NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team

by Chelsea Handcock

  “You know, Emma, everything is going to be okay. You have me and everyone else here. Shoot, Jacks even said he would take a shift to help with the baby. Can you imagine him with a little one? He said it would be good practice,” Dalton chuckled to himself. “You haven’t had a chance to meet him yet, but he was the scary one yelling in the doorway right before you gave birth. He’s our Alpha and Ryleigh’s husband.”

  Dalton wasn’t going to let on that he wasn’t happy with his Alpha or Team, right now. Emma needed to feel safe with them, so he wouldn’t let his personal feeling intrude. He didn’t think any of them would actually cause her or the baby harm physically, but none of the guys were used to dealing long term with a woman, let alone an infant. Jacks was only learning how to deal with Ryleigh, and Dalton had witnessed some of those pitfalls. Dalton couldn’t be sure if Emma was ready to deal with a bunch of opinionated Alpha males. So, he tried to reassure her with humor. He knew it was a pointless venture.

  Emma didn’t like the thought of that man, any man, holding her daughter. Dalton was the only exception. She trusted him, at least her messed up mind thought she did.

  “They’re all good people, Emma, I promise you that,” Dalton assured her.

  He said all this while holding both her and her daughter in the comfort of his arm; Emma desperately wanted to believe him.

  Dalton had noticed Emma tense when he mentioned Jacks holding the baby. He didn’t like the thought himself, he was feeling possessive of these two ladies, but Jacks needed to accept them, and he figured the little angel in his arms could help with that.

  “Come on, honey. Let’s get you more comfortable.”

  Standing up, Dalton cradled the baby in the crook of his arm, pushed a couple of buttons on the hospital bed, and helped Emma to sit up. Walking to the other side of the bed, he climbed in next to her, placing his arm around her shoulders. His natural scent increased and Emma wanted to get lost in it.

  “Now isn’t that better? You can rest and watch your little one at the same time,” Dalton encouraged.

  “Dalton, why are you doing all of this? You don’t even know me.”

  “Honey,” Dalton started to rub her arm, “I know it all seems weird right about now, but from the time I first noticed you in the diner, I knew I needed to help you, be around you. I know it doesn’t make sense, but as Shifters we have instincts that are far greater than humans. I’m drawn to you, but if you feel uncomfortable or would rather have someone else help you, all you have to do is say the word, and I’ll give you space.” Under his breath, barely a whisper, he said, “I’ll give you anything.” If Emma hadn’t been listening closely, she would’ve missed the words. He continued as if he hadn’t spoken them.

  “I could never harm you, Emma. You need to understand that first and foremost. I would never let anyone else cause you harm, including my own Team. I know that with everything you’ve been through, all of what I said is hard to believe, but shit, honey, it’s what it is. I know you don’t understand any of this shit, I’m having a hard time myself. We have only known each other for such a short time. I’ve never had these feelings, but I need to protect you, and I need to be around you. Please, give me a chance and we’ll figure it out together, okay. That’s all I can ask, I only want a chance.”

  Emma thought about it, and she didn’t want Dalton going anywhere. She felt safe with him and wanted him to stick around her as crazy as that might be. She didn’t know this man from Adam, and here she was putting all her faith and trust in him. Offering him a chance when she didn’t even know what tomorrow would bring. Her mind, gut, and instincts were all over the place. So, she did the only thing she could, the only thing that brought her some peace.

  “Okay, Dalton, I’ll let you know if I ever feel uncomfortable. But right now, when you’re around, I feel safe, and I like that feeling that way. It’s been a really long time since I’ve felt safe,” she said, cuddling closer to him. Looking up into his eyes gorgeous Caribbean blues, giving him what she could at the moment, she said, “I’d like the chance to figure all this out with you.”

  Emma laid her head into the crook of his arm. She brought her hand up, rubbing her daughter’ soft hair. The moment was surreal; she felt closer to him and her baby at that moment than she would’ve ever thought possible. She felt like she had a family, a future, something she never thought possible. Sure, it was too soon, and she was positive she was taking more stock in his words than he meant, but she needed that moment. It felt right when everything had felt wrong for so long.

