Page 17 of Finding Forever with the Alpha Pack (Return to Wolf Creek #4)
Chapter 17
Conrad
The moment Barrett and Grace make contact, I feel it—a jolt through the bond, electric and undeniable. It hums under my skin, and for a second, I’m almost jealous that Barrett gets to see her first. But then again, with all the changes Grace’s been through, it made sense to send him in first. Our resident omega has a calming effect, and right now, that’s what she needs.
“What’s their ETA, Con?” Griff’s voice drifts in from the kitchen. I can hear the sizzle of something hitting the grill, the rich scent of steak and chicken kabobs already filling the air. He’s got the roasted veggies ready to go, too. Classic Griff—planning a feast to welcome everyone home.
I pull out my phone and check the family app, tracking their location. “About ten minutes out, give or take,” I say, my voice a little tighter than I intended. The restlessness is clawing at me, making it hard to stay still. I’ve been pacing the house, my nerves like live wires sparking beneath my skin.
I pop my head into the den, where Lorcan’s sitting on the floor with all the pups either sprawled across him or nestled against his side. The sight makes me smile, despite the tension in my chest. “Everyone good, Lor?” I whisper, careful not to disturb the sleeping pups.
“Everythin’ is right as rain,” he says softly, leaning his head back against the couch. His eyes flutter shut for a moment. There’s something about the pups when they sleep—it pulls you in, makes you want to drift off with them. But not me, not today. I’m too wound up waiting for her.
I check the app again, impatient, trying to will time to speed up. My thoughts are a mess, swirling between excitement and guilt. I’ve been so focused on marrying Barrett that I haven’t been the best mate to Grace. Two weeks ago, I made a promise to myself—to do better, to show them both that I love them equally. But now, all I can think about is seeing her, holding her, making sure she’s okay.
The wait is killing me, so I head out to the porch and sit on the swing, staring down the long driveway like I can make their car appear just by sheer will. The wind shifts, carrying the scent of the forest, but all I want is the smell of Grace’s hair, her skin, the warmth that only she brings. My heart thunders in my chest, anticipation gnawing at my nerves.
Then I hear it—the crunch of rocks under tires. My pulse spikes, adrenaline flooding my veins as the car winds up the driveway. The first glimpse of the car’s front fender sends a surge of emotion through me, almost overwhelming. They’re here. They’re finally here.
Part of me wants to scream, to tell everyone she’s home, but another part of me wants to be selfish. Just for a little while. I want to hog Grace all to myself, to feel her in my arms before anyone else.
Ethan parks the car, and before the engine even dies, Grace throws the door open and runs straight for me. My heart leaps into my throat, and I’m on my feet, arms open, ready to catch her.
Grace screams my name, her voice carrying across the gravel driveway like a bolt of electricity. Before I can even react, she’s running at me full force, and I brace myself just in time to catch her as she leaps. Her legs wrap tightly around my waist, and the world tilts as I spin her, the gravel crunching beneath my boots. Her lips crash into mine, fierce and demanding, and I’m lost in the taste of her, the feel of her body pressing against mine.
I grip her tightly, my arms like iron bands around her, pulling her closer as if I could fuse us together. Her tongue teases the seam of my lips, and I open for her without hesitation. She rises up, using her legs, angling my head back as she takes control of the kiss, her fingers threading into my hair and gripping tightly. My cock hardens instantly, my body responding to her in ways I can’t control. Her wolf rumbles deep in her chest, the sound vibrating through me, stoking the fire that’s already burning inside.
I slide my hands down the curve of her back, fingers digging into the soft, firm flesh of her ass as I hold her firmly against me. She’s all heat and wild energy, and I’m caught in her storm, happily drowning in the intensity of it.
“Conrad!” My mom’s voice cuts through the moment, and she swats at my arm. “Let the poor girl breathe.”
Barrett’s laugh follows, light and teasing. He smacks my ass as he walks by, adding to the playful chaos. “Come on, Momma Ruby. They’ve got some catching up to do.”
I barely register them walking away, too lost in Grace, in the feel of her body against mine, the way she’s holding me like she never wants to let go. Eventually, she breaks the kiss, though she doesn’t pull far, peppering my cheeks with soft, lingering kisses. Her breath comes in quick, uneven gasps, and I can feel the tremor of her wolf beneath the surface.
“I missed you, Con,” she whispers, her voice husky with emotion and desire. Her eyes pulse between human and that eerie red-orange I’ve heard Griffin talk about—the ember wolf. There’s a power there, just beneath the surface, and it sends a shiver down my spine, mixing excitement with something darker, more primal.
I don’t say anything, just hold her tighter, knowing that whatever this is between us, it’s stronger than anything I’ve felt before. And it’s only just beginning.
We barely make it inside when the familiar sound of paws skittering across the floor echoes down the hallway. It’s only a second before the puppy stampede happens, all three of them bolting toward us, barking with excitement. The rush of energy hits like a wave, and Ethan is the first to react, dropping to his knees right in the middle of the hall to greet them.
“Hey, kids!” he laughs, letting the three pups swarm him, tails wagging furiously as they cover him with wet, happy licks.
Grace shifts in my arms, her attention turning from the children to something else entirely. I feel the change before I see it—her body going rigid, the surrounding air charged with something unnatural. Her eyes cloud over, turning milk white as she goes completely still. I recognize the shift instantly. She’s lending Lorcan her sight.
The heavy clunk of boots echoes down the hallway, and everyone turns at the sound. Lorcan appears at the end of the hall, his presence commanding as always. “Lass...” His voice is a deep rumble, and before I can even react, he’s right there, scooping Grace out of my arms like she weighs nothing. The kiss he plants on her is rough, desperate, and she squeals softly, trying to wrap her legs around his waist but failing.
