Page 77 of Ready or Not

Vale falls asleep before we’re even halfway through.

“Damn, I keep forgetting to give her the ring,” Mercy says, leaning over to kiss her temple.

“She’s swollen. It probably wouldn’t fit, anyway,” Bishop whispers. He and Mercy got lucky—they’re the ones touching her.

“It might actually make her sad because she wouldn’t be able to try it on,” Garza says from Mercy’s other side. He’s the only one still watching the movie. I forgot what a hopeless romantic he is. “Although, we can see if we can find a necklace tomorrow when we go into town. She could wear it that way until she’s back to normal finger size.”

Mercy snorts softly. “I should have thought of that.”

“You’ve had a lot going on,” I tell him truthfully. “No word from your family?”

“Only to indicate they arrived home safely.” He snuggles closer to Vale’s back. “I don’t have much hope of them releasing my inheritance.”

Garza pats Mercy on the back without looking away from the cheesy scene playing out on the screen. “Don’t beat yourself up. You did all you could. Pandering twice as hard wouldn’t have changed the outcome.”

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow.” Mercy pauses. “But I agree. I don’t believe anything I could have done would have influenced them to agree.”

“And it was never just on your shoulders to fund everything,” I remind him. “You built Assurance from the ground up. The number of lives you’ve saved along the way…”

“You should be proud of everything you’ve done,” Bishop says softly.

“For sure,” Garza adds.

I lean over Bishop’s back, meeting Mercy’s eyes. “Seriously. You’ve changed the world for the better and left a legacy our daughter will be proud of one day.”

Mercy gives a clipped nod, trying to block his emotions from the bond. He’s mentally exhausted, but he needed to hear what we had to say. He buries his face in Vale’s hair and moves his hand down to palm the baby belly.

I refocus on the television and soak up the feeling of being together as a pack.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Vale

Ilove being surrounded by all four of my alphas’ scents. The downside is that I’m trapped. Two on each side means there’s no easy method for escape. Mercy is behind me, and Bishop is on his back next to me. Considering my thigh is thrown over his pelvis, it seems easier to climb over him.

Unfortunately, my knee comes down not on the bed but on Holt. He grunts, rubbing at his eyes as my knee moves between his.

“Sorry, I need the bathroom.” I move to climb the rest of the way, but he gets us upright before I can take the initiative. “Thanks.” I rub at my lower back and shift to step around him.

“Are you okay?” he asks, following me toward the bathroom.

Truthfully, I don’t feel great. I’m pretty sure I slept wrong or something, because my lower back is killing me. “I’m fine.”

“Right,” Holt says sleepily. “I still think I’m going to keep you company.”

“I need to pee.” Flicking on the light, I stop for a second to lean against the doorframe as my lower back twinges painfully. “I have no more patience with being pregnant. I’m moody. I’ve been awful to everyone the last few days.” My head shakes as I aim for the room the toilet is in.

“Leave it cracked.”

I scoff.

“Not joking, sweetheart. The bond is slapping me with how miserable you are. I’ve seen how rough it is for you to get off the couch the last couple days. If you need help, I don’t want you getting hurt because you’re stubborn. I won’t watch. I’ll just wait and help if needed.”

My face feels hot, but I nod before stepping inside the toilet room. I really don’t feel good, and it’s a huge relief to have him care.

I use the bathroom, wash my hands, and Holt leads us back to bed. Based on how dark it is outside, it’s still the middle of the night.

Holt gives Bishop a shove and nods for me to climb in once there’s more space next to the edge. “You know I can’t let you be closest to the door. I wouldn’t sleep a wink. If you need another bathroom break, then wake me up. I’ll still get more sleep than if I were trying to rest without having you safe.”

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