Chapter Seven

Lexa left the kitten party, and Grigory followed her out into the hall. “My cousin Olga is having a coronary.”

Lexa raised her brows. “Do you need to get to the hospital?”

He laughed. “No, she is the designer who mistook you for a housekeeper.”

“Ah, that wasn’t a problem. I have been called worse. Oh right. Do I have a room that isn’t my nest?”

“Your computer and such?”

“Yeah.”

“You have an office on the main floor just like we do.”

“Oh. Cool.” She smiled, and he touched her hand.

“I am missing you, treasure.”

She paused next to him and trailed her fingers against his cheek. She went up on her toes, and he bent his head. The kiss started slow, and then, he pulled her up against him and ran a hand down her spine, lifting her so that he didn’t have to bend.

He pressed feverish kisses to her lips and cheeks. He moved his mouth down her neck, and he was murmuring fast endearments. She groaned. “I am going to have to learn Russian.”

He laughed and pressed his lips to her ear for the filthy translation. She covered his mouth with both hands with her eyes wide with shock.

He was gleeful as he smiled at her behind her hands. She was definitely slick after that, but she squirmed and kicked her feet for him to set her down. He held her with one hand and pulled her hands free to continue nipping and licking at her neck.

She tried to control her breathing, but she bit her lip to stifle a moan. She was laughing and giggling as he held her, and it felt so strange to just enjoy the moment.

Illyana came out, and Lexa heard, “What were you asking to name the kittens, Hailey? Let’s go over it again so we can ask Uncle Grigory.”

Lexa moaned softly. “Grigory, we can’t do this here.”

“But I want to do this here.”

“Hailey is around the corner.”

“Ah. Point taken.” He swung her up into his arms and said, “I believe you wanted to see your office?”

She blinked, and he walked down the stairs to the main floor. Her office was in a sunny corner, opposite her sitting room. She smiled, went to get the files, and sent copies to the email address that was on the sticky note on her computer screen.

“There, that’s done.” She grabbed a thick packet that she had copies of and set it out on her desk. “I am just going to wait until he finishes his temper tantrum before I drop this off.”

Grigory finished examining her office, and he sat carefully in one of the chairs. “Why not now?”

“Because I am the cause of his stress, and he is feeling helpless and frustrated. My walking in there right now is not ideal.”

“Perhaps you are what he needs.”

She smiled. “Later. I will cuddle with him this evening while I learn about all the terms and conditions of you guys forming this little grouping.”

Grigory paused. “I don’t think you need to know all of the terms and conditions.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Statements like that make me sure I do want to.” Her stomach rumbled. “I had better go see if I can find a sandwich. The snacks and cookies earlier were insufficient.”

“I will get it for you.”

“No, I need to learn how this house is arranged.” She looked at him. “I have made food before.”

He fussed as she walked to the kitchen, and the cook looked at her when she came in. “What can I get for you, princess?”

“I just want to make myself a sandwich.”

“I will make it. Just tell me what you want, princess.”

She sighed. “You know how good it feels to just make yourself some food, Yorgi?”

He grinned. “I do. But, this kitchen is now mine.”

She huffed. “Listen, Yorgi, in the morning, if my baby girl asks me for special pancakes, I am going to make her special pancakes. I will not be thwarted in my duties as her mom. Besides, I like cooking.”

“A delicate thing like you should not be cooking. I will make your snack. Now, what do you want on your sandwich?”

She teared up and walked out.

Grigory had yelled in rapid Russian again. She darted into the TV room, found the blankie that had been made for her, and she crawled under it, curling up on the couch. It felt juvenile to be hiding because a stranger didn’t want to let her make pancakes. She rubbed her face against the fabric and relaxed. She didn’t know how long she had been in there, but there had been occasional tugs and voices talking to her, but she ignored them, locked in her fortress of fuzzitude.

A hand touched her knee and pried the fabric out of her hands and pushed it back so that she was staring at a familiar face. He smiled. “Hello, golden girl.”

“Hi, Delun.”

He stroked her cheek. “I brought dinner. You still hungry?”

