Page 94 of Never Bet Against A Hockey Player

“I’m so happy you’re here.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “Seeing you in your nest... it does something to my delta.”

Then he was kissing me. His lips were soft and warm, so tender it nearly broke me.

I melted into him, breathing in his calming scent as the last of the tension slipped from my shoulders.

When he pulled away, I couldn’t help but smile like a fool.

“Thanks for my nest, delta,” I said, glancing around to appreciate it once again. He looked surprised and I gestured to the others. “They told me.”

“I needed something to channel all my nervous energy,” he admitted. “But I kept it so you’d have room to add your own touches.”

“It’s perfect.” I squeezed his hands. “Thank you. And thank you for loving Gavin as much as I do.”

“No one loves that kid more than you. But I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life trying to catch up.”

He finally stepped back, leading me toward the hallway. Gavin was already waiting there for me. The moment he saw me, relief flooded his face. I let go of Lachlan and wrapped my little brother in a hug.

“It’s okay.” I kissed the top of his head. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

“I like it here already,” he whispered.

“We’re going to have family dinners and real holidays. I’m sure we’ll make a few mistakes along the way but we’ll figure it out. They’d never hold anything against us.”

He let out a watery chuckle and buried his face in my shirt. He pulled away and the pack ushered us down the stairs.

“What are we feeling for dinner?” Conrad asked. “We have plenty of options.”

“Nachos!” Gavin answered instantly. His entire face lit up at the prospect of food. Leave it to a twelve-year-old boy to solve emotional trauma with queso.

“We can absolutely do nachos,” Conrad promised immediately. “I need to run to the store first.” He looked toward me. “What about dessert, Omega?”

“Who says I even like sweets?”

He looked scandalized at the thought. “You forget. I have an omega sister.”

“You have a sister?” Gavin interrupted.

“I do. She works for the Westgrave Wardens. And she’s absolutely going to kick my ass when she finds out I never told her about you two.”

Conrad had a fond expression on his face and I could feel how much he loved her.

“You should probably fix that,” I said. Even if the idea of meeting their family made me nervous, he deserved to have her in his life.

“I will. But first, my pack is hungry.”

“Can I come to the store with you?” The question was so innocent. A normal request for a kid. It felt huge for us. I wasn’t terrified by the thought and he wasn’t scared to separate. This was progress.

Conrad didn’t answer immediately. He looked at me first, silently asking permission.

For years, I’d believed I was the only person capable of keeping Gavin safe. Now I trusted this alpha with my entire world.

“Go, just don’t let him load up on too many unhealthy snacks,” I teased.

Conrad’s expression lit up. “Of course, Buddy. I could use a hand.”

The pride shining in his eyes almost made me laugh. He looked genuinely honored that I’d trusted him with something so precious.

I knew without a doubt he’d bring my brother home every single time. For the first time in our lives, I wasn’t carrying everything alone. There were people willing to shoulder the weight.