“And it was no trouble to keep him a couple of extra days for you guys.” Mitchell sets a bottle of champagne down on the counter as I clamor to my feet, and I hold my hand out to shake his in greeting. Though he clasps my hand, he doesn’t let me get away with just a handshake. Instead, he pulls me into a hug.
“Congratulations!” He pats me on the back like we’re old friends. “I’m so glad I don’t have to listen to that asshole pine after you anymore.”
Gabriel glares at him. “Nope. Now you’ll get to hear all the mushy stuff.”
“Clara!” Mitchell says, pushing his way past Gabriel, ignoring my Alpha in favor of my Beta. “Good to see you again!”
She smiles as she stands and gives him a little wave. She was hesitant about having a little gathering tonight, worried that it would be too taxing for me, but when I promised her this is what I wanted, she dressed in a pair of tight jeans and a sequined blouse and allowed herself to get excited about it.
“It’s nice to see you again, too,” she says, accepting his hug.
Before we can get settled, the door cracks open and Hazel sticks her head through the crack. She’s gorgeous, as always, with her lips painted deep red and her hair falling around her like a curtain.
“Is everyone decent?” she says, making a show of covering her eyes. “I don’t want to see any of you naked.”
Clara scoffs and pulls the door open, wrapping Hazel up in her arms. “Shut up.”
“Let me see it,” Hazel requests, holding her hand out. Clara rests her arm, wrist up, in her friend’s hand. The Alpha’s face splits with a broad smile. “Well, look at that. You idiots finally took your heads out of your asses.”
“Thank you for your heartfelt congratulations, Hazel.” I don’t try to keep the sarcasm from my voice.
She shrugs. “I thought I was going to go insane listening to her deny her feelings for you. I probably deserve hazard pay for that.”
The female Alpha wraps her arms around Mitchell’s waist, kissing him on the cheek. “Hey, Mitch.”
“Are they together?” I ask Gabriel as he moves to my side and pulls me close to him.
He chuckles. “Nope. Best friends.”
“But they’re in love, right?”
“Not everyone harbors secret feelings for their best friend like you and Clara,” Hazel says, pulling away from Mitchell. “If I loved him, I’d tell him. But I have no interest in Alphas.”
“And I have no interest in someone so high-maintenance.” Mitchell playfully pushes Hazel, and she teeters on her too-high heels. “Plus, she’s my employee. I’m not wading in those waters.”
Gabriel and I exchange a look, and our boss chuckles. “You two are fine. Scent matches are exemptions to those rules.”
I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear him say that. I was terrified of losing my job, but Gabriel would’ve been worth it.
“Okay, can we get out of the doorway and open up this,” Hazel picks up the bottle of champagne Mitchell brought, “very expensive champagne?”
The mood is light as Rooster runs around the apartment, enjoying all the unfamiliar smells, and the five of us laugh andjoke and get to know each other better. My heart is so full that I can hardly stand it.
I never thought that I would get everything I wanted under my Christmas tree, but I did, and now I have two people to kiss as we ring in the new year.
What could be better than this?
EPILOGUE
FOUR YEARS LATER
Felix laughs with abandon,his head thrown back and tears brimming in the corners of his eyes.
“Come on, it’s not that funny,” Gabriel growls, wrapping his arms around our Omega’s waist. “We can share.” He kisses down Felix’s neck, leaving bright purple lip prints in his wake.
“It does not look like you were putting her down for a nap,” I chastise, grabbing the end of a pink feather boa that our Alpha has wrapped around his neck. “It looks an awful lot like you had a tea party.”
“She’s asleep now!” Gabriel insists. “How was I supposed to tell her no?”
