"Welcome home, sweetheart!" She beams at me, then fixes all three alphas with a knowing look. "I heard you were moving in today. Figured you'd need something sweet after all that work."
"Maeve, you didn't have to—" Seth starts.
"Nonsense. I've known this girl since she was born." She hands the basket to River. "Cinnamon rolls, some cookies, and a loaf of honey bread. Growing packs need feeding."
Maeve's sharp eyes take in all of us—how close we're standing, the way they keep touching me, Seth's arm around my waist. Her smile grows. "Look at you four. Already smell like pack."
Heat floods my face, but she just laughs warmly.
"I won't keep you—I'm sure you have plenty of unpacking left." She pats my cheek with the casual affection of someone who's known me forever. "But Bea, honey, you stop by thebakery this week. I want to hear all about your business plans. And I have some thoughts about marketing for The Honey Crumb that you might find interesting."
"Really?" My business brain immediately perks up.
"Really. My social media is a disaster and I know it." She winks. "Plus I make the best scones in three counties. We can talk over breakfast."
After she leaves, Grayson lifts the cloth to peek inside the basket. "Oh my god, these smell amazing."
"Maeve's been running The Honey Crumb for thirty years," I tell him. "She mothers everyone."
We end up eating Maeve's cookies in the living room, sitting on the floor. They're perfectly soft and buttery, still warm from the bakery. Seth sits behind me, his legs bracketing mine, his arms around my waist. River and Grayson sit close enough that we're all touching—knees, shoulders, hands.
"We should talk about future stuff," Grayson says when we're done eating, his hand finding mine. "Before things get more complicated."
My stomach drops for a second before I catch his scent—calm, no anxiety.
"What kind of future stuff?" I ask carefully.
"Kids," River says simply, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. "We should be on the same page."
Oh. Right. The conversation I've been dreading.
"I don't want kids for a long time," I say in a rush. "Maybe five years, maybe ten. I need to build my business first, figure out who I am outside of being an omega. And I know that's not what most?—"
"Sounds perfect," Seth says through the bond and out loud, his arms tightening around me.
I blink. "What?"
"You're twenty-two," River points out, lacing our fingers together. "Fresh out of college. Of course you want to build your career first. Why would we expect anything different?"
"Because Terrance?—"
"We're not Terrance." Grayson's voice is firm, his other hand cupping my face. "We want you happy and fulfilled. If that means waiting ten years for kids, we wait ten years."
"Or longer," Seth adds, nuzzling into my neck. "Or forever. Kids are great, but they're not worth having if you're not ready."
The relief hits so hard I can barely breathe. "You really mean that."
"Of course we mean it." River pulls me closer, until I'm practically in his lap. "Bea, we're in our thirties. We've had time to build careers and figure ourselves out. You deserve the same opportunity."
"Besides," Grayson says with that smirk, leaning in to kiss my forehead, "I'm not eager to share you with tiny humans yet. I'd rather have you to ourselves for a good long while."
Through the bond, Seth's certainty wraps around me like a blanket. His love, his support, his complete acceptance of my timeline.
"Okay," I whisper. "Okay."
Seth's purr starts immediately, rumbling against my back. River kisses my temple. Grayson's thumb strokes my cheekbone.
"So," River says after a moment. "Travel plans. Where do we want to go?"
