13. Mai

Chapter thirteen

Mai

“ N o, no! You gotta press X to jump, then triangle to do the special move!” Tucker bounced on his knees, controller forgotten in his lap as he watched Lark struggle with the buttons. “You almost had it that time!”

Lark’s face was scrunched in concentration, her fingers awkward on the controller. “There are too many buttons.”

“Here.” Ben scooted closer to her on the floor. “Watch me first.” He gently took the controller. “See? X is jump, circle is dodge, and if you press them together …” His character on screen executed a perfect aerial combo.

Lark’s eyes widened. “How did you learn all this?”

“Practice.” Ben shrugged. “And Thomas taught me. He’s really good at games, but last week, I even beat him!”

A small smile tugged at Lark’s lips. “Really?”

Ben ducked his head, but I caught the pleased flush on his cheeks. He handed the controller back to her. This time, he pointed to each button as he explained, his voice patient. “Just focus on jumping first.”

Lark’s tongue poked out slightly as she concentrated. Her character jumped, wobbled, then managed to land on a platform.

“You did it!” Tucker cheered, throwing his hands in the air.

“Okay,” Lark said, squaring her shoulders. “Show me how to do that special move thing again.”

I left them to it and headed to the kitchen, where I could watch the steam rise lazily from the kettle as it began to boil. Ever since I got pregnant, I liked watching it; it helped me think. Sylvie had left a note on the table saying she was popping home but would be back soon. The room smelled of cinnamon and orange, and the soft, rhythmic hum of the water heating filled the empty space. The sound was a welcome break from the thoughts going around in my mind. I missed Ryan, felt the strain in our mate bond that he wasn’t nearby. I worried about Lark’s Pack, and if they attacked now, when the alarms weren’t in place… The House was vulnerable. We were vulnerable. We didn’t know enough, and that was partly my fault.

Had I done the right thing?

The question circled over and over like a broken record. I’d told Ryan we were going to protect Lark even though we barely knew anything about her or the Pack that wanted her back. The decision had rolled off my tongue without hesitation. But now, standing here alone in the quiet, I was starting to worry that perhaps it had been another of those rash decisions that Ryan was so concerned about.

Protect the pup.

My wolf had no doubts. Good to know.

I poured the hot water into the cup, watching the dark tendrils of the ginger and peppermint tea unfurl from the bag as I stirred the spoon slowly, the scent catching the updrafts in the room and swirling into the air. What if I was making decisions I wouldn’t have before I was pregnant?

Caught in my own thoughts, I barely noticed Wally gliding into the kitchen until I heard his familiar, affectionate drawl.

“Sweetie, I swear, if you stir that tea any more, it’s going to turn into a hurricane in that cup.”

I jumped. “Shit, Wally! I thought you were out laying traps.”

He perched himself on one of the stools near the counter and propped his chin up on his hand, watching me like an amused but concerned parent. “I was. We got back five minutes ago. The others are still out. It’s not like you to not hear us come in. You need to tell Wally what’s got you all twisted up like an origami wolf.”

I plastered on a smile and turned to face him. “It’s nothing, really. I’m sorry this birthday Christmas for Ben isn’t turning out they way you thought it would. Is he okay?”

Wally waved a dismissive hand. “Pish posh, don’t even worry about that! This party may have had a few...hiccups, but I wanted to make it memorable for Ben, and that it certainly is.”

“Well, it’s his birthday until midnight. So, we have until then to get this whole thing resolved and the celebrations back on track.” We could do it. We had to. I didn’t want to let Wally or Ben down. “How’s Lark settling in out there?”

Wally tilted his head to one side. “Lark had those two boys wrapped around her finger within thirty seconds of walking in the front door. My bet is they’d lay down their lives for her in a heartbeat. So, Lark is gonna be just fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, missy. You know what I’m talking about, too, so stop acting all innocent and cheerful when I know you have a dark storm hanging over your head. So, spill.”

“Honestly, there’s nothing—“ I started but was cut off by Sofia bursting through the kitchen door.

“Oh, thank Goddess, there’s tea,” Sofia said, making a beeline for the kettle. “I’m adding whiskey to it, though. I need an escape.”

“An escape? From what, or who?” Wally asked with a grin, then held up one hand. “No, don’t tell me! My guess is the very hot, muscular Shaw brother who only has eyes for you.”

Sofia shot him a look that could have melted steel. “Not helping.”

“Speaking of not helping,” Wally turned back to me, “our Alpha here was just about to tell us what’s bothering her.”

