Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Blake

S prinkles's moist breath wafts across my face, eager eyes shifting from me to the leash I strangle between my hands.

After Nathaniel left the house, I planned to take Sprinkles out for a walk, but then found myself sitting on the bottom step of the stairs. The pitter-patter of rain against the windows fills the room with a steady rhythm. I need to take him out, but the thought of cleaning mud off his massive paws when we come back is more than I can deal with right now.

I'd usually bring Sprinkles with me to the job site, but I'm giving Nathaniel a head start to cool his temper after our fight.

My chest feels tight, still angry and hurt over Nathaniel's comments about me leaving the island to take care of my niece. I don't know how to be here for my bondmates while also being there for Quinn whenever my sister falls off the rails.

It would be so much easier if my father would accept that Sadie is an unfit mother and let me bring Quinn here.

The door to the Homestead opens, and my head lifts as my pulse quickens, afraid that Nathaniel returned for another round. Instead, surprise fills me when I see Holden and Chloe returning together.

Sprinkles bounds to his feet, his entire back half wagging with excitement.

Alarmed, Chloe backs toward Holden, who hovers in the doorway, shaking off the umbrella.

"Easy, boy." I reach out to catch his collar. "Heel."

Panting, Sprinkles licks his chops, his massive head swinging back and forth between me and the newcomer.

Chloe hugs her arms across her stomach and shivers, her pink hair damp and clinging to her forehead. She still wears her green frog onesie, now zipped up to her throat, and the bag with her belongings from last night still hangs from her arm.

When I spot the picnic basket Holden packed for her, worry shoots through me.

What could have happened? I stand, my hand tightening on the leash as my mind races.

Did Nathaniel catch up to them and say something? He wouldn't do that in front of Chloe, would he? Not with how concerned he is about her trashing our resort in her review.

"Sprinkles, sit," I command as I walk toward Chloe.

The large dog obeys, his attention never leaving the leash.

"What's wrong?" I rub Chloe's arms to help warm her shivering body, and she leans against me, sniffling from the cold.

"A tree fell during the storm and crushed the corner of Chloe's cabin." Holden props the wet umbrella out on the porch to dry and shuts the door behind him. Rain glistens on the slick material of his jacket as he shrugs out of it. "I'm not sure how much damage has been done, though. I didn't want to risk Chloe's safety by investigating further."

I hold Chloe's trembling body tighter as relief floods through me. "Thank goodness you weren't inside when it happened."

I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, even as a ball forms in my stomach. Nathaniel won't take this news well, especially in his current frame of mind. His grandfather built the cabin Chloe's been staying in, and it was an escape for Nathaniel and his mother from his father when Nathaniel was growing up. It holds the best of Nathaniel's memories with his mother.

I scrub a hand down my face. "I'll go fetch Nathaniel, and we'll assess the damage together. In the meantime, Holden, why don't you settle Chloe in one of the rooms here at the Homestead? And find her something warm and dry to put on. Get her out of these wet clothes."

Holden's hazel eyes meet mine with a mix of gratitude and worry. "Of course. She can have the ground floor suite."

Chloe's voice trembles. "Does this mean I don't have to leave Misty Pines?"

At the thought of her leaving, my heart constricts, and I cup her face, my thumb brushing against her chilled skin. "You never have to leave if you don't want to."

Holden sucks in a sharp breath, panic and uncertainty in the stare he levels on me over Chloe's head. I know I shouldn't have said that before she meets everyone, but I don't care.

She searches my face. "Really?"

I caress her soft cheek. "Really."

The bond wants to form with Chloe. It sizzles in my blood and perfumes the air with her garden-sweet pheromones. She belongs here, and Nathaniel will just have to accept that, instead of waiting for the perfect time to expand our pack, we need to make the time for the perfect Omega already standing right in front of us.

Her breath hitches as she leans into my touch. "Thank you."

I wrap my arms around her, marveling at the way her body fits against mine like a missing puzzle piece. If we let her go now, it will leave a hole in our pack that no other Omega will fit into.

I lean down to breathe her in, my nose nuzzling behind her ear. "I'm so glad you're safe. I don't know what I would have done if you were hurt."

Holden clears his throat, breaking the moment. "You should put some tarps up at the cabin before it's completely flooded."