Lorcan just grins, palming her ass and holding her tight against him as they exchange their hellos. There’s a rawness in the way they move, a feral intensity that only seems to grow when they’re around each other.
I shake my head, suppressing a smile. My brother, always so quick to embrace chaos. I offer him a hand, and Ethan finally pulls himself off the ground, brushing off the puppy fur as he takes my hand and yanks me into a hug.
“How was the trip?” Ethan asks, tilting his head as he steps aside, making room for Nicolai to come forward and shake my hand next.
“Good. Got a lot of work done,” I reply, glancing over at Nicolai. “Took the girls on a few hunts. Your dad’s phenomenal, by the way. He knows several people at the national park we went to and shut down an entire section for us. Gave us complete privacy.”
The memory brings a genuine smile to my face, still fresh from the experience. I rest a hand on Nicolai’s shoulder, appreciating the weight of the moment. But as I meet his eyes, I can tell something’s off. His smile doesn’t quite reach them.
“Dad’s good like that,” he says, his voice steady but carrying a heaviness. “I’m glad you had a safe place to stay.”
The words linger between us, and for a moment, the room feels heavier. So much has happened since we were last together as a family, and it shows in the cracks we try to hide. I give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, hoping it’s enough to bridge the gap that time and circumstances have carved out.
We step out onto the back porch as a family, the evening air carrying the scent of meat sizzling on the grill. Griffin is hunched over the flames, his gaze softening as he turns the food. The golden glow of the setting sun casts long shadows across the deck, and the sight of everyone together again—whole and unbroken—makes my chest tighten with something that feels suspiciously like hope.
Grace guides Lorcan out onto the porch and settles him at the table closest to the rail. She’s immediately at his side, pressing herself against him like she’s trying to fuse them together, her touch light but possessive. Her hand tugs Barrett down beside them, a smile teasing at her lips. I see the way her body relaxes with them there, the bond between them thrumming like a living thing.
Before I can fully appreciate the moment, the sound of small paws scrabbling against wood fills the air. The three pups come barreling out of the house like tiny, furry wrecking balls, their tails wagging furiously. Grace barely has time to react before they tackle her, sending her sprawling onto the ground. She laughs, a bright, joyous sound, even as they smother her with licks and happy little puppy noises, it’s pure chaos—the best kind.
One by one, the pups shift back, tiny limbs giving way to gangly human forms, and Grace is there, offering clothing and wiping away tears of laughter. Deacon, though... Deacon’s different. He’s grown, almost doubled in size, his limbs longer, more sturdy. Grace’s smile wavers, and I see the quiver in her bottom lip. Tears rim her eyes as she looks up at me. The silent question hanging there—when did this happen? How much time did she lose?
“He’s so big...” Her voice is barely more than a whisper, choked and broken.
I catch the look she sends Griffin, the anguish that radiates through the bond like a low, throbbing ache. Griffin’s expression softens, his usual commanding presence melting away as he bends over and scoops Grace up off the ground. The tenderness in his touch, the way he cradles her close... it’s a side of him that’s rare, but it’s there, and it brings a warmth to my chest.
“We grow faster as our wolves,” he murmurs softly, almost like he’s reassuring himself as much as he’s trying to soothe her. Seeing him so present, so attuned to Grace’s emotions, it’s like glimpsing something sacred.
I clear my throat, the weight of my next words settling over us. “With everything that’s been happening, Uri suggested they remain as their pups so they could escape if they needed to.”
The instant the words leave my lips, I see the shift in Grace. Her eyes narrow, the sorrow replaced with something sharper, more controlled. She looks over at Nicolai, then back at me. There’s an understanding there, a grim acceptance.
“Good thinking,” she says, her voice hollow. Her gaze shifts to the pups, and I see it—the realization that they’re different, changed. Older. “At least they had options.”
Silence falls like a shroud. No one speaks of the horrors that happened in our absence, of the things they had to endure while we were gone. Instead, we talk about the new house, the way it all came together, how everyone pitched in. It’s safer that way, easier to pretend like we’re whole again.
My gaze drifts around the porch, and I can’t help but notice how the colors blend perfectly with the scenery—the deep blues and soft greens. A familiar palette. “The colors here seem familiar,” I say, my tone light, teasing.
Grace laughs, a sound that’s still tinged with the sadness of before. “Apparently, some alpha—I won’t mention names—had it painted like my old place.” She smiles fondly, first at Nicolai, then at Barrett. “My omega knew me better than anyone, and he hadn’t even met me yet when he painted that cabin.”
Barrett’s grin is pure pride. “I remembered the little things you loved as a kid. The yellow of that one snapdragon. The different blues and greens of our eyes.” He chuckles softly, shaking his head. “You used to be fascinated with Ethan’s eyes, especially after he healed you.”
He’s laughing now, recounting stories that are as familiar to us as the sound of our own heartbeats. “We should have known back then there was something between you two.”
Barrett’s words flow, filling the air with a sense of nostalgia. We talk for hours, each of us sharing memories and catching up on what everyone missed. Grace moves from mate to mate, weaving herself into each conversation, each story. Her presence is a balm, soothing the raw edges of our separation.
Ethan said that therapy would bring us closer together and damn it, he was right. As much as I hate admitting it, my older brother called it perfectly.
The porch lights flicker on, casting a soft glow over the family gathered together. Grace leans against Ethan, her head resting on his shoulder, and I can see it—the bond between us all, stronger now than it’s ever been. I look around at the faces of the people I love, and I know one thing for certain: no matter what comes next, we’re ready. We’re a family again.