Page 169 of Knot Again
My pack and I are quiet, lost in their own thoughts as we make our way downstairs to welcome everyone in. I barely get my feet on the floor when the front door is pushed open and the Scorned Girls race inside. Along with most of Raney’s pack. She’d called me before to let me know that Hayes was insistent on staying with their baby back at home, but Koz, Puck, and Talon stare open mouthed at me, like my girls.
“Welcome?” I break the silence awkwardly but don’t move a muscle.
Tristan, god bless her loudmouth, breaks the silence. “Jesus, this is worse than when Kai broke into Unity, Ho.”
“Excuse me?” Koz barks, swinging his glare towards Tristan, wanting clarification on the secret she just spilled.
“No shit?” Puck nods his head, clearly impressed. His trademark cocky smile on his face, while his hands lock on Raney’s hips as he pulls her back against him. Protectively.
Though I don’t really care about his reaction. I watch as Raney’s mouth tightens, and a storm gathers in her eyes; it’s vicious, and ferocious, and is a clear sign she’s struggling to understand. But I know her as well as I know myself, and it’s her hurt that renders me frozen and about to run away.
Ramses senses my reactions and closes in, drowning me in a cloud of orange dependability before he interlocks our fingers. With a soft touch, he guides me to stand in front of her. To face the music.
Sim and Tristan flow around us, and he steps slightly to welcome them into the space too. And while he looks at me, he talks to them, keeping his voice low and even. “Heidi needs her best friends more than ever. It’s pretty easy to see the reason we elected to do this our way since triplets are not welcomed in society. You’re more than welcome here and safe. I’ll leave you with her, go share secrets, but much like Koz warned Heidi before she attended your pack celebration, I’ll do the same. You upset her and you will be shown the door.”
“Who are you?” Tristan asks, turning the volume up loud, along with her attitude. “Are you Kai, Kai?”
“No, I am.” Kai steps up. And his presence pushes our huddle wider, but he too slides his hand on my back as he joins the conversation. “I know you girls are solid, but I will remove you from our property if…”
“Don’t you threaten any of them,Kai,” Koz snarls behind us. Twisting slightly and to keep everyone in sight, I move between Kai and Ramses.
Koz looks fucked off. His attention is torn in two; sweet concern for Raney, and a steadily increasing rage as he glares at the triplets. Not them, or maybe it is, but he’d definitely be feeling offended for Raney after Kai and Ramses’ not at all subtle threats. Talon, Raney’s other Alpha and ex-police detective, makes no attempt to hide the way he’s scrutinising the triplets.
“Here we fucking go,” Darius groans, wiping his hand down his face and interrupting the swirling tension. “Little moon, go lay in the sunshine and share your special news with your best friends who will undoubtedly support and love you despite you not being entirely honest with them for the past few months. Those girlfriends of yours, once they get over their shock, will completely understand your reasoning. If not, I’m with my brothers, and they can get the fuck off our property.”
I was wrong about him defusing the situation, which makes me laugh a little. I laugh even louder when he winks and shrugs guiltily but without a lick of remorse for threatening them.
The mood of our welcoming party plummets, and the foyer of my house is full of noise from Alphas and Omegas alike. The area stinks up as everyone keeps stressing out, and there’s a growing sense of people losing control; it’s a tinderbox.
Ramses ignores everything and everyone, spinning me in the middle of the rising tension, centring me with his presence like always. Completely unperturbed by everything happening around us, he wraps his huge hands around my face and drops his forehead to mine and simply breathes me in. With each exhale, he pours his support and sweet devotion over me, before he presses a quick kiss to my forehead and breaks away.
“Gentleman, we’re having drinks in the back room. We’ll be able to watch the girls, but they need some time, and we clearly need to set some boundaries.”
Darius reluctantly stops glaring at our visitors and follows the lead of his brother to feel my ass up instead of arguing. He chuckles low and dirty as he swoops in low to kiss me silly, with way too much tongue. Darius being Darius, he accompanies our quick make out session with obscene and inappropriate sound effects. But then he walks off too.
Kai doesn’t follow them out immediately, instead he lingers with a gentle smile on his face while his eyes are full of everything that a scent-matched Alpha’s eyes should contain; love, devotion, pride to name a few. Without talking, he watches me to make sure I’m okay before his hand cups my stomach, making it blatantly obvious I’ve got more than a few secrets to share with my besties. But like his brothers, the world fades into insignificance as he whispers against my ear how much he loves me before he leaves.
There’s a deep silence once all the Alphas go. It’s ominous and awful, and time stretches out uncomfortably.
“What happened to slots before knots?” Tris asks loudly, shattering the mood. She slings an arm over my shoulder and crowds me into the smallest space next to her. “You’re packed with three dudes that look like Kai, Ho, and you’re pregnant. Sucks to be you by the way, you and Raney can’t drink alcohol or coffee.”
“It gets better,” I say, leaning against her shoulder.
Raney drops her hand into the back pocket of my pants, grabbing my boob, being entirely inappropriate while being entirely herself. She hugs me so tight I think I’ll pass out as she growls. “Still pissed at you, baby momma.”
“I know. I love you with my whole heart,” I reply in a rush of words, full of sincerity.
“I know. Love you too,” she says with an evil smile on her face, squeezing my boob harder. “Tender?”
Simona races in front of us, walking backwards for all of three steps before we melt into a four-way cuddle.
“How’s it get better, Ho?” she asks after she drops a hundred or so kisses over my face. Once done we start walking out to the picnic area set up waiting for us, lush cushions, blankets and so much food.
I wiggle between them all. “You guys each get to be an aunt and a godmother.”
“Slow the fuck down, I have to do some figuring out.” Tristan barks out a laugh. She searches my face for a second, but already sees I’m keeping some secrets, before she shrugs. “You’re going to have one loose pussy, Ho, if you’re popping three bubbas out of your kitty.”
Raney scoffs and rolls her eyes. “And don’t fucking worry about protection. Koz will make a good deal with your Alphas on some new guns he got in. We’ll armour you up, and if all else fails, he’s got a contact with The Phoenix Group. All of us together will keep your secrets safe, Ho.”
Tristan waggles her eyebrows. “I mean, otherwise we can always call the Fallen.”
