We love each other, and while love may not be the only thing you need, it’s a great start.
Chapter Thirty-One
Grant comes backto the table, a manila envelope in his hand. I expected a lot more than a single envelope, given the buildup Bridgette did.
“What’s that?” Ivan leans over his shoulder, trying to see what Grant is holding.
“I haven’t opened it yet. Can’t be much.”
I reach over and put a hand on top of his. “Do you want to do the honors?”
Instead of answering, Grant opens the envelope. He pulls out a single piece of paper and places it in front of me. “You read it.”
READ THIS OUT LOUD:
Ariana, Grant, and Ivan,
Are you ready for your last challenge here in theexpectedhouse? We’re thrilled by the way you’ve bonded andshared so much of yourselves while here, despite the somewhat rocky start. Even with Derrick having to leave the house, you have still managed to make real connections.
Your challenge for today is to make sure they last. To win the grand prize, you will need to bite one of the men into your pack, Ariana.
Your choice. You have until midnight.
The letter weighsa hundred pounds in my hands.
“Can they do that? Have they done this before?” Ivan snatches the paper from me, as if it will say something different when it’s in his hands.
“No, they haven’t.” Grant’s voice is shaky and weak.
I don’t say anything.
I can’t.
The prize is huge, the biggest they’ve ever offered.
But I don’t need a trip to Vegas.
I don’t want a fancy trip.
Not when it comes with strings like this.
The prize is not enough to bind me to someone for life. They could reject the bond once I bite, but that’s almost guaranteed to be a one-way ticket to an FOS diagnosis.
Ivan and Grant are wonderful. Getting to know them has eased much of the heartache of discovering that Sax wasn’t real. But we’re not there yet.
Are we?
Some Omegas bond their scent matches immediately. I have always thought that was a bad call. We’re all human.Some matches could be awful people. Being a scent match doesn’t mean that they’re going to be good to you. And while the chance of meeting multiple scent matches isn’t high, it’s not impossible. Especially when, like Grant, Derrick, and Ivan, they’re already tied to one another in some way.
No one actually knows what draws Alphas to packs. A lot of the time, packs form around Omegas. But so many Alphas give up their dream of having an Omega and pack up for companionship.
But the guys aren’t awful people. They lied and deceived me, sure, but it was never for malicious reasons.
In their own way, they were protecting me. I didn’t want to expose myself to Alphas, and they respected that, but they wanted to take care of me, be my emotional support, so they made it work.
My mind is reeling, my thoughts a jumbled mess, when Ivan’s hand claps down on my shoulder.
“Sweetie, you do not have to do this. The prize is not worth your discomfort. But you should know that, if you’re ready, so are we. We want this.”
