Jessica and I claim a table near one of the fireplaces, and I can feel the warmth of it seeping into my bones. The tension of the day starts to drain out of me as I settle into the comfortable chair.
"Hot chocolate and a grilled cheese," the server says, setting down plates in front of us. Jessica and I had apparently decided on the same thing without actually discussing it.
"We're becoming that type of pair," Jessica says, looking at our identical meals. "The kind that thinks alike and finishes each other's sentences. Pretty soon we're going to be the weird best friends that everyone assumes are more than friends."
"Are you worried about that?" I ask, taking a bite of my grilled cheese. It's perfect. Melted cheese and toasted bread and just the right amount of butter.
"Not even a little bit," Jessica says. "My beta hormones are way too chill to care about gossip. Let them think whatever they want. I'm happy having a friend who understands wedding planning and doesn't judge me for stress eating at midnight."
We eat, enjoying the warmth of the cafe and the soft ambiance around us. Jessica dips her grilled cheese into her hot chocolate, which should be weird but somehow works.
"Oh, I almost forgot," I say, setting down my mug. I pull up the sleeve of my sweater carefully, wincing slightly as the fabric drags over still-healing skin.
"I got a tattoo." Jessica's eyes go wide.
"Wait, what? When?"
"A few days ago," I say, standing up and moving closer so she can see better. I lift my sweater to show her my ribs, where the fresh ink is still slightly red and tender.
"This is the knot. Pine designed it."
Jessica leans in, studying the intricate design. Her expression shifts from surprise to appreciation.
"It's beautiful. What does it mean?"
"It represents the pack bond," I explain, my fingers hovering near the tattoo without actually touching it. It's still too sore for that.
"The connection between me and Cassian and Jett and Pine. See how the lines interweave? That's us. Separate but connected. Independent but unified."
"That's actually really meaningful," Jessica says softly.
"Does it hurt?" "Like hell," I admit, laughing as I sit back down.
"But I love it. Pine's supposed to do another one for me later—a phoenix for just me, for my transformation. But I wanted this one first. The pack bond."
"That's beautiful," Jessica says softly. "Both the tattoo and the meaning behind it."
I grin. "The phoenix is going to go on my shoulder, above my bonding mark. But I need to wait for this one to heal first. Pine says it'll be a few months."
"Maybe I should get a tattoo," Jessica says thoughtfully, picking up her grilled cheese again.
I point my own sandwich at her like a weapon. "Don't. You'll get addicted. You'll want them all over your body. Before you know it, you'll be covered head to toe in meaningful symbolism and regret."
Jessica laughs so hard she nearly spits out her hot chocolate. "Is that what happened to you? Tattoo addiction?"
"I already want a third one," I confess. "So yes, apparently I have a problem."
We finish our meal and talk about the wedding and Jessica's evolving scent and whether she's ready to deal with potentially being an omega. By the time we leave, I'm feeling lighter than I have in days.
"Can I ask you something?" Jessica says as we're walking back to where we parked our cars.
"Of course," I say, pulling my coat tighter against the cold.
"Do you ever regret it?" she asks. "Finding your pack? You know, because it ties you down. Because now you have obligations to three alphas instead of just existing on your own terms."
I stop walking and think about her question seriously. The snow crunches under my boots as I shift my weight. "No," I say finally. "I don't regret it at all. If anything, I regret not finding them sooner. I spent so many years thinking I was broken because I wasn't finding my perfect alpha. But I was looking for one alpha to complete me, when what I actually needed was a pack that made me feel complete."
Jessica nods like she understands, even though I know she doesn't experience the same biological imperative that I do as an omega. But she's listening like my answer matters to her, and that's what makes her a good friend.
