All four Alphas began to purr, and Jack knelt beside the bed. He reached over Tyler and took one of my hands in both of his. “I get it,” he whispered. “We’re practically strangers still. We don’t know your favorite foods or any stories from your childhood. I don’t know how you got that little scar on the back of your right shoulder. I don’t know the way you take your coffee or how you like to dress when you’re doing nothing at home. And you don’t know any of those things about us. And I cannot tell you how much I do notgive a fuck.”
He tugged me closer so I leaned over Tyler. Liam lined himself against my back, and Dylan slid a hand beneath my blanket to stroke my ankle.
“We have time to learn all those things. And I look forward to every second. But this isn’t something that happens every day, and I have no doubts. Liam said it first, but we’re not walking away unless you tell us to. And even then, I’m not promising I won’t try to talk you out of it first.”
I blinked tears out of my eyes as he squeezed my hands. Everything he said was true. I felt it. I believed it. But it still didn’t mean it wasn’t scary or daunting. Having your world flipped over and shaken like a snow globe was jarring, even if it was for the best and most perfect reason.
“What do you say?” Dylan asked, stroking his thumb over my skin. “Will you be our Omega, Eva May Williams?”
Biting my lip, I nodded. “Yeah.”
I shrieked as they all dove for me, and we were nothing but a bundle of blankets and purrs.
CHAPTER TWELVE
________
EVA
After we emerged from the pile of kissing and laughter, we separated. Not ideal, considering I still wanted to climb inside their skin, but we all needed to shower, and now I neededcoffee.
I found a hoodie on the floor of the bedroom we’d used for the nest. Apples and Cinnamon told me it belonged to Tyler. It hung down nearly to my knees, which was good. I really didn’t want to put my dress back on.
Maybe they had a pair of pants I could roll up. I’m not sure which would be worse: being photographed in my dress fromthe DCAs five days later or being photographed in nothing but a hoodie and bare legs after disappearing with a rock band for five days. I wasn’t embarrassed by it, but I didn’t like to give the paparazzi anything for free.
Fuck me, five days. Everyone was probably losing their minds. Oh my god.Mom.
I found my phone near my dress and clutch in a corner of the room. The screen was an absolute disaster zone of notifications. Coffee first, then I’d deal with whoever was trying to reach me outside these walls.
The kitchen was downstairs, and I found my way there without much trouble. They hadn’t given me the tour yet. But everything in the penthouse was beautiful, even if it was mostly blank.
Coffee was already in the machine and hot. Perfect. There were a few mugs on the counter near the machine because they hadn’t even unpacked the kitchen yet. I hadn’t asked questions, but all the food they fed me was probably takeout. Good call.
“Nice to see you coming up for air.”
I yelped and turned, just managing to save the mug from falling to the ground. Wes sat at the table in the kitchen, his tablet propped up in front of him along with his own steaming cup of coffee. I hadn’t noticed him when I came in.
“Sorry.” He chuckled. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I’ll be honest,” I said. “I entirely forgot you guys were here.”
“Good. You’re not supposed to be thinking about security during a heat.”
Turning away, I poured my coffee and found both cream and sugar. “I’m sorry you had to be stuck here for it. And…” I didn’t turn around. “Sorry for whatever you might have… heard.”
Wes coughed, and it sounded distinctly like he was covering a laugh. “Miss Williams, my pack is scent-sympathetic. I understand. And it’s my job. There’s nothing to apologize for.”
My face still felt like the heat had come back for how hard I was blushing. ‘Cause it didn’t matter if you understood, listening to someone fuck for five days straight was still awkward. At least in my mind.
Neil chose that moment to enter the kitchen, fixing his tie. He nodded at me and smiled. “Heat’s over?”
“Yeah.” I pressed my lips together, and out of the corner of my eye saw Wes stifling laughter. “Thank you for being here.”
“No problem. I also have something for you. Hold on.” He stepped out of the kitchen and I heard what sounded like a bag and rustling papers. He handed me a paper folder when he returned.
“What’s this?”
“Take a look.”
