Liam
Azalea let me sleep in the next day. When I finally dragged myself out of bed, all the minor cuts and light bruises were healed. The more significant cuts and deeper bruises were about halfway there. When I got to my office, I was shocked to see Azalea, Lacey, and Felix inside.
“Oh, Liam, you’re up,” Azalea said brightly as I shut the door.
“Yea. What’s going on?” I asked the room.
“Lacey and Felix are going to be leaving for a couple of days. I was just finishing up the paperwork to make her a pack member,” she said. “Just needs your signature, My Alpha.”
I smiled. Azalea won the bet. “Alright then. When are you guys leaving?” I walked over to my desk and took the papers from my mate, quickly jotting my signature on the bottom.
“Now,” Lacey said with a small smile. My eyes widened at Felix.
“What?” I asked. Azalea grabbed my arm and stroked it to calm me.
“They need to go pack up her things and move her out of her apartment,” she said softly.
“Who is going to stay with mate when she is away from us?” Gavin growled.
I looked at Felix, who was standing passively next to his mate. “Who do we have to replace you?” He shifted uncomfortably, and I looked to Azalea, who had a small smile on her face.
“Oh no. You are not getting out of this because he is running off!” I told her. Azalea stood to her full height and looked at Lacey and Felix.
“You guys are all set. Enjoy yourselves and take your time. If your old Alpha would like to speak with us, please have him call, Lacey,” she said, dismissing the couple in front of us. She wore a pleasant smile as everyone else left the room. Then her eyes narrowed, and she turned back to me.
“Liam Blackfur!” she started. I could feel her irritation; I always found it fascinating how so much emotion can come out of such a small package. “You shouldn’t have said that!”
“Well, it’s true!”
“Felix has every right to go with his mate to collect her belongings! You didn’t even congratulate him!” She did have a small point. But he could have waited another day or two and made sure there was a plan in place.
“But now I need to find someone to stay with you when I can’t be. You keep tricking Austin, and he leaves tomorrow!”
“Everything will be fine. If you can’t find someone, you can just follow me around all day,” she said with a wry smile. I rolled my eyes and pushed my hands through my hair. I was sore and hungry, and I was not expecting to walk right into this as soon as I woke up. Azalea wrapped her arms around my waist, her round belly resting against me. I looked down at her. “I know I am your mate and the Luna of this pack, but that doesn’t mean I always come before others. Felix and Lacey are happy. Didn’t you see him smile at her? Let them have some alone time.”
“Baby, this pack would suffer in more ways than one if something happened to you,” I told her. I know what living without her is like, and I could never go back.
“That is very sweet, but I think we need to focus our energy on other things. There is a rogue problem to deal with, is there not?” she questioned.
“You let me worry about that,” I told her. Her hand came up and gently rested on top of the gashes on my abdomen. I already felt terrible about worrying her last night. “You just worry about growing my baby girl, okay?”
“What are you going to do if it’s a boy?” she asked me, pouting.
“Love him just as much as the others. But I know this one is a girl. We need to even it out after all,” I said.
“Whatever you say,” she sighed. “My office or yours? I have work to do.”
–
“This is it?” I asked Damien looking down at the list he’s given me. “There are three people on here.”
“Felix wasn’t exactly an easy find,” Damien reasoned. He sat across my desk from me. Austin finally came and got Azalea a little while ago, so I was able work more effectively without her here distracting me. Her scent is growing stronger with the pregnancy, making it difficult to focus properly.
“Well, these are slim pickings….” I said, laying down the list. Damien had a look on his face. “What?”
“Well, I might know of a temporary solution, although I am sure you and Azalea are going to fight about it,” he admitted.
“Oh, Goddess. Do I want to know?”
“Our fathers. Neither of them are doing much in retirement, and as the former Alpha and Beta, we know they are capable of watching over her.”
“You have lost it. Officially,” I responded, dumbfounded.Belongs to - All rights reserved.
“They aren’t too old,” he reasoned.
“And sometimes, I still can’t tell if my dad loves or hates my mate!”
“He wouldn’t let anything happen to her,” Damien argued.
“And she is going to be so happy about this,” I replied sarcastically. Damien gave me a cross look. Goddess, help me. If I can even convince them both, Azalea is going to like this solution the least. Felix doesn’t bother her; the man barely speaks. Our fathers will never be able to sit quietly by her side.
“Austin is leaving tomorrow,” he pointed out as I rolled the idea around in my head.
“Fine,” I relented. “I’ll talk to my father, but you are talking to yours.” Damien smiled as he stood up.
“Mine already agreed,” he told me. I threw a pen at him. He ducked and laughed. “Hey, you chose me as your Beta for a reason.”
Missy
Something feels off today, and I can’t figure out what it is. I was a bit freaked out last night when Liam came into the packhouse bleeding. I was on my way back from the kitchen with drinks when I spotted him, Damien, and Felix. Felix looked fine as he helped Liam over to the steps. Damien had a few minor scratches, but nothing looked severe. Liam looked the worst. He was bleeding a lot, and I knew Lea was going to have a conniption. It worried me how hurt he was.