Sofia’s attention snapped to me, her eyes narrowing as she studied my face. “I knew something was up. You’ve got that crinkle between your eyes that you always get when you’re overthinking things.”

I reached up to rub the spot between my eyebrows. “I do not have a crinkle!”

“Girl, you have the mother of all crinkles right now,” Sofia said, hopping onto the counter. “You might as well spill it. You know it won’t go until you do. So, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

I sighed, looking between my two friends. “I … I’m not sure I made the right decision back there.”

“About Lark?” Sofia asked, her head in the pantry as she grabbed a bottle of Aberlour whiskey. “What the hell happened in here? It looks like an earthquake hit!” She inhaled deeply, then sneezed. “Shit! Never mind. I think I know.”

Wally narrowed his eyes at Sofia, then swung his gaze back to me. “Enough distractions. You’re worried about Lark.”

I shrugged. “Taking her in … it puts our Pack at risk, and I’m not sure whether I made that call because it was right or because I’m pregnant and my hormones are making me—“

“Oh, hell no,” Sofia cut me off. “We are not doing the hormone blame game. I’ve known you since high school, Mai Parker, and you’ve always been a sucker for strays. Remember that three-legged squirrel you tried to hide in your locker?”

Wally looked from Sofia to me and back again. “There’s a story I need to hear.”

“She kept him in there for two weeks,” Sofia grinned. “Fed him tuna sandwiches and tried to convince everyone the scratching and chirping was her new ringtone.”

I felt my cheeks flush. “That was different—“

“Was it?” Sofia raised an eyebrow. “What about Gremlin?”

Okay, maybe she had a point.

“You saw something that needed help, and you jumped in to protect it. That’s who you’ve always been. The only difference now is you have the power to actually do something about it.”

“But what if I’m not thinking clearly—“

“Oh, darling,” Wally interrupted, his tone half-relieved and half-exasperated. “That is horseshit.”

“Horseshit?”

“Yes, horseshit. Baloney. Utter nonsense.” Wally stood up and started pacing, his hands gesturing wildly. “You’re not making these decisions because you’ve gone soft. You’re making them because you give a damn. You’ve always cared. Look at Korrin’s rogues. You offered them a way to be part of a Pack again. Amara and Ben? You found them a home, a way to be safe. Face it. You collect strays. Probably because you were one and know what it’s like to be on the outside. That’s what makes you you . It’s what makes you a good leader. Hell, it’s why people follow you and Ryan. But if you think for one second it’s because you’re pregnant and somehow too emotional or hormonal, then forgive me when I say—“ He waved his hands theatrically in the air. “Absolute fucking horseshit.”

“He’s right.” Sofia nodded, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “You need to trust your instincts, not second-guess them. And if anyone tries to come after that little girl, they’ll have to go through all of us first. Even Derek’s brooding ass would fight for her.”

“Speaking of Derek’s ass …” Wally wiggled his eyebrows.

“Don’t you dare start,” Sofia warned, but I caught the slight flush in her cheeks.

“I saw you checking out said ass when he was rehanging the Christmas lights Gremlin knocked off the tree earlier.”

“I was not! I was … supervising the decoration placement.”

“You most certainly were supervising the placement of his decorations.”

I couldn’t help laughing at the look on Sofia’s face.

Sofia groaned and buried her face in her hands. “I hate you both.”

“No, you don’t,” Wally sang. “You love us. Almost as much as you love Derek’s—“

“Finish that sentence, and I will end you,” Sofia threatened.

Something warm settled in my chest, easing some of the tension there. These two … they always knew how to pull me out of my head.

“Face it, Mai,” Sofia said, turning serious again. “You’re a good Alpha because you care. Not in spite of it. And being pregnant doesn’t change that—it just gives you one more reason to fight for what’s right.”

“Besides,” Wally added, “what will Ryan do if you start out-brooding him? Leave the dramatic worrying to him, alright? It’s better for his whole mysterious-and-grumpy-Alpha aesthetic.”

“True,” I murmured. “Can’t take that away from him. He does enjoy it so much.”

“Almost as much as Derek enjoys pretending he’s not staring at Sofia,” Wally quipped.

“That’s it!” Sofia launched herself off the counter, but Wally was already dancing away, cackling as he dodged her swat.

I watched them chase each other around the kitchen, their laughter filling the space and felt my wolf settle. I’d found this, my family. Was it so bad if I wanted others to find it, too?