Avery came in. “They want to keep you overnight.”

“Why?”

“Because you were delirious and had a fever when we brought you in. They want to make sure you’re not developing an infection even though the fever broke.”

I sighed deeply. “Fine.”

“Don’t worry, baby girl.” Avery leaned down and kissed me lightly. “We’ll all be here with you.”

“You don’t have to be,” I said. “Hospitals aren’t comfortable, and all five of you don’t need to have sore backs because I’m an idiot.”

Avery’s eyes hardened as much as they could for a teddy bear Alpha. “If you keep calling yourself that, I’m going to spank you when we get home, and it will be one to remember.”

“Promise?”

He laughed. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“How did you end up down there?” Kade asked. “It didn’t seem voluntary.”

“No. I was just standing watching the river. I was about to turn around and head back. There was too much water built up. I sank into the mud and the hole I made must have allowed all of it to dissolve the dirt. The bank crumbled underneath me. My ankle got caught on the roots of the tree on the way down.”

“You’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”

“I know. What did my mom say?”

They all sat, some of them bringing in chairs from the hallway in order to do it. “She apologized, and said she wants to redo dinner without her being an asshole,” Luke said with a grin. “Her words, not mine.”

“It’ll be a little while,” I said. “I forgave her, but I’m not ready for that.”

Avery had my hand, thumb drawing circles on the back of it. “If you’re still tired you can sleep. We’re not going anywhere.”

I was tired, but I didn’t want to close my eyes in case I lost them again. Still, like his words lifted the exhaustion to the surface, it fell over me like a heavy blanket. “Don’t let me go?”

He squeezed my hand. “Never, Esme.”

Chapter 44

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

________

ESME

Luke carried me up the steps and into the house, the mixture of all of our scents meeting me like an old friend. This was home now, not just me wondering if it was.

I was home.

Tucking my face into Luke’s neck, I held him tighter. He seemed to know, squeezing me right back.

“Hungry?” Avery asked.

“Not for food.”

Ben laughed. “I feel like we should make this more romantic. There’s nothing saying we all have to bond at one time, or right away.”

Looking over Luke’s shoulder at him, I pinned him with a stare. “We’re going to have all the time in the world for romance. I want to feel all of you. Please?”