The Alphas of South Forest - Valentine's

ROSEMARY

I nervously play with my hands as I follow my mother-in-law through the restaurant to the bathrooms. I can’t put anything past her—she knows something is up.

I don’t know why I thought I could convince her otherwise.

The moment we’re alone in the bathroom, she turns to me with a soft expression.

“What’s really going on, Rosemary? I’ve never seen you look this tired, conflicted, and guilty all in one.”

Damn, she knows me too well.

“I haven’t been feeling well. I was sick today.”

Her brows draw together, and she immediately reaches out to rub my arm.

“Oh, honey. Do you think it was something you ate?”

I gulp and lick my lips. I lied to Livinia; I could do that. I don’t think I can lie to Leilani, though.

“I don’t think it was something I ate…”

Recognition flashes across her face. Her eyebrows lift in surprise, and she grins with excitement.

“Really? Do you think you could be pregnant?”

Hearing the word out loud for the first time makes me wince. I run my hand through my hair anxiously.

“I don’t know, I haven’t taken a test yet. I, uh, it’s been a lot without the twins here, and not speaking to them has been hard.

“I’ve been struggling and I think if I have a definitive answer about whether I am or not, well, it might be too much, you know?”

My bottom lip trembles and I swallow hard, begging my body not to cry. “I don’t think I can handle it right now.”

“Honey, come here.”

She pulls me in for a hug. I squeeze my eyes shut and swipe away a traitorous tear that escapes. I’m so grateful for the hug; it’s so simple but it’s just what I need in this moment.

She smells like flowers and comfort, a more feminine version of my boys.

“I completely understand, you don’t have to explain yourself to me, or to anyone for that matter.” She leans back and rubs my arms, giving me a sympathetic smile.

“You need to take care of yourself. Perhaps have a day off tomorrow, sleep in, and recharge.

“The boys will be back next week and you three can sit down and repair things. For now, you need to focus on you.”

I blink back tears, overwhelmed by her empathy and affection.

“Thank you. I will.”

“Good. And, when the time comes that you’re ready to face whatever possibility your future holds, you know that I’m always here for you.

“I will happily be with you when you go through it and/or lend an ear if you want to talk about it. Either way, whatever happens, you’re not alone in this.”

“You are so lovely, thank you,” I gush and hug her again.

“Anytime, I mean it. Just don’t try to lie to me again. I see right through you, honey.”

“I know! I can’t put anything past you.”

“Don’t worry, neither can my mates and neither can your mates. It’s a gift, I’ll show you sometime. Now, let’s go back out there and get you some food.”

We head back out into the restaurant. I’m grateful when Leilani acts like nothing happened. She sits down between her mates and continues the conversation without a hitch.

“Tell us about your role as Alpha now, Rosemary. Ezekiel and Emmanuel have filled us in a bit, but they wanted you to be the one to give the details,” Dane enquires.

“Oh, okay! I have a few different roles, actually. Ez and Em tend to cover the patrol and training side of things.

“I handle new-starters with the pack, oversee any events or visitors coming onto the territory. I also run the onboarding of human mates that join the pack.”

“I bet you’re good at that role, your background would be a serious advantage,” Jarren comments.

“Yes, it has come in handy. I work closely with Livinia, the spiritual leader of our Templum.”

“Do you feel more settled in your faith, now?” Leilani asks politely.

“Oh, definitely. I still pray to my God, but I believe in the Moon Goddess and respect her decisions.”

The three of them seem satisfied with that answer. Speaking of the Moon Goddess to shifters is always a sensitive subject considering they hold their deity in such high regard.

The food comes, offering an easy break in the conversation. I clear my plate, which makes Leilani smile. When we say goodbye, she gives me an extra squeeze and reminds me to call on her anytime.

At that point, I decide that, when I eventually take the test, she will be the first person I contact.

***

I meet Oya at the dress shop. She is already in her wedding dress when I arrive, and I tear up almost immediately as I walk through the door.

“Wow, I knew it was a great dress, but I didn’t know it was that good!” she exclaims, laughing at my tear-streaked face.

Another clue that I’m potentially pregnant is the extreme rush of hormones I’ve been experiencing recently.

It started just before my mates went away, and I’m convinced the lack of their presence has made them worse. I dab my tears and apologize to my friend for being a soppy mess.

I change into my bridesmaid’s dress and stand next to her. We admire our reflections and giggle like schoolgirls.

“I can’t believe you’re getting married in six days, this is crazy,” I gush to her.

“I’m so excited, I can barely sleep. Laurence isn’t half as bothered as I am; he just wants the day over with so we can skip to the honeymoon sex.”

Her blunt personality never fails to catch me off guard.

“Oh!” I giggle and duck my head to hide my blush. “I’m sure he’ll enjoy the wedding on the day.”

“Yeah, on the day he will, it’s just the buildup he hates. He says I’m becoming a bridezilla,” she mentions casually as she ties up her hair.

“I told him to deal with it. It’s a price I’m willing to pay for the perfect wedding.”

She turns to me and puts her hands on her hips. “Are your mates coming?”

I blink a few times, surprised by her question. “I believe they are, yes. I think they’re traveling back on Friday.”

“And you three will have made up by then?” she asks.

“Because I will not have tension at my wedding, Rosemary. I love you, but this day must be perfect. I won’t be able to enjoy myself if I know my best friend isn’t happy.”

I grab her hands to reassure her. “Nothing is going to stop you from having the perfect day, okay?

“Don’t worry about me and my mates, that’s my problem, not yours. Whatever happens, our problems get left behind when we arrive, I promise you.”

“Okay, but please try and patch things up by then! I’ll be much happier if I know you’ve sorted everything.”

I sigh and turn back to the mirror to see my concerned expression looking back at me.

“I’ll try, but they’re as stubborn as I am.”

***

When I get back to the pack house, Hector is waiting for me in the office.

“What’s up?”

He gestures for me to take a seat, and he does the same.

“I had some intel today and I wanted to share it with you.”

Immediately, my mind goes to my mates. In a flash, I’m panicking that something has happened to them, that they’ve been injured while trying to fix someone else’s problem.

“What is it?” I manage to ask.

“It’s not about your mates,” Hector says quickly, reading the panic on my face. My shoulders drop in relief, and I wait for him to expand.

“We had an update today from Chase Coleman—you might remember him as a pack member who migrated abroad a few months ago? Well, he was checking in to see how everyone was doing and he wanted to let us know that he’d seen Brock while traveling through France.”

Brock Turner. The jilted son who blamed my mates when he didn’t get the Alpha position for this pack.

He kidnapped me and held me hostage to bargain for the Alpha role. They wanted to kill him, and I begged them not to, so they took his hand instead.

Last we saw or heard of him, he was banished from this island and left with his mate, Joanna, and her daughter, Tallulah.

My mates have always worried that they made the wrong decision by letting Brock live. I try to believe in seeing the best in everyone, and there was hope for Brock’s redemption.

“Oh? How was he?”

Hector gives a small smile. “Chase said that he looked really good, really happy. He saw him meet his mate at the park, and they had two children with them.

“He wanted you and your mates to know that he looks like he has really moved on, no signs of plotting revenge.”

The relief I feel is immediate. If they had two children with them, that means Joanna and Brock have expanded their family. Hopefully that means he has other things on his mind than me and my mates.

“That’s great news, Hector. Thank you.”

“Of course. And, one more thing—Ezekiel called earlier to confirm they will be back on Friday as planned.”

Five more days.