Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Ch 30 House Arrest
Monday morning, the triplets and Thea trained in the indoor gym, as Liam silently observed. They never used the indoor gym. When they led training, there were too many people to fit indoors. Plus, they were werewolves. They belonged outdoors. But the indoor gym was better than nothing.
The Alpha was serious about her not leaving the pack house. The triplets knew she would need some normalcy and physical exertion to survive house arrest, so they didn’t try to turn training into a makeout session.
They kissed her goodbye when they left for school. She went straight to the library to continue her research into goddess gifts and gifted. An hour in, her guard detail switched. She said goodbye to Liam and hello to Owen, Lizzy’s dad. He looked like Lizzy —dirty blonde hair and brown eyes.
“Hi, Mr. Williams,” Thea said.
“Please, Luna, call me Owen,” he said. “It doesn’t feel right with you going to shift soon.”
“I don’t feel ready to be a grown-up, if I’m being honest.”
“You’re more grown up than most people ever will be. Always have been.”
“Thank you, Mr—Owen. How long is your shift?”
“Twelve hours.”
“Eesh. Sorry, it’s going to be pretty boring. I plan to be in the library most of the day.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“Don’t know how to do that,” Thea said.
Owen smiled, and Thea got back to researching. She took a break for lunch, checked her phone. She had a text from Misty.
“Hey, you’re not at school. Are you okay?”
Thea texted back. “I’m fine. Call me when you get a minute, and I’ll tell you all about it.” Her phone rang a few seconds later.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey, I’m at lunch right now. What’s up?” Misty said.
“I’m under house arrest for the foreseeable future.”
“What? Why?”
“I guess there were some rogues following us on Saturday. My Alpha is erring on the side of caution until they know more.”
“He thinks they want to kidnap and ransom you as the future Luna, huh?”
“So dumb.”
“Not really,” Misty said.
“I mean, it sucks for you, but it happens, even to shifted she-wolves. You’re extra vulnerable until you shift. I bet once you do, things will go back to normal. Sooner if they figure out who they are and take care of the threat.”
“Positive thinking, I like it.”
“The triplets looked on edge today. I thought it was just because they didn’t have you to calm them down, but now I’m thinking they’re worried about you.”
“Yeah, that’s going around.” Thea pushed food around on her plate.
“Some people would be flattered to have people worry about them.”
“I don’t like being a burden,” Thea said.
“Hey, nobody thinks you’re a burden. Even I know that. When the rumors were going around, no one in your pack participated, and the braver ones defended you violently. They all had nothing but amazing things to say about you. Their loyalty is fierce. Let the people who love you take care of you while you’re vulnerable.”
“You’re going to be a good leader, Misty. You give good pep talks. Hey, how’s your pack library?”
“It’s substantial. Why?”
“I’m doing some research, and ] feel like mine is lacking.”
“I’’d say you’re welcome to come over any time and use it, but it seems like that’s out of the
question for now.” “Maybe they’ ll get this figured out soon, and that will be an option.”
“My dad would love to further the alliance,” Misty said with sarcasm in her voice. Thea laughed.
“Okay, Ihave to get to class,” Misty said.
“Try to stay sane.” Thea saw that she had an email from Liam. She opened it.
“Email received. I’ll send my men in pairs for the R&R. Thank you, Luna.”
She finished her lunch, made sure Owen ate too, then went back to the library. When the triplets arrived home from school] and found her in the library, she had a good-sized stack of Xeroxes. Alaric was the first to reach her. He bent down and kissed her cheek.
“Missed you,” he said.
Thea stood up, molded herself to him, and kissed him.
“I missed you too,” she said.
He ran his hands up and down her back then hugged her tight. “We brought your homework for the week.”
“Thank you,” Thea said.
Alaric released her, and Conri pulled her into his arms.
“I’ve been waiting all day to do this,” Conri said.
He lifted her, and she straddled his waist, his hands squeezing her butt as they kissed. + Kai came up behind her, pulled her hair to the side, and started kissing her neck, working down to her sensitive spot. She moaned when he hit it, broke her kiss with Conri, and her head fell back against Kai’s chest.
Kai took hold of her, and Conri let go. Kai set her on her feet and held her tight.
“Going to school without you is the worst. I hated it,” Kai said.
Thea turned around and pulled him into a kiss. Conri and Alaric started kissing either side of her neck. When their hands began to roam, she broke the kiss with Kai.