  Dalton loved this moment with Emma and the baby. He should’ve felt guilty for laying everything out like that for her. He wanted her to know he thought of her more than only an obligation. She needed to understand where he was coming from, so they could move forward. He wasn’t a hearts and flowers type of guy, but what he could give her was honesty.

  After the tension-filled meeting and his own wayward thoughts, he cherished the feeling of calm which was encompassing him. When Emma said she felt safe in his arms, he wanted to scream to the rooftops. Looking down at the baby, he noticed something, her eyes were too bright, too intense for a newborn. He wanted to blow it off as a trick of the harsh lights in the room, but he knew the truth. He saw those eyes in the mirror, this little girl was more Shifter than any of them knew.

  Emma noticed Dalton’s mood had shifted a bit and he seemed uncomfortable, tense even. She couldn’t figure out what was going on. One minute he was hot, the next cold. Maybe it was her. She didn’t think she’d said anything wrong, only agreeing to try. It was almost like he saw or heard something which disturbed him, but what?

  Their emotions, stress, and everything else were running too high. She was practically clinging to the man. He said he was drawn to her, but what did that truly mean? Was she reading too much into this situation? He said he wanted a chance, but was that chance for friendship or something else? Emma was so confused. She had so many doubts and insecurities, her mind was bouncing all over the place. Deciding to give him some much-needed space, Emma leaned forward and started to pay attention to the most important thing in the room, her daughter. Her baby, who Dalton was staring at so intently, was beautiful. Did he see something in her daughter she didn’t?

  Clearing his throat because he didn’t know what to say or do, he decided to appease at least some of Emma’s fears. His bear sensed them and so did Dalton. Neither of them liked the tension or the fear he scented coming from Emma, again.

  “Mia’s going to stay for a while to help you and the baby medically, but then she has to go and help with another mission. She said she would be here at least a couple of weeks. Mia will be going back and forth for a while because Ryleigh is pregnant too, about two months. Between Mia and Ryleigh, they’ve already come up with plans to get you better, physically. It's going to be a rough couple of weeks, honey. You’ve been through so much, but I know you’ll come out stronger. I’ve seen soldiers in battle crying from less than what you’ve gone through. You’re so strong, I know you’ll get through it. I only want to be a part of that, okay?”

  This man didn’t even know her and had already given her more encouragement than Emma had ever had in her life. She loved the feeling of being in his arms. That was either really sad or really great, Emma wasn’t quite sure which. One minute she trusted him and the next she wasn’t sure. One minute she felt safe and the next the wolves were banging at the door. When he continued to talk she listened, taking everything in. It seemed that she’d ended up in the right place, hopefully.

  “Mia and Ryleigh have also gotten in touch with the psychologist for The Holly Group and are setting up video chats for you two,” Dalton said, feeling her back stiffen up.

  “Listen Emma, you have been through a lot physically and mentally. Please be open to the help, not only with the doctors, but also from all of us. You need to rest and heal. We’ll help with the baby. I assure you, we’ll keep you both safe and give you what you need to heal. Please, don’t shut us o
ut.”

  Dalton knew he was pushing it. He was asking Emma to trust him, and he was keeping something important from her. He needed to be sure before he told her or anyone else that he was pretty damn sure her baby was a true Shifter, and what that meant. Dalton knew it was a lot to ask, but he needed her like he needed his next breath. His bear was a constant murmur in his mind, saying, claim her, be with her, mate her and ours. It was like a hammer going off in his head. He tried to give her space, tried to calm his instincts. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to accept what his bear was saying. This mate thing was new to him, and he wasn’t sure he wanted it, but knew, deep down, he could only deny it for so long. His bear could only be pushed back so far.

