Accidentally Mated To Four Alphas-Chapter 288: _ This Little Family

Heidi turns from the window and says to Darien, "You said you were going to buy a house."

Darien nods. "I was. These hotels are not safe for us. We need to get a new house as soon as possible. Big enough for all of us."

Morgan arches a brow. "Aw. Domestic."

"But..." Heidi continues, glancing at Grayson.

Grayson sighs. "But we can’t."

Darien looks at him sharply. "Why not?"

"Because," Grayson says gently, "Heidi is officially a walking target. Vampires, wolves, and anyone who wants leverage over the Alpha. Buying a house right now is basically putting a neon sign on the roof that says attack here."

Silence stretches.

Darien’s shoulders slump a fraction. He hates when Grayson is right. "So what? We just... pause our lives?"

"For now, I think it’s best we lie low, recover first, and figure out how to make her less of a beacon."

Darien’s gaze hardens as he presses his lips together. "I’ll have to go back to the pack."

Heidi stiffens at that. "Darien..."

"I need to talk to him," Darien argues. "This has gone too far."

Seriously?! That’s smarty pants Darien’s solution to this? Talking to Tobias? Really?!

Morgan can’t believe his ears so much that he lets out a wholesome laugh.

"You already know he won’t stop. Not unless we dump Heidi and crawl back on our knees to him, telling him how we regret our actions and how he’s indispensable in our lives."

Darien turns to him. "You don’t know that. He might want to come to some sort of treaty."

"I do know that!" Morgan snaps. "He doesn’t see her as a person. He sees her as a threat. And threats, to Tobias, get eliminated no matter who they are or what they’ve shared with him." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

His mother and the cruel fate she had to experience under Tobias and Rayne’s hands make Morgan’s heart tighten as he spews those words.

Grayson swallows. "He might compromise."

Morgan scoffs. "Our father? Compromise?" He shakes his head. "Unless you’re willing to let Heidi go live alone as a rogue, there is no negotiation."

Heidi jumps at that. "No."

They all turn to her.

"I’m not doing that," she says firmly. "I won’t lose you."

Darien steps toward her instinctively. "You won’t."

Morgan moves with speed at the same time. He slides in close, arm looping around her waist, pulling her into his side like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Like she belongs there.

Because she does.

"We don’t have to lose anyone. We just need to stop playing defense." He sighs, rearranging her messy hair.

Darien’s hand lashes out, smacking Morgan’s arm away from her, hard enough to echo. "Don’t touch her."

The temperature in the room drops.

Morgan’s eyes flash. "You don’t get to decide that."

"I get to protect her."

"By begging a tyrant for mercy?" Morgan snarls. "That’s how she gets killed."

Heidi steps between them before it can explode. "Enough."

Both of them freeze. She looks exhausted, pale, and furious.

"We are covered in blood," she throws her hands in the air. "We are hurt. We are tired. Whatever war you’re planning can wait until tomorrow."

Morgan opens his mouth.

She pins him with a look. "I mean it."

Darien exhales. Grayson slumps back against the counter.

Heidi continues, softer now. Let’s shower, eat, and rest. Then we figure out how to survive the end of the world."

There’s a soundless moment before Morgan grins. "Well. When you put it like that."

He slides back in, hands settling at her waist again, careful this time. Possessive but gentle.

"I’ll help you wash," he murmurs. "You’re the only one who can get this off properly."

Darien’s growl is immediate.

Heidi elbows Morgan in the ribs lightly, but pointedly. "Behave."

Morgan laughs, unbothered. "I am behaving. I didn’t even say the other thing."

Grayson groans. "Please don’t."

For a moment just one, the world doesn’t feel like it’s ending when he’s being so casual with her, joking and teasing. But Morgan’s smile never quite reaches his eyes. Because he knows.

Tomorrow, the war begins.

Darien sighs in exasperation. "Do not, Morgan, tell me you’re thinking about intimacy right now."

Morgan looks genuinely offended. Hand to chest. Brow lifting. "Thinking about it?" he repeats. "Darien, my wolf does not think about Heidi. My wolf exists in a constant state of readiness where she’s concerned."

"That’s stupid," Darien growls.

Grayson snorts weakly from where he’s half-draped over the armchair. "I’m begging all of you to remember I’m bleeding internally."

Heidi’s cheeks warm despite herself. She tries very hard to look unimpressed. Tries even harder to ignore the way Morgan’s hand is still resting at her waist, thumb making slow, absent circles like it belongs there.

Which... unfortunately... it kind of does.

Morgan leans closer, lowering his voice just enough that it feels intentional. "You feel that?" he murmurs, not touching her any more than he already is. "That buzz? That’s you pretending you’re unaffected."

She shoots him a look. "I’m not pretending."

His smile goes crooked. "Liar."

Annoyingly and infuriatingly, her body betrays her. The day has been terror and blood and adrenaline, and now that the danger has paused, everything she’s been holding in comes rushing back. The warmth. The awareness. The fact that Morgan smells like heat and rain and something darkly magnetic.

She swallows.

Grayson notices immediately. "Oh no. Nope. I see that look. I am too injured for whatever this is turning into."

Morgan claps his hands together once, delighted. "Group bath."

There’s silence as the others swivel their heads to him at the same time. Then...

"No!" Grayson and Darien say at the exact same time.

Grayson adds, "I’m still healing. I can’t soak yet."

Darien follows up without missing a beat. "I would rather swim in death than bathe with you."

Morgan nods, accepting this calmly. "Understandable."

Darien blinks. "That was... easy."

"But," Darien continues, jaw tightening as he looks at Heidi, "if she wants to bathe alone... with me—I’m ready."

Morgan’s expression goes flat. "Absolutely not."

Darien’s brows knit. "You don’t get to decide-"

Morgan doesn’t let him finish.

In one smooth, unapologetic motion, he scoops Heidi up like she weighs nothing. One arm under her knees, the other braced at her back. Her breath leaves her in a surprised gasp as the world tilts.

"Morgan!" she protests, grabbing instinctively at his shoulder.

He grins down at her. "Relax. I’ve got you."

Darien lunges forward. "Put her down."

Morgan is already moving. "Too late."

He turns toward the hallway, boots thudding against marble, completely unbothered by the furious Alpha behind him.

"I swear to the Moon..." Darien starts.

"Save it," Morgan calls over his shoulder. "We’ll be in the bathroom. Try not to hyperventilate."

Grayson groans. "I hate this family."

The bathroom door shuts behind them with a soft but decisive click. The space is all steam-ready marble and glass, warm light spilling from recessed panels. The shower is massive, rainfall head, stone floor, walls that fog just looking at them.

Morgan sets Heidi down gently this time.

She exhales, heartbeat racing. "You’re impossible."

"And yet," he purrs quietly, stepping closer, "here you are."

He brushes his knuckles along her arm, teasing, just enough to send awareness skittering across her skin. She doesn’t pull away or step back.

Instead, she lifts her chin. "You’re being reckless."

His gaze darkens. "I’m being honest."

He gestures toward the shower. "Use that instead of the tub. Trust me. Intimacy under running water is unforgettable."

Her pulse jumps, making Morgan almost believe she’s about to decline. Instead, she says, "You’re not subtle."

Morgan smiles slowly. "Never claimed to be."