Pregnant With Four Alphas' Babies: A Reverse Harem Romance Chapter 277: The Journey Home

*Trisha*

I don’t know whether anyone is going to listen to me. They don’t know me, so why should they? I just feel like these people need to know that they don’t need to be afraid of Dark Forest anymore. And all the people here don’t need to be afraid of Green Mountain.

Neither place is bad. They both have their problems, and there are some things that need work, but that’s how life is. It’s messy, and it’s those imperfections that make a place unique. They give people opportunities to band together as citizens and make things better.

I look over the crowd of warriors in front of us. No one is saying a word, but they’re not fighting, either. They haven’t fought since Damon started talking, and they were dead silent as I said my peace. Damon wraps his fingers around my hand and squeezes, looking at me with pride in his eyes.

He turns back to the crowd. “I apologize for what my father has done,” he says. “He was misled and guided by the effects of poison. A witch has been feeding him a poisonous plant for years. It was her influence that made him declare war.”

Gasps ring out from throughout the crowd, and everyone erupts into whispers.

“But we’re going to go back to Green Forest now,” he continues. “We’re going to return to our homes and spend our energy making things as good as we can. We’re going to forge friendships with my mate’s kingdom and create a new, better world for our pups.”

He turns to my dads, brothers, my sister, and my mom, who are standing together close by. “And I apologize to the people of Dark Forest. These warriors were following orders from a madman, and his time as ruler is over. Though we’ll have much to mourn about here, I hope that soon we can put our past behind us and move forward.”

My dads and my mom all nod.

Damon turns to face the Green Mountain warriors again. “The first change is that we’ll never again have one single ruler. There can be too many mistakes that way that could lead to the carnage we have here. Instead, my mate’s other two mates, Braden Winten, Alpha Heir of Western Pine pack, and Alessandro Bianchi, Alpha Heir of Chestnut pack, will rule with me, the way the four Alpha Kings of Dark Forest rule with their Luna Queen.”

There’s more murmuring in the crowd, but I’m starting to see smiles.

“Let’s go home and bury our dead, then we’ll move forward.” He nods toward the crowd with finality and steps down, putting both hands on my hips and lifting me down off the shipping container. I hug him and then my other two mates, and the crowd of warriors lift their fists in a cheer.

The energy in the crowd is electrifying, but it eventually dies down as everyone focuses on the task at hand. There are so many dead to recover that there’s going to need to be a ship just for carrying them, and several warriors volunteer to staff it.

My dads organize the same effort for Dark Forest. Transport is arranged for the dead and injured, and Mom coordinates groups who will work on the cleanup.

“I think I should work on cleanup here,” I say to my Alphas. “It just feels right.”

“Of course, Trisha,” Alessandro says. “Our people will work on the cleanup too. The faster we get all this done, the sooner we can move on.”

Between dealing with the aftermath of battle and the complicated logistics of moving thousands of warriors back into ships for the trip back, it takes all night before everything is done. The first ships take off into the early sunrise as pink and orange rays cover the sky over the vast ocean.

I haven’t slept at all since those few moments after making love to Damon, and I’m exhausted. Braden wraps his arms around me as my other Alphas step forward.

“We’re all ready to go, Trisha,” Damon says. He’s explained to me that, rather than flying back to Green Mountain, the honorable thing to do is return with the warriors and the dead and injured, so we’re going to go back by ship. “Are you ready?”

My mother runs up. “Oh, no. My baby girl—I’m not ready.” Her eyes are already pouring out tears.

“Mom.” I choke on the next words as Braden lets go of me, and I move in to hold her tight. I feel her tears on my cheek and know that mine are staining her dress.

My father, Tristan, puts his arm around Mom and gently pulls us apart. “Little flower, our Trisha has three strong Alphas to protect her. She’ll always be safe, the way Mark, Eli, Reece, and I protect you.” He looks at Damon. “I’m holding you to that agreement to get more flights into Green Mountain, and I promise, we will visit often.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Damon says, shaking his hand.

