The closer we got to home, the more my beast settled, but the more my human concerns grew. I called Asher when I stopped for gas, just to check if it was okay if I brought Nick and Kit back. He gave his approval without question, but I still felt as if I'd failed him a little by not taking that into account. I wasn't used to operating in a pack. That wasn't an excuse, just a reality, and something I would need to work on, especially if I was going to be raising a cub.

I hoped I would be raising a cub. I wouldn't force Nick to stay, but I desperately wanted him to. I wanted to wake up each morning with him by my side, build a house for him and our children, and breed him full of cubs. It was primal, and old-fashioned, and I couldn't help it. 

I'd been so worried about whether Nick would want to stay or not, I hadn't considered how the rest of the pack would react to me bringing two strangers into our community. I assumed they would take Ryan's old room in the double-wide, but it was a bit of a bachelor pad. If this was going to be long term, I'd have to talk to the others about prioritizing my own home. I hadn't been interested in one before now, but suddenly it was imperative.

Was this what Asher had felt like, that first day we'd come to the property, rootless, newly committed as a pack, homeless? This burning uncertainty and need to do the right thing, whatever it was, if only you could figure it out. 

As soon as I was close enough to mindspeak Asher, I did.

We're about ten minutes away.

Good, Asher responded immediately. How are they doing?

I looked down at my omega, His arms were wrapped protectively over his abdomen, and his neck twisted a little awkwardly, even though he'd leaned the chair back. 

They've slept the entire way.

You might want to wake them up and give them time to prepare. Asher's advice was accompanied with a chuckle.

Oh no. Tell Jesse we don't need a big thing. I want Nick to see what our normal life is. Let him really get to know us. I don't want to overwhelm us.

If you want him to get to know the real pack, this is part of it. It's the daily schedule, yes, but it's the celebrations and the welcomings. Asher's tone was stern, and I bared my neck slightly in response even though he wasn't there. Besides, you try telling my little mate he can't throw a party and see how well you fare.

I kind of brought that one on myself, didn't I? I had introduced Jesse to Pinterest. I had awoken that monster.

You may have given him the means, but I'm pretty sure he was always meant to be an event planner. It makes him happy, and I have a feeling it will make your guests happy. Don't stress too much about it.

Asher advising me not to stress was like the pot calling the kettle black. But he had been loosening over the last year and a half since Jesse had come into his life. 

I was serious about waking them up so they have time to prepare, though. See you in a few.

Instead of waking Nick and Kit up while I was on the road, I stopped at the last gas station in the area. I shook Nick gently by the shoulder and turned around in my seat to make sure Kit could hear me. "We're almost to my pack's lands. Apparently they're planning some big welcoming thing, so I thought you might want the chance to freshen up before we arrive, because they're probably going to jump on you the minute you get out of the car."

Nick was immediately out of the car. "I need to pee." He disappeared into the gas station, and Kit lurched up, her hair even wilder than when she'd been pulling it out by the roots this morning.

"Sleep well?"

"Like a baby," she mumbled. "I'm going to get some caffeine."

That wasn't a half-bad idea. I followed her into the gas station, picking up a couple bottles of cokes and some chocolate. I'd had experience with the coffee here, and I wasn't interested in a second round. Kit didn't have the benefit of my experience, though, and she'd had her cup so loaded up with flavored creamer by the time I noticed that I doubted whether it mattered if the brew was strong enough to stand a horseshoe in, she wouldn't taste it. 

Nick picked through the drinks and chose a root beer. "Life without caffeine is hard," he complained. 

"Why'd you give it up, then?"

Kit placed her items on the counter and I shoved mine up with hers, and then stole Nick's to add it to the pile, putting it on my card.

"You're not supposed to drink a lot of caffeine when you're pregnant. I technically could have a cup in the morning, but I feel like if I had one cup, that would suddenly turn into two, and then next thing I knew, I'd be drinking a pot a day, and the kid would be born with more coffee in his veins than blood."

I handed the others their items and we headed back to the car. "Fair enough, then." There was apparently a lot I didn't know about pregnancy. I needed to sit down and talk with Asher and Jesse sooner rather than later.