On the Front Porch

Kofi

I t takes everything in me not to groan out loud. “Your system doesn’t say anything about who sent the flowers?” I squeeze my cell phone a little tighter.

“No,” the young woman says softly, clearly thinking. “It didn’t say on the card?” Loud clacking sounds on a keyboard punctuate her words.

“There wasn’t a card. Just a sticker with your shop’s name,” I say for the tenth time as I cut a glare at the bundle of flowers. They sit on one of the rocking chairs, looking very innocent. But I saw the look on Carys's face when she saw them. She was terrified. And I have no fucking clue why.

“That’s really weird,” the girl says, her curious tone exaggerated. “Can’t you just chalk it up to a secret admirer? Because the computer isn’t showing me?—”

“Is there someone there that can help you access the name of the sender?” I ask forcefully. My patience is wearing very thin with this girl.

“Yeah,” she draws the word out, making the muscle in my jaw tick. Then there’s more tapping on a keyboard. “Maybe call tomorrow around noon? Kayla should be back by then.”

I hang up, not even bothering with pleasantries.

“Everything okay?” Swanley steps outside, closing the front door softly behind him. “Did they say who sent them?”

“They don’t know.” I shove my phone into my pocket, eyeing the road in front of the house.

Swanley rests his hand on my lower back. “Are you sure Carys was upset by the flowers?” he whispers. “Because she seems very happy right now. She’s in her cove, humming little songs to herself while she sets everything up.”

“I don’t know.” I let out a heavy sigh. “Maybe I imagined it.” But I didn’t. I saw the fear in her eyes. It was real, and it had something to do with those damn flowers.

“Did you…” Swanley cuts a quick look at the door. It’s clear he’s making sure no one is listening. But I can hear Isaac’s soothing voice on the other side of the house as he talks to our omega. There’s no way they can hear us. “Did you file Carys's paperwork with the Registry?”

I know exactly where he’s going with this, and it has me just as much on edge as he is. “I did.”

Swanley takes a step back, agitation rolling off him like a fucking billow of smoke. “There’s no need to panic,” he says as if talking to me, but we both know he’s trying to calm himself down. “The flowers could be from Havenfield. One of your co-workers congratulating you on claiming Carys. Or it could be from Finn,” he says his boss’s name as if he hadn’t thought of that before, “or one of the boys from the warehouse.” He’s rambling, telling me how scared he is. And I get it. I’m worried too.

The last thing we need is Carys's piece-of-shit ex trying to exact some kind of revenge. We’d handle him, but the damage that would do to our precious omega would be horrific.

“I wish we could ask her about her old mate,” Swanley says.

I give him a stern look. “Don’t you dare.”

He shakes his head. “I would never.” He looks deep into my eyes, letting me know he’s telling the truth. “I get that it’s probably killing her to even think about him, but I’d really like to know why a simple bunch of cheap flowers upset her so much.” He glares at the offending jasmine.

“She might open up to us one day.” I push my hands into my pockets, feeling a bit out of my element on this one. I deal with physical injuries, not mental ones. Outside of a few basic psych courses in college, I don't really know how to help Carys with her fears.

“Kofi.” Swanley settles in his stance, his shoulders tight. “You have to claim her. We can’t hold off. The sooner you can mark her, the safer she’ll be. We’ll be able to care for her better, track her, protect her.” He takes a step back, then forward again. He’s obviously worried I’m going to fight him on this, but there’s no need.

“I agree,” I say, surprising the alpha. “She’s been responding well these last few days.” I push out a heavy sigh, settling into my decision. “I think it’s time.”

Swanley perks at that, his eyes wide, clearly not thinking I’d agree with him. “Really?” His excitement grows.

“But,” I give him a foreboding look, “I think I should do it alone.”

Swanley’s expression falls, a mixture of anger and confusion pulling his brows together. “Alone?” His voice rises. “You’ve always said that pack alphas that claim omegas by themselves are weird. Selfish.”

