"We will be." I set my coffee down on the counter and moved toward the door, my mind already shifting to practical concerns. "She'll probably be hungry when she wakes up. Nolan, can you start breakfast? Something warm. Comforting."
"On it." Nolan was already moving toward the refrigerator, his movements efficient and purposeful.
"I'll help." Kol followed him, still practically bouncing despite his best efforts to contain himself, his voice bright with eagerness. Sawyer caught my eye as I passed him, his pale gaze holding mine for a long moment. He didn't say anything — herarely did — but his nod carried a world of meaning. Approval. Support.
I headed back upstairs, my feet carrying me to my door without conscious thought. I eased it open, half-expecting to find her still asleep, but she was sitting up in the bed, the blankets pooled around her waist, my shirt from last night hanging off one shoulder. Her hair was a wild tangle around her face, and her eyes were soft with sleep, and she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
"Hey." Her voice was rough, uncertain, her gray eyes searching my face as she pulled the shirt tighter around herself, her fingers twisting in the fabric. "I woke up and you were gone."
"I'm sorry." I crossed to the bed in three long strides, sitting on the edge beside her, my hand finding hers automatically, our fingers intertwining. "I didn't want to leave. I just— the others were waking up. I needed to talk to them."
Something flickered in her eyes — fear, maybe, or worry — her grip on my hand tightening until I could feel the bite of her nails against my skin. "About last night? About us?"
"Yes." I brought her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles, feeling her shiver at the touch, watching goosebumps rise on her arm. "They needed to know. That's how packs work. No secrets."
"And they're... okay with it?" Her voice was small, vulnerable in a way that made my chest ache, her gray eyes searching mine desperately. "They're not angry, or jealous, or?—"
"They're happy for us." I squeezed her hand, willing her to believe me, holding her gaze steady. "Nolan said he's glad it was me first. Sawyer just nodded and said 'good.' And Kol is downstairs practically bouncing off the walls with joy." I smiled at her, letting her see the truth in my eyes, the sincerity I felt in every word. "This is how it's supposed to be, Aster. You're our Omega. When one of us makes you happy, we all benefit."
She stared at me for a long moment, something shifting in her expression, the fear slowly giving way to wonder. Then she launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, burying her face against my throat. I caught her automatically, pulling her into my lap, my arms wrapping around her waist, her warmth seeping into my chest.
"I don't understand it." Her voice was muffled against my skin, her breath hot on my neck, her whole body trembling slightly. "How you can all just... share. Without jealousy. Without competition. I keep waiting for it to fall apart."
"It won't." I pressed my lips to her hair, breathing in her scent — lilac and honey, now threaded through with whiskey and woodsmoke, with me. "We've been waiting for you for years, Aster. All of us. We built this pack knowing that someday we'd find the right Omega, and we'd share her. You're not tearing us apart. You're completing us."
She pulled back enough to look at me, her gray eyes bright with unshed tears, her lower lip trembling. "I don't know what I did to deserve this."
"You survived." I cupped her face in my hands, my thumbs tracing the line of her cheekbones, feeling the softness of her skin beneath my calloused fingers. "You fought and ran and kept going when anyone else would have given up. You walked eight miles on blistered feet because a waitress mentioned a ranch that takes in strays. You let us in when every instinct told you to run." I pressed my forehead to hers, our breath mingling. "You deserve everything, Aster. And we're going to spend the rest of our lives proving it to you."
A tear slipped down her cheek, warm and wet, and I caught it with my thumb.
"Now." I pulled back, forcing my voice into something lighter, giving her a small smile. "Nolan's making breakfast. Kolis probably burning something as we speak. And you need to eat."
She laughed — a small, watery sound, but real — her face softening with amusement despite the tears still clinging to her lashes. "You're always trying to feed me."
"Alpha instincts." I shrugged, unashamed, my smile widening. "Get used to it." I stood, pulling her with me, and she swayed into my chest for a moment before finding her balance. She was still wearing my shirt and nothing else, and the sight of her in my clothes, smelling like me, made something primal purr with satisfaction in my chest.
"I should probably put on real clothes." She gestured at herself, a flush creeping up her cheeks, spreading down her neck and disappearing beneath the collar of my shirt.
"Probably." I let my eyes drift over her, slow and deliberate, watching her flush deepen to a pretty pink. "Or you could come down just like that. I'm sure Kol would appreciate the view."
She swatted at my chest, her hand connecting with a soft thump, but she was smiling, her gray eyes bright with amusement. "Reid!"
"What?" I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm, feeling her pulse flutter against my lips. "I'm just saying. You look good in my clothes. The others should get to appreciate that too."
She shook her head, but she was laughing now, the sound light and free, the last of the morning's tension melting away. "I'm getting dressed. I'll be down in a minute."
"I'll hold them off." I stole one last kiss — just a brush of lips, soft and sweet — and made myself walk away, feeling her eyes on my back until I disappeared through the door.
Downstairs, the kitchen was warm chaos. Nolan was at the stove, flipping pancakes with practiced ease, his movements smooth and efficient. Kol was "helping" by stealing bites ofeverything and nearly burning the bacon, his honey-blonde hair falling in his eyes as he hovered too close to the pan. Sawyer was at the table, nursing his coffee, watching the mayhem with something that might have been amusement lurking in his pale eyes.
They all looked up when I entered, and I felt the weight of their attention, their unspoken questions.
"She's okay." I moved to the coffee pot, refilling my mug, keeping my voice casual. "She'll be down in a minute. She's just getting dressed." Kol opened his mouth — probably to ask a dozen more questions — but Nolan elbowed him in the ribs before he could speak, the motion quick and precise.
"Give her space." Nolan's voice was gentle but firm, his green eyes meeting Kol's with a meaningful look. "Let her come to us. Don't overwhelm her."
"I know, I know." Kol deflated slightly, his shoulders slumping, but his eyes were still bright with hope, practically sparkling in the morning light. "I just want her to know we're happy. That we support this. That we support her."
