And basically blubbering all over myself.
And embarrassing myself in the middle of town for the second time in ten minutes.
I didn't have time to dwell on anything because everything happened so fast. The bikes shut off, and helmets were removed, and two little boys were running at me and… I didn't need to see them through my blurry, tear-filled eyes. With both arms wrapped around my brothers, their scents washed over me like a warm spring rain, soothing places in my heart I hadn’t known were aching.
When I finally had a hand free, I wiped my eyes with the back of my wrist and snuffled. Noah managed to look both impressed and completely grossed out. "Eww, nasty! You need a tissue, Eli."
Saul rolled his eyes. "Be nice, pipsqueak. We haven't seen him in forever. Besides, Eli's only crying because he's happy to see us. Right, Eli?"
Looking at Saul, who was nearly as tall as me already, and Noah, who wasn't talking like a baby anymore, nearly brought me to my knees. As it hit home exactly how long we’d been apart, a wave of despair crashed into me. I took a deep breath and turned helplessly to Matt. "So… these are my brothers." It was as if someone had hit a mute button because I couldn’t make myself say anything else. This whole meeting was so surreal and… poignant.
Matt paused to press a kiss against my temple before introducing himself. As I calmed, I realized my contentment was coming through the bond. Once again, Matt was looking out for me. He gave his full-watt smile to my brothers. "What's up? I'm the Alpha around here, or so they keep telling me. Mostly, I do whatever your brother says. Oh, I should probably mention I'm your brother-in-law now because Elisha is my mate."
"Is it true? Are you the one who killed our father?" Saul looked nervous but determined at the same time to know the truth.
Bless him, Matt didn't hesitate for a second. He looked my brother straight in the eye and nodded. "I did. And I hope you'll understand I won't apologize for doing it."
I don't know who was more shocked, him or me, but both boys flung their arms around Matt as if they'd known him all their lives. They were talking so fast I could barely make out what they were saying, but I distinctly heard "thank you" more than once.
Matt went to hug them back and looked to me over their heads, silently asking me how to proceed. His friend Devon solved it for us. He ruffled Saul's hair. "I take it you weren't a fan either, huh?"
Saul finally pulled away and scrubbed his eyes with both hands, somehow managing to look more like the pup I remembered than a soon-to-be teen. Gulping, he gazed at me with red-rimmed eyes. "Dad said you were dead. And when he found out you weren't, he said whoever had saved you would wish they hadn't when he killed them next, and then you'd finally die like all weak mongrels should."
Noah pressed his lips together, his little face turning red as he made fists and shook them over his head. Lucian and Tucker raised their eyebrows, but Matt quietly told him to let it out. As his lips trembled, his hands dropped, and he rushed past Matt and into my waiting arms. While I hugged him, he tearfully began to talk. "Daddy was a bad man. He hurt Scruffy and made him dead." What a bittersweet moment to hear the baby in my youngest brother again.
Matt mouthed 'Scruffy' with a questioning look. His muscles were coiled with tension, ready to battle dragons on Noah's behalf. Saul correctly interpreted Matt's confusion and translated. "Scruffy was Noah's teddy bear. Papa got it for him before he was born, and Noah always slept with it. Dad decided it was time for Noah to quit being a baby. So he…" Saul hesitated, twitching and scratching the back of his head as if delaying finishing the sentence.
After several long moments, Saul finally took a deep breath and spat it out. "He barbecued Scruffy and made Noah watch. Right on the same grill where Elisha always cooked our dinner, Dad poured lighter fluid over the bear and lit a match. When Noah cried, Dad hit him with a belt and locked him in the utility room for three days. There's water in there, and I slipped granola bars under the door. But it wasn't cool to do that to a kid Noah's age."
Looking him in the eyes, I brushed sweat-damp hair from Noah's forehead. "Saul is correct. Dad did bad things to you. It wasn't good when he did it to Saul or when he did it to me. But you know what? You never have to be afraid again. Nobody will ever hit you here or lock you in any closets. If you get in trouble, I'll make you pull weeds or something. But I want you to understand this is your home now, and Matt and I will keep you safe."
Matt rested a hand on Saul's shoulder. "Same goes for you too, big guy. I'm proud of you for looking out for Noah when he needed you most. But now I want you to relax and learn to be a kid while you still can. Your brother is my world, and if you're his family, you’re mine too. Anybody who wants to hurt either one of you will have to come through me first."
"Tell the truth, Matty. Ain't nobody touching either one of these boys unless they can get through all of us." Lucian came close enough to squat down and talk to Noah. “Your new brother Matt is pack to us, and pack means family. So guess what? You and your brother inherited four honorary uncles. You've got the three of us here and Nick, the new Alpha you met at your old place. Why do you think we came and picked you up on our bikes? Because you’re pack. Nobody rides with us unless they belong."
Good God in heaven. Seeing this big, broody alpha act so sweetly and say exactly what Noah needed to hear was enough to be the death of me.
I blinked back a fresh wave of tears as I fanned a hand in front of my face. If my voice was thicker than normal, nobody commented. "Matt, we need to take the kids home. Maybe get out of the heat and let them see where they live now."
"Now there’s the best idea I've heard all day." Matt turned and said something to Devon. The other alpha studied me as he slowly began to grin. The next thing I knew, Matt escorted me over to Devon's bike. "It won't be the same as mine, but I can't let you be the sole member of the family who’s never ridden."
Then a helmet was produced out of thin air and plunked over my head. Matt got me settled on the back of the bike, then slipped on in front of me. I glanced around in confusion, trying to figure out what was going on.
Saul was back on Tucker's bike, while Lucian helped Noah into the sidecar. I nearly fell off the bike when Devon quietly climbed on behind Lucian.
Once again, all I could think was… alphas weren’t supposed to be like this. Matt's pack of alphas blew every stereotype I'd ever heard right out of the water. I might’ve dwelled on the concept longer, but every thought in my head blinked out of existence, and it was all I could do to grab Matt and hold on tight when the engine rumbled to a start.
And the vibrations! I had to clamp my teeth together to keep them from rattling against each other. I was pretty sure my insides were rearranging themselves. Was shaken baby syndrome possible in utero?
I was about to beg Matt to forget the whole thing and let me get off when the bike moved. Jared stood on the sidewalk, smiling as he held up his phone to take a picture. I started to playfully flip him off but thought better of it when I realized I'd have to let go of Matt.
Besides, I didn't need to look like a tough biker. All I had to do was hang on tight to the one I had. Both literally and figuratively. Whatever. I was holding on to my man.