by Fel Fern
In a short amount of time, his stubborn and adorable Omega had managed to become self-sufficient. It wasn’t that long ago that Eli had doubts about himself. Eli came to the lodge, having no job experience under his belt.
Eli had lived to what practically amounted to a gilded cage his entire life but his Omega didn’t let that get him down. Eli developed new skills and found a job he liked doing.
“You’re a lifesaver,” he told his mate.
Liam neared Eli, kissed him on the mouth, and plucked a sandwich from the plate he was holding out. Breakfast felt like ages ago. Liam devoured his sandwich in a couple of bites. Eli beamed at him.
Fuck, but the only thing Liam wanted to do was throw Eli over his shoulder and carry him up to their bed.
That was right. Their bed. Liam had started sleeping in the same room Eli did out of convenience. He loved falling asleep at the end of the day and waking up every morning next to Eli’s cute sleeping figure.
He always made sure Eli was well-fucked and sated before they went to sleep. Just that morning in the shower, Liam slipped his dick inside Eli’s tight ass. He still wanted more.
Ever since Liam gave Eli his mate mark, they couldn’t get their hands off each other. They were horny as hell, which was only expected as they were newly mated.
Liam doubted the heat between them would cool down anytime soon. Keep it in your pants, he reminded himself. His grizzly disagreed.
No, Liam decided. Once he locked Eli and him in their room, they might never come out.
He kept his gaze on Eli’s face but rested the palm of his hand against Eli’s slightly distended belly. A male Omega’s pregnancy only lasted three months. Eli was only going to get bigger with time.
“Logan, I made you a sandwich as well,” Eli said.
Eli’s smile never faltered once. Logan stomped up to Eli, frown on his face. Nonetheless, his brother accepted Eli’s offering.
These two weren’t exactly the best of friends yet but Liam could tell Logan was puzzled by Eli. Logan had a tendency to scare off most folk— humans, and weaker shifters included, but Eli stood his ground around him.
“When is your doctor’s appointment?” Liam asked Eli.
He suddenly remembered Eli needed to head to the shifter clinic in town for a check-up. There was no way in hell was Liam going to let his mate go alone.
Eli wore his mate mark and carried his scent. That mark was a warning to would-be predators, opportunists who might see a pregnant Omega as potential prey. Still, Liam wasn’t going to take any chances.
“Crap. I forgot that was today,” Eli said with a sigh. “It's just been a very busy week.”
“Yeah.” Liam cupped Eli’s cheek. He looked into Eli’s eyes.
It amazed him how easily Eli had gotten along with his brothers. Eli didn’t need to involve himself in the running of the lodge. Yet, his Omega insisted on contributing. His mate was the creative sort. Eli always had ideas on how they could approve and Liam loved listening to them.
“Don’t get me wrong. I loved fixing up the place with you guys,” Eli began.
“Logan included?” He asked.
Logan snorted in the background.
Liam looked over his shoulder, surprised his brother picked up his paintbrush, and continued his work.
“Absolutely. He’s grumpy but he’s nice,” Eli said. “The other day I was working outside and he made me a cup of coffee while I wasn’t looking.”
Liam could hear Logan cursing in the background. Eli must’ve known Logan better than he thought. Logan could never take a compliment. It was amusing to think Eli was capable of making his tough and usually solitary brother blush.
Liam smirked. “What time is your appointment?”
Eli checked his wristwatch and widened his eyes.
“Oh no. It’s at noon, an hour from now. Think we’ll be able to make it?”
“We will,” Liam promised him.
He didn’t exactly relish going to town but this trip was more important than getting supplies for the lodge.
Both Eli and he needed to know the baby was healthy.
“Give me five minutes to shower and dress.” Liam added.
“I’ll be waiting in the truck,” Eli said.
Eli
“Liam, is anything wrong?” Eli asked, concerned.
