St. James, I take it?” A tall, willowy alpha breezed into the room, her long, blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was young, probably not even in her thirties. “I’m Doctor Parrish.” She turned to me. “And this is?”

“Devon.” I reached forward and took the hand she had outstretched, giving it a quick shake. “I’m her pack mate.”

“Perfect!” She gave us both a relaxed smile. “What brings you in today?”

“Well, uhh . . . Until recently, I wasn’t able to access medical care, so I’ve only had one appointment, and I just wanted to check that everything was going okay with my pregnancy.”

“We can do that,” Doctor Parrish said, turning to pick up a tablet from her desk. “I’m going to order a full set of blood work, as you haven’t had any real prenatal care. A nurse will come and take your blood at the end of this appointment and will call you in a week with the results. Have you had an ultrasound yet?”

“I haven’t. Can we do one today?” Daisy asked, her voice taking on an excited tone. How had she not seen her baby yet? The longing and curiosity to see my child would have driven me insane if I hadn’t been able to get a scan.

“We certainly can,” the doctor confirmed. “How far along are you?”

“About seven months.”

Doctor Parrish’s eyebrows raised. “I would have assumed, given the size of your bump, you’re a bit further along. But there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to making babies. Why don’t you lie back and lift your shirt, and we will do the ultrasound now.”

Daisy didn’t need to be told twice. She immediately shuffled back on the bed, lifting her shirt as I stood next to her. Her stomach looked like it was about to burst. Her belly button had become an outie, and there were some thin silvery stretch marks spanning across her stomach.

It was beautiful.

The doctor wheeled over a gigantic clunky machine with a screen and pulled out a bottle of gel she poured generously over Daisy’s stomach. The screen was angled just so, and it was difficult for us to make out the shapes.

“Okay, so, we’re going to do a basic scan today. Measure how big Baby is and check the heartbeat. I’m assuming you want some printed photos?”

“Definitely!” I rushed to say before Daisy could even open her mouth. I wanted as many prints as she would give me. I wanted to put them on the fridge and in my wallet, and I was sure Jeremy would do the same.

“I’ll make sure I get those . . .” The doctor trailed off, her brow furrowing as she studied the screen. “How far along were you when you went to your one medical appointment?”

Was something wrong? Why was she frowning? Daisy’s sweet apple pastry scent soured somewhat as my stomach dropped. The doctor looked concerned or confused. Not a good sign.

“It was early. I was only a few weeks along. Why? Is everything okay?” Daisy rushed to ask. She moved to sit up, but the doctor waved her hand for her to lie back down.

“No, no. Everything looks healthy and well,” Doctor Parrish said, running the Doppler over Daisy’s stomach, her eyes flicking between her patient and the screen. “Both babies appear to be healthy and coming along nicely.”

Wait.

What did she just say?

Babies.

“Did you just say babies, as in plural?” Daisy asked in a breathlessly shocked voice. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly, and I could almost feel her heart pound out of her chest. And, from where I stood next to her, my own heartbeat was far from relaxed.

“I take it you had no idea you were pregnant with twins?”

“I was expecting one baby,” Daisy said, her eyes wide as she stared straight ahead, her face pale.

I should have been comforting her, helping her, but all I could think about was how we’d have double the baby we’d expected. We would need to have everything in twos—two cribs, two car seats, two strollers. Or would we use one of those strollers with spaces for both babies? I didn’t even know.

“As you can see, there are definitely two in there.” Doctor Parrish turned the screen around so we could see it better and, sure as day, there were clearly two babies smashed into the small space. “This explains why your bump is so big, and why I thought you were later in your pregnancy. Twin babies naturally take up more space, and they tend to come a few weeks earlier than singular pregnancies.”

“I thought I was going crazy every now and again. I could have sworn there were two separate movements, but I just assumed it was gas,” Daisy said, shaking her head.

“I know it’s something of a shock, but I can assure you that everything looks healthy from what I can see here.”

“How does this change things?” I asked.

The doctor shrugged. “It doesn’t change much. I would recommend some extra prenatal vitamins. I will get a prescription for you guys today. Do the blood work. Check that everything’s going okay there, but honestly, it looks like you’re having a very healthy, happy pregnancy. Have you had any severe pains? Any nausea? Morning sickness, unfortunately, is quite common, as you know.”

“I had really bad morning sickness until a few weeks ago, when I discovered spicy Korean food, and I’ve been doing quite well since then,” Daisy admitted. “I’ve been having a lot of lower back pain, but I read online that that’s normal as well.”

“It is.” Doctor Parrish nodded. “It’s due to all the strain the babies are putting on your body. I would recommend you rest as much as possible. You’re seven months along, correct?” Daisy nodded. “Well, then, you can expect to be giving birth sooner rather than later.”

“How much sooner?” Daisy asked in a strangled voice. “I thought I had months!”

“I would be happy if you can go another two weeks before giving birth,” Doctor Parrish said with a small smile. “I know it’s a shock. How about I give you guys a few minutes while I go grab some vitamins for you?”

“Sure.” Daisy nodded, not fully looking at the doctor, her breathing getting more rapid.

Well, one thing was for sure—our home was going to be getting a lot noisier soon enough.

Chapter 30

Daisy

Two babies.

I was prepared for one baby, not two babies.

Two mouths to feed.

Two tiny humans to keep alive.

I had no clue what I was doing. It had been bad enough when I was going to have one child to look after, but two?

The entire way home, I stared out of the window, trying to make sense of what I had learned. Devon tried to talk to me, but I struggled to hear a single word of it. He simply rested his hand on my upper thigh, constantly touching me in a reassuring gesture.

With one baby, I could just about handle it. But now, I was outnumbered. How did you hold two babies at once? Feed two babies at once? I could potentially feed two babies at once, considering I did have two breasts, but it seemed like a logistical nightmare.

I didn’t even have time to prepare. These babies were going to be here any day. I didn’t have the basics. I hadn’t bought a crib or car seats. And I was going to need two of each!

“Jeremy’s already home,” Devon said as we pulled up to the house. “He’s in for a surprise.”

“Oh, god. Do you think he’s going to be upset?” I asked, my heart rate increasing.

“Not at all. He’s going to be excited. It may take a minute or two for him to understand what you’re saying, but he’ll be ecstatic—that, I can guarantee.”

“I need a glass of wine and all the soft cheeses and fish I’m not allowed right now.” I groaned, rubbing my stomach.

“Soon as you pop those babies out, we will be happy to provide it all for you. Come on, there’s no use delaying this. Time to let Jeremy know he’s about to be the daddy of two!” Devon smiled at me before opening his door, stilling when he looked ahead. “Look who’s here,” he said with a laugh.

Jeremy must have seen us pull up. He was striding out to the car with a smile on his face. Wearing a pair of black sweatpants and a matching T-shirt, he looked like he had just come from the gym or practice.

He ate up the space between the front door and the car in several long strides, opening the door for me and holding out a hand to help me out.

“How did the appointment go?” he asked excitedly as he gently led me back toward the house.

“Uh . . . yeah. Everything seems healthy,” I stumbled to say, ignoring Devon’s snort of laughter at the way I dodged the question. “Aren’t you supposed to be at your game?”

“I took a break between practice and the game to come see you. I wanted to see how the appointment went. Are you sure you’re okay? You look pale. Maybe you could do with a nap? I can make you a late lunch or order out from the Italian place you like?”

“I’m fine, honestly,” I assured him.

“You know I can feel your anxiety, right? You’ve been keyed up since you got to that appointment,” Jeremy said. “I’ve got a pot of green apple tea brewing. Let’s get your feet up.”

“I’ll go grab that for Daisy. Why don’t you guys go chill in the den?”

Jeremy frowned at Devon but did as he said, leading me towards the den.

“Duckie, you’re starting to worry me.” Jeremy frowned as I took a seat. “Devon! She’s healthy, right?” He turned to his pack mate, like he didn’t trust what I was going to say. I sat my butt on the end of the sofa and took a deep breath. Jeremy’s worry was palpable, and I needed to rip off the Band-Aid.

“I’m having twins!” I blurted, staring at him with wide, panicked eyes.

“T-twins?” He stumbled over the word, looking at me, his eyes almost comically round.

I braced myself, expecting to feel his disappointment, his worry, his stress, all those negative emotions through the bond.

What I didn’t expect to feel was pure, unadulterated joy.

“Yeah,” I said breathlessly. “Two healthy babies.”

Arms wrapped around me, and I was pulled out of the chair as Jeremy encased me in a bear hug. “This is amazing!” he cried. Gently brushing the hair from my face, he kissed me softly, a gigantic grin never leaving his face.

He was happy—more than happy! A weight I didn’t know I had been carrying lifted off my chest, and I could suddenly breathe a lot easier.

“Did you think I wouldn’t love this news?” Jeremy asked with a confused look.

“It is twice the work; you didn’t sign on for two babies.”

“This is just an amazing bonus, in my opinion. Two little boys I can teach to play hockey and to build things with—oh, shit!” His face fell as he broke off. “Crap . . . one moment, I need to . . .” He took a step back. The bond was suddenly filled with concern.

My stomach dropped. “You’re unhappy,” I said, tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. It was understandable; two babies were a lot to deal with. He had signed on to deal with one hormonal pregnant omega and a single baby, and now the stress was threefold.

Clearly, my panic was evident to Jeremy as his head whipped to mine. “No! I’m not upset about the twins . . . Just, agh—come with me.” He gently grabbed my hand and led me through the house, past a confused-looking Devon who stood in the kitchen doorway, a mug of tea in hand.

I followed him through the house and the backyard to the external garage that he and Devon used as a workshop.

“This is what I was panicking about,” Jeremy said, pointing at a wooden item in the corner of the room.

Taking a step forward, the tears overflowed when I realized what it was.

It was a crib.

A beautiful crib.

Merely calling it a crib didn’t do it justice. Clearly hand carved, it was made from a gorgeous walnut-colored wood. The slats had intricately carved vines on them. It was like something out of a fairy tale.

“Jeremy, this is beautiful. It must have taken you ages!”

“I started it not long after meeting you,” he admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “I wanted it to be perfect, but now it’s all wrong!”

“How is it all wrong?” I asked.

“I don’t have time to make two! I can’t give one of the babies the crib and not the other. That would be playing favorites!” He looked so torn.

He had clearly spent a lot of time working on the crib, and it was far nicer than anything I could have ever bought for the babies.

“I love it,” I said softly.

Jeremy’s face fell further. “I can try and make another one. You’ve got a few weeks, right? I can order the wood—”

“Actually, I’m probably going to give birth sooner rather than later,” I admitted. “Twins come early.” I shrugged.

“Oh no . . .” Jeremy looked longingly between the crib and me. “We’ll have to look at alternatives.” His sadness seeped through the bond.

He was torn up about the crib, and I couldn’t help but smile. Jeremy may have had the size and general appearance of a grizzly bear, but he was really a giant softie with a heart of gold.

“Jer, they’re little. They can just share the crib for the first few months,” I said softly.

Jeremy stilled, turning to look at me with confusion. “They can do that?”

“They’re twins, they’ll probably want to be together.” I laughed lightly. “They’re sharing much smaller real estate right now,” I said, gesturing down to my stomach.

I took a few steps forward, wrapping my arms around his waist as a smile slowly broke out on his features and he nodded. “Yeah . . . they can share!” he declared happily.

“I love you,” I hummed, leaning up to kiss under his chin. It was the first time I had actually said the words out loud to him, but I meant them sincerely. This alpha who didn’t have a mean bone in his body had taken me in when I had barrelled into his life with no warning and treated me with only utmost love and care.

“I love you so damn much, Duckie, and the little ducklings as well.”

We stood, wrapped up in each other’s arms, for another ten minutes. “I can’t believe I have to leave for a game tonight, then tomorrow, I’m away for two whole days. It’s not fair,” Jeremy grumbled.

“Don’t worry about us. We’re going to spend the next two days curled up in the nest, resting,” I assured him.

“Wait, you said the babies could come sooner because they’re twins. How much sooner are we talking?” Jeremy asked, pulling back to look at me.

I smiled sheepishly at him. “I got the impression it’s going to be a week or two.”

“Fuck. I’ve got away games I can’t miss. Fuck it. I’ll tell them I’ve come down with a virus and can’t leave my bed!”

I laughed, shaking my head. “You’ve only got two away games, and they’re both in the next week, and then you’ve got several weeks off. I think we’ll be fine. Go to your games. You don’t need to pretend to be dying of a mystery illness. Devon will look after me.”

Jeremy pouted. “But I want to look after you.”

“You do,” I assured him. “Now, speaking of looking after me, can we go inside? I desperately need to use the bathroom.”

Jeremy nodded, quickly ferrying me back to the house, grabbing my hand as we navigated the cobble path back up to the house.

We separated once we made it to the house. Jeremy had to go—he was already running late for the game.

My tea was cold, so I padded into the kitchen and started brewing a fresh cup. I had recently gotten a new pregnancy book, and I was looking forward to spending a few hours curled up in the den, drinking my tea and trying to come to terms with the fact I was going to have double the babies I had planned.

Devon was giving Jeremy a lift to the rink, since he had to go check on a burst pipe at a client’s house, and the rink was on the way, so I had an hour or two to kill. They both kissed me goodbye and left in a hurry.

I had only been sitting down for a few minutes when a fierce craving hit. Gummy candy. It was the sort of craving that felt all-consuming. My focus was shot—I read the same sentence of my book five times before giving up.

Any kind would do. Gummy bears, gummy worms, even fruit snacks. Just something gummy, full of sugar and delicious.

Groaning as I rolled off the sofa, I padded over to the kitchen to ransack the pantry. It took several minutes to go through all the various cabinets containing food, but after a good thirty minutes of hunting, I came to the sad conclusion that there was nothing gummy and delicious in the kitchen.

Devon wouldn’t be home for another hour, at least, and it was starting to get late. Checking the time on my phone, I bit my lip as I ran through my options in my mind.

I could text him and ask him to bring some gummy candy home, but then I would be without it for at least an hour or two. My highly irrational pregnancy brain didn’t think that was okay. I needed gummy candy, and I needed it immediately.

Pacing around the kitchen, I looked through the many, many varieties of snacks Jeremy had stocked the kitchen with, groaning to myself when none of them sounded good.

Only gummy candy sounded good.

Pulling up my phone, I looked at the local bus routes. My bus pass would work; it was valid for a whole year. I could easily go to the store that was three stops away, grab a few bags of candy, and be back in no time.

Over the last few weeks, I had become so reliant on Jeremy and Devon that it felt like a good idea to go out and get the dang gummy candy myself. Strong, independent omegas could get their own candy . . . sometimes.

Glancing out the window, I noticed that it was starting to drizzle, so I grabbed a raincoat and my purse, making sure I was all zipped up for my little outing. My own raincoat wasn’t an option, because it was both old and falling to bits, and there was no way in hell it would fit over my bump. Jeremy’s, on the other hand, fit amazingly.

Mission Sugary Goodness was a go!

