Page 57 of Pack Baines

With the last barriers between us gone, I haul Juno off the counter and carry her to the bath, sinking into the warm water with her bridal style in my arms. As soon as I’m seated, both of us submerged among the bubbles, I rearrange Juno until she’s sitting between my legs before I start lathering her skin with the fragrant water that smells almost like her.

The others take my lead, and before Juno can even utter a word, the guys have their hands all over her. Evron has a hand that he massages diligently while Geo takes her other arm, digging his thumbs into her flesh in such a way that Juno moans and sinks deeper into my chest. The twins take a foot each, Lowie running his hands over her shin and calf while Leylan rubs her foot with care and precision.

As Juno slowly melts into the water, I press a kiss to her purple hair before I go about washing the dark strands. I rinse, condition, and run my fingers through it, removing tangles and snares, all while she makes sounds no man in a tub with his omega should be subjected to, especially not when she’s had a tough time and still smells a little stressed.

So, ignoring the flares of arousal that tries to pierce our first pack moment of tranquil, I reach for Juno’s shoulders and begin on that back rub I promised one of us would give.

“I didn’t even ask nicely,” she groans just as my fingers press into her shoulders.

Evron snorts. “Don’t say that, Blue. He won’t touch you until you ask nicely next time if you challenge him like that.”

Juno chuckles lightly, sinking deeper into the water until it reaches her chin and I’m providing a massage under water. “I’d be okay with that. Won’t even hesitate to beg, either, if that’s what he wanted.”

Silence follows before a collective groan echoes through the room, each of us likely imagining that particular fantasy in a way that is not comforting, soothing, or relaxing. All of which this bath is supposed to be.

Juno laughs, a sound that’s like a cooling balm to whatever the hell will ever ail me again, and I smile down at her while I continue to rub her shoulders free of the knots that have accumulated over the time she’s clearly been stressed.

The remainder of the bath goes by with only muttered chitchat, Juno’s eyes closed as her body sags against mine. Her limbs are finally loose, her head lolling on my shoulder, and the softest smile teases her lips while she lies content and happy listening to the guys talk in hushed tones around her. I have to admit, it’s nice, this familiarity between us all. The lack of awkwardness, the ease we each have around one another. It’s as though no time at all has passed between us and Juno, like she’s slotted perfectly back into the place that has gone empty far too long.

“You’re thinking hard. I can practically hear the gears spinning in that head of yours,” Juno whispers to me the next moment, and my gaze falls to her face that is now tilted to better look up at me.

My gaze travels over her entire face, noting the differences I see and comparing them to a younger Juno. She was pretty backthen, the prettiest damned girl I ever laid my eyes on. But now? Fuck, she takes my breath away. From the soft brush of freckles that stain her nose and cheeks, to the scars over her body, Juniper Baines is the most stunning thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on.

The look she gives me sends my heart into overdrive, my chest tightening around my ribcage as I fall heart-first into the pool of emotion swimming in those pretty, pale eyes. That look chokes whatever words I’d offer and, so, I simply do the only thing I can do. I cup her face gently, drops of warm water falling from my skin to hers, and draw her into a kiss that sears itself into my soul like a hot brand.

Juno hums against my mouth, her own hand reaching up to cup the back of my neck, if only to keep me in place. It’s like she doesn’t want to risk me moving away, and I can’t fight the smile that breaks out over my face, turning our soft, sweet kiss into something silly and free.

“I missed you, J,” I whisper, still smiling, even as the happiness dims in Juno’s eyes only slightly. I know how she feels, know it all too well, but I’m not going to wallow in the guilt and sadness that those eight years brought. Not when we have her back, tucked beautifully between us all, and now officially living with us. Every fucking dream I’ve had in those eight years is coming true, and I can’t feel anything but rightness knowing Juno is home. She’s home with us.

“I missed you, too, C,” she whispers, tugging me into another kiss that I’m all too willing to give her.

The others are all relaxed around us, leaning against the edge of the tub, watching and talking, like this is our new normal. I’ll be damned if it isn’t, too, because too much time has passed without Juno for anything but this, this closeness, to be anything but normal.

So, I bundle Juno up against me and cuddle her for a long while, long enough that her body relaxes completely, the scent of her stress washing away with the knots in her muscles. I’m pretty sure she’s drifting in and out of consciousness, the scent of Leylan’sperfumed products growing fainter and fainter as the minutes tick by gradually.

Eventually, when her skin starts pruning and the water turns lukewarm, I kiss her forehead and ask, “You ready to get out?”

I receive a sleepy little grumble in return, and the guys all snicker and grin at the tired omega using me as her own personal cushion. Not that I mind, especially if it means I get to hold a naked and slippery Juno in my arms.

Together, the guys and I help Juno out of the tub, Geo taking her from me and holding her bridal style while Lowie and Leylan dry her body and Evron uses a towel to absorb the water from her hair. I watch with rapt attention as they all fuss over her, pampering her like she deserves, and I keep my mouth firmly shut when I spy a single teardrop falling from the corner of her closed eyes.

I climb out of the tub, wrapping a towel around my waist, and lean in to kiss where the teardrop ran. Juno’s lips twitch, so I kiss her again, before I say, “Come on, beautiful. Let’s get you to bed, hm?”

“But Lowie made dinner,” she complains softly, only a slight omega-like whine in her voice that makes my entire body shiver and my alpha brain growing alert and fucking wired.

“You hungry, Angel?” the normally surly twin asks gently, a hint of amusement in his words.

Sure enough, despite the exhaustion that keeps her eyes closed, she nods just as a rumble in her belly declares for all the room to hear that she is, in fact, starving.

“Can’t let our omega wither away, guys,” Ev snickers, drying the last strands of her purple hair before pressing a kiss to the crown of her head and sneakily stealing her from Geo before waltzing right out of the room like he didn’t just stealthily omega-nap our girl.

Snickering, I follow after them, the others trailing behind me. We’re all dressed in towels and nothing more, more than comfortable with ourselves and our nudity around one another that there’s no awkwardness when Evron’s fucking towel slips and heflashes a whole lot of ass before he scrambles to cover himself once more.

“Lost your towel, didn’t you?” Juno asks, still sleepy but far more amused now.

“No,” Ev lies, sending us a panicked look that we all ignore in lieu of dishing plates and pouring drinks for one another. “Just stumbled, that’s all. Got distracted by your pretty face.”

At that, Juno outright laughs, and I’m grinning at the large bowl of bolognese Lowie cooked as she says, “I can see you in the reflection of the window, you goose. Every bare inch of you.”

---