Seth grins, and through the bond I feel his happiness-amusement-affection. He's not jealous. He's just glad we're happy. He moves to my other side, his hand finding mine.
"Come on," River says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "Let's go home."
We walk through the snow together—all four of us, me in the middle, surrounded by them. I can smell all of them—cedar and rain, pine and snow, ink and leather—all mixing with my cinnamon-apple.
We smell like pack.
Like home.
Chapter 27
River
I'm losing my goddamn mind.
Bea's standing right next to me at the New Year's Eve bonfire, and all I can think about is bonding her. Making her mine the way Seth already has. Getting my bite on her throat, my mark next to his.
"You're staring," Seth says from her other side, grinning.
"I'm not staring."
"You're definitely staring." Grayson's on my other side, arms crossed, watching Bea with that intense look he gets. "And your scent is obvious."
I take a drink of spiked hot chocolate to avoid responding.
"Ten minutes to midnight!" Tessa announces.
Bea turns to look at me, and even in the firelight I can see the way her pupils dilate. She's thinking about it too. The bond. Us.
"Having fun?" I ask, pulling her close.
"The best." She leans into me. "This is a good night."
"Going to be even better," I promise.
The next ten minutes feel endless. She stays close, occasionally responding to Seth through their bond, laughingat something Grayson murmurs. But I can feel the tension building.
"Five minutes!" someone shouts.
"I've been thinking about your bond," she admits quietly. "About what it would feel like."
"And?" I need to hear it.
"I want it," she whispers. "I want you."
My alpha practically howls with triumph.
The countdown starts.
"Twenty! Nineteen! Eighteen!"
"Seventeen! Sixteen! Fifteen!"
"I'm ready now," she says.
"Fourteen! Thirteen! Twelve!"
"You're sure?"
