Eventually, I gave in to a compromise. She could pet Moo-Shu while eating, but she had to finish the entire plate. She agreed reluctantly, settling on the floor beside the cow and mechanically working through the pancakes while running her free hand through Moo-Shu's coat. The others found it hilarious, Dustin laughing so hard he nearly spilled his coffee while Stefan just shook his head in amused disbelief.
But something shifted after Solana's shower this morning. The magnet between her and Ashton that was already present has grown stronger, more obvious. They gravitate toward each other without seeming to realize it, Ashton unconsciously leaning closer whenever Solana speaks and Solana seeking out Ashton's presence like she needs it to breathe.
Now we're all sitting around the living room. It should feel comfortable and relaxed, but there’s an underlying tension humming beneath the surface. We need to discuss what comes next and make plans that will ultimately affect all of us. But I keep putting it off, reluctant to shatter this moment of peace.
One thing is certain though. We can't stay here anymore. This ranch has been our home for years, the place where Dustin and I built our life together. But it's been compromised too many times in too short a period. Harmony House knows where we are. The Driscoll family knows where we are. Anyone with the right connections could find us here, and I won't risk Solana or Ashton's safety for sentimentality.
I let out a heavy sigh before turning my attention to our Omegas. Ashton has a sketchpad balanced on his knee, his pencil moving across the page with an expertise that seems practiced, as if art comes to him naturally. I can't see what he's drawing from my position in the armchair, but Solana is watching with obvious fascination. Her eyes track every movement of his hand, her expression soft with wonder.
"That's beautiful," Solana says quietly, her voice carrying across the room.
Ashton flushes slightly, ducking his head like he's embarrassed by the praise. "It's nothing, just a doodle."
Stefan snorts from his position on the other couch, his injured leg propped up on the coffee table. "He's being modest. Ashton's incredibly talented." There's pride in his voice. "I've kept all his doodles over the years. Have them in a book back at... well, back at the house."
The mention of Charles Driscoll's estate makes everyone tense slightly. Stefan's face hardens, his jaw clenching with whatever memories are surfacing. Ashton's pencil stills on the page, his shoulders drawing up defensively.
I need to redirect this conversation before the mood completely sours. "What kind of things do you draw?" I ask Ashton, keeping my tone casual and interested.
Ashton looks up at me, surprise flickering across his face like he didn't expect me to engage. "Mostly landscapes and animals," he says after a moment. "Sometimes people, but I'm not as good with portraits."
"He's lying," Stefan interjects. "He did a portrait of one of the ranch hands that was so accurate it was almost creepy. The guy took it home and framed it."
Ashton rolls his eyes but there's a small smile playing at his lips. The affection between him and Stefan is obvious, comfortable in ways that speak to years of companionship. It makes me wonder about the exact nature of their relationship, about whether Stefan realizes how much his feelings show on his face when he looks at Ashton.
Solana clears her throat suddenly, drawing everyone's attention. She sits up from her position on Ashton's thigh, carefully extracting herself before moving across the room to settle in Dustin's lap. My Alpha immediately adjusts to accommodate her, his arms wrapping around her waist and his chin resting on her shoulder.
Ashton's expression shifts immediately. The soft contentment that was there moments ago vanishes, replaced by something that looks distinctly like irritation. His eyes narrow slightly as he watches Solana curl into Dustin's embrace, his hand clenching around his pencil hard enough that I worry he might snap it.
Stefan reaches over and squeezes Ashton's knee, the gesture clearly meant to be soothing. But Ashton doesn't relax. If anything, he tenses further, his whole body going rigid with an emotion he's trying to suppress.
I frown, studying the dynamic playing out in front of me. Ashton seems territorial over Solana, bothered by her seeking comfort from Dustin. But Stefan doesn't appear bothered at all by Solana's easy affection with us. That's interesting. Very interesting, actually.
Most Alphas would be possessive of their Omega, especially one they're clearly protective of like Stefan is with Ashton. But Stefan shows no signs of jealousy or possessiveness when it comes to how Ashton and Solana interact. He seems more concerned with Ashton's emotional state than with claiming any kind of ownership.
The pieces are starting to come together in my mind, forming a picture I wasn't expecting but makes perfect sense. Stefan doesn't see Ashton as his Omega because he knows Ashton isn't meant to be only his. And Ashton is territorial over Solana because his instincts recognize her as part of his pack, someone he needs to be close to.
Dustin catches my eye across the room, his expression telling me he's noticed the same thing I have. We're going to need to have a very long conversation about what's happening here, about the pack bonds forming whether we're ready for them or not.
But first, we need to handle the immediate problems threatening everyone's safety.
"We need to talk about logistics," I say, my voice cutting through the comfortable silence that's fallen over the room.
Everyone's attention shifts to me immediately. Solana tenses slightly in Dustin's lap, her fingers curling into his shirt. Ashton sets his sketchpad aside, his full focus on me now. Stefan straightens up despite the obvious pain it causes his injured leg.
"I have a lake house," I continue, keeping my tone as calm as I can. "About three hours north of here. We've kept it over the years as a backup location, somewhere secure if we ever needed to disappear for a while. The security there is tighter than here, more remote, harder for anyone to find."
Dustin nods, understanding immediately where I'm going with this. "You think we should move there."
"I think we need to move there," I correct. "After this last part of the job with Morrison, after we handle the final shipment, we pack up and relocate. Everyone. All of us."
Stefan leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "How remote are we talking?"
"Middle of nowhere," I say honestly. "Nearest town is forty-five minutes away. The property sits on twenty acres, most of it wooded. There's only one road in and out, which makes it easier to monitor who's coming and going. The house itself has a full security system, cameras covering every approach."
"Sounds isolated," Ashton says quietly, something I can't quite identify flickering across his face.
"It is," I agree. "But that isolation works in our favor. No neighbors to ask questions. No one stumbling onto the property by accident. And most importantly, no paper trail leading anyone from here to there. The property is held under a shell company that would take serious digging to trace back to us."
