I shrug, dragging a hand through my hair as I yawn. “I haven’t seen her in days and she bit you. It felt like a great choice at the time.” I think for a second, tilting my head. “Still does, actually.”
Jude scoffs, but he doesn’t argue. He knows if he was in my position he probably would have thought about doing the same thing. He never would have gone through with it, but at the very least it would have been under consideration in that big brain of his.
Hushed arguing from the other side of the room where Posey’s retreated has me leaning in closer, trying to make out any of the words, but Jude grabs my arm and drags me off the bed. I hit the floor with a thud, groaning quietly into the rug. “That was rude.”
He shrugs. “Don’t eavesdrop on our omega.Thatis rude.”
Posey startles me when she collapses onto the bed facedown and screams into the pillow. I exchange a concerned look with my pack mate before crawling back on the bed and rubbing a hand up and down her back in what I hope is a soothing pattern. “Everything alright, flower?” I ask hesitantly.
Her head snaps up so fast she whacks me in the face with her long hair. I cough, attempting to spit out the pieces that caught in my mouth as she sighs in exasperation, seemingly unaware of the hair-in-mouth situation. “Yes. No. Maybe. Depends how y’all feel about taking a quick weekend trip down to Georgia.”
“We heard a scream, is everything okay?” Paxton and Mack crash into the room at the same time, both half dressed and out of breath. Mack immediately goes to Posey’s side, running hands along her body like she was somehow injured between last night and this morning, and Pax looks between me and our pack lead, obviously sensing our confusion.
“What do you mean, doll?” Jude questions.
Posey whines, shoving her messy hair away from her face. “That was my mom and dads. Apparently Maisie opened her big mouth about Mack’s display in the courtyard and I just got a lecture about gettingengagedwithout even introducing him to my parents.” She shoots a glare at Mack and he grins unrepentantly. “So now they’re demanding I bring y’all home with me this weekend for the harvest festival.”
Pax chokes. “This weekend, as intomorrow?”
She nods, looking resigned, but there’s also a little twinkle in her eyes that makes me think she’s not as upset about this turn of events as she’s pretending to be. Jude told us she was feeling kind of homesick, and that alone makes up my mind. Glancing around at the rest of my pack, I smile. “I think it sounds like fun.”
Posey gives me a grateful smile and reaches out to place her hand over mine as she looks imploringly at the others. “They would come here if they could but because it’s harvest season and there’s an orchard on the ranch my parents own, they can’t take the time away. I understand if you aren’t ready yet, but given that Jude and I are bonded…”
Jude nods decisively, placing a knee down on the bed and leaning in to cup her cheek. “I would love to meet your parents, doll.”
“I mean we are engaged, I should probably go meet my future in-laws,” Mack smiles brightly.
Paxton is looking between me and our omega, panic lighting his eyes. He’s never done very well meeting new people especially with something as important as this, and I’m sure his anxiety is sky high. I give him a subtle nod to show him I have him, and he relaxes. “I think we would all love to see where you’re from and meet the people who raised such an incredible woman, sweetheart.”
Posey looks between all of us one last time before biting her lip. “Okay, I guess we’re going to Georgia.”
“Why do you seem so nervous, little doll?” Jude asks from his seat next to me. My parents insisted on purchasing plane tickets for the whole pack, so we’re all packed in to two rows in first class. The guys had a lot of questions when I showed them our seats, but I did what any respectable omega would do when faced with an uncomfortable conversation and pretended not to hear.
I haven’t figured out how to lock down my emotions in the bond yet, so I know my alpha has to be feeling the riot of emotions all tangled up in my mind. “I don’t know,” I whine. “I love my family and I am so excited for them to meet you guys, but I’ve never even had a boyfriend before and now I’m showing up bonded to a pack I’ve only known a month? I think I’m worried they’re going to be disappointed in me.”
Jude scoffs as he reaches over me to unbuckle my seatbelt and then pulls me into his lap, the scarf I gave him proudly around his neck. It smells like a mixture of both of our scents and acts as a balm to my frazzled nerves. “Posey I’ve never met your parents and even I know they could never be disappointed in you. But for something like following your instincts and saving me? I can’t imagine them being upset with you. And if they are, I’ll take the blame. After all, you only bit me to save me from going rabid.”
“Jude, no,” I coo, cupping his face in my hands. “Did your diagnosis speed up our timeline a little? Maybe. But can you honestly say Mack or Parker would have let us get to Christmas without demanding I bite them?” He shakes his head, and I laugh. “Exactly. You’re my scent match, Jude. My soulmate. I know I haven’t had a chance to say it yet, but I forgive you. I had already done so before we bonded, and I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to tell you before I pushed you to bite me back.”
He deflates, shoulders dropping as a ragged purr kicks up in his chest. “Thank god,” he murmurs, pulling me close. “I really am so sorry, doll. Thank you for giving me a chance. For not writing me off.”
“You’re forgiven.” I kiss him quickly, sending as much reassurance as I can through the bond. “Now let’s move on.”
He sends a push of affection back, warming me from the inside out. Actually… “Is the air on?”
Jude looks confused, but nods slowly. “It is. Your cheeks are flushed, are you feeling warm?”
Paxton overhears the question and leans across the aisle, placing a hand on my forehead. “Sweetheart you feel warm. Are you getting sick?”
I shake my head. I don’t feel sick, I just feel overheated. “I’m probably just anxious and dehydrated. A little fresh air and some cold water and I’ll be right as rain,” I assure them. Parker holds a bottle of water out over the seat in front of me, making me roll my eyes. One thing I’ve learned about that alpha is that of all four men, he’s the one with the most questionable morals when it comes to me. I truly don’t think there’s any line he wouldn’t cross if it meant getting to me or keeping me.
It’s thrilling.
But I can’t openly encourage his bad habits, so I paste a disapproving scowl on my face and take thebottle all while acting like I don’t find it sweet that he’s been listening in on our conversation while pretending to be asleep.
“Folks we have just engaged the seatbelt sign for our descent into Atlanta. Please fasten your seatbelts and return all tray tables to their upright positions to prepare for landing. Thank you for flying Signate Air.”
My stomach pitches at the same time as the plane, both from the sudden dip in altitude and nerves. We’ll rent a car to drive the last hour and a half to Honeybrook, but then it’s two days on the ranch with my parents who still don’t know I’m bonded.
