"We don't care about the scent match thing," Felix adds quickly. "I mean, you smell incredible right now, like jasmine and—" He catches himself, cheeks flushing. "Sorry, that's not the point. What I mean is, the scent match doesn't matter. Before any of that, before we even knew about the pheromones, you already had us."
"What we're trying to say," Liam steps forward, his voice moved, "is that we want you. Not because of pheromones or whatever, but because you're brilliant and competitive, which I swear I mean as a compliment, and you throw absolutely terrible snowballs but you keep trying anyway… Because youstayed…"
My heart is doing something complicated in my chest, twisting and expanding at the same time. "I ran away literally five minutes ago."
"But you stopped," Silas points out.
"Because I was dying!"
"You stopped," he repeats, softer this time. "And you're here now."
The carolers continue their gentle melody, in the background.
"The Angel Ceremony will start soon," Felix says suddenly. "They light up this huge angel display in the square and everyone makes wishes and there's hot cider and—"
"Felix," Silas growls.
"What? I'm setting the scene!"
"You're rambling."
"We just chased the most wonderful woman eight blocks in hockey gear. I think I earned the right to ramble!"
I laugh. I can't help it. It bubbles up from somewhere deep in my chest and suddenly I'm laughing so hard I have to lean against the wall again.
"Are you... okay?" Liam asks carefully.
"This is insane," I manage between gasps. "All of this. The chase. The carolers. The Angel Ceremony. It's like a Hallmark movie had a baby with ESPN."
Felix's face lights up. "That actually sounds… pretty awesome."
I look at them and feel something warm bloom in my chest. My disaster alphas. Mine. Who got snowed in with me and somehow made it the best time I've ever had. Who just chased me eight blocks through Lakeview.
"The Angel Ceremony," I finally say, suddenly shy. I look down at my hands, pressing my index fingers together. "Is there... really hot cider?"
Silas's face transforms. His smile crinkles the corners of his eyes, making my knees go weak all over again. "The best."
"And we can make wishes?"
"As many as you want," Liam says.
"And you three won't try to make some grand declaration in front of the entire town?"
"Negotiable," Felix grins.
"Non-negotiable," I counter.
"Fine," Silas says, stepping even closer. Close enough that I can feel the heat radiating off him despite the cold. "But I get to do this."
He cups my face and kisses me. Right there on the street corner with the carolers singing and the Christmas lights twinkling overhead, with Felix whooping and Liam laughing.
When Silas finally pulls back, I'm dizzy and breathless and my lips are tingling. But I'm not done.
"Get over here," I say, reaching for Liam who doesn't need to be asked twice. We kiss, slow and tender.
And then Felix is there before I even have to ask, practically vibrating with impatience. His kiss is playful, nipping at my lower lip, grinning against my mouth when I gasp.
Behind us, the carolers now launch into "Joy to the World."
