"For what it's worth, I think you found the right pack," Jessica says. "I've watched the three of them interact with you, and they're genuinely obsessed with you. Like, in a healthy way. In a way that shows they actually care about your happiness and not just about having an omega to fulfill their biological needs."
"They really are," I agree. "It's all about love and respect. They know I'm working, they're not bothering or demanding I come home. I can work with you, do stuff by myself or withfriends and they respect that. I just love it. I've never felt so cared for in my entire life."
We make plans to tackle the rest of the wedding details tomorrow and say our goodbyes. As I'm driving home, I can't stop thinking about how much my life has changed in such a short time.
By the time I get home to the house that I now share with my pack, it's almost nine o'clock at night. Cassian is in the kitchen, doing something with pasta that he's somehow managed to not burn. Jett is sprawled on the couch looking like he's about one second away from falling asleep. Pine is reading a book in the armchair, looking like he's completely absorbed in whatever he's reading.
"She's alive," Cassian announces when he sees me. "We were beginning to worry that wedding planning had consumed you entirely."
"It almost did," I say, setting down my purse and moving into the kitchen. I slide my arms around Cassian from behind, and he leans back into me. "But Jessica and I managed to get most of the details sorted out today. We're actually in really good shape for the wedding."
"How much longer until the big day?" Pine asks, looking up from his book.
"Three days," I say. "Which means we're on schedule for everything."
"That's good," Jett says from the couch, finally opening his eyes to look at me.
I move away from Cassian and stand in the middle of the living room. "I need to show you guys something."
All three of them turn to look at me with varying expressions of curiosity. I carefully lift my sweater to show them my ribs, where the knot tattoo is still healing. Pine stands up and moves closer, his dark eyes tracking every line of ink that he created.
"The knot represents us," I say simply. "The four of us, bound together. Not by biology or necessity, but by choice. By showing up for each other every day."
Cassian walks over from the kitchen, his gray eyes fixed on the tattoo. He reaches out and traces the edge of it with one finger, careful not to press too hard on the still-healing skin. "It's perfect."
Jett has gotten up from the couch and is now standing close enough to see the details. “It’s beautiful," he says quietly.
"Pine designed the knot," I say, looking at Pine who's still watching me with those dark, intense eyes.
"I just drew what was already there," Pine says. "The connection. The bond. The choice we all made."
"I'm already bonded to three alphas," I say, pulling my sweater back down. "So everything is good."
"Fair point," Jett concedes.
We eat dinner together, and it's domestic in a way that I've come to love. We talk about our day. We talk about work and weddings and Savannah's recovery. We talk about the babies and how Savannah's pack is managing with three newborns.
After dinner, I take a shower and settle into bed between Cassian and Jett, with Pine on the other side of Jett. This has become our standard sleeping arrangement, and it feels right in a way that nothing else in my life has ever felt right.
"Tell me about the wedding," Pine says, and I can hear genuine interest in his voice.
"Sixty guests," I say, snuggling deeper into my pillow. "All close family and friends. White and blush roses with eucalyptus. The Brownbox pack looks at Tangle Peak like she hung the moon. She looks at them the same way. It's going to be beautiful."
"Because they love each other," Jett says softly.
"Yes, they do," I confirm.
I fall asleep surrounded by my pack, by the warmth of three alphas who chose me and continue to choose me every single day. I love them, and they love me. Also, there's three days left until the wedding that's going to change everything for Bourbon Bliss Weddings.
Thank you, universe, life just can't get any better than this.
28
CASSIAN
Ipull into the Bourbon Bliss Weddings office parking lot armed with coffee from Los Tacos and the intention of making myself useful. Sharon's going to protest. She always protests when I offer to help, like she thinks she's going to burden me with her stress. But the truth is, I want to help. I want to be involved in something that matters to her.
The office is warm when I walk in, and it smells like coffee and cinnamon and the faint scent of Jessica's beta contentment mixed with Sharon's strawberry and honey. Sharon is sitting at her desk with her hair pulled back in a messy bun that's already falling apart, and she's wearing reading glasses that she doesn't think I know she needs for seeing small print.
