Pregnant With Four Alphas' Babies: A Reverse Harem Romance Chapter 266: Maybe a Mate Isn't So Bad

*Ethan*

I normally hate long trips, but this one was a definite exception. Rylee and I talk the whole time as we ride in the SUV. I’ve never felt so comfortable with a person. There is no subject we can’t talk about freely, and her heart is completely free of any judgment.

She tells me about her past. Her parents were happy when my parents decided to make the people at the resort part of the official packs. Things were easier for them after that, and soon they had two daughters. But then they decided to go back to their old pack and see if they were welcome now since the politics had changed. They left their two small daughters behind with friends and hoped they would be welcomed back with open arms.

Unfortunately, nothing changed for Running Creek pack, and they were killed as soon as they entered the pack territory.

“They’re one of our more extreme packs,” I explain, though I’m sure Rylee already knows that. “I’ll go pay them a visit as soon as my birthday is over.”

“I’m going with you,” she says.

I nod, though something protective seems to awaken in me, and I wonder if that’s the right decision. I shake it out of my mind, and we go on to talk about other things.

Eventually, we arrive at the castle. I have to chuckle at all my mom’s over-the-top decorations. There are ribbons and banners everywhere, and there are even some ice sculptures in the center of the courtyard. I have no idea how they’re not melting.

She’s really gone all-out, though I guess this is a special birthday for us.

Of course, Mom is waiting for me as soon as we pull in. She has me wrapped in a hug when I’m barely out the door, but then she pulls back when Rylee steps out.

“And this is….”

“This is Rylee, Mom,” I say. “She’s the sister of Isaac’s Beta, Katherine.”

Mom extends her hand, and Rylee shakes it. “Oh, that’s wonderful. We’ve met once, but you were too young to remember.”

“We have, Luna Rose?” Rylee asked.

Mom chuckles, looking back and forth at us suspiciously. She seems to have picked up on how well we’ve been getting along. She’s always been very intuitive about those things. “I think that for you, it’s just Rose, please.” She chuckles, but then gets serious quickly. “I’m so glad you’re both here. Your sister, on the other hand, is still off gallivanting who knows where.”

“She’s not back yet?” I ask.

Mom shakes her head. “No, and we only have one more day, so she’d better get here soon. I hope she doesn’t miss your birthday celebration. I want all four of you together.”

“Should I go look for her?”

“Oh, goodness, no,” she says, shaking her head. “I have an army out looking for her, and I want all my babies to stay here for the next few days.”

“We’re hardly babies, Mom,” I complain.

She looks back and forth at me and Rylee again. “I can see that.”

My face turns red, and I hope that Rylee is looking the other way.

Mom clears her throat and is clearly holding back another laugh. “Rylee, why don’t we go have a chat and get to know each other?”

“Um, yes, that would be nice.”

They walk off together, and Rylee turns around with a confused grin while she follows my mother, the Luna Queen. I’m sure they’ll get along fine.

But now, I’m worried about my sister, and I hope she’s safe. I can’t imagine what kind of people are out there possibly causing trouble for her.

Where is Trisha?

* * *

*Trisha*

I have to admit, the car is much warmer than walking. The Alphas’ scents are nearly overwhelming in such a cramped space—apples and strawberries. It’s hard to sit still, really.

It’s odd that I have such an attraction to their scent. I wonder if my wolf is awakening since it’s so close to my birthday. There’s a very strong possibility these guys are my mates, as much as I hate to admit that. But all the signs are there, even though I’m not positive about it yet.

Mom had four mates, so it’s not impossible to believe that I have three. But growing up, I never even wanted one. Of course, Mom and my dads were always blissfully in love. They seem to be stronger together and love being around each other. It’s not like she ever complained. The more I think about it, the more I start to think that having a mate isn’t so bad.

It’s just that growing up with four dads, a mom, and two brothers left me a little smothered in the ‘caring about me’ department. My sister was the only one who just let me vent and didn’t try to tell me what to do. I guess I always thought that adding another protector would positively suffocate me.