  Emma had been in the system since she was a child and had seen her fair share of psychologists. Every time she was moved from a foster family or a group home, there was always a session with a counselor. In her opinion, they were all out for the same thing; money. They didn’t help and she couldn’t imagine expressing her innermost thoughts to some random person over a video link. Yeah, so not going to happen. She would try to keep an open mind and let the people at the lodge help her. She would do what she’d always done in the past, tell the psychologist what they wanted to hear to get it over with. Dalton was another story; for some reason, she truly did trust him, at least she really wanted to trust him, but Emma didn’t know him. One minute he was saying he was drawn to her and the next he was pulling away. But wasn’t she doing the same?

  She would keep those thoughts to herself for now and offer Dalton what he asked for, but she would keep a bit of her disbelief. Emma needed to have some control. She couldn’t give him everything when it all was so confusing, frustrating, and impractical. But this she would give him, even if it was only a half-truth. he’d proved himself to be a good man, but he would need to do a lot more to win her trust. That she couldn’t completely give.

  “I won’t, Dalton. I trust you and if you trust these people, I will too. That may be a little stupid or naïve of me, but for some reason, shoot, I don’t know, I just know you’re a good man.”

  “Thanks honey, I promise I’ll keep earning that trust. You have my word,” he said, cuddling her closer for a moment.

  Emma felt the tears in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She would see how things went with the psychologist. In the past, while in foster care, she’d seen psychologists and never had any real respect for them. They were either there to encourage prescription drugs or to make a quick buck off the government that was her experience. Once she turned eighteen, the government had sent her on her way without another thought; their time was served Emma was on her own. Doctors and psychologists were expensive, and she didn’t have any money to spare. She did what she’d always done, push through any and everything to get through a day at a time. Sitting on the bed while Dalton held her and her daughter, she wondered if maybe she could let herself rely on someone else for the first time in her life. Snuggling closer to Dalton, she unquestionably wanted him to be that person.

  Chapter 29

  So, caught up in the moment, Dalton and Emma were startled when Mia spoke. Not having heard the door open or seen the woman standing outside of it was disconcerting to Emma, and Dalton seemed as surprised by the intrusion. She had to assume he wasn’t a man who was easily surprised.

  “Hey guys, Rye and I have some information for you. Is it okay if we come in?” Mia asked. “I knocked, but you didn’t seem to hear me.”

  Emma was embarrassed, they had been so deep into each other that neither of them had heard the door opening. Emma was also kind of shocked that the two ladies had offered her the consideration of asking before entering the room. Cash and the big guy from the doorway made it perfectly clear that she and her daughter weren’t wanted, and they considered her a risk to the group. Emma looked to Dalton to indicate what she should do next. At least he seemed to want them within the Alpha Team’s base.

  Dalton didn’t like the look on Emma’s face. She looked scared and uncertain. He couldn’t blame her. The last several hours had been horrible for her. He didn’t even want to think about the things she’d revealed she’d gone through the past six months. Dalton was the enforcer of the group, always stoic, and always in control. He had to be because of his position and his unruly bear. The fucker was a menace, but he found that holding the little baby and Emma in his arms, his beast was content and standing down. It was the first time he couldn’t blame his bad behavior on his Shifter side; this was all him.

  His behavior in the meeting, and even before that, was so unlike him. Women and babies didn’t get under his skin, but he knew he was fooling himself. This woman and this baby were buried deep. Not once in his life did he want to go after Cash or Jacks. He respected his teammates and would give his life for them. Ever since Emma came into his life, he was questioning his loyalty. He knew if his teammates threatened either of them, in any way, he would take them away and protect them himself. The Team no longer came first for him, Emma and her daughter did. He wondered if Jacks felt the same way about Ryleigh.

  Gritting his teeth together, he gave Emma a short nod, hoping he was conveying it was okay for the woman to enter the room. He needed to get his shit together. Things he never thought possible were hitting him left and right, but he also knew that he had to put Emma first. Mia and Ryleigh were key factors in making that happen.