“Moon to Missy,” Sol said, snapping her fingers in front of my face.
“Sorry, what?” I asked her.
“What is with you today?” she asked, irritated.
“Sorry, I didn’t sleep well,” I told her. The whole movie with Maddox was a bit awkward, then I saw Liam, and it was hard to get to sleep later.
“Did something happen?” she asked, now looking a little worried. I scanned the playground in front of us, looking for my little brothers. I brought them to the park so Lea could get some work done today, and Sol met me here. I found Leo on the swings and Junior on top of the slide.
“Maddox came up to my room last night,” I told her. I figured boy gossip was better than whatever happened to Liam.
She turned to me with her mouth open in shock. “What happened?” she practically squealed.
“He couldn’t sleep and asked me to watch a movie with him,” I told her.
“Oh, he wanted to watch a movie,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows at me. I shoved her lightly.
“Not like that. He just wanted to hang out.” Leo came jogging over to the picnic table we were sitting at. I turned my attention to him. “Hey, little man. What’s going on?”
“Can I have a drink?” he asked.
“Sure thing,” I smiled at him, handing him a water bottle. He ripped the cap open and drank greedily. Sol giggled at him. Leo blushed when he remembered she was sitting right here. I think he has a little crush on Sol because he usually gets a tad bashful around her. He set the bottle down on the table and poked my leg. “What?” I asked, knitting my eyebrows. He motioned for me to come closer.
I leaned down close enough for him to whisper into my ear. “Can Sol push me on the swing?” he whisper-shouted in my ear. I looked at his face to see him looking back up at me eagerly.
“I don’t know. You should ask her,” I whispered back.
“Can you ask?”
“I don’t think she wants to push me on the swing,” I teased him. He slapped my knee and gave me an ornery look. I laughed to myself. “Just ask her, little man,” I told him. He climbed up onto the bench of the picnic table and planted himself in my lap.
When he finally mustered up enough courage, he looked up at Sol, who was watching curiously. “Um, Miss Sol? You’re very pretty; will you play on the swings with me?”
“Awwww!” she gushed. “Leo, you think I am pretty?” He nodded enthusiastically. Sol grinned sweetly at him. “Of course, I will come play with you on the swings!” Leo smiled brightly before turning back to look at me. I nodded my head at him, and he climbed off of me to run around to the other side of the table. Sol stood and held out her hand to him. He looked like Christmas came early as he grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the swing.
“Why can’t guys our age be this cute?” she linked me. I just laughed out loud as I watched them walk away. A notification went off on my phone. I grabbed it to see a message from V.
V
| what are you doing tomorrow princess?
ME
| not sure. why?
V
| spend the day with me
I bit my l*p, looking down at my phone. I wasn’t sure if I would be on brother duty again tomorrow. Liam looked pretty bad last night, and I was sure Lea was looking after him today.
ME
| let me ask L+L
V
| don’t ask. just let me pick you up at breakfast
ME
| i might have to watch my brothers
V
| drop them off at the day care
I sent him an eye roll emoji. You can tell he is an only child sometimes. He doesn’t get the older sibling responsibility stuff. Even if Lea and Liam hadn’t adopted me, I would still probably babysit. Junior and Leo are sweet, good boys.
V
| fine. let me know
I set my phone down and fished around in the lunch bag. We already decimated the sandwiches and bags of chips I packed for us, but I think there is still some fruit left. I scored as I pulled out a bag of sliced strawberries. I popped a few pieces in my mouth and chewed while looking over at Sol pushing Leo. He was giggling and beaming as he soared high up in the air before falling back towards her. Another notification sounded on my phone.
MADDOX
| guess what!
ME
| ???
MADDOX
| i think your dad is going to let me be a warrior!
ME
| thats great! 🙂
MADDOX
| i even got my first assignment
ME
| whatd you get?
MADDOX
| the only thing i want to do. tomorrow I am your personal guard while A+L are gone
ME
| wait, what???
MADDOX
| Alpha just pulled me into his office. he is taking your mom somewhere outside the pack tomorrow and told me to stick by you and the kiddos. Felix left and Austin is leaving too
ME
| what about Damien or Lily?
MADDOX
| going with them
Switching conversations quickly, I messaged Lea.
ME
| you are leaving the pack tomorrow???
LEA
| Yes. Your father and I are going to visit with another Alpha. We need you to keep an eye on your brothers again.
ME
| Liam told Maddox to watch me?
LEA
| That I didn’t know. But it isn’t a bad idea. He is doing so well with training and the extra workouts with Felix and Damien are going well.
ME
| I couldn’t have a say in this?
LEA
| You and Maddox get along so well. He is such a good kid. Liam and I really like him. What is the problem, sweetheart?
Groaning inwardly, I dropped my head to the table. Of course, they really like him. Who wouldn’t? He is so stupidly charming. My phone went off again.
MADDOX
| can’t wait to spend the day together 😉