Page 64 of Their Alpha

“That was by design,” I said. “I needed a place where Gideon and I could be completely off-grid so Goode couldn’t find us.”

“As near as I can figure, he wouldn’t have found you,” Det. Shirley said, then looked at Artemis. “Except he suspected a connection between Mr. Montgomery here and the two of you.”

“It was my car,” Artemis said, frustration radiating from him. “I knew whoever I saw at the farm recognized my car.”

“I don’t think we’ll ever know for certain,” Victor said.

We were all silent for a moment as we sat there with the knowledge of Goode’s death and the freedom it gave us hanging in the air. I felt like Gideon and I had been given our life back. We wouldn’t have to live in hiding anymore. Gideon could come clean as Tristan Freehold if he wanted and accept all the accolades that were due to him for his amazing talent. I could enjoy our marriage, which would include Artemis now, too, if I had anything to say about it, without the stress of constantly being on guard for disaster.

Of course, I would always be on guard for disaster. Just because Goode was dead didn’t mean nothing bad would ever happen to us again. But I definitely felt like we’d weathered the worst of the storm.

The conversation continued, but it all felt surreal to me. Once the pertinent information was shared, the six of us mostly just sat there awkwardly, pretending we were relaxed and calm, friends entertaining friends. As much as I wanted to form a friendship with Victor and Simon Woodbury, as time dragged on, I wanted them out of our house so the three of us could be alone to talk about what happened next.

Fortunately, Det. Shirley knew when not to overstay her welcome.

“I need to get back to the station and make a report about this,” she said. “If it’s possible, Goode’s body needs to be recovered, but that will have to wait until morning, after the storm.” She looked specifically at Gideon as she said, “I’m sorry, but this place will be swarming with police and investigators by tomorrow morning.”

“We can head back to the farm as soon as your people tell us it’s okay for us to go tomorrow,” Artemis said, standing when the others did and shaking Det. Shirley’s hand on behalf of all three of us.

“Just in case you were worried,” Det. Shirley said while she still held Artemis’s hand, “the three of you will need to be questioned, but I can guarantee that no charges will be filed against you and you won’t be held responsible for Goode’s death in any way. From what you’ve told me, you did everything you could to try to save him and it was his own fault he fell.”

We’d recounted what happened during the course of the conversation, but I didn’t think we’d given her enough details to come to that conclusion so definitively. I got the impression that Det. Shirley was as determined to protect the innocent and to land blame for more than just tonight squarely on Goode’s shoulders, though.

It took several more minutes for us all to say goodbye and to exchange phone numbers where needed. Victor extended an invitation for the three of us to have dinner with him and Simon once things had settled, and I was definitely in favor of that.

I was so relieved once everyone was gone and it was just the three of us again that I could have wept, though. Or maybe those were Gideon’s emotions. It would probably take the three of us a while to sort out who was feeling what as we got used to our bond.

“I don’t know about you two,” Artemis said as we made an initial effort to clean up the snacks, “but all I want to do right now is go to bed.”

“I’m so tired,” Gideon blurted, almost sobbing.

“That settles it,” I said, putting down the plate I’d just picked up. “All of this can wait until tomorrow.”

We put out the lanterns, locked the doors, and Artemis made certain the fireplace was safe before we all washed up and headed to bed. None of us said anything about it, but we all stripped naked before crawling under the sheets together.

“We’re bonded,” Gideon said the thing that was on the tip of all of our tongues once we had settled and only the sound of the continuing rain filled the house. “All three of us. All three of us are bonded.”

His excitement was contagious and cut through the exhaustion that had made me heavy just moments before.

“I’m not sure I believe in miracles, I said, curling against my husband’s side and stroking a hand down his chest, resting it over his heart, “but this might change my mind.”

“It’s wonderful,” Artemis said, snuggling with Gideon in a similar way on his other side, but resting a hand on my arm. “I have no idea how it’s possible, but I’m not going to complain.”

“I know how it’s possible,” Gideon whispered.

The giddiness that came through the bond from him had me perking up even more. “You do?”

Gideon nodded. Then he grasped my wrist and moved my hand lower to rest over his belly.

I was confused for about three seconds before I felt the faintest niggle from inside him. Then I gasped.

“I knew it,” Artemis said, joy spilling from him. “I knew you were looking at those baby books for a reason.”

“You’re pregnant?” I asked, even though I knew it was true.

Gideon nodded, his face heating. A tiny bit of shame pulsed from him. “I should have told you earlier, but I was scared. I didn’t want to get in the way of the bond you two had formed, and everything was in such jeopardy with Goode.”

“I understand, baby,” I said, snuggling in to hug him even tighter. “I don’t blame you at all.”

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