  Mia started into the room with a small smile on her face. She was in doctor mode, her no-nonsense professionalism radiated from her. Ryleigh, on the other hand, was more hesitant, walking behind Mia, looking down, and not making eye contact, her hands firmly gripped around her waist. Emma wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but she could feel the tension in the air. She also noticed that Mia looked determined while Ryleigh held back, almost as if she didn’t want to have this conversation.

  Emma had felt Dalton pulling back as soon as the women made their presence known. Sure, he still held her, but she could feel the distance. It was like an empty cavern had popped up between them. When her daughter started to wiggle and put up a fuss, she knew she wasn’t the only one who felt his and the ladies’ discomfort. Maybe she was leaning on Dalton too much. She didn’t know. Emma didn’t want to see the look she was sure that she would find on his face. Deciding to preserve some dignity, she looked him square in the eyes.

  “Dalton, you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”

  “Emma?”

  “No, I understand. I’m sure that you have better things to do than hang out in here. I know your team just got back and I’m sure you have meetings or whatever you do when that happens to attend to. I’ll be all right here with Mia and Ryleigh. I appreciate all the kindness you have shown my baby and me, but I don’t want to take advantage.”

  Emma tried to placate him by patting the arm he had around her daughter and reached to take her daughter out of his arms. Dalton wasn’t having any of it, maneuvering the baby so that Emma couldn’t take her. She wanted Dalton to stay and continue to support and comfort her, but she didn’t want to become an obligation to him. She also didn’t understand all the hot and cold vibes she was getting from him. One minute he was pulling away, the next he seemed determined to stay. It was all getting to be a little too much.

  “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” she said, trying again, “but I need to hear what Mia and Ryleigh have come to say. You don’t have to be a part of that if you don’t want,” Emma said, looking down at her clenched hands.

  She wanted him to stay, but she wasn’t going to beg. She wanted the support he gave to her, he was becoming her lifeline. She wanted to take the gamble and let herself believe the things he’d been talking about when they were alone in their little bubble. Inevitably, the outside world always burst into that happy place, and Emma knew she was putting too much faith in these strange, new feelings. What did she truly know about this man? When would she learn her lesson? Her childhood had taught her to never believe in happily ever after,
so she’d never let herself hope she could attain it. She certainly was never given any reason to believe until now. She hated the doubts that were plaguing her.

  Before being kidnapped Emma made a decision and kept to it, now she was all wishy-washy. Dang, within the last couple of hours, she felt like she was on an unending roller coaster. Should she, or shouldn’t she? Could she, or couldn’t she? She had to focus on only one thing, her daughter and nothing else. Certainly, not the drool-worthy Dalton Hayes, the Alpha Team, or the women standing in the room ready to give her what she was positive was bad news. Her baby was what was important, nothing else, right?

  “Emma look at me.” Emma shook her head, not looking up at Dalton. “Emma, I said look at me.” He said more gruffly. She was so tempted to comply, but she couldn’t, she needed to preserve some of her dignity. Didn’t he get that she was giving him a way out? Didn’t all guys want the easy way out of sticky situations? She couldn’t figure him out.

  Emma couldn’t do what he was asking, she was trying so hard to be strong and needed to figure all of this out on her own. She’d put way too much faith in a stranger. She didn’t know him and he didn’t know her. She didn’t want to see the distance in his eyes. Dalton’s eyes portrayed more than words could ever speak, and she knew it would hurt to see the distance.

  When Emma didn’t make a move to comply with his demand, Dalton leaned forward and removed his arm from behind her back. Getting off the bed, he placed the baby back in the isolette. The little girl didn’t even make a sound; she was such a good baby. She was also a very strong baby, lifting her head when he laid her down, then gripping his finger when he went to move away. He noticed Emma was watching him through her lashes, but not raising her head enough to actual see him clearly. He wasn’t ready to let his observations about the baby be known. He didn’t like the moisture he noticed that was pooling in her eyes, he didn’t like it one bit. After getting the baby settled and extracting his finger, Dalton moved back onto Emma’s bed and sat facing her.