Page 1 of Broken Bonds

Prologue

RULE

Van’s driving too fast again,despite how much he knows Ramsey hates it. He’s gotten a thrill out of speed ever since I’ve known him, but he’s also typically pretty good at keeping it in check because of our girl.

Especially now.

We’re gonna be fucking dads.

It’s a wild concept to think about, but strangely exciting at the same time.

“Van, you need to slow down, man. I’d like to get this food back to my Rosebud in one piece. You know what she’s like when she’s hangry,” Ollie grunts, shivering as he pictures a very pregnant and very hangry omega if we don’t get this food back to her in one piece.

I shake my head in amusement before rolling it back against my headrest and looking at him with a grin.

“You scared she might rip your balls off, O?” I needle, smirking at him.

He rolls his eyes, flipping me the bird. “You know just as well as I do what our girl is like when she’s hungry. Don’t sit there and try to tell me that’s not what you’re afraid of.”

I snort. “You’re damn right I’m scared of that happening. I need my balls, dude. How else will I pump our omega full of more babies? You know it’s my super sperm that split the egg in three,” I tell them cockily, like I have ever since we found out.

Honestly, I don’t care who biologically sired these kids. None of us do. But it’s fun to aggravate the others and get them all started on an entire argument over who they think is the dad.

Lake looks back, glaring at me. “It was not. Quit trying to be so full of yourself. It was obviously my swimmers that split the egg after they beat the shit out of all of yours,” he says, smirking.

“You’re all fucking idiots,” Ollie grumbles.

Van doesn’t say anything, just speeds up a little more, which has my laughter cutting off as I swallow when I catch sight of the speedometer.

Lake glances back at us both, a bit of concern shining in his eyes. Van’s been on edge all day, silently brooding like he does when something’s upset him. We’re almost positive this time it’s because Ramsey’s pregnancy hormones have her quick to snap these days. None of us are used to a prickly Ramsey, but Van least of all. He needs her smiles and sunshiny disposition, because without it he says there’s a void inside of him. One that only Lake and Ramsey can fill with their brightness to make him feel again.

They’ve never talked much about their lives before coming to AOA. Even now, over a decade later, we barely know anything about their lives from before. But based on Van’s feelings and clear trauma, I’ve always assumed he didn’t have the best childhood. Probably the worst of us all. He’s not always doom and gloom, just… when Ramsey or Lake are upset with him.

Today she got mad because he was hovering too much. I mean, technically she was mad at us all for the hovering, but he’s taken it the hardest because he’s the one that was in her crosshairs when she snapped. The kicked puppy look he’d given her made her feel bad afterwards. We all could see it, but she was frustrated. To be honest, we all were.

We’d be lying if we said we weren’t even a little nervous about having more than one baby at a time. Nervous about the change, but also about our omega’s health and well-being. Although she’s having a relatively healthy pregnancy so far, multiples take a lot out of you and there’s always the chance something could go wrong.

So, maybe we read one too many pregnancy and baby books, and maybe we’ve been out of control with our questions and concerns because she’s capable of listening to her body, so I can’t really blame her for getting so frustrated.

But now it seems Van wants to let out his frustrations with speed, which is something I really fucking hate. Flashbacks to a different time, when I was much younger, reel through my mind whenever I’m in a car that’s going way faster than my comfort level.

Van is quickly reaching that point and I can feel my vision preparing to darken as it throws me into the worst memory of my life.

Shattering glass. Crunching metal. Screams and cries of anguish.

“Van!” Ollie snaps when he realizes Van still isn’t paying attention to him… or the fucking road.

My eyes widen when the back passenger wheel hits the dirt off the pavement, skidding out and making the car go sideways for a moment. When Van gets it back straight again, my heart is in my throat and my pulse is hammering in my ears.

“I’ve got this Ollie, damn. Chill out,” Van groans, still not slowing down.

“You do not! You damn near just ran off the road and we’re getting closer to the curves. Slow the fuck down so I can get back home to my omega!” Ollie seethes, glaring at the back of Van’s head.

Lake looks back at us again, shooting us both apologetic and concerned looks before reaching over and gripping Van’s leg.

“Hey, Ollie’s right. We want to get back to our girl and that won’t happen if you’re driving recklessly,” Lake tells him carefully.

My eyes volley back and forth between them, my heart still beating erratically as I catch the curve just up ahead. The one with the giant oak tree right in the center.

---