Talk About… Rivalry (Rockwood Valley Omegaverse #2)

36. Sidney

Sidney

“ I can’t stop looking at their sweet faces,” I whispered, glancing from the tiny girl in my arms, to the one in Grace’s and the boy in Avery’s.

Quinn, Sophie, and Lincoln were all adorable. The girls had shocks of dark hair and Lincoln’s was auburn like Arden’s.

“Me, either,” Avery agreed, her voice lingering with both love and exhaustion.

“You did so good, Avery,” Grace told her, reaching forward to give her hand a squeeze.

“I’m just so tired,” she admitted around a yawn. “But I also don’t want to fall asleep. It feels like a dream.”

“It’s real,” I said, giving her a smile.

“Speaking of real,” Avery teased. “How is the pack life, Sidney?”

“Yeah, brat, thanks for the warning,” Grace said. Even though her tone was light there was a glimmer of hurt there.

“I’m sorry, Grace, I wasn’t keeping secrets. It’s just been… crazy. Fast. Insane… the list goes on,” I explained.

She smiled and waved me off.

“I can’t say I get it, because I haven’t been there. But I do understand,” she said.

“You’ll find your pack, Grace,” Avery reassured her.

“I’ve got a date on Friday,” Grace admitted. She snagged her bottom lip between her teeth, looking both nervous and uncertain. “They seem kind of amazing.”

“From the dating app?” I asked, curious now.

She shook her head. “No, actually. I went to visit Hailey at work the other day and a pack had just left and… I could still scent them in the air. Of course, Hailey called them and asked if they didn’t mind her overstepping and telling them what happened. She set us up on a blind date of sorts.”

“Oh my god!” Avery shrieked. “That’s incredible, Grace!”

“Don’t run like I did,” I joked, but was also partly serious. My friend looked terrified.

“What’s that look?” Avery asked, picking up on the same thing.

“I’m just… not everyone’s cup of tea. I like pink a little too much, I’m addicted to cute, fluffy things from blankets to plushies, and I spend far too much time bouncing between reality TV and the shop.”

“They’ll love all of that if they’re your pack,” I reassured her. “I’m currently jobless and my pack helped me find which way to go.”

“Wait, what? Your dad won’t let you work now?” Avery gasped.

This felt like girl’s night, though it looked quite different with three sleeping newborns nestled in our arms.

“He might, but I saw new ranch hands working when Mav and I went to get my things before this heat. There was an understanding between us of sorts, but I don’t want that life. Leo suggested I focus on my art and they want me to have a booth at the Artisan Fair.”

“That’s perfect,” Avery said, catching herself when Lincoln shifted in her arms, a noise escaping.

Grace’s voice was also lowered when she spoke this time. “You should consider opening a gallery here. Run online orders and commissions out of the shop and showcase local artists. There’s enough small towns around here, and hell, some bigger artists might want featured if it puts more eyes on their work. We all know when the Fair is up and going again, this town will be busy all the time.”

“I’ll give it thought,” I said, a bit nervous to dream that big yet. “Let’s see if anyone actually wants my art first.”

They both rolled their eyes but let it go. For now. Best friends never let that kind of thing slide for long.

“So… how was the heat, Sidney?” Avery asked, a coy smile curling her lips. Then she shuddered, tacking a warning on the end. “Everything but Maverick. Ew.”

“It was everything,” I said simply.

They both studied me, not bothering to hide their grins.

“Okay, I’ve waited long enough,” Mama Whitaker said as she stormed into the room. “It’s been an hour since I last held these babies.”

“Sh,” we chided, though she didn’t disturb the babies.

“It’s okay, I need to get back to work,” Grace said, standing and carefully transferring Sophie to her Grandma’s arms.

Mama Whitaker sat down as we said a quiet goodbye to Grace.

A yawn cracked my jaw and Avery waved me over.

“Give me Quinnie back,” she urged. “Go get some rest. I can’t believe you’re still upright.”

“Me, either, honestly,” I admitted. “I’m exhausted. But I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”

“Thanks for being here for me,” Avery said in a quiet voice as I settled her daughter in her free arm before giving her a gentle hug.

“I’m always here for you, just like you were there for me,” I told her, tears burning my eyes.

She huffed. “Not that you listened, brat. You ran.”

“I did, but they found me,” I said.

“No more running?” Her eyes were bright with happiness on my behalf.

“No more running,” I promised before giving Mama Whitaker a hug, brushing a finger down Sophie’s cheek, giving Lincoln’s little finger a squeeze, then walking back to the hallway.

Maverick and his brothers had a turn before Grace and I went in, so he was still waiting for me in the hall, even an hour later.

He stood as I walked out and pulled me into his arms.

“Ready to go home, sweetheart?”

“Yes,” I agreed, though I’d already found it the moment he pulled me close.

The others were ready to go when we got to the lobby, falling in step behind us as Maverick led us out of the hospital.

Honestly, not one of us should be driving on this little sleep, but we managed to make it home in one piece.

There was a moment when we got back that we paused, not quite ready to go our separate ways.

“My bed’s the biggest,” I offered, heading upstairs and shedding my clothes, not bothering to replace them before falling between my sheets. Leo had picked out a silky fabric that felt like heaven against my skin.

