Page 21

Lily

One night, I woke in the small hours. Nothing new for me, but generally I could trace it to a bad dream or a worry of some sort. After a while, in most cases, I could eventually fall back to sleep; that was not going to happen on that night. I wanted my alphas.

A brand-new feeling had overtaken me, one I didn’t know how to cope with but also could not make it stop.

There was no question of my just waiting for morning as I’d done when sleep did not come back in the past. I was up and dressing and heading for the main house before I could even consider the ramifications.

I tiptoed inside the kitchen and was looking around for a piece of paper and a pen when Vargas appeared from the living room. I jumped.

“Everything all right, Lily?”

“I need to go to my mates.”

“I see.” He reached for the keys on the hook. “Let’s go.”

“I can’t ask you… I was just going to borrow the truck and leave a note.”

“Well, I need the truck in the morning, so if you’re comfortable being dropped off, I got you.” He probably didn’t want me tearing across town alone in the middle of the night. At a guess.

“I’m grateful.” Because I was feeling feels entirely new to me and I might not be the best driver. My wolf was inches from taking over, demanding to get to our mates. “Very grateful.”

“Want to get dressed?”

Cheeks burning, I dared a glance to see what I actually wore. Fortunately, it was a long sleep tee, and my biggest issue was bare feet. “I’ll be right back.”

This whole situation was getting out of control, like a runaway roller coaster, but I didn’t know how to stop it or even really want to. At this point, all I could consider was seeing where it took me.

And I needed to see my alphas.

Now.

Vargas pulled up in front of the house and let me out, but he waited until Benji answered the door before driving away.

“I’m so sorry I woke you,” I said, starting to feel a little foolish. “I don’t know what came over me, but—”

“You don’t have to apologize, Lily.” He put an arm around my shoulders and guided me inside. “You’re always welcome here. And I was awake anyway, doing some work.”

“Okay, but I should have called first.”

His nostrils flared, pupils dilated, and I suddenly realized what this alpha was reacting to. Something else I should apologize for, but I wasn’t sure if that would help the situation. I’d always been warned not to forget my suppressors.

And I had.

“Omega, it’s okay.” He stepped back, though, and waved me ahead of him. “This way.”

I hadn’t been past the main living areas, so I hesitated at the stairs. “I don’t know.”

“It’s okay,” he repeated. “I have a place for you to rest, and nobody will bother you.”

Considering I was oozing scent, it was reassuring, but I could only hope they had more self-control than I did.

I climbed the stairs and Benji passed me on the landing and led me to a closed door.

He opened it and reached inside to flip on the overhead light with such an air of anticipation, I didn’t know how to read it.

But I stepped inside. The room was stunning.

Everything about it was selected with such care, I didn’t need to ask who it was for.

A comfortable chair with an ottoman sat in the corner, a lamp with a Tiffany stained-glass shade next to it, along with a little table where a few paperbacks lay.

Moving closer, I saw there were a selection of books that someone might pick for a woman whose tastes they weren’t sure of.

A romance, a cozy mystery, an autobiography of a reality-TV star… and a psychological thriller.

I would only imagine how it would be to sit there and read one of those, or all of them. “These look so great!” I picked one up and read the back. “Ohhh.”

“We didn’t know what to pick,” he said from the doorway. Like the food that other night. “So we took a guess.”

“I love to read, but I usually just grab whatever is around. These look great!” I set the volume down and took in the rest of the space.

The bed covered with a quilt worked in diamonds of blue and cream and yellow.

Lightweight curtains moving in a gentle breeze.

The furnishings were light-colored wood, beautifully polished, and the pillows were so full and fluffy.

“What a beautiful space.” An art piece, flowers created from metal, drew me over to examine it more closely. “Is that…was it silverware?”

“Harlan made it.”

“It’s lilies, isn’t it? I love it.”

“Do you think you can sleep here?”

When he asked that, everything changed. Suddenly, it wasn’t just a special room; it was one that reflected both their personalities and mine. This was for me. This was home. My throat tightened, but I forced the words out. “Yes, I can.”

“Good.” He took a step back, grasping the doorknob as if he was going to leave.

“Wait.”

“Yes?” He stopped. “Do you need something else? Water? Maybe something to eat?”

“No. Nothing like that. But…do you think you could sleep here with me?”

“Of course.” He stepped into the room for the first time since I’d been in there. “Anything for you.”

This alpha knew just what to say to reach my heart. I curled up under the covers, and he joined me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head before closing his eyes.

I’d never known home before.