Six months since Griffin's disastrous dinner with the teacher from Emma's school, since Logan's failed coffee date with the new paramedic, since my own awkward encounter with the pharmaceutical rep who thought my professional demeanor was charming until she realized it wasn't an act.
"Maybe," I say carefully, "the problem isn't that we're broken, but we're trying to force something that isn't working."
Griffin's warm brown eyes narrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means we formed this pack because we were tired of being alone, not because we actually complement each other." The admission tastes like regret and mint. "We're three alphas who don't know how to live together, let alone attract someone who'd want to live with all of us."
Logan's scent shifts, leather and rain giving way to something deeper, more complex. Cedar and ash, the smell of old wounds and newer understanding. "You think we should call it quits?"
The question settles in my chest like a weight. End the pack. Go back to our separate lives, our separate apartments, our separate attempts at finding someone who might fill the empty spaces we've been trying to fill with each other.
"I think," I begin, then stop as the pub door opens and Dax Sullivan walks in.
Even from across the room, his clean pine scent carries warmth and contentment, the kind of deep satisfaction that comes from knowing exactly where you belong and who you belong with. His auburn hair catches the light from the vintage fixtures, and his kind green eyes scan the room until they find our booth.
He looks different. Happier. The kind of happiness that radiates from every pore and makes everyone around him want to smile.
"Sorry I'm late," Dax says as he slides into the booth next to Griffin. "Had an emergency at the clinic. Mrs. Patterson's cat decided to eat a rubber ball."
"How big was the ball?" I ask.
"Big enough to require surgery." Dax grins, the expression transforming his entire face. "But Mr. Whiskers is fine. Probably wondering why his favorite toy disappeared, but fine."
Logan actually cracks a smile at that, the first genuine expression I've seen from him in days. "Mrs. Patterson and her cats. How many does she have now?"
"Seven. And before you ask, yes, they're all named after literary characters, and yes, she dresses them up for holidays."
Griffin chuckles, the sound loosening something in my chest I didn't realize was tight. This is why we became friends in the first place, before the pack complications and the failed attempts at domestic bliss.
"So," Griffin says, gesturing to Dax with his beer bottle, "what's the big news? You sounded weird on the phone."
Dax's grin widens until I worry his face might split in half.
"I'm getting married."
The words hit the table like a physical blow. Logan's glass freezes halfway to his mouth. Griffin's eyes go wide, sandalwood spiking with surprise and something that might be envy. My own scent turns sharp with shock, mint and cologne mixing into something almost metallic.
“What?” Logan asks.
"To Emma," Dax continues, his happiness so intense it's almost overwhelming. "She said yes. We're getting married on Christmas Eve."
Christmas Eve. Three months away. The timeline hits me like a diagnosis I wasn't prepared for. "That's soon."
Of course, he is getting married to Emma, not only has he been dating her, but the other alphas in the Blackwater Pack too.
"I know it sounds crazy, but we don't want to wait. We've been dancing around each other for years, and now that we're finally together..." Dax shrugs, the gesture encompassing everything he can't put into words. "Life's too short, you know? When you find the person who makes everything make sense, why wait?"
The phrase twists in my chest like something sharp. When did I stop believing that person existed? When did I start settling for pack bonds built on convenience rather than connection?
"Congratulations," Griffin says, and his voice carries genuine warmth despite the complex emotions swirling beneath the surface. "Emma's perfect for your pack.”
"Thanks." Dax's scent settles into something warm and grateful. "And here's the thing. I want you guys to be part of it. Xavier, will you be my best man?"
I’ll be beside Dax as he promises his life to someone who loves him completely, watching him achieve everything the three of us have been failing to find for ourselves.
"I..." The word catches in my throat. "I'd be honored."
Dax's grin somehow gets even brighter. "Griffin, Logan, groomsmen?"