And now, I have three of them.

Great.

The good thing is, they’re all unbelievably hot.

I spend a few minutes just listening to their banter and admiring them.

I have to admit, I was a little disappointed when Alessandro put his clothes back on. Every inch of his body was firm and muscular. I could have stared at that all day. He has some gorgeous blond hair, and those silver eyes are so unique, I could get lost in them.

He’s in the back seat, so I can only catch a glimpse of him in the mirror. But every time I do, he smiles.

Braden is also blond, with his hair a little longer like he should be out on the beach somewhere. He has a build more like a runner than a bodybuilder, though he’s every bit as muscular as Alessandro. He can be serious at times, but in other moments, I can see his jokester personality come through, especially when he teases the other guys. But it’s never mean, and I can tell they have always been good friends. It’s harder to see Braden in the mirror, and I don’t want to turn around and stare, though I feel like doing just that.

Damon is the intense one. I suppose that comes from being the Alpha King’s son. I don’t know much about his father other than what I learned in Dark Forest, which I’m quickly learning is probably pretty useless. No one from my kingdom ever spent enough time here to realize that the people here are just like us.

I manage to check out Damon a few times, though I’m trying to be casual about it. His jet-black hair shimmers in the light. His ocean blue eyes are looking straight ahead at the road as he drives. He seems to be the kind of guy who notices everything. He’s always alert as though something might jump out at us at any minute, and he’ll have to be ready to shift and deal with it.

I suppose that’s possible. They did say this place is dangerous, but I’m not sure why.

I’m starting to realize how much safer I am with these three around. Though I don’t feel the mate bond completely yet, I feel so comfortable riding in this car with them as though I’ve known them forever. I have to admit; it’s a good feeling.

It’s too bad I have no idea where we’re going.

“Guys,” I say.

Everyone stops talking and looks at me, except for Damon, who gives me sideways glances in between watching the road.

No one says anything, so I guess they’re waiting for me. “Um, I really don’t know where we’re going.”

I feel the car slowing down, and Damon pulls off to the side of the road and stops. He turns and looks at me. “You know, it didn’t occur to me to ask.”

Braden starts laughing in the back seat. “Wow, you know things just got real when the future Alpha King forgets to ask where he’s going.”

“Hey, you didn’t ask her, either,” Damon counters.

“True. But I’ve never ridden in a car with my mate before,” Braden says.

“Well, neither have I,” Damon says. He turns around and looks at him and Alessandro. “The one who has been around her the most took a ship from Dark Forest.”

Braden turns and looks at Alessandro, too. “Yeah. You were used to being around her. Why didn’t you ask her where she was going?”

“She,” I interrupt, “is sitting right here. Maybe we should spend just a little more time getting to know one another. I think I should explain what I’m doing here.”

They all went quiet again, and I don’t know whether to cry from happiness or just laugh. Back at my castle, if I tried to talk, either a brother or a father would break in and start telling me what I was supposed to do or how I was supposed to feel or what I really meant by what I didn’t get to say.

So, this is what it’s like to have mates. I have someone who listens to me… three of them.

This is different.

“Before I even left home, I would get these visions,” I explain. “The only person I ever told was my sister. She was the only one who took the time to listen. Anyway, I have dreams. At first, they were really vague. I just had this feeling that someone needed me for something, but none of the images were clear. After a while, I started to see a little boy by a village.”

They are all still quiet and listening, so I continue. “Then I started to feel different when I was out in the forest. It’s like a spirit gives me messages. That’s the only way I can explain it. I have to be in nature, touching the trees, the ground, being in some sort of contact with nature. Then, it guides me. So, I can’t exactly get a bead on where I’m going in a car.”

“Does it have to be a forest?” Damon asked. “It’s a bit barren out here, but I know there are forests as we head to the mountains.”

I shrugged. “I guess so. I wasn’t really feeling anything walking down the road.”

They all look at each other with wide eyes. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

“We’ll take you there,” Alessandro says. “But the forest here… they say it’s haunted.”