"You're right." I kiss Chloe's temple and step away from her. "Settle into your new space. We'll see what we can salvage, grab your clothes, and wash them for you."

"I appreciate—" She blushes bright pink. "Wait, no! You don't have to do my laundry! I can do it on my own. Just… can I gather my own stuff?"

I smirk and lean back down to whisper in her ear. "Why? Did you bring your tentacle dildo with you?"

With a squeak, she swats at me. "Never mention that again!"

"But I'm so curious," I growl, tickling her sides.

Giggling, she slaps at my hands and moves to hide behind Holden, making my bondmate puff up like the cat who caught the canary.

I whistle and pat my thigh. "Come on, Sprinkles, it's time to go play in the mud."

The large Newfoundland bounds forward and grabs the leash from my loose hold, then trots over to Chloe at a slower speed, as if sensing her fear.

He drops the leash at her feet and sits, panting with all the expectation of his loving heart.

Chloe stares at him for a moment, her eyes big as saucers. "You want me to…" She glances up at me. "Do I have to?"

"No, of course not." I walk over and rub Sprinkles's head, making his ears flap. "But if you want to try, Sprinkles is a very good pupper. Aren't you, boy?"

Sprinkles's tail baps against the floor, and he licks his chops before he lets his tongue hang out.

"I'm not sure…" She clutches Holden's sleeve, and her focus stays locked on Sprinkles as she slowly crouches to pick up the leash.

Sprinkles tenses, and I scratch his head, urging him to stay still or Chloe will lose her courage.

The clip on the end of the leash clicks as she tests the spring, extends it toward Sprinkles, then backtracks with uncertainty.

"Here, let me help." Holden reaches out, his hand disappearing into Sprinkles's long fur in search of his collar, and he pulls it around so the ring on it sits at the top. "There you go. Attach it through here."

Her hand shakes a little as she snaps the leash on, then throws it at me.

I catch it with a laugh and reach out to stroke her head. "Good girl."

Her nose twitches, and color rushes to her cheeks in response to the praise.

That side of her makes me want to spend all day lavishing her with nice words just to see what happens. But that will have to wait until later.

Breath held, she pats Sprinkles's head.

While she's distracted, my focus shifts to Holden. "Make sure our little mouse gets the best blankets in the house. There should be one in my linen closet. I think the other one is in your armoire. She needs to feel safe and comforted right now."

He appears startled for a second before he glances at Chloe and nods in understanding.

I take the rain jacket from Holden and slip it on, the material straining against my broader shoulders. It's snug but will do in a pinch.

Sprinkles takes the cue that we're finally heading outside and leaps to his feet, causing Chloe to squeak and scurry backward.

Holden hugs her with one arm and clasps my bicep. "Stay safe out there."

"Will do." I shake the leash. "Come on, boy."

Sprinkles bounds toward the door, and we head out into the storm together.

Mud puddles splash beneath my boots, splattering with each step. Water soaks into Sprinkles's long black fur as he snuffles the wet ground and pees on every bush along the way as we head around the side of the house.

Inside the garage, I gather some tarps, the rustling plastic echoing in the otherwise quiet space until heavy boots thump on the wooden steps.

Emily stumbles down from the upstairs office, one hand clutching her head. Her steel gray hair is disheveled, and her powerful frame lists, her hand on the wall for support.

Sprinkles lets out an excited woof and bounds toward her, making Emily wince.

"Rough night?" I straighten, the tarps tucked under my arm. "Did you manage to do any work, or did you all dive right into your cups?"

Emily studies me as she ruffles Sprinkles's ears before stumbling over to punch my shoulder hard enough to sting. "Nathaniel needed it."

Wincing, I rub at the dull ache. "All right, what did I miss?"

"His dad's been on Nathaniel again about Phase Two of the project." She rubs her temples. "And now he's harping on Dominic, too."

"Well, shit." That explains Nathaniel's foul mood this morning.

"My thought exactly." She gestures at me. "What's with the tarps?"

"Tree fell on Cabin One." Now I want even less to tell Nathaniel the bad news.

"Well, shit," Emily says, repeating my earlier sentiment. "Was the renter hurt?"