The shifter doctor applied cool gel over his exposed stomach. Liam stood by the door, arms crossed. Eli’s bear still wore his scowl. Eli shifted a little on the examination table but the doctor gave him a warning look. Oh right. Eli needed to stay put.
“Nothing. I’m good,” Liam said with a grunt.
Eli knew they generated a couple of stares when they entered the clinic.
Thank God the clinic was small and private, unlike the crowded hospital in town. They’d reviewed their options together and it was a no-brainer that they agreed Eli should give birth here.
For one, Dr. Lee seemed professional. Unlike most of the townsfolk, Dr. Lee wasn’t intimidated by Liam’s size or reputation. Liam had been moody since they drove into town.
This was only their third trip to South Pine. Their previous trips to the grocery and supply shops had been quick and efficient.
Liam didn’t waste any time lingering. Eli knew that if he asked if they could walk around and do a little window shopping, Liam would concede.
His mate had a hard time saying no to him but Eli didn’t want to make it any harder on Liam. Liam wasn’t fine. Eli knew his mate didn’t feel comfortable being around other people in South Pine.
Seeing the locals either looking threatened or acting scared of Liam, didn’t help his mate one bit. The last time they went to the supermarket, one gutsy werefox had approached Eli. The bastard asked Eli if Liam was holding him captive.
The werefox was a stranger who assumed the worst. Eli had been pissed, to say the least. He argued with the werefox and defended his mate passionately until Liam had to gently steer him away.
He remembered Liam looked a little pleased as they were driving back home.“I could’ve taken him,” Eli recalled saying, heat in his voice.
That was a complete lie and they both knew it. He only felt brave because he knew Liam would never let anything happen to him.
“I know,” Liam had replied.
Once they returned to the lodge, Liam pulled him to their room and made passionate love to him.
That was a good day, Eli mused.
Eli blinked. He was letting his mind drift when he should be focusing on the present. Liam’s grizzly was clearly on edge. Did someone annoy his bear on the way here while Eli wasn’t looking?
He could sense the savage animal scratching at Liam’s skin, begging to be let out. Since Liam mated him, he was able to tell what Liam was feeling. Most of the time, Liam was calm and in control but not today.
Eli insisted he could go to his appointment on his own but Liam wouldn’t hear of it. His mate was protective to the core.
Liam must’ve sensed his worry because the bear shifter approached him and held his hand. Liam squeezed his fingers. That gesture instantly calmed his nerves.
“Hey,” Liam said.
The werebear’s amber gaze was focused on him and him alone. It was as if Liam only saw Eli and nothing else in the world mattered.
“I’m fine. You have nothing to worry about.” Liam told him. “Just overthinking shit.”
Could Liam just be worried about Eli and the baby?Eli felt warm all over. Eli was the center of Liam’s universe. He always loved that about his misunderstood and growly mate.
“Are you both excited to learn the genders of the babies?” Dr. Lee asked.
The doctor was nice enough to give them their little moment.
“Absolutely,” Eli said.
Dr. Lee placed the transducer over his stomach. “Are you feeling any discomfort?”
Eli shook his head as the doctor moved the device around. A grainy imaged appeared on the screen. Eli squinted at it, amazed when he thought he
finally spied his baby’s heartbeat.
Hold on a second.Was he seeing double?
“Both girls—” Dr. Lee began.
“Girls? Plural?” Liam interrupted.
The big and tough werebear looked like he was about to have a heart attack.
“Appear healthy,” Dr. Lee said. The doctor paused, “Are you not aware you’re having twins?”
“No,” Eli whispered.
He looked at Liam, panicked. Eli knew Liam would always stick by him no matter but worry wormed its way in his gut. Liam promised Eli he would help raise and love his kids. However, neither of them had expected Eli would have twins.
“Is that fine?” He asked Liam in a small voice.
“What are you saying?” Liam demanded. “Look at our beautiful babies.”
Liam said ‘our’, Eli thought with some relief.
“They’ll be a handful but we’ll manage,” Liam told him.
