Chapter Four

Marcus

Family. A family that wants to reconnect.

Not once in all the time I've been with Pack Maddox have any of our family packs gotten in touch. Exile—out of our original homes, out of the city, away from the people who raised us—has become such a given, it's jarring to think of things being any other way.

Most packs have three or four sets of grandparents involved when a new pup arrives, but I gave up on that fantasy long before I'd even met Eve. Gave up on a lot of fantasies.

There are only so many times someone can stare at the phone, waiting for a text that isn't coming, before losing hope.

But it happened for Riley. Does that mean … is there even a possibility … that it could happen for me?

"Woah." Red snatches my wrist. "Dude. Gloves."

I blink, suddenly noticing I'm reaching into a 400-degree oven with my bare hands. "Oh. Thanks."

I grab the oven mitts and lift the tray out of the oven. Oatmeal cookies have become Eve's latest obsession. Thankfully, they've expanded nicely.

"Hell yeah." Red grins, already reaching for one. It's my turn to snatch his wrist.

"Half-hour cooling time," I remind him.

" Half-hour ?"

I smile, turning the oven off. Red grumbles behind me, moving the dirty dishes into the sink. Another remarkable habit he's picked up lately.

"You good?" he says. "Seem distracted."

I poke at the cookies, making sure they're cooked through. "Yeah." I pause. "I mean, mostly."

"That's Marcus speak for ‘shit'."

I laugh. "Am I that obvious?"

"I dunno. I think I'm just … on edge." He avoids my look, squaring his shoulders as he runs the water.

For a second, I contemplate nuzzling him to show my thanks. It's nice to be thought of, and I don't mean to embarrass him. But I stop myself. He hasn't had a proper workout since Eve banned sparring—all that pent-up energy doesn't exactly mesh well with sudden intimacy.

"That's natural," I tell him instead. "Eve's hormones are all over the place. It's probably just making your alpha hyper-vigilant."

He glances at me over his shoulder. "So something is upsetting you?"

I shrug. "Got a lot to think about."

"Family stuff."

"Yeah. You could say that."

"Me too." He shuts off the water and turns around, like he's relieved someone else has said it. "I mean, none of our family packs did right by us. But if there's any chance we can give our pup—" my heart blooms at the words, "—a shot at a normal life, maybe we need to reconsider who gets to be a part of it."

My eyes widen. "Does that mean you're thinking about getting in touch with your parents?"

"Fuck no." He scoffs. "But that's not to say the rest of you can't."

"I thought you were against it." Sure seemed like you were against it this morning.

"I don't want to see Riley hurt, and I'm sure as hell not ready to let any outsiders near Eve, but the rest is … I dunno. Something to think about."

Something for me to think about, is what he's trying to say. With Baxter's family all dead or behind bars, and Thorn's family across the country, and Red opting out completely, this conversation is left up to me and Riley. What we want for our pup's future, as well as our own.

"Thanks, Red," I say. "I will."

He chuffs and goes back to cleaning.

I smile at him even when he's not looking, prouder every day of the alpha he's become since that beat-up, hot-headed kid I found sitting in the hospital waiting room.

***

The city drive is exactly the nightmare I imagined.

Even with me sitting next to Eve in the backseat of the SUV, massaging her pressure points, trying to keep her distracted, we have to pull over a grand total of seven times.

"I'm sorry," she groans every time. I stroke her back, murmuring gently.

"It's not your fault, sweetheart. There's no rush."

"We'll stop as many times as you need," Baxter confirms.

"We're gonna be late," she says.

"Then we'll be late," Thorn growls, offering her a bottle of water. "Serves them right for making us trek to the city."

"I'll have a word with the doctor," I say gently, "see if they can ask the court to move checkups to St Mercy's."

Eve smiles at me appreciatively, but there's a wariness in her eyes I recognize all-too well. The court will make its demands, and we will obey, no matter how costly. Anything to ensure they don't take her away.

She's almost asleep by the time we make it to the hospital—such a long-awaited relief that I almost can't bear to wake her. Thorn nuzzles his nose into her hair. She stirs, pale and bleary.

"Are we there?"

"Yeah, little one." Baxter cuts the engine. "We're here."

She straightens herself up as best she can. I get her to drink a few sips of water, and even coax her to eat half a protein bar. The last thing we need is for the court doctor to see our pregnant omega faint with hunger after throwing up seven times on the way over.

Eve looks better once she's brushed her hair and changed out of her vomit-specked shirt. I kiss her forehead.

"Okay, princess. Let's go say hi to our pup."