My Alphas step back and give me a few moments with my family. My father puts his hands on both my shoulders like he always used to do when I was little. “Our little mini flower, how you’ve grown,” he says. “I remember so clearly the day you were born. Nothing was more beautiful than you and your mother. Now, you’re a grown woman, and soon you’ll probably have a family of your own. I’m so proud of you for what you’ve become.”

“Thanks, Dad,” is all I can say.

One by one, my other three dads come up and give me tight hugs and words of wisdom. My father keeps holding Mom, who hasn’t stopped crying.

Ethan steps up. “I’d like you to meet my mate, Rylee.”

“Oh, my, you’re stunning,” I say. “Welcome to the family, Rylee. I’m so happy to have a new sister.”

“And I’m happy to meet you,” she says. “Your brother has said so much about you. I have one sister already. Now, suddenly, I have two more.”

We laugh and chat for a few moments, then Matthew walks up. “Well, I don’t have a mate to introduce, but I hope that happens soon. I’m glad you’re happy, sis. They’d better take good care of you.”

He gives my Alphas a little glare, and I have to laugh. “They will.”

I give him a hug, and the last person to say goodbye is Reeva, who has about ten tissues in her hands and all of them are soaked.

“I don’t want you to go,” she says. “But I know you have to.” She looks at my Alphas. “You did good, sis.”

I giggle. “Thanks.” I hug her, and she cries a bit more, but she dries the tears off quickly, and Reece, her father, steps up to put his arm around her.

I face my mother again, and I can finally say a few words without choking up. “I love you, Mom. You’re the best. I owe you everything I am and everything I have.”

“My baby.” She hugs me again but then pulls back. “I love you, Trisha, my baby girl.”

With that, I turn and head toward my Alphas. Damon and Braden take my hands, and Alessandro leads the way onto the boat that will take us to the ship. I turn around one more time and wave at my family, and they all wave back.

My Alphas help me onto the boat, and I keep my eyes on my family as we pull away from the docks, until they’re too small to see, and we pull between some of the larger ships.

There’s a ladder leading up to the massive ship that’s at least twice as big as the one I first traveled to Green Mountain on. I wipe away the last of my tears as my Alphas make sure I get on board.

“Are you hungry?” Damon asks.

I nod. “Starving. I’m exhausted and emotional and ready to eat and then go to bed. So, who has dibs on me?”

All three of my Alphas start laughing.

“See? I told you she wouldn’t mind joking about that,” Braden says.

“Oh, boy. You’ve been talking about that?” I ask. I can feel the red creeping up onto my cheeks, though I have to admit, it’s a huge turn-on to know that my three handsome Alphas have been talking about how they’re going to take turns sleeping with me.

“Honestly, whoever gets me tonight—or this morning rather—might be a bit disappointed. I’m probably going to just collapse,” I added.

“That would suit me just fine,” Braden says. “I don’t think you should sleep alone on this huge ship, and I’m happy to collapse with you.”

“That’s fine with me,” Alessandro says.

Damon just nods, knowing he’ll have to wait until it’s his turn again.

“Let’s go get food first,” I suggest, and everyone laughs.

For a ship, this one has some great food, or at least, everything tastes wonderful, maybe just because of all the stress of the past twenty-four hours. I have a huge stack of buttermilk pancakes with three different syrups, one of which is apple cinnamon, and even a few strawberries on top, which makes me smile. I haven’t told the guys yet what their scents are like to me, so they aren’t in on my little joke. I’ll tell them later.

Now, I’m truly exhausted, and I have a full belly. Braden takes my hand and walks me to our room, and I feel like I might even fall asleep on the walk, and he’ll have to carry me. But I make it there, and the room is spacious and warm with a huge bed that looks like the most beautiful thing in the world to me right now. Well, except for the man beside me.

He puts his hand on my cheek and gives me a gentle kiss that he then deepens. I love kissing my Alphas. Braden tastes so good, sweeter than his scent even.

He chuckles. “I’d love to do this right now, but we’re not going to. You’re going to get some rest.”

I’m too tired to argue so I just nod. He scoops me up, which makes me giggle, and carries me over to the bed, laying me down right in the middle of it. He undresses me, and it feels so good, but I can’t enjoy it much right now except for how good it feels when he’s finally naked next to me, cradling me in his arms as I drift off to sleep.