His mate leaned forward and slanted his mouth over his. His momentary doubts vanished. What was Eli worried about anyway?
Liam was a devoted and caring mate. Eli loved his bear with every fiber of his being.Something still nagged at Eli’s mind. Once Liam released his mouth, he turned to the doctor.
“Is it too early to tell if any of my babies are Omegas?” Eli asked in a whisper.
Liam frowned at him, not understanding. Eli clutched at Liam’s fingers, not sure if he could explain his fears at that moment. Being an Omega had always felt like a curse to Eli. Eli didn’t want his girls to go through the same ordeal he did.
Eli knew the only reason other Alphas kept a wide berth from him when they were in town was because of his possessive mate. If Eli didn’t have a protector, would he be in constant danger?
He understood his fears were a little irrational. His parents and Steve had planted them inside Eli for years but it didn’t hurt to be careful.
“Not at this stage,” Dr. Lee said.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Liam told him. “Omegas or not, I won’t let anything happen to either of them.”
“You’re right.”
Eli was just being silly but in the back of his mind, he just couldn’t rest easy or let his guard down. The only reason Steve hadn’t found him was because he chose such a remote location to lay low.
Staying at the lodge made it harder to look for him because only a few locals in town caught sight of him.
Eli didn’t have any social media accounts Steve could track. He applied for a new credit card but it was under a different name.
He made all the necessary precautions but part of him wondered if he was living on borrowed time. Eli ran away from his past but sooner or later, it was going to catch up to him.
12
Liam/ Eli
Liam
“You sure you’re going to be fine?” Liam asked for the third time.
He knew he was being fussy and extra possessive but Liam didn’t want to take any chances when it came to his mate. A normal person would be annoyed but his Omega only touched his arm. Eli began massaging the tense muscles there with his fingers.
“You don’t need to worry. I won’t be alone. Logan’s with me,” Eli said.
As if Eli knew Liam needed extra convincing, Eli added, “Your brother won’t let anything happen to me.”
Liam knew Logan was still slowly warming up to Eli. He didn’t hold anything against Logan. Logan chose who to trust with care but once his loyalty was won, no one could ask for a better ally.
He nodded. It was his other brother he was more worried about. Lucas had left the lodge in the early hours of the morning to check a disturbance he heard in the woods.
Lucas hadn’t been back and that didn’t sit well with him. Out here in the wild, Liam and his brothers were at the top of the food chain.
All three of them were vicious in a brawl. Having a black reputation around these parts only attracted all kinds of monsters to them.
Liam and his brothers had fought off more than their share of aggressive shifters and other nasty paranormals over the years. Those bloodthirsty bastards seemed to have plenty of time on their hands. They all wanted the same thing—to find out who the stronger monster was.
He would defend himself, his family, and his mate when provoked but he wasn’t addicted to violence. He couldn’t imagine anything or anyone capable of hurting Lucas.
Lucas could hold his own in a fight but what if he was outnumbered? His brothers weren’t pushovers but Liam was still the oldest of the three of them.
After their dad died, he took it upon himself to keep tabs on Logan and Lucas. Both their parents were gone. Hell would freeze over before Liam lost another member of his family.
Logan was still asleep. Liam had a feeling Logan had run himself ragged in his animal form again last night. He intended to wake Logan before setting out.
Liam started for the stairs that led to the basement. It was where Logan’s room was located, but Eli touched his shoulder.
“Once he’s up, I’ll tell him what happened. Go find Lucas,” Eli said. “You can’t waste any more precious time.”
Liam studied his Omega. Eli was biting down on his lower lip, which told him his mate was worried about Lucas as well. They’d all been pushing themselves to the limits over the past two weeks.
After Eli launched the new website, all of them were surprised to receive a few bookings. Some guests even paid in advance.
Eli did a good job with the site but everyone pulled their weight. Liam and his brothers scrambled with the renovations. Eli even helped with less physically demanding tasks.
