Thirty-Five

Micah

After we got back, it took an hour to convince the dads that we were all okay. Cam didn't bring up his newfound powers, probably because he was as eager for the dads to leave as the rest of us.

"Oh, did you get that thing I asked for?" Cam asked Raiden when they were finally at the door on their way out, Cassian and Gus already halfway down the driveway.

Raiden raised a brow at Cam, then nodded. "I left it in Kai's room."

"Thanks, DD. For everything."

"Of course, kiddo. Be safe. Text me if you need anything."

With that, Raiden and William left, and Cam closed the door after them.

"What thing?" Kai asked, giving Cam a curious look. "And why is it in...my room?" Was it just me, or had he hesitated before calling it his?

"Come, come. I'll show you."

Knowing Cam, it could be anything from a new blanket to a bouncy house, so Ember and I followed after them a touch warily.

Kai's room looked the same it had before we left, so it took me a moment to spot the metal box sitting on top of the dresser.

Cam waved at it with a flourish. "Here you go. Rhiannon made this. You can keep your coat in here when you're not using it, and it'll only open for you. You—and DD, unfortunately—are the only ones who can pick it up too. So no one can take off with the whole thing either."

Kai stared at the safe wide-eyed, then Cam, then the safe again.

"Press your palm to the front," Cam directed, and when Kai did, the safe glowed blue before unlocking with a click.

Then Kai put his coat inside and closed it, and we all tried to unlock or pick it up, but nothing happened unless Kai was the one doing it.

Once we'd finished experimenting, Kai stared at the safe for another long moment before throwing his arms around Cam and giving him a tight embrace.

"Thank you," he said when he pulled back, and then he pulled me into a hug, making me laugh.

"I didn't even do anything," I said, painfully aware of that fact, but he shook his head, holding on for another minute before pulling back.

"You made me feel safe. All three of you. I don't know how I would've survived without you."

Pulling away, he gave Ember a hug as well, disappearing beneath our mate's massive arms for a moment. Damn, Ember gave the best hugs.

"It's late. Come on, let's go to bed," Ember said, then glanced down at Kai. "Would you like to join us? Just to sleep?"

Kai didn't even hesitate when he nodded, and I smiled widely, taking his hand into mine before stopping. "Oh, do you want to take that?" I pointed toward the safe, and he chewed on his lower lip for a moment before nodding.

Kai picked up his safe, and then we all headed into the master bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later, we were all under the covers, Kai and I in the middle with Cam behind me and Ember on Kai's other side.

Kai and I were facing each other, Kai's head tucked under my chin, his arm wrapped around my waist while mine lay over his hip. Ember also had an arm over Kai, his hand cupping my hip, while Cam's whole body pressed against my back, leaving no space between us. The four of us would've fit on a queen bed with how closely packed together we lay, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

It took a while for me to fall asleep, but when I did, it was the most blissful, peaceful rest I'd ever had.

I hummed happily as I snuggled into the warm chest in front of me, not quite ready to wake up. I could hear the birds chirping outside, and Jodi was barking happily in the backyard. I was surrounded in warmth, and my mind was blissfully quiet for now. I didn't have my shields up just yet, but I was still in that hazy sleepy mode where my brain wasn't active enough to be reading everyone else's thoughts.

I knew it wouldn't last for much longer now that I was waking up, so I savored every last moment of the peace before thoughts started filtering into my head.

That's the fifth time Kai's eyes have slid to the pond. He really needs to take a dip . That was Cam somewhere in the backyard, and I focused on the man beside me before I could latch onto Kai's thoughts, since I still didn't have his permission.

Micah feels so good in my arms. I'd happily hold him like this all day if I could.

My cheeks heated up at Ember's thoughts, and I pulled my shields up as I stirred, acting like I was just waking up. I couldn't deny it made me happy to hear what he thought, especially since I loved being held by him too. The way Ember held me just a little too tight made me feel secure, like I was in the safest place imaginable and no one would be able to touch me as long as Ember's arms were around me.

While I felt secure about my place in our relationship most of the time, it didn't hurt to hear I was wanted.

"Hey, Micah. Sleep well?"

I hummed happily, then peered blearily up at him, meeting his bright blue eyes. "What about you? Have you been up long?"

"A while. I wanted to lie in for a bit, so Cam and Kai decided they'd make breakfast today."

My eyes widened, and I jerked upright. "You let Cam into the kitchen?"

Ember's brows shot up at my reaction, and he slowly sat up too. "Uh, yes. He said he has some experience in the kitchen."

I snorted, unable to help myself. "Cam's only experience in the kitchen has been making blackened pancakes and almost setting the house on fire more than once."

Ember stared at me for a long moment, then shot to his feet. "Now that you're up, I think I'll check if Cam...needs some assistance."

