Chapter 190 Safe Words

Chapter 190 Safe Words
Riley

"Four?" I heard Hayden say, his voice loud enough that I could hear him without the speakerphone. "Holy shit. Maybe try spending a few minutes outside your bedroom occasionally."

Kairos growled softly. "I'm going to kill Finn," he muttered, clearly not intending for Hayden to hear.

I bit my lip to suppress a smile. News about the quadruplets was clearly spreading fast through the packs.

"Hey, Hayden," I greeted.

"Little Luna!" Hayden exclaimed. "How are you feeling today? Any better?"

"Much better," I replied.

"Glad to hear it. So..." There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear the grin forming on his face. "Shit. I didn't interrupt you two in bed, did I?"

Beside me, Kairos let out a low, warning growl, his jaw tensing.

"What do you think, Hayden?" Kairos snapped. "You really think if I was in the middle of something with my mate, I'd answer the fucking phone?"

Hayden's laughter filled the room. "Just checking! You know, we should probably establish a safe word or something."

I raised an eyebrow. "A safe word? What for?"

"Well, in case Kairos has you tied to the bed because he can't satisfy his cravings for you, and you can't even leave to pee. We need a safe word so I know when to send in the rescue party."

I felt a flush creep up my neck, but instead of embarrassment, a surge of playfulness took over.

"Hayden," I said, letting my voice drop to a suggestive tone, "maybe I like my mate tying me to the bed and having his way with me." I glanced at Kairos, enjoying the sudden heat in his gaze. "I mean, I'm pretty proud to be carrying my mate's four pups, and I'm quite happy for everyone to know just how much my mate wants me."

Kairos's lips curved into that rare, genuine smile he reserved only for me. He leaned toward the phone, his voice a possessive rumble. "We'll talk later, Hayden. I need to go practice making pups with my mate. Apparently four isn't impressive enough."

He ended the call before Hayden could respond, and I burst into laughter, feeling lighter than I had in days.

"Are families always this annoying?" Kairos asked, setting both our phones aside.

"Not always," I replied, reaching up to trace his jawline with my fingertips. "Sometimes they're amazing, and sometimes you want to kill them."

Kairos leaned in, his lips just inches from mine. "I think I prefer the second option right now."

Just as his mouth was about to touch mine, I looked over to see my father standing there, his expression a mixture of amusement and fatherly discomfort.

"Would you like to see the Pack territory, Kairos?" Dad asked, his voice overly casual.

Kairos let out a low growl of frustration, but nodded. "Yes, that would be... informative." He turned back to me, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead. "We'll continue this later."

"I'll remember that, Alpha," I said with a smile, enjoying the flash of heat in his eyes.

As they prepared to leave, I called out, "I love you."

Kairos paused at the door, his expression softening. "I love you too."

"Love you, Dad," I added, watching my father's expression.

"Oh good, you did see me standing here," he said dryly. "Love you, Riley."

After they left, I decided to head to the medical center. I needed to check on a few patients, and honestly, I was going stir-crazy being confined to bed rest most of the day. The medical center wasn't far, and I took my time walking there, enjoying the fresh air.

When I entered the break room, the salty scent of tears hit me immediately. Vesper and Clara were sitting on either side of Elena, who was sobbing quietly into her hands.

I approached them quietly, and Clara looked up, relief washing over her face. She stood, offering me her seat next to Elena. I took it, placing a gentle hand on Elena's back.

"Hey," I said softly. "What's going on?"

Elena looked up, her face red and swollen from crying. "Luna! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—I can work, I swear I can. Please don't take this away from me."

I was taken aback by her desperation. "Elena, no one's taking anything away from you. What made you think that?"

"I heard some people talking," she whispered. "They said I'm too...broken now. That I shouldn't be working here anymore."

Anger flared in my chest at whoever had said such a thing, but I kept my voice gentle. "Well, they're wrong. What happened to you doesn't define who you are or what you can do."

Elena wiped at her tears. "I just don't want to be useless."

"You're not useless, Elena. Never think that." I squeezed her hand. "Actually, I have a proposal for you, and I hope you'll consider it seriously."

Her red-rimmed eyes widened with curiosity.

"I'm having four pups, Elena. Four. And while I have no doubt that my mate will be an amazing father, we're going to need help." I smiled at her. "I need a nanny, Elena. I want it to be you."

"Me?" she whispered in disbelief.

I nodded. "You can move to the Alpha floor if you want. I know you'd feel safer there. You'd have your own room, close to us and the pups."

"Elena, you'd be perfect for that job," Clara chimed in.

"I would be up there with your Alphas?" Elena asked, her voice small. "I would feel safe there."

"The position is yours if you want it," I said. "And I can be flexible about the living arrangements. Take some time to think about whether you want to move to the Alpha floor."

Elena surprised me by throwing her arms around my neck. "Thank you, Luna. Thank you so much."

I hugged her back. "You can start tomorrow if you'd like. Nia is back now, and my body is healing."

Elena's face lit up with genuine happiness.

As I left the break room, I noticed Talon waiting in the hallway with Troy beside him.

"Luna, do you have a moment?" Talon asked, his posture respectful.

"Of course," I replied, stopping to speak with them.

"I'd like to recommend Troy for the Luna Guard," Talon said. "He's loyal, strong, and would protect you and the pups with his life."

I turned to Troy. "Is that something you want, Troy?"

He straightened his shoulders, pride evident in his stance. "It would be my honor, Luna."

I nodded. "Then it's settled. Welcome to the Luna Guard, Troy."