My eyes were already closed when I felt the others join. All four of their scents wrapped around me as I drifted off, safe and happy surrounded by my pack.

Leo

It was pitch black outside when I blinked my eyes open. Glancing around I noticed the alphas were still wrapped around Sidney, all three breathing steadily. Only Taylor was missing.

I slipped out of the bed and headed for my own room, taking a quick shower and changing before heading downstairs to find my best friend.

It felt like it had been days since I talked to him alone.

He was on the couch, watching an old rerun of Criminal Minds . His gaze flickered to me before looking back at the TV.

“This episode is wild,” he offered as I flopped down next to him.

“Did you get sleep?”

“Probably too much. It’s four in the morning,” he laughed. My eyes widened. I guess that explained the darkness outside.

My head dropped against his shoulder as I stifled a yawn.

“We all needed the sleep. Though, now I’m starving,” I said.

“Bennett put a roast in the crockpot before he went upstairs. It’s ready, I had some an hour ago,” he said.

“A roast for breakfast?” I laughed, but wasn’t protesting. Homemade hot food sounded wonderful after a week of barely eating.

“He said it was the heartiest thing we had on hand,” Taylor explained with a small smile.

“You happy, Taylor?”

He nodded, hiding his grin behind his mug. I’d always called my best friend a golden retriever. Now, I was glad he found two mates that would protect that carefree side of him.

“They’re honestly perfect. I’m glad I found her first, I’m not sure I could handle an alpha without her,” he admitted with a laugh.

“You’re good together,” I told him. There was no jealousy, just happiness for the friend I always knew would be pack.

Fate found a way, giving him an alpha and us both an omega who could hold her own.

I got up long enough to dish myself up a bowl and snag a water bottle from the fridge before settling back next to him.

No one had stirred yet, so we continued watching the episode as I ate.

“I need help, I’m not great at dates,” Taylor said. “I asked Sidney out but then everything kind of blew up. I need something to wow her.”

“Hmm,” I mused as I thought it over. Taylor wasn’t the fancy type, and honestly neither was Sidney. She’d appreciate something casual and sweet more.

“Isn’t there a new art experience happening now?” I asked. “It’s over at the community center in Moss Hill? It’s only about a forty minute drive.”

He snatched his phone and looked it up, his grin widening as he swiped through the pictures.

“Even better, tomorrow is a weekday, meaning it will be half-empty, and it’s going on right now,” he grinned, snagging two tickets and setting his phone down.

“What else are you planning?” If I knew my best friend, he was going to go all out for her.

“I’m going to town when it’s not the middle of the night to grab us dessert and flowers so I can ask her on this date,” he said. “Hopefully, she’s up for it.”

“If not, you can probably exchange the tickets. There’s always a heat clause and this counts for her. It’s over but recovery counts,” I said.

He gave me the side eye but relaxed again.

“That’s a stretch but it’s a good point,” he huffed.

Footsteps on the stairs had us both glancing back at Sidney. Her eyes were barely open and her hair was damp. She just nodded our way before going for the kitchen. She came in a few minutes later and sat right between us, forcing us both to scoot apart.

Taylor and I leaned in at the same time, placing a kiss on her temples and making her laugh.

“Morning,” she said in a sleepy, content voice.

She ate quietly, watching the mystery unfold on the TV before the others trailed down, doing the same.

“Thanks for the food, Bennett,” I said, giving him a nod. It was kind of nice having the others here to help take care of our pack.

“Of course,” Bennett said simply, giving me a small smile before Shifting Taylor over and sitting between him and Sidney. When Maverick came in, he eyed us all before settling at her feet. Her hand went to his hair, combing through the longer locks.

It felt so simple and domestic. But as I glanced around, I knew Sidney was right. I’d built the foundation here, made sure we had a house to live in.

But it wasn’t a home yet.

We were getting closer now that we were together and Sidney wasn’t pushing us away.

As if she knew I was thinking about her, Sidney looked up at me, tipping her head back and offering me a kiss. I didn’t hesitate to dip down and capture that sweet mouth of hers.

Sidney moaned as I deepened it. Someone groaned and she pulled back, chuckling.

“Sorry not sorry,” she sang out before snuggling into my side. “Ugh, why am I still tired?”

“Because you had your first real heat and got fucked senselessly for days on end,” Taylor deadpanned. “That shit is exhausting.”

“But so fucking good,” she groaned before standing up and snagging my water bottle, taking a long pull before looking at us.

The mischief in her eyes told me she was up to something and we all watched her with rapt attention as she turned and raced up the stairs.

“Whoever catches me, gets me.”

There wasn’t even a beat before we all launched ourselves after her. Bennett had the advantage but Taylor tugged him back, shocking us all as he took the lead.

I wasn’t above fighting dirty, doing the same to my best friend before racing up ahead of them both.

Maverick growled behind me, picking me up mid-run and dropping me to the floor as he took the lead again, the rest of us watching in disbelief as he disappeared up the stairs and down the hall, leaving us behind.

“Damn, I’m kind of impressed, I can’t even be mad,” Bennett chuckled.

“Good thing you have me, too,” Taylor teased, disappearing into his room with his alpha trailing behind.

I guess it was time for my shower and my hand. Though Taylor was right, I couldn’t even be mad.

I was too happy.