Page 71 of When She Needs Them Most

I snag Kase’s arm. “Yes, get Chelsea back over to our house. Point out anything you need me to bring back when I head over.”

“The laundry basket by the washer,” Chelsea says, sliding her feet into her flats. She relocates to the couch, grabbing a diaper bag and hefting it over shoulder.

Kase follows her, grabbing a moving box and nodding for Chelsea to head to the door.

“I’ll be right behind you,” I assure them. “Lincoln should be back shortly with dinner, if he’s not already there.”

Kase nods, acknowledging my words.

Keir and Calder drop their loads of stuff and follow Chelsea and Kase back out the door.

My gaze moves back to Easton. “Tell me you didn’t bring a kidnapping victim into my pregnant omega’s home.”

“Briar is my assistant.” He shrugs. “Did she particularly want to come on this assignment? Not really, but it’s not like she’s going to report me.”

I scoff.

That man lives entirely in his own world.

Chelsea barely pecks at dinner, which would worry me significantly less if she didn’t excuse herself to bed shortly after.

I’ve barely had the chance to process that she and Kase bonded, but based on the way she let him toss his arm over her chair as he fed her the few bites of dinner that she actually ate… I’m going to guess there was no coercion involved.

Okay, at the very least, I’ll assume it was consensual.

Lincoln and Kase congregate in the living room, assembling a few of the smaller items we didn’t tackle this afternoon. I choose not to join them, instead making my way to my room for a quick shower before sneaking into the primary suite.

Chelsea lies on her side, and she appears to be sleeping. Closing the door carefully, I make my way over to the bed and climb on behind her. She’s in a pajama dress, and her hair is wet.

I gladly would have joined her had she invited me. It’s a fine line of being available if she needs one of us and hovering to the point she resents being stuck with such overbearing alphas.

Snuggling up to Chelsea’s back, I carefully weave my arm around her. It’s a slow process to keep from bothering her, but I smile to myself when my hand comes to rest on her stomach.

Things are going to change drastically in just a few weeks—if she makes it that long. Women routinely give birth after thethirty-six-week mark for a variety of reasons. I learned that from listening to a parenting audiobook that Lincoln put on while we assembled the crib.

It’s a sturdy set, but I do hope the wall clings arrive swiftly. We put out the baby pink rug, but there was no time to paint. The room is a bit generic, and I can only hope that will be fixed once the cartoon animals arrive. They can be placed right on the wall and peeled down when we plan to redecorate.

I’m not even sure Chelsea got a look at the room with all the furniture placed in it, but pregnancy is taxing. We can show her tomorrow once Kase and Lincoln get the other items assembled. They also planned to tackle hanging the video monitor tonight.

Yes, the gift will have more impact once all the goodies are in their places.

My mind drifts as I caress her stomach and try to fall asleep. We need to call the hospital and schedule her registration tour tomorrow.

Chelsea’s skin begins to bounce against my hand, and my heart thumps wildly.

It’s enchanting.

Luna is awake and moving while Chelsea sleeps. It slams home that she’s carrying an entirely new person. Someone else for us to love and protect.

I wake in pure confusion. For a moment, I assume I’m in my bed, but I quickly determine I’m in the pack bedroom. Chelsea is nowhere to be found. Throwing the comforter back, I make a quick check of the bathroom before going searching throughout the house. If she wanted to sleep with Lincoln or Kase, she could have woken me to give me some warning.

The light streaming from the open nursery door catches my attention, and I poke my head inside.

Chelsea sits on the floor next to the dresser with piles of clothes strewn about. She grabs a set and tucks it into the dresser drawer before collecting the one next to it and doing the same.

I stride inside and squat at her side. “I woke up, and you were gone.”

She blinks at me from behind her long lashes as her teeth dig into her lower lip.

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