Page 65 of Dodging Bullets

His fingers were deft as he placed the tags around my neck, his fingers brushing over my nape. I snuggled close to his side, and we sat silently, bodies pressed together. I rubbed the tags on my neck, resting my head on his shoulder.

Polly was right. Ferris wheels really were peak romantic gestures.

Thirty-Seven

Max

Ithought, of all the parts of “The Plan,” this was the phase that Polly was most excited for. You could tell, because she hadn’t sat still since we’d arrived at the nature reserve that was currently housing the Ferris wheel. When we’d done some research last night, I’d been kind of disappointed that Rio wouldn’t have to row to the middle of the lake. This was fortunate, though, and while I needed Polly for my part, I’d be able to bring her back to go on the Ferris wheel. Maybe we could pretend to be teenagers and get to second base right at the very top.

“There they are!”

She climbed out of the car and ran toward them. I grinned, her joy infectious. When she ran into August’s arms, he caught her easily, spinning her around. Her dress climbed up her thighs a little, and my breath froze in my lungs. Fuck, they were so beautiful together.

I dragged my phone out of my pocket and took a photo for Llew, then set it as my wallpaper. My two Omegas, bracketed by a Ferris wheel, my Alpha watching over them with so much love in his eyes, it made me feel emotional. It was perfect.

I didn’t think she realized it yet, but we were courting Polly too. Even though she was completely enamoured with us, and was already irreversibly part of our Pack, she deserved this. I’d just taken her to buy the bonding ring for August that we’d give him this afternoon, but while she was busy, I’d gotten her a necklace with a large drop emerald that was cut to look like a star had exploded inside it. It was beautiful, just like our Omega.

“Come on, you two. They’re waiting for us,” I called over to them.

Polly wiggled to her feet and dragged August along behind her. Rio shook his head. “Are they all ready?”

I nodded. We’d called ahead to Otillie-James and Lance, and we’d meet them at their rescue. I’d actually asked Otillie-James for more than that, but I had to keep that bit a secret until we got there.

My Omegas crawled into the back of the car, Polly scooting almost all the way onto August’s lap. Rio slapped the back of my head. “Concentrate on the road, and don’t get distracted. Because they will besofucking distracting,” he groaned. “Thank god the top comes down on this; I can’t even imagine being trapped in all those heat pheromones.”

He wasn’t wrong. “Llew is waiting for you.”

Rio nodded and leaned into the back of the car, kissing August and then Polly. “Be good. Don’t distract the driver.”

“Yes, sir,” Polly quipped, making Rio groan again.

I took that as our cue to leave. I pulled back out onto the freeway, glancing briefly into the rearview mirror. The wind whipped away their scents and words, for which I was incredibly thankful, because they were kissing like they couldn’t get enough of each other.

Maybe doing this so close to August’s heat was a mistake, but so much of our courtship had been focused on Polly. Not that I felt bad about that—she deserved the attention. But I wantedAugust to know that we wantedhim,not just what he could do for us.

After the longest twenty-minute drive of my life, I pulled off into the driveway of Lance’s house, and the dirt road left a cloud of dust behind us. OJ and Lance were on the front porch of their impressive-as-fuck house, two baskets at their feet as well as Doodles.

When we rolled to a stop, I adjusted my cock in my jeans before climbing out. Fuck, this was painful. Smiling at the Omegas in the back seat, I reached in to lift Polly out.

August jumped out of the convertible easily, giving me a cheeky smirk. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

I wrapped my arm around his shoulders, and he smiled widely up at Lance. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. I was worried about you, until Rio and Max told me that you were in love. Congrats are in order, I hear?” He gripped Lance’s hand, shaking it heartily.

“The healing power of love, am I right?” Lance said lightly. “This is Otillie-James, my Omega.”

The Omega in question looked like a riot. That was the best way I could describe her, really. Her hair was crazy, and she had mud on her overalls and a smile on her face.

“Lance says I have you to thank for him still being here today,” she whispered to August, and then hugged him. She pulled back quickly, her nose twitching. “Woah, they weren’t kidding about you being close to heat. I wouldn’t fuck around, if I were you.” She looked at Polly and hugged her too, her face softening. “It’s good to see you, Polly.”

Polly threw herself into the hug, and I smiled. She’d come so far.

OJ looked misty-eyed as she pulled back. “Okay, here are your sweet treats. Let’s go, before your boy goes into heat on my front porch,” she joked, directing us to a path that ran downthe side of the house. “They came in earlier in the week, and I thought they’d be perfect for you guys.”

August narrowed his eyes at me. We hadn’t told him a lot about Lance’s new Packmate, but maybe he was making some connections. I just grinned and held him tight to my body as Polly ran ahead.

Lance walked beside us. “She looks good. Happy.”

I smiled, because she was better than good. She wasgreat.“My mission in life now is just to make her as happy as possible until the end of my days.” I looked at August. “Both of you.”

---