She nodded, and he pushed her blankie off her shoulders. She dropped the rest of the blanket and went to stand up, but he pulled her down and kissed her. Her eyelids drooped, her breathing picked up, and she leaned into him. He leaned back. “There you are. Did you have fun hiding from everyone?”

“It wasn’t fun... it was peaceful. It was nice to just be surrounded by warm softness.”

He rubbed his cheek along hers. “I hope to be in that position later.”

She blushed. “I hope so, too.”

He smiled. “Come on. They sent me in to get you. Hailey is worried.”

She sat up straight. “Oh shit.”

He helped her to her feet. “This a very attractive trait.”

She swayed and leaned against him, frowning. “What is?”

“You are a very serious mother. It is good to see.”

She grimaced. “But apparently, I am a bratty everything else.”

“Your life has changed. You are trying to hang onto the things that make you feel normal and useful. It is understandable.” He stroked her cheek. “Add to that your sudden hormonal change, and I am surprised you didn’t slap the hell out of Yorgi.”

“I wanted to grab one of the knives on the counter and jab it through his throat and then just make pancakes, but I knew that was an overreaction, so I came here instead.”

He rubbed her arms. “This is comfortable. Is this what you wear at home?”

She swallowed. “No, I normally wear sweats and a t-shirt that is almost worn transparent. I thought you guys would prefer something like this.”

He rubbed his forehead against hers. “I will discuss it with Grigory. I think he took you to a seamstress today?”

She nodded. “Aunt Natalya. She calls me little chicken.”

He grinned. “You do need a little more of a layer to be safe. That will not happen if you don’t eat. Let’s get you washed up and go to dinner. Everyone is eating together so we can all get used to each other. Your daughter is adorable, by the way. Which one of us should adopt her?”

Her eyes went wide. “What?”

She stopped in the bathroom and splashed water on her face and scrubbed her hands.

He was waiting for her. “Now that you are an active omega, you have the option to choose a designated parent from your mates for any previous children. This affords Hailey legal protections that are not currently available. She will be a cousin to all of my nieces and nephews, as well as to Grigory’s.”

“I would like to wait and see both families with her. Is that okay?” She bit her lip.

“It is fine. I like that you want to make educated decisions.”

She nodded, and then, she turned the corner, and she saw a family dinner with a lot of family.

Hailey was sitting with Illyana on one side and a dark-haired young woman on the other.

Delun said, “That is my niece Rya. She is going to be Hailey’s tutor and physical trainer.”

Illyana huffed. Hailey got up and scrambled around, hugging Lexa. Rya tutted. “Hailey, it isn’t appropriate for you to approach your mother when she is with her mates.”

Lexa stroked Hailey’s hair. “Rya. Hugs are free, and for a very long time, it has been all we have. She will grow out of wanting to hug me, but for now, I will take all I can, and the guys will just have to sit down and wait. She was here first.”

She looked at Rya and smiled softly. “Pleased to meet you, by the way. I think you will be good for her.”

Rya looked conflicted, and Delun laughed. “This is not your grandmother, Rya. Lexa wasn’t groomed to be an omega, and she didn’t have the rules of conduct drilled into her. She didn’t need them. She doesn’t have six mates.”

Rya blinked, and her mouth made an oh.

Hailey inhaled against Lexa. “Can you make pancakes tomorrow?”

Lexa looked at Yorgi, and he blushed. He nodded.

“Yes, I can, but it has to be super early because I am going to the doctor.”

Hailey’s eyes widened. “Are you sick?”

Lexa crouched and said, “No, but you know the rough scars on my neck?”

“Yeah.”

“We found someone who will fix them. It might take a bit, but it will stop catching on my clothes.”

Hailey smiled. “That’s good. Macaroni time?”

“Um, no. I am not responsible for this one. Arthur, Delun, and Grigory agreed to take care of me.”

Hailey nodded. “So you can go into heat.”

“How did you hear about that?”

“Mom. I’m seven.” Hailey snorted, and there were chuckles around the table. “That’s how omegas have babies. Will I have a brother or sister?”

“Not this time, no. But maybe next time.”

She actually felt the three alphas perk up and lean toward her.

“Why not this time?” Hailey was disappointed. It was obvious.

Lexa laughed and kissed her cheek. “I am too skinny.”