"No, luckily not." I stride to a shelf and grab a thick spool of rope, looping it over my shoulder. "Nathaniel already headed to the job site. I planned to fetch him before checking out the damage, but…"

Emily checks her watch. "I've got time. How about we go see for ourselves before telling Nathaniel?"

My shoulders sag with relief. "That sounds like a much better option."

Emily turns to the shelves and strides over to the locker at the back for a chainsaw. Her biceps bulge as she lifts it, the muscles beneath her skin rippling with hard-earned strength.

"Should we wake up Dominic's scrawny ass to help?" She easily hefts the heavy power tool. "I'm guessing he's still in bed."

I chuckle at her description of Dominic. Only someone of Emily's height would ever call him scrawny. "We want to save the cabin, not destroy it further. Leave him to hang shelves and install floors."

She laughs, her deep voice resonating through the garage, and claps me on the back. "Fair point, and it is fun to see him on his hands and knees."

"You'd better only be admiring the view," I growl, possessive of my bondmate.

She grins. "Nothing wrong with admiring a fine man, but he's a little too citrusy for my nose."

Shaking my head, we step out into the storm. The rain soaks through Emily's clothes as we make our way down the path., but the large Alpha doesn't complain or show any sign that the elements affect her.

When I grow up, I want to be an Alpha like her.

As we near the cabin, my gut clenches at the sight of the fallen tree, and I thank the stars Chloe stayed at the Homestead with us last night.

To be safe, we cut the power and then work together with the ease of long months spent on construction sites.

With rain streaming down our faces, we secure the rope around the trunk. Emily's strength combined with my knowledge of knots and pulleys makes for an efficient team, and soon we secure the tree enough to begin cutting it down.

The chainsaw roars to life in Emily's grip, its shrill whine making her grimace, but she pushes through the obvious hangover to do the job.

We take turns sawing through the base, the physical effort of pushing the blade through the wood causing sweat to bead on our brows despite the cold. It's slow, but as the sawdust mixes with the mud beneath our boots, we make progress.

"Almost there!" Emily shouts over the buzz of the saw, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

My chest heaves with exertion, and I'm grateful I ran into her before going to find Nathaniel. He's good with the planning and overseeing, but not so thrilled by heavy-duty manual labor.

Finally, the last of the trunk snaps, the tree falling away from the cabin with a guttural groan. Together, we maneuver the top part off the roof, taking care not to cause any further damage.

Emily and I grin at each other, soaked to the bone, but satisfied at a job well done.

A survey reveals a gaping hole, where rainwater cascades inside, and a cracked window on the wall below, letting in a steady stream of water. Despite the destruction, I'm relieved to see the support walls appear stable.

We spread the tarp out and secure it in place, making sure no more rain enters until we can repair the roof.

When we go inside, though, my stomach drops.

"Damn," Emily mutters, her voice almost drowned out by the storm. "This is worse than I thought it would be."

"Tell me about it." My heart sinks as we step farther into the cabin.

The once cozy living room now looks like a disaster zone. Water soaks the plush couch through, and the faux-wooden floor beneath our feet buckles at the seams.

"The bedroom is mostly untouched." Emily peers into the sectioned-off space. "Should I pack up the guest's clothes? I assume they're moving up to the Homestead?"

At the thought of another Alpha handling Chloe's belongings, my instincts flare up, and I growl, low in my throat. "No, I'll take care of it."

Emily raises her hands in surrender. "Message received."

She hesitates before curiosity gets the better of her. "So, does Nathaniel know about whatever's going on between you and the Omega who's been staying here?"

Of course, she'd catch on. Despite the wet smell in the cabin, Chloe's pheromones still linger in the air.

"Yeah, he knows." I rub the back of my neck. "He's not too happy about it, either. Gave me an earful this morning about being irresponsible and jeopardizing the pack."

"Sounds like Nathaniel." Gripping my shoulders, Emily forces me to face her, her expression serious. "Listen, Blake. If there's an Omega in your nose who's pushing all your buttons, you better hold on tight, because that's a precious gift you might not be given again."

Belatedly, I remember how Emily lost her pack and her own Omega. It's part of the reason she joined us on this construction project.

I nod, my voice thick. "I don't plan on letting her go easily."

But Nathaniel's already decided she's off the island in a week. And this latest development isn't going to soften his mood.