“And I’ve also said that Carys is in control of how we’re going to do this,” I say firmly, not caring for Swanley's disrespectful tone. “Having you and Isaac in the room definitely heightened her experience, but it also overwhelmed her that first night.”

Swanley opens his mouth, clearly about to argue, but I don’t give him the chance.

“This is not up for discussion.” I look him hard in the eyes. “I will take her by myself ,” I say the words slowly, punctuating my command. “If, and only if , she responds well, then you and Isaac can enter the room.”

Swanley gnashes his teeth, sucking in a sharp breath, then he bows his head, submitting to my decision. “Understood.”

Taking mercy on my riled-up packmate, I grip his shoulder, squeezing his firm muscles. “I know that she’s happier when we’re together. But that first night she didn’t become ill until you and Isaac joined in,” I explain my reasoning. “This way, she’ll be able to concentrate only on me. It’ll make it easier for her to accept me.” I lean in, encouraging Swan to look at me. His eyes are so sad, pulling in the corners. I know this is a gut punch.

“That makes sense,” Swanley says, but I can see the tension in his shoulders. He doesn’t like this at all, but he doesn’t really have a choice. Carys's comfort and health are the only things that matter.

“Patience, alpha.” I pat his back. “We need to keep her happy and relaxed. Happy omegas crave attention. She’ll be ready for you soon enough.”

Swanley nods as he looks over at the colorful flowers dotting the yard. “You know,” his brows lift, some of his vibrant energy returning. I love how quickly he can change moods. Some might find it off-putting, but Isaac and I love Swan’s fire. He keeps us on our toes. “I was thinking we should take Carys down to the lake this afternoon. Maybe go swimming.”

“Swimming?” My brows raise at his suggestion. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you swim.”

“I can swim fine.” His eyes darken and his mouth twists into a teasing smirk. ”Don’t you remember a couple of summers ago? Right after we started dating Isaac?”

Wonderful memories flit through my mind—our beta was so sexy and carefree, floating the river with me and Swan. We slept under the stars that night. It was only two years ago, a few months before I transferred to the critical care unit at Havenfield. That’s where I met Carys. She was so broken.

She deserves to finally be happy.

“Does Carys want to go swimming?” I ask, realizing I don’t even know if the omega likes the water.

“The other day, she kept dipping her feet in the water, scaring off all the fish.” He smiles at the fond memory. “I think she’d really like it.” He glances up at the cloudless sky. “The weather couldn’t be any more perfect.”

I think it over. Swimming might be a great way to relax her body and tire her out.

“That’s a wonderful idea.”

It’s well after lunch by the time Carys emerges from her cove. She looks so damn happy with the progress she made today. She holds Isaac’s hand the whole way down to the lake, gushing about his excellent taste in nesting materials. I swear, if a person could levitate from happiness, Isaac would be a hundred feet off the ground by now.

Swanley is naked before we even cross the yard. He flings his shorts over a low-hanging branch and drops the small cooler of snacks on the dock. The alpha then cannonballs right into the water, making Carys laugh out loud. The sound is so bright and free. This was an excellent idea.

“Come on, alpha,” she yells out to me, tugging Isaac alongside her.

My nerves flare for our beta, hoping this doesn’t make him uncomfortable. He doesn’t like to take off his shirt in public, but he’s been very comfortable with Carys, bathing with her every night. He’s such a good beta. So attentive and loving.

“Hurry up!” Carys tugs her summer dress off. She folds it neatly, setting it on the dock. She’s wearing a tiny pair of black panties and something that resembles a sports bra. Isaac ordered it for her. It's frilly, covered in a delicate blue lace. The damn thing barely contains her full breasts. They push out of the sides, threatening to break free at any moment. It’s my new favorite article of clothing.