Chapter 31

Nate

As far as days go, mine had been a pretty fucking terrible one. I had been working on a custody case that was making my stomach churn. My client Abby had taken in her sweet niece after her sister’s death because there was evidence that her sister’s pack had been abusing her.

Pack laws meant that the child automatically belonged to her alphas. Given the heavy suspicion regarding how the omega died, Abby refused to let the sweet child near them.

Rightly so.

I had spent two days in a courtroom with those seeping piles of scum, and I could confidently say that they had no business looking after a child. They were using every ounce of their considerable wealth to make Abby look like a terrible human being and ensure that she had no contact with her niece.

It was absolutely exhausting, and it wasn’t even over yet.

Court had adjourned for the day, and my colleagues had practically kicked me out of the office because I had spent all my time going through depositions and every other legal document I could think of to try and find something that would help me with the case.

A weary, bone-deep tiredness had settled over me. I wanted nothing more than to get home, grab some food, and pass out until the next day, when court was in session again.

My pack knew that I was busy, and they texted me periodically. Devon had sent me a message, letting me know about Daisy’s recent medical discovery.

Our home was going to get a lot noisier, but for some reason, that didn’t horrify me. I wasn’t a monster who hated children. I actually really liked children. I just could never see myself having any after the severing sickness had taken hold.

The rain was coming down in torrents, and darkness had long since fallen. Nights like that always set me on edge. I purposely bought one of the safer car models. One that could handle heavy rain and uneven terrain.

Jeremy and Devon also drove fairly safe vehicles, but now that they were driving Daisy around, I had considered purchasing even safer ones for them. I would never have wished my ailment upon my worst enemy, so I would do absolutely anything to ensure my pack mates never had to experience it.

The house was quiet, with no lights on, as I pulled into the drive. Jeremy had a game, so Daisy was either with him, or she had turned in early. Hopefully she was resting. The dark circles under her eyes were hard to miss. I was fairly certain that Devon had planned to go to the game as well, or maybe he was lurking somewhere nearby.

With a groan, I pulled myself out of my seat and started making my way, like a sleep-deprived zombie, into the house. There was a random leftover pasta dish in the fridge, so I pulled it out and grabbed a fork, opting to eat it cold while leaning over the counter. Heating it up and sitting down felt like it would require too much energy. As I ate, I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through the notes I had made for court the next day.

I was about halfway through my notes when the front door opened and closed, the sound echoing through the kitchen.

Turning to see who was entering the kitchen, I knew immediately it was Daisy; her footsteps were far lighter than those of either of my pack mates. She rounded the corner with a smile on her face, wearing a large yellow raincoat that I was pretty sure belonged to Jeremy, and holding a plastic bag in hand. She was soaking wet, dripping onto the tiled floor of the kitchen.

“Hey, Nate! How’s work?” she asked happily as she placed the plastic bag on the countertop and started removing the raincoat. Her face was flushed, and she looked content. She was adorable, and were it not for my rather shitty situation, I would have been trying to woo the socks off her.

“Tiring,” I said, looking back to the doorway where she had come from. “Is Jeremy or Devon with you?” I asked.

Daisy shook her head lightly. “No. Devon’s giving Jeremy a ride to his game.”

“So, where have you been? Why are you soaking wet?”

She rummaged in the plastic bag and pulled out several packages of candy with an excited smile. “I had a killer craving, so I had to go and get some sweet gummy treats!” she declared.

“Where did you get those?” I asked. Had she gone out herself to get candy? She couldn’t possibly have. It was raining buckets outside.

“There’s a cute little store three bus stops away from here. It’s very expensive, since this is a fancy neighborhood, but it had a really good selection of gummy candy,” she said as she gathered all her sweet treats.

I stared at her in abject horror. She had taken the bus? Public transport? In the rain?

Blood pounded in my ears as my stomach churned uncomfortably. Dots appeared in my vision as my entire body shook with rage.

How could she be so careless?

“Are you fucking stupid?” I snarled.

Daisy stilled, turning to look at me with wide eyes. “Stupid?” she asked with a frown. “I just went and got some candy.”

“Why the fuck would you go out in the rain and use public transport? Why did you think you could be so fucking reckless? Do you really not give a shit about Jeremy?”

She looked at me, both confused and hurt. “I’m not sure I follow you,” she said.

“You are bonded to Jeremy, and you think it’s okay to just go prancing off recklessly without giving a shit about your safety? Do you want him to suffer if you get injured? Do you really care that little about him?”

“Of course, I care about him,” she said in a small voice. “I love him.”

I snorted. “Great fucking way to show your love. Putting yourself in dangerous situations so he has to deal with the consequences.”

And the pain? If anything had happened to Daisy, Jeremy would have been in indescribable pain. Having felt it myself, I knew it would have been the worst thing he would have ever experienced, and I didn’t wish that on anyone.

“I wasn’t in a dangerous situation. I just went to the store to get some candy,” she said, tears filling her eyes.

“That’s the problem. That’s all you could think about—what you wanted. I knew it was a bad idea to bring you into our home.”

She looked at me in horror as the tears spilled over, but my anger had reached a boiling point, and now that I’d started, there was no stopping.

“Jeremy deserves better than a selfish omega who would put him in danger. I dumbly thought you were a semi-competent woman, but apparently not. Now, I’ve realized my pack mate is bonded to a reckless idiot. You’re about to be a mother, how the fu—”

I was cut off as her hand landed on my cheek with considerable force. My head whipped to the side and my vision blurred from the impact.

She’d slapped me.

“Don’t you dare question my ability as a mother, Nathaniel Price. I don’t know what fucking high horse you think you rode in on, but I refuse to listen to it. If I want anyone’s opinions, I’ll ask my mate, you self-righteous pig.”

Her eyes held nothing but fury and tears as she stormed out of the room, leaving me shell-shocked in the middle of the kitchen.

Chapter 32

Jeremy

“What the fuck is your problem?” I thundered as I barrelled into Nate’s office, fully prepared to punch the arrogant fucker.

I had hurried home after the game, expecting to find my heavily pregnant omega curled up in her nest, resting. Something had felt off in my chest. Our bond was new, so I couldn’t tell if the distress was hers or my own. She was indeed curled up in her nest, but she wasn’t resting. Her eyes had been red and swollen, and she had clearly been crying for a while.

It had taken a few minutes to coax what had happened out of her, and even then, I got the impression that she gave me a lighter version of events.

My pregnant omega was having twins, and Nate had the audacity to treat her badly?

As soon as I had comforted my omega until she had dropped off into a fitful sleep, I hunted down Nate. “You better have a fucking good reason for talking to my bonded mate like that.”

“Look, I didn’t mean to upset her, but she’s being so fucking reckless. Did she tell you what she did?”

I stared at him in disbelief. “You are projecting or some bullshit right now. She just went to the shop to get some candy, for god’s sake! I’m not going to stand by and let you treat her like shit.”

“I have every right to be upset if she’s acting like a whiny brat who’s putting my pack mates in danger!”

“You are the one who is acting like a whiny brat, Nathaniel. I have sacrificed for everyone in this family, including you. The fucking least you could do is treat the woman I love with some care and consideration. I’m not fucking blind. It’s clear that you have feelings for her as well.”

I’d seen the way he looked at her when he thought no one was watching. He was just as enamored with her as Devon and me; he just refused to admit it.

“What the fuck have you sacrificed for me and Devon?” he spat. “We’ve supported you in every single one of your career choices. We moved here when you got signed to support you! We did that because we care, unlike your precious omega. What if that bus had crashed in the rain? Then where would you be?”

“Nate . . .” I shook my head. I had been surprised at his hateful words, but something clicked in my mind. He wasn’t shouting out of anger. He was shouting out of fear. “Daisy isn’t Jilly,” I said through gritted teeth.

“I know that,” Nate snarled.

“Do you?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes, I do! Jesus.” He shook his head. The man looked a mess, bloodshot eyes and sandy hair sticking up at all angles. “I’m doing everything to keep this family together, and she’s risking it all!”

My own anger was only growing. We needed to have a fucking adult conversation, but my pack mate was clearly lost in his own fear. My heart twisted in agony that Nate was hurting the one thing I held most precious. Daisy was my bonded mate. She was it for me, now. No matter what happened for the rest of my life, Daisy would be by my side. If Nate couldn’t accept that, then he didn’t belong in the pack—and that thought hurt. I loved him like a brother, and I didn’t want him to go anywhere, but I couldn’t stand by while he hurt the woman I loved.

“Nate, this family is a mess. I fucking hate hockey. I don’t want to be playing it. I’m only playing it for you!” I roared the last word, letting every bit of my fury seep into my words.

Nate’s brow creased as he glared at me, dumbstruck, like he couldn’t compute what I had just said. “What the fuck do you mean? You took on a $1,000,000 contract to help me? We were doing just fine financially. It’s not like we needed the money, so that’s bullshit.”

I took a deep breath. I could feel my body shaking as I tried to calm down. Rage simmered under my skin as I resisted the urge to just punch my pack mate.

He needed to know the truth.

“Sure, we had enough money for our house and to live off of, but you know what we didn’t have enough money for? Your severing sickness meds! I never would have taken the contract if it didn’t have such good health insurance. Fuck it. I would happily walk away from hockey tomorrow. But that would make it difficult for you to get the medication you need to fucking live. And you are my family, and I make sacrifices for my family, just like Daisy is my family and those children are mine!”

Nate’s face drained of color, and he staggered back like I had actually punched him. “You’re lying. There’s no way. You love hockey,” he said in a weak voice.

“I loved it when I was a kid.” I shrugged, all the fight leaving me. “Look, I understand you’re terrified. What happened between you and Jilly was a nightmare. But I can’t let you hurt my mate because you’re scared.”

“You really hate it?” Nate asked in a hoarse voice, sinking down to sit in his desk chair.

I nodded. “All I want to do is run a construction company. To build things with my hands.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have figured something out. I’m a lawyer. I get paid decently now.”

“When I signed the contract, we were barely scraping together the money to get you the medication each month. It was a no-brainer. Who hasn’t worked a job they didn’t like for the people they love?”

His face was no longer pale; now, it was taking on a slightly greenish tinge as he realized the extent of his actions.

“Are you going to pass out? You can’t do that. You’ve got two nieces or nephews coming soon.” I laughed as Nate looked at me in a daze.

“Jeremy … you have to quit,” Nate said.

I frowned for a brief moment before shrugging. “I’m in it for the next season or two, no matter what, since I signed a contract. Plus, with Daisy about to pop, that medical insurance is going to be extra useful. I’m . . . content with the situation as it is.”

“But Jer . . .” Nate opened and closed his mouth, struggling to find his words.

“I’m honestly happy with how things are at the moment. All I want is for you to give Daisy a little more grace. I really love her, Nate, and I think one day, you will too.”

I was pretty convinced that he already had the start of those feelings, but his fear of the pain and suffering, thanks to his severing sickness, kept him from accepting those feelings.

Luckily, Daisy wasn’t going anywhere.

Chapter 33

Nate

My stomach turned uncomfortably as I knocked lightly on the door of the nest. Somehow, I had managed to be such a colossal asshole that I had no idea how I was going to redeem myself.

There was a sour taste in my mouth. How had Jeremy been doing a job he hated so much for so long, and I hadn’t even noticed? I was a shit pack mate. Both Devon and I had noticed that he had become somewhat withdrawn after starting the contract, but we had chalked it up to the stress of the new job. The understanding that it was because he actually despised that job made my stomach feel like lead.

I needed to make things right with my pack. And to do that, I needed to make things right with Daisy. Jeremy loved her, and it wasn’t hard to understand why. She was sweet and caring, yet so strong.

She reminded me of Jilly at times.

That was part of the reason I avoided Daisy. Every day since I had lost Jilly had been a struggle. Some days, the pain was only a light gnawing sensation, and I could go about my day and pretend nothing was wrong. Other days, my entire body cried out in pain from not having my bonded omega near me. The medication helped some, but the symptoms never fully faded.

“Daisy?” I called out her name as I opened the door to the nest.

“What do you want?” she growled, even though her voice held all the anger of a newborn kitten. Standing at the edge of her nest, her face red and puffy from tears, she rearranged pillows almost obsessively.

The sight of her stung. I had done that.

Somehow, unbeknownst to me, I had become very talented at hurting the people I cared about. When had I strayed so far from who I used to be?

The day Jilly had decided to use public transport in the rain and lost her life, that was when.

But I couldn’t live like that anymore.

“What are you doing here, Nathaniel?” She repeated her earlier question, not bothering to look at me.

“I came to apologize,” I admitted. She had used my full name, so she was clearly pissed.

“Not interested,” she snarled, throwing a pillow clear across the nest with impressive strength. “Why do you even want to apologize?” she asked, turning to face me, her expression full of disdain. “You made it quite clear that you really don’t like me.”

“I freaked out. It was totally irrational, and I was a complete donkey’s ass, and if you let me, I’ll happily explain my fucked-up thought process.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Why do you want to explain to someone you think is selfish?”

“Because I don’t believe that,” I assured her. Hovering in the doorway, I wanted to go up to her, to talk face-to-face, but I knew better than to enter the territory of a pissed, pregnant omega without her permission.

Despite its lack of use, I was rather attached to my cock, and I didn’t want a feral omega ripping it off in a fit of anger.

“You sounded very convinced a few hours ago,” she huffed, moving across the room to the large corner couch on the far side of the room, sitting down and gesturing for me to do the same, the irate look never leaving her face.

With permission—or the closest thing to permission I was likely to get—I shuffled into the room, taking a seat opposite her.

Deep, almost black bags sat under her eyes. Again, her suffering was my doing, and I was going to have to work my ass off to prove to her I wasn’t a monumental dickhead all the time.

“Jilly died when the bus she was riding on crashed in the middle of a storm. It drove off a bridge and into a river.”

Daisy stilled, looking up, making eye contact with me for the first time since I had knocked on her door. “Talk,” she instructed.

“Jilly wasn’t super close to us growing up, but we knew her. As adults, we were all friends, and she and I would occasionally . . .”

“Fuck,” Daisy supplied. Why did that word sound so filthy coming out of her mouth?

“Yes, uh, fuck,” I agreed. “Well, several years ago, she started having issues with her suppressants. I was at her place, helping her move some boxes, when she had a heat hit. A nasty one. She told me she had never felt pain like that before.”

Daisy grimaced. “Suppressants are nasty things.”

“There had been no time to organize a pack to see her through the heat, or even go to the doctor and get some sedatives to dull the worst of it. Naturally, I couldn’t leave her like that, so we decided before the heat really kicked in that we would see it out together.”

Heats usually required several alphas, but sometimes, an alpha took on a heat solo and it worked, but it was usually a gargantuan and exhausting task.

“That’s a tough situation, but it’s good she had a friend around,” Daisy said. “Not all omegas are so lucky.”

Was she speaking from experience? If that was the case, I needed names.

“I knew seeing an omega through her heat would be difficult, but Jilly was a friend. What happened next was both of our faults. In a fit of heat, she bit me, and my hindbrain took over and I bit back. That was it. We were officially bonded. The heat broke maybe an hour later, probably because we had bonded, and we did discuss it briefly while we were on the comedown. We decided we were going to make the best of it.”

