36. ELLIE

ELLIE

I’m not sure how long I’ve been sleeping but when I find my way into the living room, Tati is giggling with my sister over what looks like hot cocoa. They’ve been close but somehow have bonded over my sorry ass. I like to see it, though, since Carleen doesn’t usually hang with a lot of people. Work and home are her entire life and while I applaud her for focusing on her career, I enjoy the moments when she lets go and relaxes.

Even if my entire life is falling apart at the moment.

“Ah, look who it is! The queen has arrived!” Tati jokes before taking an obnoxious sip of her drink. Her silly grin tells me that there’s more than chocolate in her cup. Go figure. “Your sister was telling me all about how you stormed in and basically threatened to kill your mother-in-law. No, don’t mean mug me. She is going to be your mother-in-law one day. Just a god-awful one. Come, sit. Tell me all about what they did. Wait, no! Me first.”

I chuckle at her chaos as I swing by the fridge to grab a few leftover sandwiches. I’m not sure when my last meal was but I’m starving. I swipe a water bottle as well before depositing myself on the couch, huffing when I’m half as comfortable as I used to be. I’m just over a month into this pregnancy shit and I’m already uncomfortable. Great. “Okay, go,” I say, twisting my hand in the air playfully.

Tati takes another sip before placing her mug on the table, the porcelain nearly toppling to the ground. Carleen grabs it and replaces it on the surface, eyeing me to catch my reaction. I have none. Mostly because the glazed look on Carleen’s face tells me she’s been drinking too, probably without the chocolate.

“Okay, girl, after you left, it was crazy. Nathan got banned. Rather, Lewis cursed him out for bringing trouble into the club and told him that he’s not allowed back in, nor his friends.”

I take a large bite of the cucumber sandwich, chewing several times until it clicks. “Wait, does Lewis know that Nathan’s friend was Ms. Astor? Like she could buy Euphoria and still be rich.”

“Who knows but she’s banned too. You still have your job. You can thank me later, not that I think you’ll be going back for let’s say… at least a year?” Tati’s gaze drops to my belly and she wiggles her eyes. I groan and move until my knees are pulled to my chest as close as possible, the large shirt I shoved myself into now covering everything.

She’s not wrong though.

Between the stress of trying to keep this relationship on the down low and how hard it was to sit up straight just a second ago, I can’t see my routines getting any easier. Not to say that I won’t waitress for a few weeks at the very least.

“Your turn!” Tati sing songs, Carleen chuckling as she grabs her own glass.

I’m not surprised the liquid inside is clear. My sister sits forward, swirling her drink a few times before addressing me. “Ellie, know that I’m with you 100%. Whatever happens. However, I need to know who to kill and where to bury the body.” Her words bring a smile to my face as I finish one sandwich and start on the next. “But seriously? I only know what the tabloids are saying and I know that it’s all bullshit. Help us out here, Ellie.”

I managed a few articles before I hid my phone, not wanting to see the word ‘homewrecker’ again. Shutting off the device probably wasn’t the smartest idea but every ping mentioning my name, where I worked, and how we met just made me want to scream. It would only be a matter of time before someone caught onto where I lived and posted that as well.

How that hadn’t leaked already, I wasn’t sure.

I wash my sandwiches down with a big gulp of water and then begin. “I was Savin’s PA. We went to his modeling shoot. Nothing fancy and then he wasn’t feeling great so we called Macon to come pick us up. Savin kissed me in the back of Macon’s car. That was it and then tonight, I find everyone staring at me. Didn’t even know until Lewis dragged me into a private booth with Nathan. He’s working for Aayla, though, and that bitch paid me a quarter million to fuck off.” My gaze falls on the crunched envelope on the coffee table and it just makes me angry all over again. “She’s a piece of shit for trying that.”

Tati shakes her head as she lounges back into the pillows. “I would have demanded more monies and then found some way to publicly humiliate her. Macon doesn’t like her, right? Like he’s not defending his mother?”

“No idea,” I shrug, wrapping my arms around my knees. “My phone has been off since we got home. Haven’t thought to turn it back on.” Twin groans meet my ears and I stare at them, not understanding. “What?”

“Sis, sometimes you’re so fucking understanding and soft and other times it’s like talking to a rock. Your Alpha just found out that the public is calling you a homewrecker and your phone is off? He’s going to think the fucking worst. You might be trying to avoid public outrage but he’s going to see it as you’re running away from him. Wait, are you running from him?”

“No,” I spit out before pushing to my feet and heading to the kitchen for more sandwiches. Now that the question is out there, though, there is some part of me that didn’t want to face the possible rejection. The nagging feeling that Macon might think that all this isn’t worth it when he has to take care of his Omega, a pregnant Beta, and the public outcry every time something happens. “Not running, just needed some time.”

They all know it’s bullshit but I’m not ready to face the truth.

A knock on the door tears us away from the conversation, all three of us staring at it like it’s wronged us. For a moment I think the paparazzi have found us until that strong whiskey scent filters through the door, a hardened berries and cream right beside it. Just based on my reaction, Carleen approaches the door and throws it open, donning her Alpha persona completely.

From my vantage point, I can see how frazzled Macon is, his eyes bloodshot no doubt with worry. I can’t see Savin but the sharp whine that falls from his lips nearly has me falling apart.

“She’s here, right?” Macon asks. “Tell me she’s okay. I… if she doesn’t want to see us, that’s fine but I need to know that she’s okay.” My Alpha sounds broken and I hate it. I take a step forward but Carleen puts her hand out to halt my approach. She’s been my protector for so long that I should have known it wouldn’t magically stop when I found my mates.

Carleen leans on one foot, folding her arms across her chest. “My sister isn’t okay. She stepped into your world and then this happened. I need to know that you’re going to protect her. My sister is strong but she’s not invincible and if you’re going to torture her heart in order to save your career…”

Macon growls at her, neither one backing down but the resolve in my Alpha’s expression is clear. “With all due respect, I wouldn’t have shown up if I wanted to save my career. I’m used to the tabloids and my mother’s goddamn tricks but Ellie isn’t and that’s on me. Carleen, I know you would do anything to protect your sister but I would do the same for my mates.”

“Because you love her?”

“Yes.”

No hesitation. None.

I step into view, Macon’s shoulders falling in relief just as Savin pushes past my sister to collide with me. He peppers kisses all along my face before dropping to his knees, his nose rubbing along my belly. “Goddess, you’re okay. All of you are okay.” I string my fingers into his unruly hair, feeling the way his body trembles pressed so close to mine.

Carleen steps out of the way to let Macon in, my Alpha coming up against my side to hold me to his chest. “Sweetheart, you terrified us when you didn’t pick up.” His nose runs along my temple, Macon leaving little kisses on my skin. With them both wrapped around me, I’m acutely aware of how much I needed their presence now that my emotions have settled.

“Well, maybe she needed a few moments to answer because your fucking mom tried to pay her off!” Tati yells from her seat. She wobbles forward, Carleen moving to catch her before my friend makes a fool of herself.

Macon frowns, a growl vibrating in his chest as he hugs me tighter. “What the fuck is she talking about? My mother paid you off?” I don’t answer right away, refusing to lose the comfort of this embrace. When the first tear escapes, I blame that shit on pregnancy hormones and not the underlying fear that this might be over before it even really got a chance to start. “Sweetheart, what happened?”

“Just hold me for a few more minutes. Please, Alpha.”

They continue to hold me, each whispering soft words, calming me with every moment that passes.