Damn.Sheisscared of thunder.
“It’s just so… stupid,” she admits with a shaky voice. “I know it’s not going to kill me. I just?—”
“You don’t have to explain,” Elliot says.
“I mean?—”
“Youdon’t, Piper,” I argue. “Especially not to us. It’s okay. Come here.” I open my arms. Piper crosses the couch to where I’m seated and curls up against me. Nolan and Elliot file in around us until we’re one big protective alpha hug keeping Piper safe from the world.
I think I speak for everyone when I say we’d protect her this way forever if she’d let us.
To think the pop star that’s taken the world by storm is afraid of something as natural as thunder is wild. But aren’t we all afraid of something unusual? I know for a fact Elliot would dive head-first into danger for me, but is terrified of all spiders big and small. And I’m convinced Nolan might be afraid of snakes.
But me?
I kiss Piper on the top of her head and listen as she starts to purr against my chest.
I think what I’m most afraid of is losing what’s right here.
Piper. Elliot and Nolan.
This pack.
I’ll never let it happen.
We stay like that for hours, a tangle of limbs and warmth, until the storm outside finally gives up and drifts away. And then we keep staying there until sunrise.
Together.
CHAPTER 15
Piper
The first thingI notice is the sunlight. It’s buttery and suspiciously optimistic for how much it stormed last night. I blink, and my vision settles into a large arm that probably belongs to Nolan. Elliot’s gently wheezing nose is pressed against my collarbone.
Kellen is nowhere to be seen.
For three glorious seconds, I bask in the simple, animal comfort of being surrounded by my alphas.My alphas.God, I’m such a sap. I would die if any of my fans saw this—a notorious pop starlet spooned by a two-man body pillow. But I’m also not moving. Not even for the sound of sizzling butter.
Kellen pads back into the room as if on cue. He’s still in pajama pants and a battered T-shirt with a faded cartoon on the front. He sets down a tray on the coffee table and flashes me his usual warm smirk.
“Morning, beautiful,” he murmurs.
I smile back at him then try to gently extricate myself. Elliot stirs but doesn’t open his eyes. Nolan grunts and pulls me tighter for a second before releasing me. Once free, I rise up to kiss Kellen.
Kellen snaps his fingers. This does the job of fully waking Elliot and Nolan. “Breakfast time.”
“You made all this?” I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
Joy lights Kellen’s eyes. “Not too often I get to make pancakes. I figured, why not?”
I grab the nearest plate and add two honey-drizzled blueberry pancakes to it. There’s bacon, too, and fresh-cut fruit that probably took Kellen a while to arrange. It’s all just so perfect.
I devour the pancakes in under a minute. No one says anything, but I can feel the collective admiration. Or horror. I never claimed to have table manners.
“You guys are the worst,” I say, licking syrup from my thumb.
Nolan chuckles. Elliot nods in agreement and we all eat breakfast together.