Daisy nodded. “But something went wrong?”

“While Jilly took a bath and relaxed, I decided to run to the office for a few minutes. I had taken several days of unexpected leave because of the heat, so I needed to make sure there was nothing urgent that needed my attention. Jilly seemed fine. All she wanted to do was nap and eat. At least, that’s what I thought. I had been at the office maybe ten minutes when the most excruciating pain you could ever imagine tore through my body.”

Tears welled up in my eyes at the memory of that pain.

“The police told me she died on impact, but I know for a fact that it was a lie. Maybe they said it to make me feel better, but we were bonded, so I could feel what she was feeling. She was alive when the bus went over that railing. She drowned slowly and painfully, and I felt every ounce of her pain.”

My hands shook as I tried to regain my composure, but that felt like an impossible task.

“My word … Nate,” Daisy whispered as she looked at me sympathetically.

“Then severing sickness kicked in. I experienced seizures, migraines, and at one point, my heart almost failed. We had been bonded less than six hours when she died. I was at the office when I collapsed, so they were able to get me medical attention fairly quickly, but there was only so much they could do.” My voice cracked. “She had gone out because she wanted to get some groceries. She had texted me, and I hadn’t fucking seen it. I should have been there. I should have been with her. I could have driven her. Now I have to suffer for the rest of my life because I failed as an alpha.”

Daisy shifted in her seat, her hand resting lightly on her bump. “You have to know that it’s not your fault. Is there anything they can do to ease the symptoms long term?”

I nodded. “The pain of her death is going to stay with me for the rest of my life. As for the symptoms, I have a prescription. The pills help some, and I’m supposed to be getting an injection once every two weeks, but the medication is expensive. Jeremy . . .” I broke off with a sob, my hand running through my hair, pulling at the roots like the pain would distract me. “He admitted that my medication is the reason he plays hockey. My decisions that day with Jilly ruined all of us, and . . . I don’t know what to do. I haven’t fully slept for a single night since she died, thanks to the pain—my hindbrain just knows that something is very wrong. When I realized you’d gone out to get candy on the bus in the rain, all I could think about was what would happen to Jeremy if he had to go through what I’m going through. I reacted in anger, and I never should have talked to you like that, Daisy. I just . . . I have so much resentment in me. Even though it wasn’t Jilly’s fault, I harbour so much fucking anger over how her actions led to her death.”

“You were a dick,” she agreed. “But it’s also understandable that you would harbor some resentment after everything you’ve been through.”

“I think I was more than a dick. I don’t want you to think I hate you. Hell, I like you, probably a bit too much. I love that Jeremy is so happy. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know that I will do whatever it takes to make up for acting like such an idiot.”

“Nate.” Daisy frowned. “I understand why. As much as I want to hate you for the way you acted, given the situation, I think it’s more than understandable that you would freak out. But we’re family now. Whether you want to be part of our relationship or not, you’re a part of this pack. We need to talk to each other, to communicate. That’s the only way we can avoid situations like this. I get that what happened to you is difficult to talk about. I don’t want to drag up old memories, but I also don’t want to cause pain. Had I known that taking a bus in the rain was a big thing to you, I would have just waited and texted Jeremy. I won’t do it again, I promise. I didn’t mean to upset or scare you. Actually, I’d probably have texted you instead of Jeremy because you were closer to home, and I really wanted those gummy bears.” She laughed lightly.

“I am sorry. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you.”

And I meant that. I refused to let my own struggles damage my pack any further. It was probably going to take a while to get everyone to believe that, but there wasn’t any way for me to turn back time.

“You are 100% going to be on snack duty. I would just offer to steal your car and go get snacks, but given that I’m the size of a blimp, I can’t really drive. I wasn’t the best of drivers before I was this big, so I don’t want to attempt it now.”

“Of course, I’ll happily go get snacks anytime you want,” I said eagerly. Daisy’s face broke out in a smile as she nodded happily at that prospect. “Doesn’t Jeremy see to all your snack needs already?” I smiled, cocking my head.

“He does,” she said, grinning conspiratorially at me. “But I feel bad constantly asking him for snacks, ‘cause he’s a busy man, and he has done nothing to upset me. You, on the other hand, haven’t been asked. So, I feel no guilt asking you to go and get me tacos at three a.m.”

I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing. “Funny thing, you mentioned three a.m. tacos because I distinctly remember a night when Devon and I went out for tacos at like four a.m. when I was studying for the bar.”

“See!” Daisy exclaimed excitedly, “You’re already—agh!” She broke off with a cry, leaning forward, clutching her stomach. Her eyes screwed up as a look of pain crossed her features.

“Daisy?” I asked, leaning forward and holding an arm out to steady her. “What is it?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. It just hurts,” she whimpered. “I think, maybe, it’s a contraction?”

Fuck. It wasn’t her time yet. She still had weeks left to go, didn’t she? My stomach churned as it occurred to me that extreme stress would probably put her into labor early. And I, being the absolute butthole I had been recently, had stressed her out quite severely.

“Okay. I’m calling Jeremy, and we’re taking you straight to the doctor,” I said, not leaving it up to discussion. Standing up, I gently swept her into my arms, sweet apple pie filling my nose.

Chapter 34

Daisy

Braxton Hicks.

I had been such a baby over practice contractions.

It was embarrassing, really.

“You’re not allowed to leave the nest without one of us with you,” Jeremy insisted.

“You heard what Doctor Parrish said. They weren’t even real contractions,” I insisted, sitting up. The moment the doctor had cleared me to go home, the guys had taken me straight to my nest and seemed to think I was going to somehow avoid leaving it until I popped out the babies.

“She also said you should take it easy,” Devon said as he pulled fresh linens out of the linen closet. “So, no leaving the nest unless one of us is with you.”

“What if I need to pee?” I asked pointedly.

“One of us will carry you there,” Jeremy insisted.

“Jeremy! The bathroom is ten steps away. I think I can manage that.”

“Don’t even think about it!” Devon yelled from where he was buried in the closet.

“You guys are going to smother me,” I muttered to myself, crossing my arms.

Jeremy leaned forward, giving my forehead a gentle kiss, cupping the side of my face. “Please? For me? I need to know that you and the ducklings are safe.”

My resolve was crumbling. How could I deny him when he looked so innocent and caring?

“The ducklings are fine, and they are happily kicking away at my bladder,” I assured him.

“I hate that I’ve got to be away for a few days. Are you sure you’ll be okay? You know what? Maybe I should just say screw the contract and stay.”

“Jeremy!” I cried. “You are not going to miss a game you’re contracted to attend. It’s very unlikely the babies are going to come in the next day or two. It’s two nights away, and Devon and Nate are both going to be here, keeping an eye on me. We can video call every night. We better do that, anyway, because I’m not going to have much to do while lying in bed all day.”

He frowned. “It’s not fair that I have to go away.”

“I know, but you wanted to save your paternity leave for when the babies are here.” Players only received two weeks of paternity leave, and Jeremy had insisted on using that from the day the babies were born. He made it clear he didn’t want to miss a moment with them.

“I know.” Jeremy sighed, leaning down to kiss my belly. “Now, you two are going to stay in there until I get home, aren’t you? And then I’m going to make a lovely nursery for you. You guys are going to let your mother rest, yes?” He looked pointedly at my stomach, like the babies were going to respond.

I was looking forward to organizing the nursery. Jeremy had instructed Devon to bring the crib in from the workshop to the nest while he was gone. It was truly starting to hit me that, any day now, I was going to have two babies.

“Go kick hockey ass.” I laughed, pushing Jeremy away. “You’re already late again.”

The team bus had actually left right after my contractions had started and they had rushed me to the doctors. Because of that, Jeremy was going to have to rush to catch the coach to the away rink. He’d insisted on staying until I was settled, though.

“I love you. Keep yourself and my ducklings safe, okay?”

“With Devon and Nate watching over me like guard dogs, I don’t think it’s possible not to.” I laughed, playfully shoving him out of the nest.

As Jeremy walked out of the room, Nate walked in. Or, at least, I thought it was Nate. It was hard to tell, considering his entire face was covered by a small mountain of fabric.

“Pillow delivery!” he exclaimed as he lightly tossed the items onto the end of the bed.

“What are these?” I asked with furrowed brows. My nest was already jam-packed with pillows, though I would never say no to more. Pregnancy nesting was a whole other level of nesting.

I was quickly becoming spoiled. A mere few months ago, I didn’t even have a nest, and Jeremy had given me a phenomenal one… yet the desire to add more was still there.

“I took a detour on the way home to the nesting store and got every other pillow that was left on your wish list.”

I stared at him for a moment too long as his words sank in.

“Nate!” I cried. “One of those pillows cost over two hundred dollars!”

“So?” he asked with a shrug. “You want it, and it’ll make you comfortable.”

I blinked a few times in his direction before turning to Devon, who was now at the edge of the nest, a few blankets in hand. “I think we need to take him to the hospital. Or maybe he needs to see a priest. His personality has changed so much, I’m convinced he’s a changeling, in need of an exorcist, or he has a concussion.”

They all laughed, except for me. I was serious. I placed that pillow on my wish list as a far-off dream. I never actually expected anyone to buy it for me. Honestly, I didn’t even realize they had access to my wish list. I made a mental note to go online and make sure I took off all the expensive items . . . if there were any left after Nate’s shopping spree.

“Nate can be slow on the uptake, but once he’s on board, he’s all in.” Devon laughed. “Are you hungry?”

“I can eat.”

“I’m thinking steak tonight,”

“With baked potatoes?” I asked, already salivating at the thought.

He nodded sagely. “With loaded baked potatoes.”

“Daisy?” A hand gently shook me awake. Cracking open an eyelid, I saw Nate crouching at the edge of my nest.

“Nate?” I asked, my voice thick with exhaustion.

“You’ve been asleep for hours and haven’t eaten anything.”

“How long have I been out?” I asked, sitting up. Surely, it hadn’t been that long?

“It’s nearly nine, so a good fifteen hours.”

“Oh crap, really?” I exclaimed, turning to look at the clock on my bedside table.

Nate nodded. “You completely passed out yesterday, but I didn’t want to disturb you. Don’t worry, I already texted Jeremy to let him know that you had conked out.”

“Thank you!” If I hadn’t messaged Jeremy back for that many hours, and he had no idea I was asleep, he probably would have freaked out and turned around and came straight back home. “I need to pee!” I said, rolling out of bed and quickly going to do my business before Nate insisted on carrying me. “Where’s Devon?” I asked as I crawled back into bed.

“He had to go to a quick contractor meeting, so it’s just us for now.” He sat on the edge of the bed, passing me a bowl full of oatmeal mixed with various fruits. “Jeremy told me what sort of food you’ve been eating lately.”

I took the bowl off him, my stomach gurgling with hunger as I smelled the sweet fruit.

“Why are you here? Surely you have work?” Nate was usually out of the house by seven a.m. most days.

“I took a small leave of absence. I’ve been glued to my desk for years, so it was sorely overdue,” he admitted. “It also means I can help you out while I am taking a break. I’ve gotta be on hand in case you need snacks.”

“I’m not going to lie. I’m very tempted to ask you for an impossible snack.”

“What qualifies as an impossible snack?”

“Something that was discontinued several years ago.”

“That does, indeed, sound like a challenge,” he said, his expression and tone utterly serious.

“For now, I suppose I will be content with the gummy candy I bought.”

“I did order extra snacks. I covered most of the potential bases,” Nate declared happily, pointing to the dresser to the left of me. Sure enough, there were several trays full of various snacks, chips, candy, and more.

“Did you buy a whole grocery store?” I laughed.

“No…” Nate smirked. “Just the entire snack aisle. “There’s a little of everything. That way, you can fulfill any craving. There’s a variety of chocolate and sour candies, as well as salty snacks and chips. There are even fruit snacks and healthy things, like nuts and dried berries.”

My chest warmed. He had done that for me. Yes, it was probably just to ensure I didn’t get out of bed, but just the fact he had thought about it, then went out and procured everything, made me smile.

“That is probably only going to last a day or two,” I informed him. The later I got into my pregnancy, the more and more I found myself snacking. “Remember, technically, I’m eating for three now.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I don’t have anything better to do than to feed you and keep you company. If I’m honest, I don’t really know what to do with myself other than that right now because I haven’t taken a day off in so long.”

“Surely, you’ve had a vacation?”

Nate looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. “I took two days off to accompany Jeremy to a game, but even then, I took my work laptop with me. There’s nothing more important to me than work. Or, at least, that’s what I stupidly thought. It’s time for me to start focusing on family.”

“So, what do you plan to do with me all day?” I asked, pausing when I realized just how filthy my words sounded. Nate pursed his lips as he tried to hold back his laugh. “You know what I mean!” I laughed, lightly slapping his arm.

“Well, I’m not exactly used to being a gentleman of leisure, but there are several options we can choose from. There are the classic video games that we can play from the nest, or I do believe we have several board games that I can bring in here.”

“Do you have Scrabble?” I asked excitedly.

Nate’s brow furrowed in thought. “I think we do somewhere.”

“You may be a fancy pants lawyer, but I’m pretty confident that I can kick your ass in Scrabble.”

“In that case, game on.”

“There’s no way in hell that’s a word!” I exclaimed, looking at where Nate had laid down his letters to spell aliquot.

He smirked at me. “It’s a legal term.”

Grabbing my phone, I typed in the word. “Okay, I’ll concede. They really bashed some weird words into your brain in law school, didn’t they?”

“Oh yeah, I’m a wealth of useless knowledge now.”

We had intended to spend an hour or two playing board games and somehow got absorbed into a cutthroat tournament of Scrabble. It had been rather eye opening. It was nice to see Nate so relaxed. He lounged across the nest on his side, looking at the Scrabble board between us.

“I think we need to stop and get some food that’s slightly better than just fruit snacks. If Jeremy finds out I haven’t fed you properly, he’s going to murder me.”

I sighed. “I suppose I would rather you didn’t die. Then again, I think you’re choosing now to end this game because you are in the middle of losing.”

Nate cocked an eyebrow at me. “Who said we needed to stop the game?” He handed me his phone. “There are at least six delivery apps on that phone. Pick one and choose something to eat, and I’ll order takeout—get whatever sounds good to you. That way, I can continue kicking your butt at Scrabble.”

“Those are fighting words.” I laughed, taking the phone from him and opening the first takeout app I saw. “There’s a dessert place not far from here that delivers—that looks amazing.”

Nate narrowed his eyes at me. “Order some real food for us, then we can order dessert.”

I grinned playfully. “We don’t have to tell Jeremy.”

“I’m quite attached to my balls, and I fully believe Jeremy will remove them from my body if I don’t feed you properly.”

“Ugh. Fine. Spoilsport.” I groaned, looking through the various restaurants. “How about Chinese takeout?”

“Just please order something with vegetables,” he pleaded.

“Does beef and broccoli count?” I asked.

Nate sighed, a long-suffering sigh, even though a smile tugged at his lips. “I suppose it will have to.”

