Finn is sitting at the dining table, and I can tell he’s on edge. I feel the worry in our bond. It’s especially hard to discern Cillian’s and Finn’s emotions, but I know with time, I’ll get better at it.
I approach him, and he swallows. I grab his chin, tilting his face toward mine before giving him a soft kiss. “I don’t regret it either,” I tell him, finishing our conversation, which was so rudely interrupted.
Finn looks at me like I told him something revolutionary as he grabs the back of my legs and stares up at me.
“Do you want to talk about your?—”
“No, I don’t, and I’d prefer we just act like it never happened,” I say to all of them.
Declan and Lorcán look at each other like they’re surprised I’m not sobbing or having a meltdown over everything. “I suppose it’s time for another pack meeting.”
They all look around as I sit at the head of the table, and they take their seats. Maeve comes strolling into the room, putting down a tray full of snacks.
“I want my own apartment,” she requests.
“Fucking done,” Declan agrees quickly, and she rolls her eyes.
“It’s nice to see you dressed as a decent woman,” she compliments, looking down at my outfit.
“It’s nice to see you didn’t get murdered,” I reply, and she gives me a smile before leaving the room. Maeve, I can handle. She’s grumpy in her own way, but she doesn’t mean any harm, not like Cillian and Finn’s mother.
“I want to act like nothing bad happened after my heat. I don’t want to mention his name. I don’t want to know what you did. It’s just better that way.”
There are head nods all around me as I wrap my arms around myself.
“I’ve bonded with Cillian and Finn,” I state, and Lorcán’s jaw ticks. I give him a look like he’s being dramatic. “I want to bond with you too, Lorcán, and if there’s any way I can be connected to Declan, I want that too.”
Declan gives me a beaming smile, and I’m glad that at least one of the guys is easygoing and not as intense, not that he doesn’t have his moments.
“We have to learn to be a pack. I want to make sure that I give each of you all the attention you need, so you just need to be honest with me. There are four of you and one of me, so if you need your time with me, just tell me.”
“I want my own night,” Finn says, surprising me but making me smile.
“Yeah, me too,” Lorcán adds in.
“Bunch of fucking whiners,” Declan complains, and I shake my head.
I won’t deny that I enjoy having all of them wanting their own time with me.
“We’ll come up with a schedule,” I counter, hoping to pacify them slightly. “But more than that, I need to figure out my place in this pack. You all have known each other most of your lives, which helps, but I know there’s a lot of hurt there.”
“You won’t be working,” Finn demands.
“Obviously,” I grimace. “But I do know how to take care of wounds and general care, so when I can be useful, I want to be.”
“Already looking to stitch me up after fights, baby?” Finn asks.
I’m not sure when I’ll get used to him calling me that, but it’s not anytime soon.
“I’d prefer if you didn’t fight.”
He looks at me, stroking his scarred lip as I remember everything he told me about his past. I’m sure it’s been years since he rehashed those old memories, but he did it for me, forus. It’s why I was so content bonding with him. I think deep down, I knew there was good inside of him, maybe only a little, but enough to work on himself for me.
“I’m getting too old for that shit anyway,” he responds.
The other men gape at him while I smile.
“Thank you,” I say to him before turning to everyone else. “We’re a pack now, so from here on out, we’re nothing but honest with each other. No more holding things in for years, fake identities, or keeping things from each other. Okay?”
