Then, she leans in and kisses me. It’s chaste, compared to how we were kissing just hours ago, but it’s just as delicious.
“Thank you,” she whispers against my lips, “for everything you’ve done.”
Omega is pleased.
“You want to see what we have for the game?” I ask, my voice hoarse. “It’s mostly concepts, but we can show you where it’s going.”
“Hell yeah, I do,” she grins.
“Show her the character art,” my brother says, grabbing his desk chair and rolling it to us. He places himself right next to Blair, keeping a hand on her thigh while she perches on me.
Together, my brother and I show her what we have for the game so far, including the characters that look like her, Piper, and Maeve.
The more we show her, the bigger her smile grows, until suddenly, she begins sniffling.
“Oh, what the hell,” she whispers, rubbing at her eyes. “These damn hormones. I’ve cried more in the past week than I have in years.”
“Let it out, baby,” Rowan says.
She chuckles weakly. “I don’t want you to think I’m crazy. I’m crying over a cat video game.”
“Overconceptsof a cat video game,” I correct her gently, and she laughs harder.
“They’re happy tears, too, so that should count for something,” she says.
“It definitely does,” Travis says from behind us. I turn the chair to see him take a seat on the couch between the bookshelf and cat tree. “Seeing you happy in whatever format is worth it.”
“God, Trav, were you always this cheesy?” she sniffles. “Or have you gotten soft since meeting me?”
“Soft since meeting you,” Rowan and I echo at the same time.
Travisalmostsmiles when he looks at her. “That’s what happens when you meet your scent match,” he says quietly.
Blair’s smile falls, and her lips thin. Standing from my lap, she joins Travis on the couch, taking his hand. He automaticallypulls the throw blanket (which he knitted) from the top of the couch and bundles it around her.
The mood has shifted in the room as she clears her throat.
“My Heat is almost here,” she admits to the three of us. “I’m sure you could already scent it…but I just wanted to make it clear that I’m spending it with you. I plan to spend the rest of my Heats with you, as well. As long as you’ll have me?”
There’s slight tremor in her voice, as if she’s fearful of our rejection, which is insane.
My pack leader watches her closely. “Always,” he promises her. “We will always,alwayshave you.”
“Yeah, what kind of question is that?” Rowan adds. “You’re everything I could have hoped for, and more. It’s a privilege to be near you.”
At that, she rolls her eyes. “Okay, putting me on a pedestal? It needs to stop.”
“Nah. You look so pretty that high up. I like when you look down at me.”
I snicker, and the corner of her mouth twitches into an almost smile. She leans against Travis, tucking her face into his shoulder while she looks between my brother and me.
“There are going to be days where it’s hard,” she says. “I still have nightmares, sometimes, about the accident and losing my friends.”
We remain silent, the three of us watching her carefully.
“They meant a lot to me, and I don’t think I fully processed what happened. I spent so long beating myself up about it and blaming myself that I’m not sure I’ve ever fully grieved. There are going to be days where guilt eats at me, no matter how much I fight it.”
Travis nods and rests his chin on top of her head. She closes her eyes and sighs.