“Good,” I said, tapping the phone screen. “Food is ordered. Now accept that your defeat is imminent!”

Nate didn’t leave me alone until Devon came home many hours later. He excused himself to go sort out some work he needed to hand over to a colleague while Devon dove into the nest.

“It sounds like you two had a good day,” Devon said as I cuddled into his chest, letting his spiced, warm scent seep into me.

“He’s surprisingly good at Scrabble,” I admitted.

Devon’s chest rose and fell under me as he laughed. I looked up at him with a questioning face. “Oh, flower. Nate is excellent at Scrabble. It was his go-to game after he’d had a few drinks. I can’t tell you the number of times he has drunkenly played Scrabble and dominated.”

“That little scammer!” I laughed.

“It takes a lot of talent to be able to go toe to toe with him,” Devon said as he gently rubbed my back.

“Oh, I won. He just held his own very well,” I said primly.

“You make me laugh,” he said, before leaning down and placing a kiss on my lips. I wasn’t satisfied with the gentle brush of his lips. Lightly grabbing his hair, I pulled him in closer and deepened the kiss.

I love being close to my alphas. Having their bodies pressed against mine made me feel secure, wanted, and loved.

Especially when I could feel their arousal digging into me like Devon’s was. Even though I was bloated, sweaty and tired, I still felt desired, far more than I ever had before.

I kissed the underside of his chin, my hand roaming down his chest, slipping under his waistband.

“Fuck, we shouldn’t do anything.” Devon groaned as my hand found his erection, pumping lightly.

“We can take it slow,” I insisted. “Plus, I don’t have to leave the bed at all…” I cooed.

“You’re too damn tempting for your own good,” he said, his eyes firmly on my cleavage.

“Well, give in to the temptation, then. Please, I need you, alpha,” I whimpered.

He closed his eyes and softly cursed. “Fuck… I can’t say no to you.”

“We can be quick.” I grinned at him.

Devon groaned, sitting up. “Hands on the headboard, omega,” he instructed, his voice low and commanding. My stomach quivered at the sound.

I slipped off my shorts, exposing my already soaked pussy to him before doing as I was told.

Presenting myself to him.

“Holy fuck,” he mumbled.

“Yes, fuck.” I nodded eagerly, arching my back so my pussy was thrust towards him.

Hands roamed over the globes of my ass as Devon took his time appreciating every curve.

“You can memorize my body later,” I grumbled.

“You’ve really got no patience, have you?” I could hear the smirk in Devon’s voice.

My reply was cut off when I felt the head of his cock gliding through my folds, teasing me.

My hips pushed back in anticipation, desperately seeking friction, but the asshole was taking his sweet time.

“Fuck me!” I growled. “Please,” I whined, my tone going from pissed to needy in a heartbeat.

“You know I can’t resist when you beg.” He pushed forwards in an agonizingly slow movement. Every inch stretched my walls, that delicious sensation of being full muddling my senses.

He stilled once his pubic bone was pressed against my ass, letting me adjust to his size. No matter how many times we did it, the alphas always felt huge.

I guess that really said something about the sperm donor.

“I don’t think I can go slow, flower,” Devon growled.

“When,” I panted, “did I ever ask you to go slow?”

A laugh escaped Devon. Without another word, he reared back so only the head of his cock was resting at my entrance. I wanted to sob with how the emptiness felt after being so full just a moment prior.

Thankfully, he didn’t make me wait. It wasn’t as explosive as our previous times, but there was a slow, simmering intensity I was happy to drown myself in.

The room was filled with our moans and the sounds of Devon’s thrusts.

It didn’t take long for the telltale tightening of my abdomen to start.

“Fuck, I needed this,” I moaned, throwing my head back, closing my eyes and focusing on Devon’s hand on my waist, the feel of his hips slapping gently against my ass with each thrust.

My orgasm was approaching, and it was going to be a damn good one. All I could see in front of me was the headboard I was desperately clinging to. As Devon increased his thrusts, one of his hands came to rest on the headboard, not far from mine as he bent over me, taking what he and I both needed so desperately .

The moment my orgasm hit, my mind completely switched off. As if a deeper feral instinct had taken over me, and I was no longer in control of my own body, I lunged forward, my mouth closing around Devon’s wrist and biting down. Hard.

Bite. Claim. Mine.

It was like a mantra in my head. Devon was mine.

My body convulsed with the intensity of my orgasm, and I could feel my wetness dripping down my thighs.

“Fuck!” Devon shouted. Leaning forward, his teeth latched on to the side of my neck Jeremy hadn’t marked, and he bit down, solidifying the bond as his cock throbbed with his own release.

“Alpha,” I whimpered happily as he gave a few shallow thrusts as we both came down from the high.

“You drenched the nest, flower,” Devon finally said in a strangled, worn-out voice.

“Worth it,” I declared happily, crawling out of the nest with shaky legs.

Still on his knees, Devon looked at me in amazement as he rubbed his chest. “This is bonkers, I can feel your contentment.” He smirked. “Clearly, I fucked you good.”

Rolling my eyes, I picked up a pillow and lightly threw it at him before leaning forward to kiss him. “Are you happy?” I asked, even though I could feel his elation through the bond.

“Ecstatic,” he replied. “This was a long time coming. You?”

“I feel amazing, but I think we both need a shower after that.”

I groaned as I waddled over to the bathroom, sated and sleepy.

“I’ll change the nest sheets, then come join you,” Devon said as he gathered the wet bedding in his arms.

It wasn’t until the shower had started running that a cramp rippled through my stomach. I hissed. It was just like my Braxton-Hicks contractions, only significantly stronger.

The pain ebbed, and I looked at myself in the mirror, freshly fucked with a bond bite on my neck. As I reached for my toothbrush, another cramp took over, only this time stronger, and it was accompanied by a slow trickle of liquid running down my leg.

These weren’t Braxton Hicks.

I was in labor.

Chapter 35

Jeremy

DEVON:

Baby time! Get your ass home!

My heart stopped when I read that message.

I didn’t even bother to reply. I grabbed my bag and booked it out of my hotel room.

Zach, an ex-team member and pack mate to three of my current team members was standing in the lobby, and saw me high tailing it out of there.

“Where’s the fire?” he asked with a laugh.

“My omega is going into labor!” I panted, stopping only for a moment. “Can you tell everyone?”

His eyes widened before a grin broke out on his face. “You have an omega? I didn’t know!”

“She’s pregnant with twins and has gone into labor early. I need to rent a car to get back, now,” I said quickly. We were in a major city, so there had to be a car rental place nearby. I had come on the team bus, so that wasn’t an option to get home.

“It’s an eight-hour drive!” Zach pulled his cell phone out from his pocket. “We have a jet. It’s only a ten-minute drive to the air strip. Take it.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, dropping my bag to the floor in relief.

“Of course! You’re about to be a father—nothing is more important than that. It makes no difference to us, so take it. I’ll call and get a pilot booked.”

A small, auburn-haired omega walked up to Zach, hugging him gently around the waist. Following behind her was Grayson. She must be the English omega I had heard so much about.

“Is everything okay?” the omega asked, looking between Zach, who had the phone pressed up against his ear, and me.

“Yeah,” Zach smiled down at her, embracing her with his free arm before looking at his pack mate and explaining how I’d planned to get home.

“Oh no!” the omega exclaimed. “Surely, he can take the jet? It’s a long drive back to California and he can’t miss the birth of his baby!”

“Who do you think I’m on the phone to?” He grinned.

“I’m Molly, by the way,” the omega said to me.

“Nice to meet you officially, Molly.”

“Congratulations man, I’m happy for you! How’s Daisy doing?” Grayson said, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Your life’s about to change.”

“Oh god, it is,” I choked out. “I need to make sure she’s okay. My pack mates are taking her to the hospital right now.”

“Then she’s in good hands,” Grayson soothed as Zach spoke quietly on the phone, moving toward the hotel reception desk.

“It’s twins,” I admitted to Grayson. His eyes went comically wide, and I could have sworn I heard him choke on his own saliva for a second.

“T-twins?”

I nodded. “We found out a few days ago.”

“That’s amazing!” Molly said. “Your entire pack is taking paternity leave, right? That poor girl is going to need all the sleep after birthing two babies.”

“We are,” I confirmed. “My pack is already on leave. I planned to take it after this game because she wasn’t due for several weeks originally.”

“How early is she?” Molly asked with a frown.

“Five or six weeks. The doctor assured us that was normal with twin pregnancies.”

“It is,” Molly confirmed. She turned to look at Zach who was walking back toward our group.

“There’s a car waiting outside for you. It’ll take you straight to the air strip and you’ll be with your omega within two hours—now get out of here. I’ll let the team know what’s happening.”

“Give them my apologies,” I said, picking up the duffle bag off the floor where I had discarded it when I had first started speaking with Zach.

“Never apologize for prioritizing your family,” Zach said as he pushed me toward the door. “Let us know when it’s all over. We want details!”

“Thank you!” I called over my shoulder as I dashed from the lobby and into the waiting vehicle.

It took an hour and forty-eight minutes for me to get to the hospital. The flight assistant had insisted I turn my phone off for the hour we were in the air and I had to resist shouting at her in frustration.

Devon and Nate were updating me via text as often as they could but naturally their focus was on our omega. The last update I received was that Daisy was being transferred into a delivery room and she was progressing nicely.

Running at a breakneck pace through the hospital, I’d ignored every funny look I received from the security guards, silently praying that they weren’t going to stop me.

Judging by the horrified look the nurse gave me as I burst into the labor ward, I must have looked a mess, but I was beyond caring.

I was about to be a dad.

“Am I in time?” I asked as I leapt through the door. Daisy was sitting cross-legged on the hospital bed, Nate standing next to her, holding her hand as she strained through a contraction.

Her mass of red hair was piled on top of her head, and she wore a pale pink hospital gown. Even when sweaty and clearly exhausted, she was stunning.

“Just in time!” Daisy cried hoarsely holding out a hand for me which I gratefully took, taking a spot next to Devon on her other side.

“Thought you weren’t going to make it. How did you get here so fast?” Devon asked.

“I borrowed Grayson’s jet!” I admitted. “I was going to rent a car, but they insisted.”

“Oh damn! Look at you being all fancy. It’s a damn good thing though, because you would have missed it if you drove.” Devon laughed.

“All that matters is that it got him here on time.” Daisy panted, looking at me thankfully.

Leaning forward I gently planted a kiss on her forehead, letting the familiar scent of her soothe my adrenaline-panicked body. She was stressed out enough, and the last thing she needed was me freaking out through the bond as well.

“Are you feeling okay?” I asked, my lips against her forehead as I cupped her face, reluctant to let her go.

She nodded. “It’s not been that painful overall. Mostly, it’s just been uncomfortable. And as scared as I am for the next steps, I’m very excited to get them out.”

“How much longer do you think it’ll be?” I asked.

My timing truly was impeccable because I had been holding her hand less than thirty seconds when the doctor came into the room with a big smile on her face.

“It’s almost time to push! Let’s meet your babies.”

Chapter 36

Daisy

Labor was no joke.

I knew it was going to be painful, but my entire body felt electrified, and not in a good way.

“Is it too late for an epidural?” I asked Doctor Parrish as she took her spot between my legs so she was facing my business area.

“I’m sorry,” she grimaced. “You’re too far along.”

I nodded, steeling myself. “Okay. Let’s do this!”

As the contractions increased, the pain increased. Jeremy’s hand in mine became clammy, and his entire face pale and sweaty.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“You’re really in pain,” he admitted in a strained voice.

I furrowed my brow at him. Of course I was in pain! I was about to evict two small humans out of my body.

The nurse who was on the far side of the room chuckled. “Your bond mates will be feeling everything. You’d be surprised at how badly a lot of alphas take it,” she informed me.

I looked from Jeremy to Devon, who wasn’t looking so hot himself. “Do you need to sit down?” I asked him.

He shook his head adamantly. “I’m fine,” he insisted.

The nurse, bless her, gently grabbed a chair and placed it near Devon, clearly prepared for him to fall over. “Now, Mr. Dad, you cannot let yourself pass out. You’ve got to be here for your omega. If you drop, we won’t be looking after you. You can lie concussed on the floor until your babies come.” She paused for a second, thinking. “Actually, we can just push you out of our way and you’ll miss your babies’ birth.”

A particularly painful contraction took over and I scrunched my eyes up in pain, crying out.

“Okay Daisy, with the next contraction I want you to push, okay?” Doctor Parrish asked.

I nodded.

Jeremy let out a strangled sound with the next contraction and my hand was drenched in his sweat.

“Just move over, dummy,” Nate growled in a good natured voice, gently nudging Jeremy out of the way as he drifted over slightly, his hand resting on my leg, not wanting to stop touching me.

“Is he okay?” I asked breathlessly.

“He’s fine. He and Devon are just big babies.” Nate laughed lightly as he gripped my hand in his, his arm going around me. “Now squeeze, kick and scratch me all you need to, okay? Let’s get these babies out before those two fall over. I know you’re fine, handling it like a champ—those two I’m not so sure about.”

“I probably don’t look like I’m handling it well.” I groaned, tilting my head back as my uterus contracted painfully. My hair was plastered to my sweaty forehead, and I probably looked like a tomato.

“Bullshit,” Nate grumbled, gently placing a kiss on the top of my head. “You are fucking beautiful, Daisy St. James. In fact, you’ve never been prettier,” he said, his words full of conviction.

“St. James?” Jeremy looked at Nate, his eyes kind of hazy from the pain. “She’s my bonded mate. She’s a Thorne.”

“Wait…who agreed to that?” Devon asked.

“Guys!” Nate snapped. “Not the time. We can debate names later. For now let’s focus on getting the babies out, okay?”

“I like that one.” The nurse pointed at Nate.

“He’s all right.” I laughed.

“High praise, omega.” Nate smirked. His hand remained firmly attached to mine, tethering me in a way Jeremy’s sweaty grip didn’t. Their comforting, warm scenes soothed me.

“On three, I want you to start pushing, okay?” Doctor Parrish said, looking at me with a smile. “It’s time to have your babies!”

You know all that stuff they say in the movies about how you don’t know true love until you have a child?

I wasn’t a hundred percent sure that was the case, but one thing I was sure of was that I would happily stab anyone that dared to even dream of hurting my babies.

The girls came in rapid succession, placed on my chest for immediate skin to skin. “Baby number one is a girl,” Doctor Parrish had told us as the nurse had wiped some of the gunk off the squishy little angel’s face as I prepared to push out baby number two.

“A girl!” Devon exclaimed in a happy daze, looking at me with nothing but pure awe on his face.

Ten minutes later Doctor Parrish placed a second baby on my chest. “Baby number two is also a girl!”

Two girls.

Two daughters.

I was the mother of two adorable, fragile little girls.

“Holy fuck,” Jeremy muttered as he watched me. “You are amazing!”

“You did so good, sweetheart,” Nate told me, kissing the top of my head again, looking between me and the girls on my chest.

