My heart thunders against my rib cage at an alarming speed. I draw in a deep breath, looking at the expectant faces waiting for my answer. Their expressions are a mix of fear, confusion, and hope.
I regard each of them.
Ezra, the plant loving professor who swept me off my feet the moment I met him.
Hale, the caring leader with a heart of gold who puts everyone before himself.
Riven, the genius with a sensitive side and a unique way of looking at the world that gives me a new perspective.
And Calder, the feisty asshole who loves a challenge almost as much as I do.
“Well?” Dad taps his foot. “I’m waiting.”
“Yes.” Daring to finally voice the truth out loud is terrifying, but I can’t deny it anymore. Not after this weekend. Not after getting to know them. Not after knowing I would willingly marry another pack if it meant saving them. Saying it once makes it easier to say again. I speak louder this time, with more confidence. “They are my scent matches.”
There is no doubt. Now that it’s out there, my muscles seem to relax, like they were hanging onto tension I didn’t know was there.
Ezra tightens his grip on my hip, Calder claps Riven on the shoulder, and Hale only has eyes for me, his entire face lighting up.
“Unbelievable.” Dad’s cheeks redden. “How do I know you’re not lying again?”
“You showed up here uninvited, remember?” I point out the obvious. “I’m here out of my own free will. I never expected you to show up.”
“And who is this pack anyway?” Dad sniffs. “Not just any riff-raff alphas are good enough for my daughter. Matching with a Sinclair is about more than attraction and biology. More importantly, these alphas are nobodies. They can’t do anything for you, while the Oakwood Pack?—”
Alpha pheromones are practically flying through the air. Hale rests a hand on Calder’s arm when his entire body begins to shake and Riven’s forehead wrinkles. I can feel the fury radiating from them—not only about my father’s comments but because of the way he’s talking to me.
“I am the CEO of Valen Enterprises.” Hale steps forward, keeping his voice calm despite the vein pulsing in his forehead. “We can provide for your daughter financially.”
“Valen Enterprises?” Dad recoils, taken aback. “As intheValen Enterprises? Warren!” He clicks his fingers. “How didn’t I know about this?”
“I-I-I…” Warren pulls out his phone again, wildly tapping at the screen. “I guess we must have missed it.”
“Find out who did the research, and fire them!” Dad blasts before turning back to Hale. “Keep talking, boy.”
“My father is Nicholas Valen. You’ve done business with him over the years.”
Dad’s head swivels to Warren, who sheepishly nods to confirm it’s true.
Dad scratches his head. “I suppose that does change things somewhat.”
“Why does it matter that Hale’s father is Nicholas Valen?” I throw up my hands. “Pack or not, I don’t need to rely on an alpha to provide for me. I can take care of myself. I work hard.”
“We know, baby girl,” Ezra murmurs into my hair. It’s the first time he’s used the nickname since our steamy session in the alley, and it causes a warm fuzziness to spread through me. “But you don’t have to do everything alone anymore.”
“And what do you expect me to do with this news?” Dad plants his hands on his hips. “Should I tell the Oakwood Pack that you’ve found another pack, and the wedding is off? Again? I’ve already ordered flowers.”
“I suppose you’ll have to cancel them,” Riven replies matter-of-factly. “They should have a refund policy.”
“A r-refund policy?” Dad shakes his head in a daze.
“For the flowers.” Riven shoots him a funny look as if questioning how he’s already forgotten.
I snort and cover my mouth with my hands.
“And there’s one more thing too.” Hale squares his shoulders. “We’ll be happy for Kady to continue her studies at SVU while working atTheValley Voice. Being part of our pack doesn’t make her our property. She’ll have all the freedom she wants, with us supporting her and vice versa.”
Calder nods fiercely in agreement. “Kady will never have to give up anything for us.”