Delun snorted, Grigory laughed, and a glance showed that Arthur was smiling.

She nodded to Hailey. “I now have made dinner late enough.”

Hailey hugged her, and Lexa went to sit at the head of the table, which felt super weird.

Delun sat on her right, Grigory on her left, and Arthur next to him.

The meal was uncovered from the march of silver covers on the table and revealed platters of stir fry, noodles, hamburgers, fries, barbecue, corn, sauces, and a giant plate of pierogi.

“Oh, my god. Delun, your car must smell amazing.”

He laughed.

She reached out and got some stir fry, noodles, hot sauce, and then, she picked up the chopsticks and started eating.

Delun smiled, and his eyes were warm. “You are good at that.”

She covered her mouth with her hand. “Practice.”

Her eating was a signal for everyone else, and as she ate, she found food that she hadn’t selected showing up on her plate. The hamburger that slid in was the confirmation that she wasn’t imagining things.

She was looking at the ribs and sighing, but they were about twelve feet away, and she didn’t know the cousin or nephew who was guarding them.

She finished her plate and realized that she was full. She didn’t need anymore. Grigory touched her hand. “What can we tempt you with?”

She looked at him, and her scent started to spiral out again as the feel of him inside her echoed through her thoughts. “Um.”

Hailey saved her. “She likes ribs, but no one introduced her to Boris, and she won’t say hey you.”

Lexa blushed and propped her head on her hands. “Boris, can you pass the ribs?”

He grinned, and they came her way.

She took two chunks of ribs, got some more noodles, and sat nibbling happily. When the ribs and noodles were gone, she put down her utensils and listened to the conversations around the table.

Lexa watched, and Yorgi and Piotr and Boris got up and cleared the table before dessert came out.

She looked at the tremendous banana pudding, and she squawked in surprise as she got a huge serving that was bigger than Grigory’s and Delun’s. Arthur laughed at her as she tried to make her way through the cup and a half of cake and pudding. She lifted and dropped her spoon for the last few scoops. “I can’t. I am done. I can’t.”

Grigory touched her cheek and picked up her spoon. He put a tiny amount on her spoon and lifted it to her mouth. “Just a little bit, treasure.”

She sighed and opened her mouth, taking the tiny bite and swallowing. Delun held a cup of water to her lips, and she swallowed again.

The procedure continued until her dessert was gone. Lexa was hot pink. Everyone was staring.

The cousins were excited. And Rya was smiling softly.

Hailey was looking confused, but Illyana leaned over and explained something, and then, she beamed.

Lexa sighed. “This doesn’t mean that you are going to get a brother or sister, Hailey.”

Hailey beamed. “No, but it means you are willing to try.”

Delun took Lexa’s hand and kissed it. “I intend to help her practice at every opportunity.”

She went from pink to hot red in a second. Her scent flared and wrapped around her. She could tell when it hit the people at the table. It took twelve seconds before it had a twenty-foot radius.

Delun leaned in and whispered in her ear. “You are getting closer to your heat with every passing moment. You are a strong omega.”

“Well, you’d be the judge,” she muttered back.

He leaned back and laughed. The cousins took care of the dishes, and Hailey helped. Arthur, Grigory, and Delun took her hands, and they walked down the hall. Hailey’s footfalls came after her, and she stopped and turned.

The hug was immediate. “Illyana says that I have to go to bed now because we had to wait for you for dinner.”

“Sorry, sweetie. I had a complicated day.”

“I know, Mom. The people here are really nice, if a bit bossy. When you feel better, you will make them do what you want. You always do.”

“Good night, sweetie. I will read you a story tomorrow. Get Illyana to read one tonight. Pick something with a fight scene. She looks like she would like that.”

The nanny was nearby and grinning.

“Good night, Mom.”

“Night, sweetie.”

Illyana took her hand and led her off. Lexa remained kneeling until Delun took her hand and tugged her to her feet. “Come, Lexa, we have things to talk about.”

She felt stupid, but she asked, “Can I have my fuzzy blankie?”

“No. We need your attention for this. No drifting off into a safe, cozy space.”

She tensed and nodded. No cozy tuck-in for her. They needed to talk.