“Do they have names?” the nurse asked, carrying one of the cleaned girls back over to me, carefully placing her in my arms after they had been weighed and checked.

The baby’s small face was squashed up in sleep, and I had never seen anything more beautiful. It was like all the pain and suffering had melted away the moment I saw their faces.

It hadn’t actually, though. My body was going to need a good few months to heal. Ultimately, I thought it was worth it.

“This one is Poppy,” I told her, looking down at my daughter lovingly for a moment before turning to Jeremy who sat at my bedside, a matching pink bundle in his arms. “That is Petunia.”

“A floral theme, I like it. You certainly brought these girls into the world like a champion.” The nurse hummed, checking my blood oxygen monitor with a happy nod.

Seven hours of labor. That was all it took to bring my girls into the world.

I was pretty sure I had broken Nate’s hand from holding it so tightly at one point.

I was tired, I was sweaty, and I was filthy, but I had my girls. At first glance, they did look a little bit squashed, their faces scrunched up. But it had to have been difficult sharing such small real estate for the last few months.

The moment they were in my arms, my chest felt fit to burst.

“My little duckling. How can anything so small be so perfect? She’s smiling at me!” Jeremy marveled as he sat next to my bedside, Poppy resting in a pink swaddle in his arms.

“I think that’s gas,” Devon laughed as he walked over to my bedside, handing me an opened bottle of water.

“Well, it’s the most adorable gas I’ve ever seen,” Jeremy declared, unable to take his eyes off his daughter.

“How long until we can take them home?” Nate asked from his position in the corner of the room. As he didn’t have a baby in his arms, he had decided to try and build the strollers. They were fancy ones that converted into car seats, so they were basically little spaceships I couldn’t understand for the life of me.

“The doctor will give the babies a more thorough check up, but all seems to be going well, so probably tomorrow morning,” the nurse said.

“But what about Daisy?” Nate asked, looking between me and the nurse. “Is she okay?”

“She’s doing just fine. Your omega will get several checks before we discharge her. Now, I’ll let you guys bask in that new baby glow for a bit. Just use the call bell if you need me!” She gave me a big smile before leaving me and my alphas alone with our babies.

“You should try and get some sleep,” Jeremy suggested. “We’ve got the girls.”

“We outnumber them so between the three of us we can keep them entertained,” Devon insisted, coming over to me and making a grabby hand motion for Petunia who had just finished her first feeding.

Handing over the baby, I watched in contentment as he started to rock her, my eyelids growing heavy. Labor was exhausting, and I needed to rest. Shuffling down into the soft blankets—far nicer than any blankets I had ever imagined being used in a hospital—I let myself drift off to sleep.

We stayed in the hospital for less than twenty-four hours. I was eager to get back to my home, to my nest. The hospital quickly discharged us as soon as we had the all clear because postpartum omegas thrived in their own familiar environment.

Apparently, studies had even been done, and omegas who went home quicker to nest often healed faster, which despite being an omega myself felt bizarre.

“We just get to take them?” Devon asked with a frown. “It feels wrong. Like we’re taking babies that we shouldn’t be taking, because who’s trusting us with babies?” he said as Jeremy clipped them into their car seats.

“It’s hard to believe that we’re about to take them home,” I admitted. “I don’t know how to take care of them!”

“We’ll figure it out,” Jeremy said, never looking away from the babies, a smile plastered on his face.

Nate was tasked with driving us home, and he drove twenty under the speed limit the entire way back. I didn’t say a single word about it. I merely sat between my two babies in their car seats and grinned to myself.

All three of these alphas were treating my babies like they were the most fragile and loved creatures in existence, and it warmed my heart to see.

Chapter 37

Nate

When I had booked my leave of absence, I had assumed I would be groveling and making up for being an asshole to Daisy.

The last thing I expected was for it to be the happiest time of my life.

Daisy was magnificent. She had been beautiful before, but ever since becoming a mother, there was a new glow to her that I couldn’t resist. She fell into the role so easily, anticipating the girls’ needs before they even thought about crying.

Holding her hand throughout her labor had been an honor. One I hadn’t expected. But once the labor got underway, Jeremy and Devon became somewhat useless thanks to their bonds, leaving me to step up.

The girls were mere days old, and I was already considering if Daisy would ever want more children. I certainly wanted them. It wasn’t something I had really thought about until I was holding Poppy and Petunia in my arms. The moment they looked up at me with those big eyes, I knew that two wasn’t enough. I wanted an entire football team of children in my life.

I couldn’t picture anyone else to have children with other than Daisy.

The idea of letting another omega into my life had always been so daunting. While it would have helped the majority of my symptoms, the idea of opening myself up to that level of pain again was terrifying.

Only, this small omega and her adorable babies had crept up on me in a way that it didn’t matter if we were bonded or not: if I lost any of them, I would suffer immensely. Every time I imagined some sort of harm coming to them or them leaving, my chest tightened painfully and spots appeared in my vision. Deep down, I knew it would hurt more than losing Jilly.

The girls were due for a feed soon—we were all falling into a natural rhythm with feeds and naps. Nursing made Daisy thirsty so I grabbed a large glass of water, adding a little electrolyte powder and stirring it with the pastel glass straws Daisy loved so much.

At the last second, I grabbed a cereal bar and a bag of dried fruit so she had snack options as well, and took my little haul upstairs to the nest.

Daisy was standing over the crib, her hair falling down in a thick mass of red waves as she cooed at the girls laying next to each other. The late afternoon light was hitting the stained windows just so, drenching the nest in bright colors. It reminded me of a church, but far more beautiful.

If this was a church, I would happily worship on my knees at this omega’s altar all day and all night long.

Gilbert laid by the crib. He had taken to staying by the twins at all times. He was completely enamored with them, same as every other male in the house.

“Hey, Nate,” she said, looking up and smiling at me. “They just finished nursing.”

I placed the snacks and drinks on the bedside table, joining her to look at the girls for a moment.

Despite being awake, they were peacefully curled around each other, their eyes drifting in a happy little milk coma.

“You’re fucking amazing with them,” I said.

“They’re easy babies, and I’ve got plenty of help.” Daisy shrugged.

“Don’t sell yourself short,” I admonished.

“I’m not. Devon and Jeremy have been wonderful.”

“I’ve never seen the pair of them so happy. They’re eternally on cloud nine.”

Daisy snorted. “It’s the post-pregnancy hormones from me. They’re feeling it all through the bond.”

“It’s not just that,” I said, gently reaching down to adjust Poppy’s bootie that she’d kicked off before turning to look at Daisy again. My chest tightened, there was so much I wanted to say, but didn’t know how. “It’s because they love you, and the girls.”

“I love them, too,” she admitted, a dreamy, blissful smile stretching across her face.

“The girls are so easy to love.”

“They are.”

“I’m also in love with you,” I admitted, the words catching in my throat.

Daisy smiled at me indulgently. “So, you finally admit it?”

“You knew? How did you know? I didn’t even know.”

“You’re not exactly subtle, Nate. You just needed to come to your conclusions.” Daisy walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me. “I know you’ve had a lot happen to you, and I know that admitting how you feel is difficult. I realized early on that I needed to give you space and time.”

“I was such an asshole to you.”

Daisy shrugged. “You were hurting. Now, don’t get me wrong, that’s not an excuse, and if you ever treated our girls badly because of that, I would not hesitate to castrate—”

“If I ever hurt the girls, you have my full permission to draw and quarter me, castrate me, and give me the most gruesome and grotesque death you can think of.”

“You really love them, don’t you?”

I nodded my head lightly. “It’s like the moment I saw them, I just knew I would kill for them. They were so small and fragile, and it was impossible not to fall in love.”

“They’re going to get a lot of attention growing up,” she said.

“No boys. They’re not allowed to date until they’re fifty.”

Daisy laughed. “Fifty? I would say that’s a bit extreme, but Jeremy insisted that they wait until they’re sixty.”

“Jeremy is a very smart man. We should listen to him.”

Daisy snorted.

“I’m serious, though,” I gently clutched her elbow, bringing her closer to me, looking down at those large green eyes. “I’ve had really strong feelings for you for a very long time, Daisy. I’ve simply been too scared to admit it. And as much as I adore the babies, they’re not the reason behind me finally realizing, though they certainly helped. They helped me see just how amazing you are. Jeremy brought you into our home knowing very little about you, and I honestly thought him insane, but, at every turn, you’ve taken my anger and met it with kindness and understanding. I thoroughly believe that you are the strongest out of any of the adults in this house—fuck it, out of anyone I know, and I know a lot of people. You are beautiful and intelligent and I don’t know what lucky star Jeremy wished on to find you, but I’m eternally grateful he did.”

“Nate…”

“What I’m trying to say, in a very roundabout way, is that I want to court you… Are you open to that?”

Daisy’s face broke out into a grin, leaning up so her face was a mere inch from mine.

I dared not move as she closed the distance between us, her lips brushing against mine. They were softer than I had imagined.

That one touch was all it took for my entire body to come to life. One hand flew to the back of her neck, the other to her hip, keeping her firmly in place as I kissed her, my own lips far more demanding than hers had been. Her eyes closed as a blissful look on her face.

She whimpered into my mouth, and I almost came there and then. Was this what I had been missing for so many years? The warmth, the connection, the sheer intensity of having an omega who smelled like the sweetest treat in my arms?

My heart pounded erratically, blood rushing in my ears.

Despite all the adrenaline, I hadn’t felt so stable, so down to earth, in years.

Daisy was like a balm to all the soreness of my life, and I had been denying it for far too long.

When she pulled back, everything in me screamed to keep her right where she was, my lips on hers, but the rational part of my brain also understood that we both needed to breathe.

“I think…” Daisy panted, opening her eyes and looking up at me through long lashes. “That I would very much like you to court me.”

Chapter 38

Daisy

When I had first fallen pregnant, I had been so scared of doing everything on my own. I had assumed that I would be getting next to no sleep and would be a complete mess. I’d frankly anticipated failing at motherhood.

The reality was vastly different.

My alphas were encouraging me to sleep at every opportunity. They had all taken several weeks of paternity leave and were making the most of every minute.

Stretching lazily, I looked to the side of my bed where the crib stood. Once again, it was empty. It was becoming something of a routine that I would fall asleep to have a quick nap while the babies slept next to me, and by the time I woke up they had been scooped up by their daddies.

“Poppy had a blowout!” Devon declared, coming out of the bathroom, a freshly bathed baby in his arms. He handed her to me. “She’s all clean now, and ready for her lunch.”

“That’ll be my job.” I adjusted the wriggling baby in my lap and released the strap of my nursing bra.

“Would have happily helped, but unfortunately I don’t have the right parts. That didn’t stop her from trying to feed off me, though.” He laughed.

“Oh no,” I cooed. “Daddy’s chest is far too hairy to feed from, isn’t it?”

“There’s also a distinct lack of milk.” Devon grinned.

I had been trying to pump so the guys could feed the babies, but my attempts had been pitiful because the girls were so voracious they had been draining me of every drop. In the three days we had been home, I had basically been a walking buffet for the girls.

Not that my alphas allowed me to walk anywhere.

It took a few days, but we fell into a routine. A blissful, calm routine. The girls were well behaved and didn’t cry much—though that might have been because the moment they made even the smallest fussing noises, one of the alphas was scooping them up and giving them cuddles.

Most of my time was spent in the nest, but occasionally I did venture out. While Devon and Nate changed all the bedding in the nest, I took up a spot on the living room floor with my girls on their play mat and put on videos of dancing fruit for them to watch. They were too young to really enjoy the videos, but I did find them oddly hypnotic.

“We really need to stop letting the mail pile up,” Jeremy said as he rummaged through the stack of envelopes. He was cooking my favorite: Korean rice cakes. The dish that started it all.

“It’s mainly stuff for Nate’s work. Make him go through it.” My eyes never left Poppy as her chubby little hand clenched around my finger.

“There’s one here for you,” he said, singling out a large brown envelope.

“Open it for me? I don’t want to put Poppy down when she’s clinging on tightly.” I nodded to the baby in my lap. Petunia’s hands were outstretched toward the mobile of little stuffed animals above her.

Jeremy ripped open the envelope, pulling out a stack of papers. His brow furrowed while he read.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Legal papers.”

“Again? I thought Cole has no claim on the girls?”

Jeremy shook his head. “He doesn’t… he’s actually seeking to have his parental rights terminated.”

“But… he has no rights.”

“They don’t know we’re bonded, do they?” Jeremy asked, flicking over the pages and whistling in shock. “I can’t fucking believe this. The idiot’s parents are offering a one-off financial settlement. They want to pay you to agree to terminate his rights so he can have nothing to do with the girls. They said they tried to deliver the papers in person, but, as you were unavailable, they had to do it via mail.”

“In person?” I reached for the papers and Jeremy moved closer so I could read. When on earth had they been near my house? Had they gone to my old apartment?

“Oh shit! They came here,” Jeremy said, turning to me with an apologetic smile. “They rang the doorbell while you were in labor—we saw it on the cameras. We planned to tell you after you gave birth but well…”

“The girls were very distracting.” I nodded.

“They are, in the best way. The whole Hanover family seem like dicks.”

“They own a pharmaceutical company, so morals aren’t exactly something they possess.” I chuckled lightly. “Shall we do anything about this?”

“You can accept the money if you want, but his rights are already terminated.”

I thought about it for a moment. “Can we just ignore it for now? I want to focus on the girls. I don’t want to give any of my brain power to those wastes of space.”

Jeremy took my hand. “That sounds like a plan. We can deal with it another time.”

“Where the hell are you guys?” I called as I wandered through the house. Once again I had taken a nap and woke up to the crib being empty.

I knew the guys wouldn’t have taken the girls out of our home without telling me first, but I was still struggling to locate them.

Despite my priority being to find my children, I couldn’t help but marvel at how clean the house was. Sure there was plenty of baby clutter, bottles, hats and toys dotted around, but there was no real mess. Before I’d become part of the pack, I had been prepared to struggle with dishes, laundry and all that household stuff after giving birth, but the guys had taken over all those duties entirely without a single complaint.

Part of me felt like I hadn’t even given birth to twins with how easy and restful this time was, other than my very sore chest. The girls had been abusing my nipples with the constant feedings, and they were getting chapped and itchy.

Though the guys were more than happy to apply nipple balm at any opportunity.

When I passed the door that led to the garage, I could hear muffled voices. I paused, opening the door and took a few steps into the garage before frowning in confusion at the sight before me.

All of my alphas were surrounding Nate’s Jeep which had its tire taken off. Devon was on the floor changing said tire while Nate and Jeremy held each of the girls.

“Now you gotta make sure you use the jack. Don’t try any other ways ‘cause that would just be problematic,” Devon was saying as he worked.

“What are you guys doing?” I laughed as they all turned to look at me.

“Duckie! You should be sleeping,” Jeremy admonished. He was wearing Poppy on his chest in one of those adorable baby slings. Her eyes were wide open and she looked around the room curiously.

“I’m doing nothing but sleeping. I assure you, I’m very well rested. Now, why are my daughters with you while you change a tire?”