I snickered as he raced out of the room, then fell back onto the bed with a sigh. At least I wouldn't have to deal with the mess this time.

Kai

When Ember stepped into the kitchen and got a good look at the place, for a moment, I thought he'd break down in tears at the sheer amount of mess Cam had created in an attempt to make scrambled eggs...which he hadn't even started on yet. Instead, he shooed Cam and me out, banning Cam from ever entering the kitchen without either Micah or him present.

"Why aren't you banning Kai too?"

"Because we both know you're the only one responsible for...this," Ember growled, grimacing at the countertop covered in...stuff. Seriously, how had Cam managed to cause so much chaos? I'd been sitting right there for most of it, and yet I couldn't say.

"Fair," Cam said with a shrug, then turned to me with a grin, putting me on my guard.

"Would you like to take a dip in the pond while Ember makes breakfast? I'm sure you're dying to put on your coat again."

Had he noticed my eyes sliding to the pond while I sat at the counter? It wasn't like I'd been trying to hide it. I did want to take a dip, to put on my skin again and shift into my seal form.

"Okay," I said after a moment of hesitation. "Let me grab my coat."

I'd left the safe in the master bedroom, since I was sure now no one could touch my coat but me. Not that I didn't trust my mates or thought anyone could sneak into this house without one of us noticing, but still. I had a feeling I'd be a little afraid of it getting stolen for some time now.

Whatever metal Rhiannon had used to make the safe didn't subdue my connection, which meant that I could keep it securely in the safe without losing my powers.

"Hey," Micah said when I stepped into the bedroom, sliding out of bed and stretching his arms above his head. The faded blue worn shirt he wore rode up as he stretched, and his piercing gleamed in the morning light.

"Good morning," I greeted him with a smile, unlocking the safe and pulling out my coat.

"I didn't really get a good look at it last night, but your coat is beautiful," Micah murmured as he walked around the bed, and I smiled, pleased.

"Thank you. Would you...would you like to come downstairs? I was just about to shift and take a dip in the pond."

Micah grinned and nodded, making butterflies flutter in my belly.

As we made our way downstairs, Micah told me how the pond had been what had cinched the deal for him when they were trying to decide if they wanted to buy this house, and I wondered if some instinctual part of him had known the pond was for his future mate.

"Oh, Micah," I said, stopping him at the base of the stairs as I remembered something I'd thought of last night.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to say...you don't have to keep your mental shields up around me."

"Oh." Micah blinked, his lips pursing. "Are you sure? I don't mind." We both knew that wasn't true. I'd seen him knocking back those headache teas of his the past few days, and I hated causing him pain.

Now that I knew without a doubt these three men were my mates, I didn't want to hide from them anymore. I didn't want any kind of distance between us, physical or mental.

"I'm sure," I promised, and Micah stared at me for another few moments before nodding.

I could tell the moment he dropped his shields, because stress I hadn't noticed before disappeared from his face as his brows relaxed and his whole body went loose, as if it took him physical strength.

I think you're the most beautiful man I've ever seen , I thought to test the waters, and a pretty pink blush colored Micah's cheeks, making me smile.

Shaking his head, he turned away and started leading the way toward the backyard. "Come on."

Unlike Ember and Cam, I needed to remove my clothes and put on my selkie skin to shift, but I was used to that, and while it was my first time being naked around my mates, I didn't give it much thought as I quickly slipped out of my clothes and into my selkie skin, exhaling softly as the familiar magic I'd missed so much surrounded me, sinking into me and changing my form.

"Oh my God," Cam said when I opened my eyes, and then he was on his knees in front of me, a wide grin covering his face. "You are so fucking cute. I never knew seals could be this cute. Micah, look at him! Look at those big soulful eyes! And those whiskers!"

I made a weird, embarrassed sound, then remembered I could still talk to them. Shut up , I said in the mental link and Cam's grin widened.

"You're such a cute sea puppy, Kai. Can I touch you?" I wanted to say no just to punish him for embarrassing me, but I relented with a huff.

Sure .

No sooner had I thought the word than his palms were on me, careful and light as they brushed over my coat. With dark gray fur with spots of lighter gray, I wasn't the prettiest seal there was, but Cam didn't seem to care as his sparkling eyes and soft fingers roamed over me.

"Cam, we should let him take a dip," Micah said, then darted forward to rub his palm over my head. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

I snorted, making him grin, and then they both took a step back, giving me a view of Ember, who leaned in the doorway, a smile on his face as he watched me. Waving a hand—some called them flippers, but I preferred to call them hands and feet—at him, I turned around and jumped into the pond. It was big enough that I could swim a few strokes, and deep enough that my feet didn't touch the ground when I was vertical. It was the perfect size, as if someone had measured me and designed a pool specifically for me, which I knew wasn't true.

This house, and these men, were always meant to be my home, and I was finally here with no plans of ever leaving.