Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Chapter 36 Swimming
The triplets came jogging up to Thea. They nodded to the Delta team encircling her.
“We came as soon as he let us out,” Alaric said, rubbing her arms up and down.
“I’m sorry. I had to get out of there,” she said.
“We know. It’s a lot,” Kai said.
“It is!”
The triplets gathered her in a big bear hug.
“How mad is your dad?”
“Don’t worry about him,” Conri said.
“Are you doing okay now?” Alaric said.
“I’m better. I still don’t like what’s happening. I don’t like that people have been lying to me my whole life or that I don’t have a say in any of this.”
“Do you understand why, though?” Alaric said.
“I don’t want to yet. I want to be mad,” Thea said, almost pouting.
“Okay. You can be mad,” Kai said, smiling. Thea almost never got upset. He liked seeing the vulnerable side of her.
“Did I miss anything important?” Thea said.
“Nothing that can’t wait. You want to go for a swim?” Kai said.
Thea nodded. “May as well take advantage of my time outside,” she said.
Alaric and Kai each took a hand, Conri wrapped his hand around her waist, and they made their way to the river. Delta team wolves circled the group at a distance.
When they got to the river, Thea started lifting up her dress.
“Woah,” Conri said. He grabbed her hands and pushed her dress back down.
“What are you doing? Delta team can see.”
“Haven’t you been paying attention? Delta team was created to protect me. They’ve been watching us our entire lives. We just didn’t know it. Pretty sure there isn’t anything they haven’t seen.”
The triplets looked at each other, thinking. They turned to Thea at the same time.
“Starting to put it together, huh?” she said.
“ Yeah, I got there way before you guys.”
“Oh,” they said.
“So, really, let’s just carry on like before,” she said.
“I’m sure they avert their eyes,” Alaric said.
“They better,” Conri and Kai said together.
“Calm down,” Thea said.
“If I can deal with it, so can you. You’re going to have to make concessions. You realize all of Delta team have given up their own lives to protect mine? They think I’m some kind of magical being, sent to save the world. They deserve something. I don’t know what, but something.”
“You’re right, my love,” Alaric said. He pulled her into his arms.
“Let’s get you feeling better.”
He kissed her then pulled her dress up and over her head. He looked down and saw the latest set of underwear.
“You’re killing me,” he said.
“You like?” Thea said.
“I love.”
He stripped, picked her up, and carried her into the water. Kai and Conri joined them a moment later. Thea wrapped her arms around Alaric and let him drag her around in the water.
After a while, Conri cut in and held her close, letting the water flow past them.
“You know we love you no matter what, right?” Conri said.
She nodded.
“How are you doing?” Conri said.
“I need time to wrap my head around everything. I feel like this impossible standard has been set for me, and there’s no way I can live up to it.”
“Babe, you are the standard. There’s nothing to live up to,” Conri said.
Thea rested her head on his shoulder.
“I love you,” she said.
Kai pulled her from him and positioned her on his back.
“How about a piggyback ride, darling?” Kai said. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck.
“Sounds great,” she said.
“We don’t care if you're gifted or not. We just want you to be happy,” Kai said.
He swam around until Thea started kissing his neck. He moved her around to his front.
“Should we head home?” Kai said.
She nodded.
After some fun in the bedroom, the four of them lay on her bed.
“How are you?” Alaric said.
“Better now,” she said. “What about you guys?”
“Just worried about you,” Conri said.
“There’s a lot to learn before we become responsible for keeping you safe,” Alaric said.
“I didn’t realize how much our parents and Delta team have been doing.”
“You mean keeping the whole pack safe?” Thea said.
“If we keep you safe, the pack will be fine,” Kai said.
“You’ll make sure of that.”
Thea ran her hand through Kai’s hair.
“Did you guys know everyone thinks I’m goddess gifted?”
“No,” Alaric said. “I just thought we were mates. I never wondered why.” Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.
“Maverick said the whole pack got stronger, bigger, and healthier when we were born. The kids all had growth spurts. If that’s the case, maybe you guys being strong and healthy wasn’t from the matebond,” Thea trailed off.
“No, don’t start doubting again,” Alaric said.
“Maybe your goddess gift made us stronger, but it doesn’t explain why we’re drawn to you. Why we’ve never been interested in anyone else. Why the three of us can share you,” Kai said.
“That’s the matebond,” Conri said.
“Yeah, okay,” Thea said.
“Do you want to start training with the Delta team again?” Alaric said.
“Or hire some new experts? Something to keep your mind and body busy? I know you feel more in control when you're beating someone up.” He smiled at her.
“Mmm. Maybe,” she said. She nuzzled Alaric.
“ Yeah. Yeah. That would probably be good. I better get as much training in as I can before you guys start getting me pregnant, and I can never fight again.”
All three of them turned and stared at her.
“I’m kidding! You know, since everyone is already planning for that.”
“Don’t you think about it?” Conri said.
“Of course I’ve thought about it. I think about it all the time,” Thea said. She put her hand on Conri’s chest.
“Seeing little versions of you guys running around.”
“I want little versions of you that I can spoil,” Conri said.
“We’re not raising spoiled brats, Con.”
“No, little versions of you are bound to be badass warriors, beating up their brothers,” Kai said. Thea turned to Kai and smiled. She leaned in for a kiss.
“Just talking about it makes me want to get started making one, but we’re not even mated yet. This is way off in the future. We’re still in high school! Well, you guys are in high school. I’m in prison.”
“It won’t be forever,” Alaric said.
“I wish I could fast forward time to our birthdays, shift, and get everything figured out,” Thea said.
“Well, I know something we can do to make the time pass faster,” Alaric said.
Thea smiled as the triplets all started kissing her again.