Page 26

I stared hopelessly at the over-packed suitcase on the bed. There was no way I’d be able to fit all of the clothes that I bought here in Winnipeg inside of it, and the airline only allowed one piece of luggage per passenger. How was that fair when sometimes a girl needed to bring a whole wardrobe with her?

Someone wound their arms around me from behind and kissed my cheek. His pine and peppermint scent told me it was Alderic. His warm chuckle would have given it away. “I see you haven’t made any progress since I’ve packed my things.”

“The suitcase just isn’t big enough.” I pouted and leaned back against him. My stress eased in his arms, and I could breathe a little more easily.

He’d had it rough the past month. Ewan didn’t leave the pack or the team gracefully. He made a big fuss in the media, and when he tried to sue about getting suspended, he lost. He tried to make the pack’s life, and particularly, Alderic’s life, miserable, but we circled around our sweet Beta and protected him from his cousin’s cruelty. Yet through it all, Alderic always managed to bring me serenity in my new chaotic life with the pack.

“I thought you said you were only going to wear bikinis when we got to Oregon. They shouldn’t require such a big suitcase.” Alderic tickled my sides, and I giggled and squirmed. “Well, I guess you have to wear the dress for your cousin’s wedding one day too, but bikinis the rest of the time.”

We were flying out west for Callista’s wedding. As the maid of honor, I couldn’t just stay home and snuggle with my mates. That had been what we’d been doing for a month now since the play-offs ended and it was time to show them my hometown. More so, show them off to my hometown.

“I think you just want to keep me naked or nearly naked all the time.” I wiggled my rear against him and smirked to feel his cock start to harden.

“That’s because he knows the plan.” Tiergan wandered in and grinned, winking when he caught my eye. His dark green t-shirt stretched across his broad chest in the most scrumptious of ways. Living with the pack had made me addicted to sex. Every time I saw one of them, I could only imagine all the way to have my way with him.

“How do you know it isn’t my plan to get you all in tight little swimsuits?” I folded my arms. “You guys are always in your hockey gear which covers up all the good parts.”

“I know I look good in a Speedo.” Alderic nudged me, and I couldn’t do anything but grin because he had a killer swimmer’s body. I was going to revel in having him on the beach with me. Every woman in the state would be so jealous.

“Hey, we’re without hockey gear for the next two months,” Tiergan protested.

I rolled my eyes and gave him a hug. “You’d never go that long without being on the ice.” Not that I minded one bit. Hockey was their passion, and few people were so lucky to be able to do what they loved. Besides, I’d become a professional puck bunny. I had my own jersey which declared I was their biggest fan. “Just as long as you continue to be naked at home, or in the woods, or in the car…”

Alderic groaned and pinched his brow. “Did you guys do it in the SUV? I just had it cleaned last week.”

We laughed because we certainly did, and I touched the spot on my thigh where Tiergan’s mark was. He was an Alpha who thoroughly enjoyed going down on his Omega, and I was so very spoiled in that aspect. Of course that meant when he finally claimed me after the Rampage won the Calder Cup, he bit me while eating me out.

A knock at my door had Casimir leaning in. “Hey slayer, your father is here with the van ready to take us to the airport.”

I threw up my hands and then slapped my palms to my forehead. “Fuck! I’m totally not ready. I don’t have enough room in my suitcase.”

Tiergan kissed my cheek. “I’ll go down and entertain Dad while you finish packing. Just bikinis, remember.”

I swatted at him as he left the room.

Casimir sighed. Always still my gentleman vampire. “Call him Mr. Birk. He’s Kienna’s father.”

“He doesn’t mind. I’m his favorite after all.” Tiergan chuckled as he disappeared into the hall and thumped down the stairs.

My father had been surprisingly wonderful and supportive when he found out I was claimed by the pack, by players on his hockey team. Though it could have been he was just immensely grateful I was alive and that they had saved me from the Manitoba Hangman. The psychopath had been a long time zamboni driver at the arena and a well loved member of the community. It shocked everyone he was the Hangman, but it came out later that his teenage daughter had committed suicide by hanging herself, and he had never recovered. He had plenty of time to work on his grief while in prison.

Dad welcomed the pack with open arms. To top it off, while the guys had moved on to the NHL, they had been working with Dad to make improvements to the arena and for the Rampage. I’d spent more time with my father in the past month than in the previous year, but I left all that hockey business to them.