They all wanted to get the lodge in tip-top condition. It wasn’t an easy feat, given everything was falling apart. Liam and his brothers had snarled and brawled with each other on more than one occasion. None of them had gotten much sleep. All of them were cranky, worn out.
What if Lucas encountered something big and nasty in the woods and he wasn’t in the best mental state for a battle?
“Okay.” He took a deep breath.
Panicking when he didn’t have all the details yet wasn’t productive. Liam had to be smart about this. Liam had no other choice. His brother needed him. Eli was right. His Omega would be fine here with Logan for the company.
A month had passed since he mated Eli. They hadn’t spotted any signs of Steve or Eli’s family. They only went to town whenever Eli had a doctor’s appointment.
Before he could leave Eli, he walked to the reception area. He grabbed his father’s old hunting gun from a drawer and handed it to Eli. Eli widened his eyes but he didn’t argue.
Liam had taken his mate outside to practice shooting a couple of times. Eli knew how to handle a gun if the situation called for it.
“Stay safe,” he said.
Before Liam exited the lodge, he left a kiss on Eli’s mouth. Liam headed outside. He stripped out of his clothes and reached for his bear.
The change came swiftly. His grizzly understood the urgency of the situation. Once Liam had fully shifted to grizzly form, he charged into the woods. Liam went in search of Lucas’ trail.
Eli
“Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat.” Eli offered.
He wasn’t surprised Logan spun and glared at him. Eli didn’t even flinch when Logan showed him a mouth full of sharp teeth and snarled at him.
Logan immediately took a few steps back, as if he regretted his actions. The Alpha opened his mouth, looked ready to apologize but he closed it.
Eli wasn’t mad. He was a little amused. Among the Griffin brothers, he noticed Logan had a hard time expressing himself.
“I can’t think about food right now,” Logan muttered.
The Alpha began pacing back and forth the kitchen again. Eli didn’t need to be a mind reader. Logan probably wanted to join Liam in his search for Lucas.
The silence stretched between them. Eli made himself a cup of tea and poured Logan coffee in his favorite mug. Logan grunted, snatched the cup and drank
it slowly.
“You know,” Eli began. “I’ll be fine right here. I’m not completely helpless.”
Logan stared at him. His gaze drifted immediately to Eli’s stomach. Logan narrowed his gaze.
“No,” Logan simply said. “I can’t leave a pregnant Omega here all alone.”
“It’s not like I’m in immediate danger,” Eli said with a snort. “Besides, I’ll only give birth in a couple of weeks.”
Eli was dead certain that no matter how much Logan wanted to join Liam, he’d stick around. The entire town might paint the Griffin brothers as monsters but to Eli, they were protectors to the core. Even Logan who looked pissed off all the time was a softie underneath.
“No?” Logan sounded more curious now than angry.
Maybe talking about his pregnancy would help keep Logan’s mind off his brothers.
“Dr. Lee said I’ll be due in two or three weeks,” Eli said.
Logan hesitated. “Can I touch your stomach? Is that a rude thing to ask?”
Eli remembered Logan occasionally stealing glances at him and Liam when they sitting in front of the fireplace. Liam would often rest his head on his belly. His growly and sexy were-ear sometimes even sung to their twins.
Lucas had no reservations about asking Eli if he could touch his stomach. Logan was different, more reserved.
“Go ahead,” he said.
Surprise registered on Logan’s features as Eli lifted his shirt. Eli shouldn’t be amused by the way Logan apprehensively approached him. He grabbed Logan’s big hand and directed it to his belly. Logan let out a deep breath. Eli watched Logan furrow his brows.
“I can hear their heartbeats,” Logan said in wonder.
Logan looked embarrassed as he pulled his hand away.
“Thank you.” Logan added.
“No problem.”
Eli paused and decided now was the perfect time to have their talk. Logan and he never traded more than a couple of sentences.
He continued, “Logan, I know you weren’t happy when your brother mated me.”