Page 54 of For the First Time

“Get out of the way.”

“No way.You’re fucking bonded to her, Atlas, that means I get first hellos and last goodbyes.”

“Jealous fucker.”

I chuckled, dipping my face against Everett’s neck to hide my smile.I was pretty sure their argument was more theatrical than real.Not that the knowledge stopped me from blushing.

“Good afternoon, darlin.”The back couch cushions dipped as Oaks leaned against the supportive pillows.“Any particular reason you’re hiding this beautiful face?”

I kept my head lowered even as I shrugged a shoulder.“Maybe I was sleeping before you two came in here yelling for dibs.

On the opposite side of Oaks, the couch cushions sunk even further as Atlas leaned over the back, his hand coming to rub my nape.“Nah, pet.I highly doubt you were getting any sleep while on Everett’s lap.Are you finally feeling better?”

Lifting my head, I was about to agree when Everett cut me off, “Don’t even think about lying.”

“I wasn’t.”

“You’re just as sore today as you were yesterday.I heard you groan when you had to sit on the toilet.”

My face blushed so hard that my head became dizzy.I cupped my cheeks, trying to cool the heat radiating from my face.

“All right, alpha,” Oaks teased.“Why don’t you let one of us watch Eve while you call into work.Give our darlin some space from your overbearing ways.”

Everett frowned.“I’m not overbearing.”

“No?”Atlas asked.“Then how come you know she groaned when she popped-a-squat?”

Oh,why?Why was this a conversation topic?Was this what life with males was like?It was one thing if I was having urination pains and wanted to alert a packmate to something.But this?This was ...crazy.So my thighs and ass made me groan in pain when I sat on the toilet.Any sort of squatting was painful right now.

Everett frowned.“You’re embarrassed?”His hands came up to cover mine, dragging them off my face.His gaze was piercing, like he wanted to see past my eyes and into my head and read all my thoughts.“I don’t want you feeling uncomfortable.The type of lactic acid buildup in your body is at an extreme level.I didn’t want to scare you because unless something goes wrong, there’s no need to worry.Your body is recovering, just slowly.And if that changed, for even a second, I wanted to be aware.I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, though.I’m sorry.Forgive me?”

An alpha who apologizes?My heart swooned.

He gave into his instincts, and even for that, he apologized.If I was honest, I didn’t actually mind.I liked how overprotective my pack was.I liked how it didn’t matter that I was a beta—that Everett’s instincts still demanded he stay close to me.

Rather than forgive him, I rubbed my cheek against his.“Thank you.For protecting me.”