Chapter 22

Snow

" G ood morning, baby." My eyes flutter open to Regina's soft voice.

I smile, finding her standing at the edge of my nest, coffee in one hand and a plate full of food in the other.

"Morning," I murmur, stretching my arms above my head with a little groan.

"Sore?" She gives me a knowing smirk.

"Maybe a little," I tease. There's this delicious ache between my thighs. And sure, it might hurt to sit for a week, but it was so worth it.

A lot of my heat was a blur of knots, cum, and orgasms. While I don't remember much, I know my alphas and Regina took care of me amazingly.

"You wore the big fuckers out good." She laughs as I crawl over to her, still naked, taking the coffee from her. Sitting back on my knees, I take a sip and sigh.

I take a glance over my shoulder to see all six of my monsters squashed together in my nest, passed out and snoring deeply.

"Poor things," I laugh.

"Don't you feel bad. They were loving every moment of it." Regina sits next to me on the bed.

My eyes find hers. "How about you?" I chew on my lower lip.

"It was fun." She grins. "I'm not sad about missing group activities, though." She laughs. "But my time alone with you–" she reaches up and tucks some of my hair behind my ear. "It was perfect."

My cheeks flush. I probably look like a mess right now, hair wild and covered in my slick and their cum. But she looks at me like I'm her everything.

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you too, my princess." She grins, then kisses me. I sigh, leaning into her touch.

We sit and talk while I eat, letting the guys get some extra sleep. Regina said my heat went on for three days.

She was amazing, making sure I was cleaned and fed the whole time, even if I was stubborn, and tried to fight her every step of the way.

When I'm done eating, Regina takes my plate and cup into the kitchen. I crawl back between my soft, warm mates and snuggle in close to Brady.

Henry groans, rolling over and snuggling up against my back. "Morning," he murmurs, kissing me. To be bonded to all my men like this feels amazing. Like I'm whole.

"Morning." I smile.

"How are you feeling?" I hear Dallas ask, voice thick with sleep.

"Perfect."

"Are you sure?" Gabe asks,

"You must be hungry," Sullivan adds.

"Yes, I'm sure, and no, I'm not hungry. Regina has already taken care of me."

"She really was a lifesaver through this heat, wasn't she?" Sterling yawns.

"She really was."

"I think she fits in with our little group perfectly," Henry says.

"I agree," I laugh.

"We better get up," Dallas sighs. "Three days is long enough to be out of work. Any longer, and the king will be suspicious."

The mention of my dad has my good mood plummeting. "I can't wait until he's dead," I mutter.

"Me too, love, me too." Brady kisses the top of my head as I tangle my fingers in his fur.

"Once he's gone, I want to start over new. I want to make the kingdom great again, like when my mother was in power. Maybe even better than that with my father not having any input or control over how things are run."

"Things will be amazing when you're in power, babe," Henry says. "Everyone knows you're what's best for this kingdom. That you're the right person to sit on that throne."

"I hope so," I whisper.

"We know so," Sullivan urges.

"What about after?" My heart races a little faster at the question. "After we beat my father and take back the throne. We didn't talk about the future much, and between being mates and now being bonded, I think it's safe to say we're in this forever."

"We want forever," Brady confirms.

"I do, too. But I... I always wanted kids. Is that something you all want?"

"Hell yeah." Henry snuggles in closer. "I want to have tons of babies with you."

"We might not have talked about it as a group, but I know having kids is something we've all thought about. I know I want them," Dallas says.

"Seeing you knocked up with my pup..." Gabe grunts. "Nothing sexier."

I laugh, burying my face in Brady's fur.

"I'd be honored to be one of the fathers to our kids." Brady plays with my hair, and my heart grows in size.

"I love kids," Sterling chimes in.

"I'm down for a litter or two," Sullivan adds.

"Okay." I laugh. "Maybe not that many. But I'm glad we're on the same page."

"We want what you want, Snow. And if it's something we don't agree on, we talk it out and work through it," Dallas declares. I roll over to look at him, and I'm about to respond when I see his face drop.

"What's wrong?" I ask, sitting up in alarm.

He blinks a few times, eyes narrowing before looking at Gabe. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Yeah," Gabe growls, getting to his feet. "I'm getting the same feeling."

"What's wrong?" I ask again, panic racing through me.

Dallas looks down at me. "Stay here with the guys. It could be nothing, but we're going to check."

"Okay," I whisper. "Please be safe. And tell Regina to come back here, please."

Dallas nods, bending over to kiss me quickly on the lips. "Love you, omega."

"I love you too."

As they leave, a deep, heavy feeling settles over me, and I don't like it. Not one bit.

"It's okay." Brady sits up, rubbing his hands up and down my arms in comfort. "Everything is okay."

But is it really?

With every passing second, that dreadful feeling hits me harder, like someone pushing down on my chest.

Deep, guttural roars sound through the house, making me scream in panic. "Oh my god." I jump to my feet, and so do the guys.