“Not here,” she whispered just loudly enough for them to hear. “We have an audience.”
The triplets noticed Owen for the first time and waved at him. He bowed his head to his future Alphas.
“To our room?” Conri said.
“Can you take a break here?” Alaric said.
“I’m done now that you’re home,” Thea said.
“ But before we do anything else, can we take those boxes to Doris?” The triplets sighed in unison.
“Yes, my love,” Alaric said.
“The faster we get there, the faster we—” Kai said. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
“Yes, yes,” Thea said.
“So let’s go. Owen? Am I allowed to drop something off at Doris’s cottage?”
“The triplets are accompanying you?”
“Yes”
His eyes glazed over.
“Since we just did a sweep, it’ll be fine.” They went downstairs, grabbed the boxes, and headed to Doris’s, Owen trailing them. Thea knocked on her door, and Doris answered.
“Thea? I mean, Luna, Alphas,” she greeted them, bowing her head.
“Hi, Doris,” Thea said.
“We have a delivery for you.”
She looked confused. “Come in.”
The boys set the boxes down and started unpacking them. When Doris saw what was in them, she gasped.
“I saw some of your equipment was a little worse for wear,” Thea said.
“Oh, thank you, Luna,” Doris said. “I don’t think I’ve ever used equipment this fine.”
“The best deserves the best,” she said.
“You outdid yourself with the Talent Show costumes,” Conri said.
“Yes, excellent work,” Alaric said.
“Loved it,” Kai said.
She bowed her head to the triplets.
“Thank you.”
Back at the pack house, the Alpha called them in before they made it all the way upstairs.
“Thea, I interviewed Lizzy, and she checks out. She’s with Luna Ada’s assistant right now for training. The pack accountants are drawing up the paperwork to hire her officially.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Now, for an update on the investigation,” Alpha Ulric said.
“The sweep this morning revealed several nests up in the trees all around the property. No scents, but stashes. I don’t want you walking around the woods until I’ve vetted every pack member and we
establish something better for patrolling.”
“Understood,” Thea said.
“That was a good catch, Thea. We would have missed it if not for you. You have a good mind for this.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Sons, you’re expected to be in the rest of the interviews every day after school, including today.”
“Yes, sir,” they said in unison. Thea could tell they were upset they wouldn’t be able to see her for several more hours.
“Thea, you’re dismissed,” Alpha Ulric said.
“Yes, sir.”
The triplets watched her walk out the door longingly. She’d make sure to take care of them tonight. She stopped at the infirmary to check on Maverick and Landon, but they weren’t there.
“They were released yesterday,” the doctor said.
“How? When I saw them yesterday, they weren’t i n good shape,” Thea said.
“They made a speedy recovery. By the afternoon, they were fine.”
She went to her room, and Owen checked it out before she entered. She changed into a matching red lace bra and panty. She didn’t know the name of the style, but she hoped the triplets would like it after a long day of work. She threw on one of the T-shirt dresses and went back to the library. While she was there, her guard detail switched again to two guards, Landon and Maverick.
“Now that we’ve had the time to get a proper plan in place, there will be two guards on you at all times, Luna,” Landon said.
“I understand,” Thea said. “But shouldn’t you two still be resting? You can’t possibly be okay so soon.”
They looked at each other, then back to Thea and smiled.
“J assure you, Luna, we’re right as rain,” Maverick said.
She got lost in her research, and someone brought dinner up to Thea and her guards. Eventually, the triplets retrieved her from the library. They were eating peaches as they walked up to her. Kai finished his first. He tossed the pit, licked his fingers, and lifted her. She straddled his waist, and he started to carry her up to her room.
“When did you get a dress?” Kai said.
“After you said you wanted me to. This was one of the treats I was going shopping for on Sunday. I sent Lizzy to get it in my place.” His fingers explored her bare skin under the skirt.
“So glad you did.”
“Me too, but don’t you think I should cover up as we walk upstairs?” Thea said.
He maneuvered, so the skirt was between her and his arms, covering her. They got to her room, and Maverick stopped them from going in. He did a quick sweep of the room.
“I think they call this delayed gratification,” Thea whispered, then nibble his ear. Kai groaned and squeezed her cheeks through her skirt.
Maverick walked out. “All clear,” he said.
“Thank you, Mav,” Thea said as Kai carried her inside. Conri and Alaric followed them in and shut