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Wolf just grunted. I pushed love at him in the bond, and he smiled tiredly at me. He was a giant, wild alpha, but even he had his limits. And he’d pushed them tonight, twice.
“Fuck. That was intense,” Ryder groaned as he nuzzled my hair. It was the understatement of the century.
“How did you know she could bark?” River asked Wolf. He was frowning, and his need to solve the puzzle was riding him hard. “No other omega has ever done that.”
Wolf closed his eyes, as if he was trying to pull enough energy together to talk. “I didn’t. Not for sure. But I suspected. Ava pushed my dominance back at me when she got mad this morning. She didn’t know she did it, though.”
A gasp slipped out past my stunned lips. I hadn’t realized; I thought he’d stepped back willingly.
“Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Cary asked.
Wolf shrugged as he lay back on the ground. “I saw her. All of her. I knew you would too when she was ready to show you.”
“If anyone could do it, it would be our Ava,” Nick said with quiet pride shining in his eyes. My other mates agreed as they mirrored Nick’s gaze.
I blushed and looked away, needing something else for everyone to focus on. What I did felt completely natural. I didn’t want to be some secret sauce omega. I just wanted to be me. And I finally felt as if I was.
I looked past them to the burning building behind us. The entire center of the manor had collapsed inwards. Only the left and right wings remained, and as I watched, part of the left roof collapsed in on itself. Smoke billowed out the shattered windows as flames burned their way through the rooms left standing. The master bedroom was in the center, directly behind the grand staircase. There was no way anyone from Maven survived.
“Why the hell would he blow up his own home?” Nick asked, staring at the rubble now, too. It was such a waste. Purely because one man was incapable of sharing. All those families that could have sheltered here were now forced to fight for survival again. It broke my heart. I cuddled Angel to me, trying to comfort us both.
“He was the first head of Maven who wasn’t a prime alpha. Take away their inherited wealth, and he had nothing. He wasn’t even a particularly dominant alpha, not compared to River or Ryder. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t become a prime. Maybe it pushed him over the edge,” Cary answered.
“Never try to understand a psychopath,” River replied. “They don’t operate by our rules.”
His eyes weren’t on us though, as a handful of alphas started filtering out of the surrounding forest. I assumed they were the ones who had stayed, that Ghost had tried to help. A few were eyeing the helicopter.
“We need to move,” Ryder said quietly. None of us wanted another fight on our hands.
I was suddenly over it all, as exhaustion washed over me. “Take us home,” I begged. I wasn’t even sure where I meant. I just knew I didn’t want to be here anymore.
Anyone still in the area could scavenge over the building and salvage what they could.
There was nothing left for us here.
forty-four
Thesoundsoflaughterand dogs barking in the distance, and the muted humming of insects nearby, had me blinking slowly awake. Pale light was filtering through an open window across from me and I could see trees beyond it. A fresh scent of growing things filtered in the window: pine trees and a hint of corn, alongside some citrus. I sniffed the sheets and got a hit of my mates’ scents, too.
I knew beyond a doubt I was back in my bed at the farm. I’d missed this place. Even though I’d only been here a short time, it was the first place in a long time I’d felt any peace. I wasn’t sure if it was our home, but it was a home that embraced us. That would always have a place for us. I looked back at the window and realized my perspective was off, though. The window was too high up, or I was too low down. I popped my head up to look around. Someone had taken out the big timber bed frame and there were now two mattresses lying squeezed together on the ground. They filled most of the floor space in the room. Someone had also piled them high with pillows and blankets. The guys must have wanted to sleep together last night, and the thought made me smile.
I remembered Angel sleeping with us for a while, but she was gone now. She had too much energy to sleep for long. I wasn’t worried, though. I knew if she was here; she was safe. There were dozens of people on the farm who would look out for her. It would work for now, but she needed stability long term, and that was something I was going to have to talk to the guys about.
Right now, I was alone. I stretched and crawled across the enormous floor-bed to the window. There was a slight breeze wafting through the branches of the trees outside. They seemed to wave at me, so I waved back, and laughed at myself. A sudden urge to be out there washed over me. I wanted to let this place soothe the clinging ache wearing on my soul, and the lingering sadness that was waiting to well up and burst free. I didn’t want it tainting my new life.
I grabbed the clothes I spied folded up in a corner. Some underwear and socks, a pair of soft, faded jeans, a t-shirt and a long, snuggly cardigan. There was a new pair of boots in a box as well, that were my size. I figured they came from Lexie and the treasure trove of wonders in her shipping container. I pulled off the oversized t-shirt I had on and got dressed. There wasn’t a scrunchie or any hair pins, so I let my long hair hang free. It felt right. I was done with the prim buns.
I wondered briefly where my mates were. It was startling how quickly I’d gotten used to waking up surrounded by them. I vaguely remembered them washing me in a bath as I lay against Wolf and he purred for me last night. The gentle vibration alongside the feel of Ryder, Cary, and Nick soaping me up with sponges, while River washed my hair, had been heavenly. Afterward, I’d been bundled up and passed around until I was dry, clothed and felt like a limp, mindless noodle. None of them had tried to do anything more than soothe me as I fell asleep.
I thought I remembered them waking me up to eat something a few times, though.Had I missed a day sleeping?
A sense of need coiled within me, and I wondered if it was a residual feeling from my heat. I’d have to ask Lexie or Maia. I’d have to check how often heats happened too. With how quickly mine came on, I hoped to be better prepared next time.
I wandered downstairs but couldn’t see anyone in the living area. I figured they were probably up at the dining hall. Either helping with breakfast or eating it. I knew they were nearby, I could feel it in the bond. It glowed with a sense of warmth and belonging, although Cary seemed agitated. I decided not to call out to them in the bond. I was happy to just be for the moment, and let the farm wash over me. Plus, I wanted a few minutes to settle myself.
I tipped my head up to the sky as I stepped outside. The low sun was shining in through the porch overhang and its warmth in the chill was an embrace. I’d finally broken free of the version of me I’d been for the last decade, the quiet mouse. Being an extrovert wasn’t in my nature. I would never be the life of the party, and I was okay with that. I naturally gravitated to people who were, and I loved their energy, but it wasn’t me. Watching and cheering them on was my jam. I was happy feeling as if I could stand up when I needed to, though, when it felt important to me. And that my mates and family saw me, and loved me for who I was.
I figured claiming my mates and then letting Wolf’s power flow through me had a lot to do with the new connectedness I felt within myself. Yet, standing here on the porch, I felt so many emotions it was a little overwhelming. Hiding and shoving my emotions down had been my go-to for a decade, but now I had to face them. I couldn’t live that way anymore. I had a pack that needed me and I wanted to be strong for them.How could I hold them together if I couldn’t even do it for myself?