Pure dread fills my veins as Sullivan and Sterling bolt out of the room. "Stay with her," Henry demands to Brady before following them.

"Wait!" my voice cracks as I move to follow, but Brady pulls me into his arms.

"You have to stay here, Snow. It's not safe."

"But they could be hurt!" I scream. Regina bursts into the bedroom, eyes wild and frantic.

"What's going on?" I ask her in a rush.

"It all happened so fast," she says, grabbing handfuls of her hair as she starts to pace. "I was cleaning the dishes when a whole group of men broke into the house. I didn't get a chance to react before Dallas and Gabe came running into the room. They started fighting, and the guys were handling it well but then more people came in. Dallas told me to run, and I did. And oh god. The blood, so much blood."

"No," I sob, hand flying to my mouth. "No, no, no."

"It's not their blood. I don't think it is. The others came running in to help as I came back here."

"They have this. You have no idea how powerful a lycan can be," Brady reassures.

"But your parents, they were all killed!" I shout. "They're going to kill them. I can't let that happen."

"It's different. Our parents died because the humans were cowards and broke in at night, killing them in their sleep. And the ones who could fight back were overpowered after being taken by surprise. There's five of them, baby, five. They're going to be okay."

"You don't know that." I'm full-on crying now, shaking.

"Here." Regina pulls a dress over my head. "We need to get out of here, now."

"The window," Brady says. He rushes over and shoves it open, pushing the screen out. He climbs out first before holding his hand out for me. "Come on, Snow."

"I'm scared," I whimper. "I don't want to leave them."

"They would want you safe," he growls, panic filling his eyes. "We need you safe. If you die, we're going to wish we were dead. You are the most important thing to us."

"Come on." Regina grabs my arm and yanks me towards the window. "I'm so sorry, baby. I don't mean to be like this, and I love you but I need you safe too."

She pushes me towards the window, and Brady snatches me out, bundling me in his arms.

Regina is next. The moment she's out, we start to run. Regina is slow, so Brady scoops her up, too.

Unfortunately, we don't get too far before Brady lets out a grunt, and we go stumbling to the ground.

I scream as I roll onto the dirt.

My head pounds in pain, my mind disoriented as I let out a groan. Regina's screams have me looking around frantically.

"If it isn't my traitorous whore of a wife." My father's voice sends a chill down my spine. Scrambling to get to my feet, I find my father standing nearby with a handful of Regina's hair.

"Fuck you!" she spits in his face, earning herself a slap.

"Stop!" I shout, rushing forward to get to her, but stop as two arms wrap around me. "Let go of me!" I scream, trying to fight my way out.

"Sorry, can't do that, princess." I recognize the voice. Max, my father's right-hand man.

"Did you think you could leave and I wouldn't notice?" My father chuckles. I wonder for a moment why Regina isn't trying to fight back, but then I see it. The silver gleam of the blade pressed against her neck, and panic fills me.

"Please don't hurt her. It's me you want. Take me," I plead.

"Snow. Don't," Regina shouts.

"I'm afraid that's not a trade I'd be willing to make," my father laughs. "Seeing how I have no use for you. By the end of the day, I'm going to make sure your death sticks." He shoots a glaring look at Max. "Something he's failed to do. But I won't."

He looks down at Regina with a sneer of disgust. "You left behind being a fucking queen to run off into the forest to shack up with my daughter? How fucked up are you?"

"Fuck you!" Regina screams again. "She's a million times better than you, you evil piece of shit."

Regina gasps as he presses the edge of the blade into her skin, drawing blood. "Watch how you speak to me," he spits. "I can easily end your life."

"Then do it," she seethes.

"Regina, no!" I sob.

"That would be too easy. I have plans for you, my dear. You think you can escape me." He yanks her up to his face. "There's no escaping me." He looks down at the ground and instructs his men. "Kill him."

It takes me a moment to realize that the ‘him' my father is talking about is Brady. "No!" I yell so loud my throat screams in protest as I start to fight with everything in me.

Something is shoved over my head, and pure terror hits me. "Brady!" I sob.

"Snow!" his voice rips through the air. "Snow!" he roars. It sounds like he's fighting, and other people are screaming. My father shouts at his men, but I can't see anything.

"Let me go!" I scream. "I'm going to kill you."

"I'm so sorry about this, princess," Max mutters. My hands get yanked behind my back, and I struggle as he ties them. I'm too weak, my body too tired from my heat.

Was this their plan all along, to ambush us at our weakest moment? If they wanted to do that, doing it while I was lost in my heat would have been the better choice. Thank the gods, they didn't.

Max throws me over his shoulder. I scream and scream, but it gets me nowhere. Eventually, I'm thrown against a hard surface before something like a door slams shut.

He's taken me somewhere, taken me away from my mates. My mates! I have no idea who's dead or alive.

I begin hyperventilating and full-on sobbing. I'm so worked up that I end up passing out. I just pray that I get to open my eyes again, and if I do, my mates better be safe, or so help me, I will burn this fucking world to the ground.