The Strength of the Pack (Suncoast Society #30)(62)

She didn’t mind. It was sort of like having three husbands, but only sleeping with one of them.

It actually relieved her. This pregnancy, she could spend it completely free of the worry and anxiety that had overshadowed her ability to really enjoy being pregnant with Laurel.

Especially since half the time she worried about how to keep their baby away from her father without revealing the secret to everyone.

Or if Leo was even a few minutes late getting home from work and worst-case scenario daymares uncontrollably plagued her, how would she stand up to her parents if something happened to him and they came in and ordered her to move back home, and she ended up under the same roof as her father? How would she support a baby alone?

How would she protect a baby alone?

She wasn’t alone, and never would be alone. Not ever again.

Ed was preparing paperwork to change the guardianship papers for Laurel, adding Nate as an additional guardian. When Leo suggested filing a modification to the divorce custody order reinstating joint custody for him and Eva, Eva had nearly had a panic attack, begging him not to.

She didn’t want to mess with what was working. If she wasn’t the custodial parent, and if there were two other legally appointed residential guardians ahead of her, there was no way in hell any judge would ever give her parents custody of her daughter.

And that thought terrified her more than anything.

“We’ll keep this short, folks,” Loren said. “And I turn the floor over to Leo.”

She hadn’t expected that, and Nate’s knowing smile revealed nothing.

Leo and Jesse, who wore his formal leather cuffs and collar, stepped over next to Loren.

“Some of you were here last year when I collared my boy,” Leo said. “And that night, we collared Eva as being under our protection. Not as her Doms, but until we knew she had someone we felt comfortable trusting with her and her care. We’re proud to say that Nate—Crawford—is that man. And he has claimed her not just as his submissive, but as his slave. And tomorrow, he’s making her his wife.

“But we are a pack. As such, we take that responsibility very seriously. And because tomorrow we can’t do this part without getting a lot of questions from any kids in attendance, we’re going to do it tonight. Nate, do you promise to protect our girl, take care of her, love her, and do everything within your power to make her happy?”

Nate smiled down at her. “I do.”

“Eva, do you pledge yourself to this man as your Master, to obey him and allow him to do what he needs to do to uphold his promise to this pack?”

“I do.”

“Then you need to ask me and our pack for what you want.”

“I want to be his collared slave. I want him to own me, every last bit of me.”

Jesse held out a jeweler’s box and Nate withdrew a silver bracelet from it, with a heart-shaped locket on it. On it in a circle were all the men’s initials. He fastened it around her right wrist. “This is your day collar from me,” Nate said. “This is your pledge to me, as your Master, your love and obedience, and to our pack.” He touched her tag. “Just like this is your pledge to me as well, to me and the pack.”

He started to kiss her when Leo stopped him. “Hold up. We’re not done.”

Leo wore a playful grin that Eva recognized, and it amused her to no end that now Nate looked confused.

Jesse produced something that he passed to Leo. “As part of our pack, you need the symbol of our pack,” Leo said as he held up a necklace like the ones he and Jesse wore, only Nate’s tribal fish tag had a green background.

His favorite color.

Nate bowed his head so Leo could put it on him. Now she started crying happy tears because she spotted Nate blinking a few of his own away.

Leo, then Jesse, hugged Nate as he looked at the tag. “Thank you,” he said, sounding choked up. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“You’re of the pack,” Jesse said. “You need to match, as Laurel would say.”

Nate kissed Eva. “And tomorrow, you become my wife.”





There wouldn’t be any spanking for her, though, as there had been with Jesse’s collaring. Nate wanted to save their fun for tomorrow night, after the wedding. And because she was pregnant, he refused to use impact play on her even though it’d been green-lighted by her doctor.

The next morning was a blur of activity, including Tilly getting there early to take charge of the bride and the flower girl while Nate, Leo, and Jesse were left to their own devices.

Lucas and Leigh had offered use of their home for the wedding, but tonight Nate and Eva would go over to Nate’s house and spend the night there instead of the pool cottage.

Nate tried to hold onto every second of memory he could, commit it so strongly that he’d never forget it. When the three of them were dressed and standing in the living room, Leo smiled.

“Nervous?”

“Bloody hell, am I.” He hadn’t thought he would be, considering they practically lived together already, and had done the collaring last night.

“That’s normal,” Leo said. “Been through it twice now.” He leaned in and kissed Jesse. “Thankfully, I’ll never have to go through it again.”

“So fear is normal?” Nate asked.

“Absolutely. I’d be worried if you weren’t.” Leo smiled. “You going to be okay to drive?”