Jeremy smirked at me. “The ducklings need to learn. We refuse to let some seventeen-year-old little fuckboy impress them by being able to do the bare minimum.”

I snorted. “The girls are six weeks old and have mushy little brains that don’t retain anything. Now while it’s certainly something admirable they should learn, I don’t think now is the time.”

“It’s never too early to start!” Nate insisted. He had Petunia cradled in his arms, and from the looks of it, she was about to fall asleep.

They weren’t exactly an enraptured audience, but it was too adorable to watch, so I decided to let them continue.

Chapter 39

Daisy

Turning on the shower, I slipped off the oversized T-shirt of Jeremy’s I was wearing and took a good look at myself in the mirror, wearing nothing but a small pair of black panties.

My body still held all the marks of my pregnancy. Stretchmarks, loose skin, and, thanks to breastfeeding, my chest was both engorged and starting to sag.

Turning from side to side, I took in my body from several angles. It was never going to be the same, and I probably needed to accept that, but part of me mourned my old body.

“Fucking beautiful,” a voice said from the doorway as I craned to look at my ass.

Nate stood in the doorway, watching me intently as he leaned against the door frame.

“I think you and I disagree there,” I grumbled, turning again, trying to get a better angle to view my rear. Part of me wanted to cover up, but all the guys had seen me naked from the waist up a lot recently thanks to the girls and their constant desire to feed.

“Your body is stunning,” Nate insisted, his eyes burning intensely.

“My body is a mess.” I laughed lightly, but it came out somewhat sarcastic.

Nate strode into the bathroom, his arm snaking around my waist, keeping me in place in front of the mirror as his chin rested on my shoulder, looking at me via the reflection.

“Your body is the furthest thing from a mess.” He trailed one hand gently up and down my side. His eyes hungrily drank in every inch of skin. “It’s fucking beautiful.”

“The girls have done some damage.”

Nate tutted. “You see damage, I see trophies. Your body did more than mine ever could. It brought our girls into the world and is feeding them.”

“It’s not exactly sexy, though, is it?” I rolled my eyes with a snort, but Nate’s face remained deadly serious.

“Does it feel like I find it unsexy?” Nate pulled me back against him so his cock was pressed against me. His very thick, very obviously aroused cock.

The contact made my skin flush, my chest turning pink as my mind focused on the feeling of his cock grinding against me. It had been weeks since I had even thought about sex, though I knew that would change soon.

In another month or two, I was due for a post-pregnancy heat.

Pressing myself against him, I looked at him in the mirror as my scent bloomed, making my desire clear as brown sugar and apples filled the air. Nate’s nostrils flared.

“Does someone need release?” he asked.

I nodded. “Please.”

“Well, I can’t fuck you yet, but I can certainly worship you,” he muttered, feathering kisses across my shoulder.

With a happy sound, I went to turn around to face him, intending to kiss him, but he kept me firmly locked against him.

“You’re going to stay right here and watch as I worship you.” His teeth grazed over my shoulder. “I want you to see just how much I adore this body, okay?” His eyes met mine in the reflection and I nodded, temporarily unable to form words.

The hand that had been at my side sank lower, playing with the band of my underwear for a brief second before sliding in, his fingers finding my folds that were already drenched with ease.

“Such a needy pussy,” he cooed.

“It has been a few weeks,” I reasoned.

“Far too long,” he tutted.

“Those babies are lucky they’re so damn adorable.” I chuckled lightly, breaking off with a moan as his fingers brushed my clit.

“So wet. So beautiful. Look at you,” he instructed. “Such a good omega, getting nice and wet for me.”

My instinct was to avert my eyes, but I did as I was told despite it not being easy. The sight of Nate behind me, his hand in my underwear, slowly fucking me with his fingers as he hungrily watched my every reaction was heady.

My chest was flushed, my swollen breasts heavy with need, nipples hard, moving with every panting breath I took.

“Alpha,” I whined. One touch and I was already racing toward release.

I tried reaching back, desperate to touch him but he tutted, moving his hips so he was out of my reach. “This isn’t about me, omega. If you touch me, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop.”

“I’m okay with that!” I insisted in a strangled voice as his fingertips brushed lightly over my G-spot.

“You’re still healing. None of us are going to fuck you until you’re ready for it.”

“Don’t you want to?” I asked, my body stilling as doubt filled me. “I kn—agh!”

Smack. My word was cut off as a light pain bloomed across my left ass cheek from Nate swatting my ass at the same time his teeth dug into my shoulder lightly.

“Let me assure you, omega, I fully intend to knot you repeatedly and leave my mark on you, but only when you’re fully healed.” His fingers increased in pace. “I’m a patient man. I’ll wait, but the moment your heat hits, all bets are off. You’re mine, and I can’t wait for the world to see it.” His eyes trailed to the bites on my neck in the mirror. “As much as I love seeing my pack mates’ marks on you, I want mine to also be there, and then you’ll be fully ours.”

“Yes!” I moaned.

“Maybe I’ll fuck you in this exact position, make you watch as I bury my cock in you time and time again,” he hummed. “Wouldn’t that be a good idea?”

I nodded, my mouth dry.

Something powerful was building in me, and I worried for a moment that my impending orgasm was going to be so intense I wouldn’t survive it.

Then again, every time my alphas made me come, I felt like I was going to fall apart.

“Please…” I babbled, unable to form full sentences. “More.”

Nate’s fingers sped up, thrusting in and out with impressive speed, all while his thumb rubbed maddening circles over my clit.

“You’re tightening beautifully over my fingers, omega. Are you going to come?”

I nodded. I was either going to come or going to explode.

“Look at yourself while you come. Watch how beautiful you look. Eyes on you, omega,” he instructed.

It’s way too much—the cold air on my swollen nipples, the double stimulation of his fingers on my clit and on my G-spot as he watched me. With a shout I came, my legs trembling as waves of pleasure tore through my body. I kept my eyes firmly on the mirror in front of me, and it only served to intensify everything having my alpha watch me as I did so.

Nate’s arm around my waist kept me up, and when the waves finally ebbed after what felt like an hour, he kissed my shoulder gently and said in a soft voice “Beautiful.”

“I don’t think my legs are going to work for a shower,” I mumbled sleepily, utterly come-drunk. I had needed that. Desperately.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to shower before those tiny terrors of ours wake up.”

“That sounds lovely.”

The shower was quick since we had taken our time prior to the shower, and the babies would be awake and hungry soon.

Laying back in the nest, I fed Petunia while Nate regularly lifted my glass of water to my mouth so I could take sips from the straw. Poppy had finished eating quickly and, after being burped by Nate, she had dropped right off to sleep in her crib.

Petunia’s eyes were closing as she ate. “I think she’s falling asleep mid-feed.” I laughed.

“She really is Devon’s child,” Nate smirked. “I once saw him fall asleep with a half-eaten burrito in his hand.”

“Clearly they are kindred spirits,” I agreed.

Nate went to open his mouth but was interrupted by Jeremy walking into the room. “How are my girls?” he asked, leaning down to give me a quick peck.

“They’re all good, full and sleepy. I’m also feeling good.”

“That’s how we like it. I can tell by the smell just how good you’re feeling.” He beamed down at me as my face heated. His smile didn’t falter as he nodded at Nate. “I could feel through the bond just how hard she came. Good fucking job, man!” He gave Nate a thumbs up.

The pair of them hadn’t finished laughing before Devon appeared.

“We have visitors—it’s the shit stains again. Shall I tell them to get fucked?”

The Hanovers.

They were here again.

Fuck.

They weren’t going away until they got what they wanted. They were the kind of people who were stubbornly persistent.

So, I needed to at least make sure I got something out of them that I wanted.

Chapter 40

Daisy

“What the fuck do they want?” Jeremy thundered, standing up, his face full of rage. “I’ll get rid of them.”

“Actually,” I interrupted, handing Petunia to Devon. “I want to see them. Will you come with me, Jeremy? I know it’ll be hard, but can you be polite? I have an idea.”

He cocked his brow at me. “I mean, I can play nice if you want me to, but I don’t know why you would want me to.”

“Mr. Hanover is a raging asshole who could do with a punch, isn’t that right little Petunia?” Devon cooed as he gently rocked our daughter.

“Just trust me. I think I can get rid of them for good. I just need to grab a top that doesn’t have my cleavage spilling out of it.”

Recently, I’ve taken to wearing camisoles and nursing bras, resulting in some rather impressive curves especially when my breasts were full of milk.

“As much as I hate to cover that feature up, I totally understand why. And I do trust you implicitly,” Jeremy assured me. “But if he’s an asshole to you again, I will absolutely punch him.”

I nodded. That was understandable.

“Have them wait for us in the formal living room. I don’t want them anywhere near the girls.” I directed my words at Devon as he was placing Petunia down in the crib next to Poppy. They were both due for naps, so despite the unwanted visit, it was timed rather well.

“Your wish is my command, omega,” Devon said as he passed me, giving my cheek a peck on his way out.

Mr. and Mrs. Hanover looked exactly how they had just two days prior when they had last darkened our doorstep. They were sitting on the velvet couch with no drinks on the coffee table in front of them.

My pack wasn’t going to show them any hospitality.

Guests got drinks. Unwanted visitors got the cold shoulder.

“Let’s make this quick.” I smiled pleasantly, even though there was no sincerity behind it as I took a seat opposite them.

“We wish to speak with you, not with Mr. Thorne,” Mr. Hanover’s voice was clipped.

“Well, I hate to disappoint you, Mr. Hanover, but that is not an option. Jeremy will be staying with me throughout the duration of this little meeting. If you’re not okay with that, you’re more than welcome to leave.” I kept my voice level and firm. It didn’t matter how much money this man had, I couldn’t let him intimidate me.

My two daughters slept upstairs, and this man could potentially take them away from me.

That made him public enemy number one to me.

Mr. Hanover glowered at us. “Fine. We all agree that it’s time to put this disgusting mess behind us.”

Jeremy’s hand that was resting lightly on my thigh tightened in rage. Was he referring to my daughters as a disgusting mess?

I should have let my mates make a disgusting mess of his face.

“Last we heard, your son was trying to seek legal custody of the children in question. We did draft a response, but you have not responded in turn. Does this mean that Cole no longer wishes to have custody of the girls?”

The Hanover’s had the decency to look uncomfortable, even if it was only for a second. “We have come to an agreement that it’s best for Cole to move on and to sign over his parental rights to you. He is a bright young man and has a very good future ahead of him as part of a pack with an honorable omega.”

I didn’t miss his insinuation that I wasn’t an honorable omega, but I refused to rise to it.

“As the father, he has a legal obligation to support the children,” I said.

Jeremy turned to look at me, his face confused for a brief second. Before he could open his mouth, I shot him a quick look and he got the message. Let this play out.

“Yes, we know that he unfortunately has a legal obligation in these matters, so to make this situation easier we thought a one-time settlement in return for terminating his parental rights would be appropriate.”

“Yes, I saw the offer you so kindly sent after I refused you entry to my home. Considering your family’s net worth, it was a lowball offer, but I do have a counter offer that doesn’t include a financial settlement.”

Jeremy’s confusion was strong through the bond. Despite that, he didn’t say a word. He merely watched Mr. and Mrs. Hanover with a level gaze.

“Our offer was most generous. Especially considering you had no money or financial means of your own.”

“Cole is set to inherit one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in North America. A quick Google search let me know that your company is worth over $3 billion. I’m sure that if we went through the proper legal channels, Cole would be forced to pay a lot more.”

That was a straight face lie. I was bluffing. If we went the proper legal route, Cole wouldn’t have to pay a single penny because legally, Jeremy and Devon would be recognized as the fathers of the babies since they were my bonded alphas.

Mr. Hanover cleared his throat. “What is this counter offer of yours?”

“I wish for you to release the patent of one of your lower performing medications,” I declared.

Confusion clouded both of their features. It was a rather odd request, but I had my reasons.

Reasons that could save my pack.

“The patents for our medications can be worth millions,” Mr. Hanover said in a condescending tone.

“I’m aware. I’m not asking for one of those big medications. I do not wish to own the patent, I simply wish for you to release the patent for the medication SK1994. You only sell a few dozen units a month at most.”

“I fail to see how releasing a patent will benefit you. It won’t give you any financial gain.”

“My reasons are my own. I want it released to the public so it can be recreated by any company who is willing to charge less than you. Now you can frame this however you want. For all I care, you can say you’re feeling charitable and you want the medication to be free out there. It would be brilliant PR for your company, and it’ll also give you what you want.” I shrugged. “Or if you would rather, we can go ahead with the legal route where I seek 50% of Cole’s trust.”

Mr. Hanover appeared to be mulling over his options. “I think we can agree to that,” he said. “In return, you will let Cole sign over any parental rights and he will have nothing to do with the children.”

“I will happily sign any paperwork you send my way as soon as you release the patent. So do we have an agreement?”

“We do.”

“Good. Your child can start over, and hundreds of people will be helped by your charitable actions.” I smiled primly at him.

“I will have my lawyer send over the papers by the end of day.”

“Excellent. I think we can all agree that it will be a good idea to get this mess behind us.”

With a nod, they both stood up. There was nothing else to say. Both Jeremy and Mrs. Hanover had stayed staunchly silent throughout the entire meeting, which only lasted a few minutes in the end.

When the front door closed behind them, Jeremy turned to me, a look of sheer confusion on his face.

“Duckie, you’re going to have to explain to me what that move was, because while I trust you, that was confusing as fuck.”

“When a patent is released to the public, it ultimately means that many more pharmaceutical companies will be making it, and usually at a reduced cost. That medication I mentioned is commonly used to treat severing sickness.” I turned to him with a smirk on my face.

“You played them! Holy fuck, Duckie. Wait, what does this mean for Nate?”

“It means that in the next few months his medication will become a lot cheaper, and he won’t need a pack mate doing a job that he despises in order to keep affording it.”

The idea had come to me not long after I had decided to look into Hanover Pharmaceuticals. After bonding with my pack, I knew that Cole didn’t have any parental rights, but I could use his actions as leverage over his parents.

I felt no guilt over lying to them.

It was the least they could do, considering their son was basically the human equivalent of pond scum.

Large, strong hands gripped my neck, pulling me in for a blistering kiss. After a moment of surprise, I melted into his embrace.

“I fucking love you, Daisy Thorne,” he chuckled against my lips.

We hadn’t actually discussed whose last name I was taking, but in the moment, I decided it really didn’t matter. The only thing that was important was kissing my alpha like I was starving and he was a picnic feast.

Chapter 41

Nate

Something wasn’t right with Daisy. That much was obvious.

Several times over my life, I’d imagine coming out of the shower and finding an omega in my bedroom. What alpha didn’t dream of that? I was a lucky bastard and, for the briefest period of time, I did have an omega, but that particular fantasy had never been fulfilled.

The reality was vastly different from the fantasy.

After a long day, I came straight home and went right into the shower. I always felt grimy after being in the office all day, and I just wanted a clean body and fresh clothes. Spending the day in a monkey suit, in a tiny office pushing out paperwork tended to lead to sweat and discomfort. I despised that I had to return to work and miss little moments with the twins. The girls were now over eight weeks old and getting bigger by the day.

