The Reluctant Alpha (West Coast Wolves #1) - Susi Hawke Page 0,66

I groaned and winced as bony elbows and knees, not to mention one badly timed heel, rammed into soft tissue and vulnerable places I'd been too sleepy to defend. It took me a few seconds, but I was wide awake as I brushed a kiss over his forehead.

"This isn't going to become a habit, but I'll give you a free pass during thunderstorms. Especially since Matt was already halfway expecting your arrival."

Hugging the bear to his chest, Noah rubbed one of Luci-boo's ears between a thumb and forefinger while he turned toward Matt. "Really? You're not mad I came into your room while you were sleeping?"

Matt snuggled his face beside Noah's and put his arm around both of us. "Do I look mad, little man? I told you I was here to take care of you, didn't I? My protection definitely includes thunderstorms. But next time, maybe you should knock first. I wouldn't want you to be embarrassed if one of us was getting dressed or something."

Noah's body shook with laughter as he giggled into his teddy bear’s fur. He was saying something, but I couldn't quite make it out. Probably for the best since it sounded like he was amused at the idea of seeing my naked heinie.

We finally got Noah calmed down and were drifting back towards sleep when another loud clap of thunder sounded, so close the windows rattled. Once again, such an amazing show of lightning followed, lighting up the entire room like we'd turned on a lamp. In under a minute, a second thunderous boom shook the house, and I lifted my head at the sound of running feet.

I waited for the lightning to brighten the room, surprised when Saul appeared, barely inside. He braced against the open door with his palms pressing into the wood. He showed no sign of coming closer, despite his heaving chest and the deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face. Thankfully, we had a very large bed. I patted the empty space beside me and invited him to join us.

"Come on, Saul. Don't stand there staring at us like a creeper. Climb in and we'll sleep in a big puppy pile. Apparently, Matt thinks we do this during thunderstorms." To help Saul save face, I tried to sound nonchalant to the point of appearing I wasn't into it. It hardly mattered when the kid could feel my true, loving concern, and every single one of us knew it.

Saul crept closer, obviously discreetly sussing out Matt's reaction to his presence. Matt lifted his hand and pointed toward my side of the bed. "You heard your brother—get in here. Puppy pile for the win."

As he pulled back the blankets and carefully climbed in beside me, Saul tried to play it cool. "Sure, since you guys seem to want me so bad. I came to check on Noah. I wanted to make sure he was okay."

I forced myself to avoid the temptation to tease him. And though I thought about it, I didn't even allow myself to point out he was reenacting the scene from The Sound of Music when the kids all ended up in Maria's bed. Instead, I turned and kissed his cheek, grinning when he grimaced. For his sass, I ruffled his hair for good measure. "Good night, pipsqueak. Love you."

The sweet siren call of sleep called my name, and I went willingly, without a fight. Right as I was about to drift completely under, Noah spoke up in a voice far too chipper to be ready for bed. "I like puppy pile sleepovers. We should do this again and again."

When Matt chuckled, I had to force myself awake long enough to nip it in the bud before my softhearted alpha made promises I couldn't allow him to keep. "Only during thunderstorms or other random acts of nature. Learn my rule, or I'll have it tattooed on your forehead. Now go to sleep before I get grumpy."

"Too late," Saul observed in a dry tone.

When Matt snorted and said it was about time he found something which made me grouchy, I couldn't quite get mad. Not when I had been celebrating the same exact thing not all that long ago. Touché, I thought to myself and decided my puppy pile could figure themselves out. My eyelids were too heavy to fight sleep for another second.

This time as I drifted off, my pout turned into a smile as both of my brothers cuddled against me, and Matt's big arm pinned the three of