Page 26 of Watch Me

“Let’s all go home.”

Chapter seventeen

Ricky

Backatthepackhouse, we were greeted by Gramps, Cam, Rowen, Riley and his mom with cheers and tears. Channing excused herself to shower and be alone in her room, and I wondered if she was going to be okay going to the cabin for her heat.

“Maybe we should take shifts watching over Channing?” I offered when there was a lull in the conversation about our fight.

Kono was hovering over Rel like he wanted to help the healing omega, but wasn’t sure how. He tilted his head and spoke in response, “Valeria is bringing herbs to help her suppress the heat. That's why Channing was at the clinic.”

“Good,” Riley’s mom Patty replied from the stairs. She went up to help Channing since she was so weak. “Her heat will start tonight.”

“We got to her in time,” King nodded and I saw Riley squeeze his hand in comfort. He looked worn out, like he might sleep for a week.

“She’s been through an ordeal, but it’s over now,” Fin reassured our Alpha. “If there is anything we can do to help, we’re here for her. As long as we’re needed.”

King stood there, clearly too exhausted to give out directions. We were all wrung out, but he had gone the longest without rest with their rushed flight home. The threat was gone, and our adrenaline was running out.

“Thank you all,” Gramps gravely voice cut through the heavy silence. “Fin, maybe you and Ricky are up for a patrol so that Fowler and Rel can get some rest?”

“Of course,” Fin agreed and I stepped up beside him. Rowen and Cam were sitting on the couch, and they looked tired as well. He turned to his son, “You two can head out as well. Rest and know the pack is safe.”

“I’ll take Rel home,” Kono offered, and I could tell his alpha instinct had kicked in to protect the omega who was as big and muscled as him. At Rel’s glare, Kono suppressed a smile and added, “I’ll ride with you to your place and then go home when you’re safe.”

“I rode my bike here, didn’t I?” Rel rolled his eyes but let Kono help him to stand. I hugged my best friend and promised I’d be home to check on him by the morning.

The two men left and Gramps excused himself to rest in his room. The patriarch of the King family didn’t lose another loved one, but he wasn’t a young man anymore.

Fowler and Riley excused themselves next, and said they would go on patrol after a few hours rest. I could imagine they wanted to be outside when Channing’s heat started, even if it was suppressed and she wasn’t having sex in the house. She’d still be putting off those hormones.

“Can we check on Channing before we go?” Cam asked Rowen. Cam and Channing had grown close, and the sweet barista was also less familiar with our secondary gender struggles, as the only non-shifter in the pack.

“Sure,” Rowen agreed, kissing the top of their head before leading Cam upstairs.

“If you’re headed outside, would you take out the trash?” Patty asked as she moved toward the kitchen.

“We can do that,” Fin told her and we followed to grab the bags by the back door.

“Appreciate you,” she said with a sweet smile, and I could see she was tired as well.

The woman was paid to clean the place, but she generally acted like the pack mom, and we all relied on her warm nature to balance all the masculine energy in the pack. Thankfully, we still had Channing as well.

A chill ran through me at how close we came to her being hurt much worse. Fin noticed and looked at me sideways as we stepped outside. “You alright?”

“Yeah, just processing the whole situation,” I sighed and lifted the heavy animal-proof lid of the garbage enclosure. That hit me as funny and I started laughing.

“What are you laughing about?” Fin asked, but I could see a smile curving his lips up at my hysterics.

Wiping away the tears from the corner of my eyes at how hard I was laughing, I pointed at where we’d dropped the garbage. “Do we still need bear-proofing for our trash when the worst bears in Northern California are dead?”

Fin shook his head and started walking back toward the house. He stopped half-way there and looked at me. “We may have taken out the trash, but they aren’t the only pests around.”

The metaphor wasn’t lost on me, and I sobered. “But we’ll make sure the pack, and the town, is safe.”

“We will.”

Fin was haloed in the back porch light, since the sun had set around when we got back. His words made me feel safe in a way I couldn’t explain. Like I wasn’t a bystander, but a part of securing the lives of the pack and everyone in Blue Lake. Like I was important.