Grant’s face turns bright red, and he tries to hide behind his hair. Ariana claps and points at me. “The Alpha asks a valid question!”
“Yes.”
“Couldn’t hear that. What did you say?” This teasing, playful side of Ariana is so nice to see after how tough it’s been getting her to open up to us these past few days.
“Yes, okay? I did. My pants were already gone. I didn’t have much else to lose.” He grabs a blanket from the couch and tosses it over his head. His voice is muffled when he continues talking. “Okay, time to laugh at Ivan.”
I hope she doesn’t laugh at me. It may break my heart if she does.
I hold up the Christmas ornament. At first glance, it’s nothing special. Just a snowflake with a year printed on it. “Mine isn’t embarrassing like Grant’s, or empowering like yours, Ariana.” I extend the ornament to her and drop it in her waiting hand. “But it is personal, which I think was their goal, and does tell you a lot about me.”
She turns the ornament over in her hands, squinting at the date on it.
“That’s the year I ‘met’ you. I’ve gotten you one for our tree every year since.” Her eyes grow soft, but she doesn’t raise them to meet mine. “In my family, we all got a new ornament each year. It’s a tradition on my mom’s side. I didn’t think it was right for you not to have one, too. You’re my Omega, a part of our pack. I wanted you represented on my tree, too.”
I never told Grant and Derrick what the ornament was. I think they thought it was simply an ornament for each year our pack was together.
But that wasn’t it, even if the dates do coincide.
“Family is the most important thing to me. And you’re part of mine, Ariana, even if I’m not a part of yours yet.”
She holds it against her chest. I don’t know how production got this, but I’m glad they did. I never would’ve thought to admit this to her, but I think it’s something that will help her start to understand me.
“Thank you, Ivan, for including me in your tradition.”
“You don’t have to thank me for that, sweetie. You’re my Omega. Even before I caught your pheromones, I knew that I wanted you. That I love you.”
The way she looks at me makes me think she may be starting to believe me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The dinnerthey sent as our reward was amazing. It was clearly from a high-end steakhouse, because the filet melted on my tongue. And the creme brulee we got as a dessert?
Heavenly.
I’m not sure if I consider the silk pajamas “doubling” the reward, but they are the most comfortable ones I’ve ever worn.
And now the three of us match, which is cute.
I wonder if they’ll have a set for Derrick?
I’m cuddled up in a blanket on the couch with my e-reader when Bridgette’s face replaces Ivan’s video game. Grant looks up from his puzzle at the ping.
“Don’t you all look cozy! You look great in the pajamas.”
“Thanks for the compliment, but you totally made me lose that race. What’s up?” Ivan leans back on his hands and peers up at the screen.
“I need Ariana in theinterview room right now.”
My back stiffens, and I brace my feet on the ground. “Why? We’ve kept the cameras on.”
“It’s nothing bad, hun, we just have some things we need to talk about privately.”
The churning in my gut makes me think it will be bad, but I can’t turn her down. I’m slow to stand, but I nod at Bridgette’s image.
“Yeah, okay, sure.”
As I pass Grant and Ivan, they each make sure to touch me in some way, helping ground me. I make the short walk to the interview room and pull the door open like I’m the final girl in a horror movie.
