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Ryan and Thomas stepped up to join them, all three of them wrapping around her. Then she felt another hand, small, feminine, reaching in to grab hers. When Thomas and Thad stepped back, it was almost like looking into a mirror. She and her sister had always shared a similar look, and the resemblance had only grown stronger as the years had passed. With them apart. So much they’d missed out on.
“Hadley.”
Helen went to step into her sister and felt the solid barrier of a round belly between them. Glancing down, she noted her sister’s pregnancy with awe.
“Oh, God!” More tears fell as she touched the sides of that beautiful belly. “How? When?”
Hadley laughed. “I never thought I’d be the one to explain the birds and bees to you, big sis.”
Helen laughed then glanced up at the big man hovering behind her sister.
“This is Sam.” Hadley reached back and took Sam’s hand in hers. “My mate. He found me when I escaped.”
“You escaped? How long ago?”
“A little over a year,” Hadley offered. “I made it out with Megan.”
Helen looked around and watched as a quiet woman stepped up to Thad. He wrapped her close, his head dropping to whisper something in her ear that made her nod. He placed a kiss on her temple then looked back toward Helen.
“My mate. Megan.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
The other woman nodded, gave a smile, but didn’t say anything. There was something about her that made her seem young, fragile, but Helen knew what it took to survive captivity. If Megan had escaped with Hadley, then there had to be a core of steel under the soft demeanor. That was the only way to survive.
“Let’s move this inside, so Hadley can get off her feet,” Sam said as he tugged Hadley closer to him.
Hadley groaned. “I’ve been sitting in that car for hours. The last thing I want is to sit back down.”
“Then we can at least get inside, so you can rest if you want to.”
“I don’t,” Hadley growled, but it was quickly followed by a yawn that had her mate grinning.
“I can see that.”
Thomas laughed as he leaned into Helen’s ear. “They’re perfect for one another.”
She found Fletch and shared a look with him.
“That’s how mating should work,” she murmured.
“When I think of the last time I saw you…” Thomas broke off with a shake of his head. “It’s good to see you. I was afraid we wouldn’t find you. Hell, Hadley shocked the hell out of us when she walked in with Sam at her back.”
“That was when Thad met Megan?” she asked.
Thomas smiled as he glanced toward the couple in question.
“She’s been good for him. He wasn’t the same after the attack. He was…solemn, far too serious.”
Helen wanted to joke, but she couldn’t. What had happened had changed things. Changed all of them.
“Megan doesn’t speak much. I don’t know what all she survived. She doesn’t say, and neither do Hadley or Thad. I respect that. She’s terrific, though, and she loves Thad. She’s protective of Hadley. She’s…” Thomas paused as he searched for the description he wanted.
“She’s family,” Helen offered, knowing that meant everything to them.
“Yeah,” Thomas agreed. “She is.”
They slowly gravitated toward one of the cabins, making their way inside and settling around the large front room. There was more laughter, more tears, and so much love that it overwhelmed her. Fletch stayed at her side the entire time, except when he pulled her into his lap and held her.