Isaac grips the hem of his shirt, then hesitates. I hate how self-conscious he is. Swan and I have tried many times to assure him that he’s fucking stunning. But he eventually snapped back, saying that anyone with a six-pack and pecs that can rip a shirt clear in two shouldn’t be allowed to cast judgment on other people’s body issues. Since then, we let him be as shy as he wants to be…but we keep reminding him how sexy he is.

“You can keep your shirt on,” I remind him, slipping my arms around his waist. I press my chest to his back. “No one will care.” I kiss his cheek.

“I know,” he says, giving me a bashful smile. “It’s just a bit weird being outside.”

“Hey,” Carys reaches for Isaac’s hand. “It’s okay. I struggle with how I look too.” She places the other hand on the curve of her belly, squeezing. “I’m a little squishy too. There’s no shame in it.”

Isaac's expression immediately shifts from sweet to challenging. “You are not squishy,” he says firmly. “You’re perfect.”

For a moment, it looks like Carys might argue with him, but then her expression shifts. She looks at our beta so lovingly as she pushes up on her toes and places a soft kiss on Isaac’s mouth. Both of their lips tremble, the kiss so sweet but tender. It’s nothing like when Swanley kisses her. He’s so much more commanding and aggressive, his style similar to mine. But Isaac and Carys seem almost apprehensive. Like two young lovers, learning how to touch each other for the first time.

“Fuck me,” Swanley growls, destroying the tender moment. Carys's cheeks flame red while Isaac stares at his feet.

I can’t help but laugh. “Mind your business, asshole.” I pull off my shirt, jumping in next to my shameless packmate.

Before I know it, the whole afternoon slips away.

We swim and sunbathe, eating big chunks of fruit and cheese, and drinking ice-cold tea. At one point, Carys fell asleep while Swanley rubbed her feet. We even had an impromptu hike down the shoreline, before Carys got chilly and we headed back to enjoy the sunset.

It was the perfect day.

“How can something so wonderful actually exist in the world?” Carys sits between my legs, leaning against my chest. She hums as she takes in the brightly colored sky. Red, orange, yellow, and pink. It’s especially vibrant tonight.

“It really is nice.” Swanley rests his head on Isaac’s lap.

And that’s how we sit, watching the sun touch the tips of the mountains, dipping lower and lower, until it disappears and the light shifts, bathing us in moonlight.

Carys's fingertips slip across the tops of my thighs, feeling the grooves around the edge of my quads. This is my new favorite moment—my pack, complete and happy.

“Alpha?” Carys shifts in my lap, curling her knees up as she faces me. “Can we—” A twig snaps in the forest, making the omega jerk. Her big eyes dart around as she shrinks against me.

“It’s okay,” I chuckle, wrapping my arms around her. “While the wildlife out here can get a little bold, we really only see the occasional deer, and they’re harmless.”

“There’s a family of raccoons that are determined to destroy our trash bins.” Isaac cuts me a look, pretending to be cross with me for not thinking of them. “You might not think they’re dangerous, but those bastards have no fear.”

Carys lets out a jerky laugh, but she still stays plastered right up against me.

“Do you want to head up to the house?” I cup her cheek, urging her to look up at me.

She nods, then stands, dusting off her ass. It jiggles and my cock thickens. “Issac,” she picks up their clothes, “can we?—”

“You two don’t have to rush.” My eyes meet Swanley’s and his brows raise. While I understand that this isn’t his ideal way of approaching things, he also knows that I only want what’s best for Carys.

“We’ll head up shortly.” Swanley wraps his arms around Isaac’s waist, holding him tight. “This beta is mine tonight.”

Isaac laughs, waving Carys off. “We’ll be up to the house soon.”

I’m sure Isaac thinks Swanley needs to get off. After all, we’ve had to sneak around since Carys arrived. No one wants to make her feel bad for not being able to be intimate, but Swan and I are alphas. We have needs. Thankfully, Isaac is a very giving lover, helping us in any way he can.

“Come on, gorgeous.” I stand, lifting Carys into my arms. Her legs dangle on either side of my hips. “Let’s get you ready for bed.”