So when I came out of the shower and found Daisy rummaging around in my laundry basket, I was confused. She was hunched over, picking up every single piece of my dirty laundry, sniffing it and distributing it into one of two piles while muttering to herself.

“Is everything okay here?” I asked, the sheer oddity of seeing her inspecting my laundry hamper gave me pause.

“I need something that smells like you,” she growled, her eyes never leaving the laundry basket she was clawing through. Her face was pinched, and she clearly wasn’t happy.

Why did she need something that smelled like me? She was bonded to Jeremy and Devon, so she needed their scents, not mine.

“Don’t you want something that smells like Jeremy?” I asked. The only thing covering my junk was the towel wrapped around my waist, and I probably should have been clothed when dealing with the grumpy omega.

“No!” She whirled to face me, her expression furious. “No! I need all your scents.” She growled, lifting another dirty T-shirt up to her nose and inhaling deeply. A contented noise slipped from her lips and she kept the T-shirt firmly in her grip.

“Where’s Jeremy?” I asked, doing my best to keep my voice level. I took another step toward her, and the scent hit me at full force.

Apples and brown sugar.

It was her usual scent, but amplified many, many times over.

She was going into heat.

It was time. We knew that her post-pregnancy heat could come anywhere from seven to nine weeks postpartum. We had already discussed how we would handle it. Two of us would remain with Daisy at all times and we would swap regularly so someone could care for the babies.

“Daisy, sweetheart. Do you know what’s going on?”

“What’s going on is I need your fucking scent!” she snarled.

“Why do you need my scent?” I asked gently.

“For my nest! My nest doesn’t smell like my alphas, and I don’t like it!” Her voice wobbled, and tears gathered in the corner of her eyes.

She was nesting. A small part of me wanted to rejoice. When an omega was nesting, she would seek out the scents of her bonded alphas. I wasn’t bonded to Daisy yet, even though I desperately wanted to be, but she still wanted my scent in her nest.

We would be bonded soon. Realistically, I had known it was coming, but now that she was going into heat, it felt that much more real and that much more exciting.

“Take anything you want, omega,” I said, enjoying the way her eyes lit up at being called omega.

She grabbed a few items of my clothing and dashed out of the room. I stared after her for a moment, trying to decide if I should follow her or get dressed first.

If she was going straight into a full blown heat, then clothing really wasn’t going to be useful. Or she could simply be in preheat and getting needy. Ultimately, I grabbed the first pair of gym shorts I could find and threw them on, not even bothering with underwear before I hastened to the nest.

Judging by the way her nest was filled with various items of clothing, I wasn’t her first stop. It looked like she had obtained everybody’s laundry baskets and added the contents onto the nest. She sat in the middle of the chaos, neatly rearranging all the items with a small smile on her face. Her scent saturated the room.

The door to the small connecting room opened and Jeremy walked out. Upon seeing me, he beamed. “Looks like it’s go time. I just moved the girls’ crib into the adjoining room so they wouldn’t be here for everything.”

I nodded. “Do you remember what we’ve discussed? Is everything set up?”

Jeremy nodded. “Yep, I already called, and all of our food for the next two weeks will be delivered to the house shortly. Both bedside tables are chock full of energy drinks, water and sports drinks so she’ll be hydrated.”

“I can hear you guys talking about me,” Daisy growled from the nest.

“We’re just making sure everything is ready,” Jeremy soothed.

“Alpha,” she whined. “It’s hurting!” She threw a T-shirt that had clearly offended her out of the nest with a huff.

“How about I take the edge off while Devon and Nate get everything else ready?” Jeremy leaned over the nest so he could kiss her.

“Please,” she begged, reaching out and grabbing Jeremy by the shirt, dragging him into the nest. He complied with her demand with ease.

“I’ll go grab the protein bars and call work to let them know I won’t be in,” I told Jeremy, who gave me a quick nod before his attention returned to our omega.

As I hurried to the kitchen, I drafted a quick email to the firm, letting them know I would be off for a while for heat leave—they knew this was coming. I had taken paternity leave, and heat leave always followed seven to nine weeks after the start of that.

Opening the cupboard, I chuckled. Jeremy had stocked up, the whole shelf was packed with various dried fruit snacks and protein bars.

He had been anticipating this, clearly.

Grabbing as many items as I could carry, I made my way back to the nest. My chest was vibrating in excitement. This felt different from the last time I’d shared a heat with an omega. Then, I was doing a favor for a friend. Now, I was going to be spending a heat with the woman I loved.

Somehow, in the few minutes I had been gone, the nest had become even more saturated in Daisy’s scent, only now Jeremy’s scent was mingled with hers.

The omega in question was sitting on the edge of the nest, her head thrown back as Jeremy licked and sucked on her pussy. Her hand was fisted in his hair, her eyes closed, a look of pure bliss on her face.

Another thing that vastly differentiated this experience and my past one was that I hadn’t shared a heat with my pack. I had never shared an omega and I was quickly realizing that was going to be part of the fun. From my spot in the doorway, I could watch every small twitch of Daisy’s face as Jeremy drove her toward release.

Leaning against the doorframe, I settled in to watch the show. Daisy wore only a T-shirt, Jeremy having undoubtedly tossed her underwear into some corner of the room not to be seen again anytime soon.

It didn’t take long for her to come, her legs shaking around Jeremy’s head as she cried out with release. Jeremy was going to get bald spots with how viciously she was tugging his hair, but I doubted he minded.

Once the waves of her release had ebbed and Jeremy had thoroughly cleaned her up with his tongue, he sat back on his haunches, smiling up at the hazy-eyed omega.

“It’s your turn,” Jeremy declared with a grin. “I’ve got to go make all the necessary calls for work, but I’m sure you guys can entertain yourselves.” He clapped me on the shoulder as he passed. I wasn’t naive. He was giving me and Daisy a moment alone before the chaos of the heat started.

We had mentioned bonding several times, but I wanted to be crystal clear before she became too lost in the haze.

“This heat is going to be brutally amazing.” Daisy giggled from the nest, sprawling back. She gave me an excellent view of her pussy.

Fuck I wanted to feast on her.

“Daisy,” I walked over to her, crawling into the nest next to her. “How are you feeling? Are you too far into the haze yet?”

“I’m still lucid, if that’s what you’re asking. I’m just incredibly horny.”

I chuckled. It wouldn’t be long before the full delirium hit and she had no other thoughts other than getting knotted.

“I know we have talked about it briefly, but I wanted to double check. Are you sure you want to bond? Because if not, I will happily sit this heat out. I’ll do whatever is best for you,” I insisted, gently pushing a red curl out of her face.

She frowned at me, her nose scrunching as she did. “If you think for one minute that I don’t want you as part of this heat, then you’re a lunatic.” She rolled onto her side so she was facing me, her face only inches from mine. “If I don’t have an extra set of bite marks on my neck by the end of this heat, I will take it as a personal offense, Nate, okay?”

“I love you,” I hummed, leaning in to give her a quick kiss.

“And I love you. Now… will you be a good alpha and fuck your knot into this needy omega?”

I raised my eyebrows at her ask, all the blood in my head promptly running to my cock.

“I want to take my time with you, Daisy.”

“We have several days. You’ll have plenty of time with me, but right now, despite the fact that I just came so hard I saw stars, the need is growing, and I already feel the pain.”

Fuck.

I couldn’t let her be in pain.

“How do you want me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow and grinning at her.

She appeared to think about it for a moment, chewing on that plump bottom lip I had been dreaming about wrapped around my cock.

All in good time.

“I want you on top,” she said. “It’s been so long and I like the feeling of someone on top of me.”

Fuck, I wanted to feel that as well.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”

My hands found the hem of her T-shirt, quickly pulling it over her head as she lifted her torso up to help me.

Her breasts were just as amazing as I remembered. My only regret after I’d made her come on my fingers in the bathroom was that I didn’t get a chance to taste them. Well, there was no time like the present. Leaning forward, I peppered her chest with kisses, enjoying the smooth feeling of her skin.

My hand lifted up to gently tug on the nipple, eliciting a moan from her. Her nails dug into my shoulder as she clung to me. How had I gone so long without this? Daisy let out a pained whine, and I knew I couldn’t keep playing with her much longer.

Rolling us over so I was on top of her, I lined myself up with her folds, looking down at her, my arms caging her in. “Last chance to back out sweetheart.”

“Your concern is rather sweet, but if you’re not knotting me in the next five seconds, I will hurt you.”

I had to laugh because there’s no way my omega would hurt a fly. She was too sweet. Still, I listened to her threat and slowly started inching forward.

Fuck me, she felt like the sweetest heaven.

I wasn’t an inexperienced young boy. I’d had my fair share of partners, but none of them had ever felt like this. None of them had made me feel like my very soul was on display as I slowly filled them. Daisy was special. She was perfect and she was mine.

“Jesus Christ, that feels so good,” she panted.

Her hands on my shoulders were clutching so tightly, her nails digging in so hard I was going to be permanently marked. That may have worried a normal person, but the idea of my omega marking me with more than just the normal bite marks sent a thrill down my spine.

Inch by inch, I slowly filled her, taking my time. I wanted her to adjust to me and be ready because once my knot started to form I planned to fuck my omega into the mattress until she was sobbing with need. My hand grabbed her thigh, hiking her leg over my hip, giving me a much better angle to thrust deeply.

“Such a perfect little omega. So ready and needy for her alpha. Did my pack mate get you nice and ready for me? Do you have any idea how nice it was to watch you falling apart on his tongue?”

Her walls tightened around me, and I resisted the urge to finish there and then. If I could feel the familiar tingling at the base of my spine after not even a single thrust, how was I going to last her entire heat? Then again if a knot was what she wanted, it wouldn’t take me long to produce one.

Did all my pack mates feel like this with her? Or was it just me she had ready to explode after a single thrust?

“Need a knot! Need to come! I need my alpha to fill me with cum,” she cried.

How was I meant to keep slowly moving my cock when she spoke like that? Rearing back, I thrust one single time with considerable force and her body opened, taking it beautifully. My cock met no resistance and she cried out in pleasure at the sensation.

She could take me.

I looked into her eyes, checking to see if there was even the slightest hint of hesitation.

There wasn’t.

Taking that as my sign, I set a punishing pace. My thrusts were frenzied and almost violent in nature, but she seemed to be enjoying every second of it. Her head was thrown back exposing her neck.

All in good time.

My teeth lightly squeezed her neck. A promise of what was to come.

Daisy moaned my name. Her hips thrusting up to meet mine every time with just as much desperation.

Every curve of her body molded to me and felt like pure perfection, and I never wanted to let her go. With every thrust, her walls somehow got even tighter, to the point where I was surprised I even managed to bury my cock in her anymore. Her sweet-smelling slick was doing its job and helping ease my path.

“Knot!” she begged desperately.

Her fingers scraped across my shoulders, undoubtedly leaving scratches. The cool air stung the scratches, leading me to believe she may have even drawn blood. That shouldn’t have been so damn sexy, but the idea of her marking me in that way had my thrusts reaching a quick and chaotic pace.

“I’m getting close, little omega. Now, you’d better come on my cock or you won’t get this knot. Do you understand?” My voice was a deep, gravelly bark.

Daisy clenched around my cock as she threw her head back once more, screaming. Slick coated both of our thighs as her walls clenched down rhythmically on my cock. Her own release triggered mine. I roared and thrust in once more, making sure my cock was buried to the hilt as my knot expanded inside her.

It was the perfect fit. She was the perfect fit for me. As my knot reached its biggest, hugged tightly by the walls of her warm, wet pussy, I lunged forward, my lips finding the underside of her breast and biting down.

Much as the idea of putting my bite mark on her neck appealed to me. The idea of having it on her chest appealed even more so.

Surprise should have been the last thing I felt. I had been bonded before, but that was nothing compared to this. Every cell in my body was alight, electrified, my vision white as I came harder than I had ever done before.

My lips loosened, and I reared back, just enough so she could lunge forward, her own teeth digging into my shoulder.

Everything about me changed in that moment. I was part of her and she was part of me. The bond with Jilly had been rushed and, even once complete, there had been a wall between us, muting her thoughts and feelings.

There was none of that with Daisy. Her joy flooded my chest, so raw that it almost brought tears to my eyes.

It wasn’t only Daisy I could feel.

Devon and Jeremy were both there. Their pull was nowhere near as strong as Daisy’s, but it was undeniably there.

They were my family. My pack.

We fell into a sweaty puddle of limbs. Rolling over so she was splayed on top of me, my knot firmly buried in her, I couldn’t help but admire her.

“Hi,” I said in a breathless voice. She was flushed, panting with a cum-drunk look on her face.

“You’re mine,” she declared in a content voice.

I was.

I was hers.

Chapter 42

Jeremy

Both Devon and I could tell the exact moment when Daisy and Nate bonded. Their presence was blinding in our bond, and I couldn’t help but beam despite no one being around to see it.

It was about time.

I waited for a while, giving them time to come down from that high before joining them. I took the opportunity to play with the girls and put them down for a nap. We had all agreed that it was best for Daisy to move the girls over to formula so everyone could feed them. She wasn’t producing enough milk to bank it for the heat, and that was okay, but the girls needed to be fed.

Their little faces scrunched up adorably as they hungrily gulped at the bottle. They were going to grow big and strong no problem at the rate they ate.

Once they were both burped and in their crib, it was time to go see my omega.

I had been dreaming about spending a heat with Daisy, and it was about to become a reality. Heats were something to be treasured. For an omega to spend their heat with you meant they trusted you implicitly.

I could feel Daisy getting needier through the bond. Her desperation was like a siren call to me.

Quickly setting up the baby monitoring camera so I could watch the girls via my phone, I left the nursery and headed toward the nest. Devon would finish making any calls and ordering food, then be on baby watching duty.

Nate was on his back in the nest with his eyes closed and his hands resting behind his head, which was thrown back in pleasure.

That probably had something to do with the beautiful omega on her knees in front of him.

My view was restricted by waves of red hair and her spectacular ass which was on display for me. It wasn’t hard to figure out what she was doing. The bobbing of her head combined with Nate’s scrunched up face of pleasure meant that he was on the receiving end of probably one of the best blow jobs of his life.

“Looks like you’re having fun,” I commented.

Nate’s eyes opened and he groaned. “I swear she’s sucking my soul out of my body via my cock.”

“She is talented at that,” I agreed. “I’ve got a pretty spectacular view from here.”

With Daisy on her knees and leaning forward, I could see her puffy, slick-coated lips.

Fucking perfection.

Daisy, clearly having heard me, wiggled her ass ever so slightly.

An invitation.

Ripping off what little clothing I had on, I made my way to the nest, crawling on my knees behind Daisy and lining myself up.

Every time I entered Daisy, it felt like coming home. Her body always accepted me so easily. The warm pressure of her walls was still intense, despite having been knotted only minutes earlier. Judging by the sheer amount of slick rolling down her thighs, I didn’t need to mess around or hesitate, so I set a firm and steady pace.

