Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Brooklyn

A s soon as Gunner's knot releases me, I try to make a break for it.

"Where are you headed?" he asks, rolling to face me as I search around for my dress.

"I need to check on Libby. It's been a while. I don't want her to think I disappeared." My hands shake as I try to fight the panic filling my chest.

"I highly doubt she feels abandoned in the span of a few hours," he muses, climbing off the bed. "She's got Maverick and Nova to keep her entertained, and she saw for herself that you were here."

Bringing a hand up, I rub at my aching eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

He pulls me against his nude form, running his hand down my spine. "Are you even a little excited? All I'm getting is pure terror, and it's really fucking with my head…"

I tilt my head to study his face. "Are you?"

"Hell, yes," he growls, bending to capture my mouth.

It's a tantalizing kiss, made more intense by the awe radiating in the bond that comes from him . His huge hand tightens on my butt cheek, and it sends a sizzle throughout my entire body.

I pull back to breathe as my hands land on his chest. "You aren't angry with me?"

"Goddamn," Gunner mutters. "I can't wait for the day I get to slit your ex's throat." He frowns. "I shouldn't have said that." His itchy beard scratches against my cheek as he nuzzles his face to mine. "If anyone should be upset, you should be angry with me. I know the rules about biting a foggy omega, but everything was hazy. I couldn't deny you anything, gorgeous." His words make my stomach dance with butterflies.

"I am happy," I assure him.

My heart races as he gives me another quick kiss.

I'm still not convinced all of this isn't a dream.

"Come on, we definitely need to shower before we step out of this room." He grins a cheesy smile. "Although, my instincts are quite smug right now. You're absolutely soaked in my cum."

I bite my lip, shaking my head as I smile. "You're bad."

"You don't know the half of it."

Gunner and I share a quick shower, where he tells me all about his medical history again in case I was too foggy to remember the first time.

It's a little scary to process that the thought never crossed my mind.

This is why omegas are told to handle all important conversations well before a heat is supposed to hit.

It's baffling.

I'm pregnant.

I shouldn't be having waves this strong.

Once we're done in the shower, Gunner helps dry me off and gets redressed in his same clothes. I grab a pair of leggings and a dress, getting into them quickly. It has to be almost dinnertime, and I missed lunch with Libby.

It's so complicated.

I'm still not sure it was right for me to beg Gunner to bite me. It's basic omega rambling at its finest, but what's done is done. We didn't even get a courtship period, which would have given him an opportunity to change his mind.

He's clearly the one settling here.

I've got no complaints.

Except, I feel bad when I think of Noble.

"Come on." Gunner links his fingers in mine. "You'll feel better once you see with your own eyes that she's fine."

I'm pretty sure he misunderstood what I was thinking about, but I nod and spin to grab my phone.

My chest gets tight when I realize Noble hasn't responded to my text.

Shit.

He doesn't know Gunner and I bonded, and I really hope it doesn't destroy everything when he finds out.

"Mommy, you waked up!" Libby squeals, sliding off the couch and dropping her cup on Nova's back.

The giant dog doesn't seem bothered, but I bend down, lifting my daughter. "That wasn't very nice. You dropped your cup right on Nova."

She frowns, looking over her shoulder. "Sorry, puppy."

"She's fine." Maverick comes around the corner from the kitchen. "Did you sleep well?" The lazy smile on his face makes my cheeks heat.

"You feel better, Mommy?" Libby asks, smooshing my cheeks with her hands.

"I do," I agree, kissing her cheek.

"Good." She wiggles in my hold. "I'm gonna show you my new toys!"

I place her on her feet, and she runs behind Gunner and toward her bedroom.

"Yeah, leave it to that one to have courting gifts delivered for your kid when I've spent the afternoon packing up all the toys she already doesn't play with." Bless comes out of Libby's bedroom with two storage bins stacked one on top of the other. "Get out of my way or hug the wall." She shoves her forearm into Gunner's side, and he tugs my hips, so we can make room for her to walk by.

Maverick slides up on my other side, bending to sniff my neck. "Holy shit." He chuckles. "You weren't joking about not letting her slip away a second time."

Bless freezes in front of me. "Add these to the pile," she grunts, shoving the bins at Maverick before getting even closer to my throat than he did. "Where's the bite?"

I pull my hair over my shoulder and dress to the side to show her the angry red set of teeth prints.

Bless's eyes fall shut as she exhales heavily. They finally open, and she smiles. "I'm happy for you, but I'm going to knee your alpha in the balls for not having the presence of mind to hold off until this bullshit is settled."

"Oh, yeah," Stacia calls from the couch. "Because anything like rational sense could have kept you from biting me?"

Bless raises a hand and flips off her girlfriend. "I swear, you assholes live to make things as complicated as you can."

I drop the dress back over my shoulder as Libby zooms back with a baby stroller I don't recognize.

The doll Noble bought her sits in the seat, and my chest aches as I think of him. He said he supports my right to build my pack as I see fit, but I'll also feel a lot better when I can hug him and make sure that sentiment is still true.

Libby hikes a hip out, pointing at her baby doll. "See, I gots toys."

Bless snorts and heads off toward Stacia.

"It sure looks like you do," Gunner says, squatting down. "What's your baby's name?"

Libby's nose scrunches, and she proudly declares. "That's my baby."

Gunner laughs. "Did Maverick set you up with any other goodies?"

"He did!" Her head bobbles as she nods. "I got markers, Mom!"

My eyes widen as a terrible sound escapes my chest. "Markers? Oh, that's great."

Markers are, in fact, not great with a three-year-old, but it's the thought that counts. It would also be more traumatic to pry them back at this point, so she gets to keep them, at least for now.

Liberty must have given her order for dinner, because what Maverick ordered for her is more than what she could eat at three meals.

The effort still makes me all melty.

At least she'll have leftovers.

We eat together, and when I try to help pack some of the bins Bless brought, she instead chucks several large black duffel bags at me.

"I've been gathering the stuff I knew could go to storage. What I need you to do is to pack the stuff you and Libby can't live without. The items you use daily, your clothes, any of her comfort items." Bless nods to the bags at my feet. "It doesn't have to be done right this second, if you'd like to let your food digest."

It really clicks.

She's not messing around.

She means for Libby and me to leave soon. Maybe sooner than I'm mentally prepared for.

"What about Lennox?" I ask, frowning so hard my forehead aches.

"The two of you shouldn't be kept in one spot." Bless tucks her hair behind her ear. "She's going to be handled by the team watching her. I hope she'll come around, but if not… You have to start putting yourself first, Brook."

My chest gets tight, but I know she's right.

I can't force Lennox to listen.

I'm pretty sure all my begging for her to stay away from Thorne only managed to make him seem more interesting.

"Sorry to interrupt," Gunner says, appearing at my side. "I'm going to run Nova to my mom's house and grab clothes for me and Maverick. I just didn't want to leave without saying goodbye." He brushes a quick kiss over my cheek.

I don't know why my eyes widen.

We're freaking bonded.

Bonded couples live together like married people do.

"Thanks for letting me know," I choke out as Bless laughs.

Life sure is changing fast.