I had never seen my dad so happy. He’d never been one for politics like my uncle Julian nor one for their business. He had sold off his part of the company to Julian’s sons—my cousins—after my uncle died. Dad had found what he loved, and I realized I’d been selfish not to enjoy it with him. Sure, we never went to Ireland, but I would never regret coming to Winnipeg.

“Before we get going,” Casimir walked in and I perked up, thinking he was going to thoroughly distract me from my suitcase problem. He and Alderic always worked so well as a team. I almost pouted when he took out his phone instead. “The contractor had to make a few changes to the house, and I wanted you to have a look before I approved them.”

“Ooh, let’s see!” This was my passion project lately. We were building a new pack house just outside of the city to accommodate all of us. The guys had gotten their wish and signed a contract with Winnipeg’s NHL team, so they could stay. The current house couldn’t handle us all, and we wanted something more private, away from the center of town. The contractor could only build during the summer, so we were on a tight schedule.

“Nice. I really like Tyndall stone for the fireplace instead of brick.” Alderic looked over my shoulder, and when I raised my brows wondering what the stone was, he knew just what I meant. “It’s a type of stone mined right here in Manitoba. Unique to the province.”

“Then yes, absolutely. Approve everything.”

Casimir typed in our response as Kane sauntered into the room. He wore a black collared shirt and jeans that hugged his hot ass just right. “You know your dad is downstairs waiting.”

“I know.” I sighed and pointed at my suitcase. Maybe Kane would distract me? “Still packing.”

“It sounded like you were talking about house stuff.” Kane nodded toward Casimir.

“Yes, we were. Had to approve some things. They have four weeks to get a lot done while we’re out of town.”

“Six weeks,” Kane corrected me and smirked.

I narrowed my eyes. “Six? You guys have to be back for some hockey camp, don’t you?”

All three of them shared conspiratorial looks and grinned.

“Hey!” Tiergan called as he thundered up the stairs along with Maddox. “What’s the hold up?”

“You’re not packed.” Maddox glanced at my suitcase as he came to wrap an arm around my waist. He was the most possessive of the pack, my protective wolfman, and fuck, did I love his animalistic nature. He would be very easy to persuade to provide a naughty distraction.

“Yes.” I leaned against Maddox and slid a hand up the back of his t-shirt. He glanced at me with an inquiring look. “I can’t pack now since I’m confused on how long we’ll be gone.”

Kane exchanged another look, this time with Maddox and Tiergan, and then turned his sexy gray eyes to me. “Pack for six weeks. After we leave Oregon, we’re heading directly to Ireland.”

I blinked. Did I hear what I just heard?

Holy shit. “OH MY GOD!”

I screamed my excitement and launched myself at Kane. The force of it nearly knocked him over as he laughed and hugged me in return. “You’ve all been hiding this from me for how long?”

“Over two weeks now.” Alderic grinned and I turned to hug him fiercely. “And you know how hard it was for me. I’m terrible at keeping secrets. We made up the thing about hockey camp. Team practices won’t start until later in September.”

“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! Ireland!” I hugged Tiergan and Maddox together and kicked my feet in the air. Then something occurred to me and I spun around to stare at my suitcase. “Well, this isn’t going to do at all anymore. I’m going to need a second suitcase for the clothes I’ll need in Ireland. It’s totally different from the west coast.”

“Did you finally tell her about Ireland?” My dad yelled from downstairs.

“He knew too?” I laughed and squeezed Casimir. That’s when I noticed each and every one of them were staring intently at me with light in their eyes and smiles on their lips.

My pack. My mates.

Coming to Winnipeg had started off as my worst nightmare, but it had given me my greatest dream. My very own pack of hot hunks and a life of surprises and adventure. I’d never been happier than I was at this moment.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” I drew them all in for a group hug—one of my favorite things to do. Another one of my favorite things was saying, “I love you times five!”

Surrounded by my pack, my life was complete.

Well, mostly complete. I would hear back from my doctor if I was pregnant after Callista’s wedding. None of the guys knew yet. Strangely, I really wanted a baby with them. Me who loved to be free of responsibilities! They’d be amazing parents. If I was pregnant, they were going to go bonkers. I’d be locked up in my room for ‘my and the baby’s safety’ and have to sneak out by tying bed sheets together.

Maybe I’ll wait until after Ireland to tell them. This Omega could keep secrets too!

THE END