Daisy’s hips met my every thrust, and given the moans of pleasure she was letting out around Nate’s cock, she was greatly enjoying the sensation.

“Such a good little omega, taking two cocks at once,” I praised, my hands lightly running over her ass before resting on her hips. “So fucking beautiful. We’re going to do so many things to you over the next few days, omega. By the time we are done with you, you’re going to be so stuffed full of cum and cock, you won’t be able to think straight.”

Judging by the way her pussy gushed, she liked that idea.

The familiar feeling at the base of my spine started to grow, and I knew it wouldn’t be long, so I reached around, my fingers finding her clit and rubbing. Hard.

“Now, you have to make Nate finish and swallow every drop of his cum before I let you finish, okay?” I instructed her.

She hummed in agreement, and my cock was flooded with her juices. She doubled her efforts. Nate’s hand flew to the back of her head, tangling in those red curls as he thrust into her mouth. Once. Twice. On the third time he came with a shout, and Daisy swallowed around his length.

“Good girl,” I praised her. “Now it’s your turn.” I increased my pace, my grip bruising on her hips but she loved it. Nate’s cock fell from her lips with a pop, and she let out a moan of pleasure.

“Please knot me, alpha!” she begged, panting heavily. Every thrust elicited a moan from her.

“If you want my knot, then you’re going to have to come!” I demanded, punctuating each word with a thrust.

Like the spectacular omega she was, she came, and she came hard. My cock must have lost circulation from her walls clenching down on me, and my knot rapidly expanded as I reached that point myself. With one final thrust, I filled her completely, my knot expanding further as my cock throbbed with release.

Trying to feed an omega who was in the throes of heat was a challenge. Once I had knotted Daisy from behind, I had moved us so she was sitting on my lap in the nest.

“Drink the water, omega,” I ordered.

“Don’t want to,” she whined, batting my hand away. “Need knots.”

“Duckie, you’re on a knot. If you don’t drink and eat the cereal bar, we won’t knot you again until tomorrow,” I threatened. It was an empty threat: there was no way I would let her be in pain for that long, but I really needed her to eat something.

“Knot!” Daisy demanded. I would have laughed if I wasn’t so concerned with making sure she ate. She was so fucking adorable, sitting on my knot and pouting at me.

I thanked my lucky stars that she had decided to knock on my door that day I was cooking.

“Omega, if you drink the water and finish the cereal bar, I’ll make you come on my knot again, then Devon will be here and he can fuck you too. If you’re a really good omega, maybe he and I will knot you at the same time. One of us in that pussy, the other buried in your ass.”

Her body stilled, and for a moment I worried that I had gone too far suggesting that, but the rush of slick over my knot told me otherwise.

Without a word she snatched the water bottle out of my hand, downing it rapidly.

Apparently, I just needed to threaten her with a good time and she would do as she was told.

Good to know.

“Everything has been delivered, and all the calls have been made!” Devon declared as he jumped into the nest where I had Daisy splayed out in front of me, my fingers buried deep in her pussy, massaging her G-spot while Nate kissed her. “I see you guys are busy. Need a hand?”

“Fuck yes,” I groaned. “We both just knotted her, and she sucked off Nate. We’ve not recovered yet but she’s raring to go.”

“Sounds like I’m the perfect man for the job!” Devon said. “Omega? Do you want a knot?”

Daisy’s eyes flew open, meeting Devon’s with a hungry gaze. “Knot?” she asked in a soft whine.

“Come here,” he said, laying back and pushing his sweatpants down, letting his cock spring free. Nate and I sat back, ready to watch the show as Daisy climbed over him, guiding his cock into her folds. She wasted no time. There were no sweet kisses or foreplay. She wanted one thing and one thing only: knots.

Chapter 43

Devon

Iknew omegas in heat were insatiable.

But knowing it and experiencing it were two different things entirely.

Four days in and we were exhausted.

We had all knotted Daisy multiple times, in various positions and each knot seemed to give her only a few minutes reprieve from the pain. Getting her to eat had been a nightmare. At one point, Jeremy had pinned her down and would only thrust every time she took a bite.

That method had been quite effective.

Exhaustion tugged at me, but still I slowly woke from a deep, weary sleep. We all wanted the heat to break. Don’t get me wrong, we loved constantly fucking and knotting our omega. She was so full of our cum she was going to smell like us for months and that made me, and my pack mates very happy, but we were all starting to feel lethargic, and Daisy had been non-stop for days, hardly eating unless coerced, and only sleeping an hour or two at a time.

The moans reached me before I even opened my eyes. The rhythmic, wet slapping of rutting and Daisy’s soft, heady moans .

Cracking an eye open, I looked to my right. I was splayed out on my stomach in the nest, my bare ass on display to the world. Over to the right of me, Jeremy was on his back, a beautiful omega bouncing in his lap.

His eyes were hazed over, like Daisy had just woken him up on her hunt for a knot, and he wasn’t even fully lucid yet. A grin still tugged at the corners of his lips. The fucker was loving every second of it.

Jeremy’s head turned to me, noticing I was awake. “You want to give me a hand here?”

I wasn’t going to say no, was I?

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I positioned myself behind Daisy, who was happily grinding down on Jeremy.

My fingers trailed lightly down her back and over her ass to where she and Jeremy were joined. Gathering some of the wetness in my fingers, I returned to her ass, gently brushing over her back entrance.

She didn’t still or complain. No, instead our omega let out a deep, throaty groan at that touch.

“Do you want to be fucked here, omega?” I asked her as I peppered kisses across her neck, lightly nipping on my bite mark.

“Please,” she begged in a low whine. “I want to be full.”

If full was what she wanted, then full was what she was going to get. My fingers slowly pressed against her, but she gave me no resistance.

“Fuck me, your ass is accepting my fingers beautifully, omega,” I cooed.

“Knot?” she asked.

Knot had become her favorite word during her heat. Every other word out of her mouth had been some variation of the word.

“Let me get you ready first, but I will,” I assured her.

“I’m ready now,” she whined.

“So impatient,” I tutted.

Her only response was to thrust her hips back, forcing my finger to sink deeper into her.

She was ready, there was no denying that. The heat had made her primed to take a cock in every hole.

God bless heat hormones.

Gathering more of her slick on my fingers I spread it across my cock. We didn’t need lube when our omega in heat was producing it by the bucket load.

“Are you sure, omega?” I asked, immediately knowing that was a dumb question. An omega in heat needed knots. She wasn’t about to voice any doubts.

The nest dipped next to me as Nate joined us. He had a pair of gym shorts thrown on as he had just been on baby duty.

“Girls asleep?” I asked between nips to Daisy’s neck.

Nate nodded. “Out like a light. Now what do we have here?” he asked, leaning forward and pulling Daisy in for a kiss while she was still sitting on Jeremy’s cock, my cock lined up with her ass.

“A very needy omega,” I replied, my lips pressed against her neck. Pushing my hips forward, my cock met no resistance. Daisy let out a strangled moan, her body shaking with the intensity of it.

Her ass gripped me like a vice.

I took my time, filling her inch by inch until my hips were flush with her pert ass.

“So full,” Daisy cooed happily, turning her head to give me a quick kiss. Her face was flushed, her eyes hazy.

“Ready?” I asked. I wanted to give her plenty of time to adjust, but if I didn’t move soon, my cock was going to fall off.

Nate pulled her in for another kiss, and her hand started drifting down to his cock, pulling it out from his shorts.

She was surprisingly dexterous considering she was stuffed with cock.

“Are you ready to have all your alphas at once?” Jeremy asked in a growling voice. Daisy whimpered against Nate’s mouth, nodding ever so slightly.

Taking that as a good sign, we all started to move in tandem. When I pulled out, Jeremy pushed in so some part of her was always full.

My hand snaked around her waist, finding her clit. Nate maneuvered himself so his cock was bobbing in front of her face. Daisy practically launched herself at his cock, taking his entire length in her mouth with ease.

This was perfection. Every member of our pack working together to make our omega lose her mind.

We were so close, I could feel Jeremy’s cock through Daisy’s thin walls.

“Do you have any idea how good you look full of cock?” I nipped at her ear lobe. “You’re taking it so well. Now I’ve had a taste I’m going to be obsessed with this ass, you know that? I bet my pack mates can’t wait to feel it for themselves.” I kept thrusting as I spoke.

Daisy’s walls tightened, and her pace became more frenzied.

She was getting close.

I wanted her to fucking shatter on our cocks.

Our pace stuttered and changed. Instead of alternating, we were now thrusting at the same time.

It clearly had an impact. Daisy cried out around Nate’s cock, her eyes rolling back as she trembled. She clawed at Jeremy’s chest, leaving plenty of scratches that I knew that fucker would wear with pride.

Nate was the first to finish, fisting Daisy’s hair as he came with a moan, her lapping up every drop. Swallowing his cum clearly did something for her, because it set off her own orgasm. Her release was so powerful when it hit, she jerked violently in our grasp, screaming in delight as her body convulsed. Slick soaked Jeremy’s thighs, and the squelching of our movements became downright lewd.

It was too much for us. Jeremy and I both let out roars of our own, pulling her down on our lengths as our knots swelled.

Somehow we fit. It was tight, maddeningly so, but I had never felt as content as I had in that moment.

Our bonds were filled with pure, satiated happiness and love.

Daisy’s head lolled back onto my shoulder, and I kept her upright, gently stroking her body, whispering praise in her ear as she came down from the high.

“I think you guys murdered my vagina,” she muttered sleepily.

We laughed.

“I think someone is coming to the end of their heat,” I said.

“Thank god,” Jeremy muttered. “As fun as this is, we could all do with taking a week-long nap.”

“I agree.” Nate nodded.

“Come on omega, you need to shower,” I said as I guided her to the bathroom. The nest was a mess of various fluids and we were all on a heavy come down.

“Do we have to? I’ll sleep on the wet patch,” she groaned.

“Flower, I hate to break it to you, but the whole nest is a wet patch.”

“How many days has it been?”

“Six or seven,” I told her as I I turned on the shower, waiting for a moment for it to warm before guiding the naked, sticky omega under the spray.

We showered quickly, only pausing momentarily to make her come once again on my fingers before wrapping her up in a towel and returning her to the nest.

The bedding had all been changed, and the windows opened. The room still smelled like a brothel, but the fresh air was a nice addition.

“How are the girls?” Daisy asked sleepily as I pulled her into the nest, laying down so she was curled up next to me, her head on my chest.

“They’re perfect. They’re resting like their mama should be,” I told her, planting a kiss on her forehead.

“Okay… only a quick nap. Then I want to see my girls.”

She was out like a light and didn’t wake up for another nine hours.

Chapter 44

Daisy

Three alphas.

I was bonded with all three of my alphas.

And it felt pretty fucking phenomenal.

Every muscle in my body felt well used and sore. I had never had a heat go longer than three days, so the nearly seven days we spent in bed had been an experience. A wonderful, but very tiring one.

“I think someone misses their mama,” Jeremy smiled as he handed me a sleepy Petunia.

Reaching my arms out, I took my daughter gratefully. Even though I needed to take time to rest post-heat, I could still have my daughters with me. In the week that I hadn’t seen them, it felt like they had doubled in size.

They were wearing onesies with ducks all over them. Jeremy’s purchase, no doubt.

“Devon is just making bottles for them,” he told me.

“Thank you, we can—” I broke off. Something hummed in the bond… confusion?

One of my alpha’s was perplexed over something.

“Is that Nate?” I asked.

“I think so,” Jeremy frowned.

“His emotions are really strong through the bond right now,” I said, rubbing my chest.

“It’s because it’s so new—and bonds formed during heats can be pretty intense in the beginning.

I was considering getting up and going to find Nate when he walked in, focused on some paperwork in his hand.

“Daisy, did you let Cole sign away his parental rights in return for a patent being released?” He looked between me and the papers, a baffled look on his face.

Nate was my lawyer, so of course he was sent the paperwork.

“Oh yeah.” I waved my hand, acting calm. “I convinced the Hanover’s to release the patent for their severing sickness medication. If the paperwork has all gone through, then it’ll only be a matter of months until cheaper alternatives hit the market.”

Jeremy sniggered at the perplexed look on Nate’s face.

“She did it for you, dumbass.”

“You did this for me?” he said, staring at the paperwork.

“I did.”

“Wait. You did this so my medication will be cheap? Daisy, you could have gotten millions out of these people.”

“I don’t want their dirty money. This way, Jeremy can focus on doing what he loves and you can stress less about your symptoms.”

“My symptoms…” Nate mumbled. “I’ve still got some effects, but they’ve been really muted since your heat.”

I beamed at him. “Good! We knew bonding would help.”

Devon walked into the room, two bottles of milk in hand. He passed one to me and one to Jeremy who had grabbed the stirring Poppy from her crib, Gilbert on his heels, staring up lovingly at the baby.

“What are we talking about?” Devon asked, taking in Nate’s confused expression.

“Our omega made a deal with the assholes who own Hanover Pharmaceuticals. In return for letting Cole sign away his rights, they released the patent for the medication Nate takes, so now it’ll be much cheaper.” Jeremy declared.

“Holy crap, well done, flower!” Devon leaned over to kiss me.

“I’m never going to be able to thank you… this’ll help so many people. It wasn’t the best option for you though.”

“We’re pack.” Daisy shrugged. “I did what’s best for all of us. Isn’t that what being a part of a pack is all about?”

Nate’s face broke out into a grin as he took a few steps forward, gently cupping my face and giving me a blistering kiss while I held our daughter.

“I love you,” Nate declared.

“And I love you,” I replied.

“Also… now that we’re in a much more stable situation, I’d like to quit hockey when this season is over, “said Jeremy. “If everyone is okay with that.”

“Of course we’re okay with that,” Nate replied. “With the patent released, we can afford my medication easily, especially since I’m settled in my career and get good healthcare there now.”

“Good. I don’t love hockey, and our girl here made quitting possible.” Jeremy beamed at me as he spoke, his face full of joy. He adjusted Poppy in his lap to help her drink better and I watched this man whose life I had crashed into mere months ago look at my daughter—our daughter—with nothing but love in his gaze.

“What will you do with your time?” I asked, turning to him. “The construction company?”

“All in good time,” he said. “For the next year or so I think I just want to be here, watching our daughters grow up.”

“Our family is what’s important,” Devon said, looking adoringly at our girls, and at me.

Nate laughed. “I had my doubts when you bought that decrepit old apartment to do up… but I must say, Jeremy, that was the best decision you’ve ever made.”

Jeremy muttered, leaning down to kiss our daughter on the forehead. “Isn’t that the truth?”

Coming soon…

Hazel’s story will be told next in Pucking the Enemy.

Hazel

I just wanted to let go, to have one night of fun.

Instead I accidentally spent my heat with the star players of a hockey team.

The team my best friend, Seb, happens to hate seeing as they’re rival teams.

And now I’m in the family way.

But my best friend doesn’t know.

Oh, and my family is trying to marry me off to a fat, old beta I have zero interest in.

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