Taking a handful of popcorn, I grab the remote. Normally, we’d throw on a movie during our snuggle party but tonight, I pause.
“Can I talk to you guys about something?”
Rodney pops his head up off of Kei’s shoulder, narrowing his eyes at me. “Is this the dreaded ‘I’m leaving’ talk? If it is, then no, you may not say something.”
“What?”
Kei nods his head. “Your request to leave has been denied.”
“I’m not,” my words cut off. “What? I’m notleaving? What the fuck are you guys talking about?”
Rodney sighs. “We know you’re like thoroughly in love with Maki. Weknow, Rin. But we refuse to lose you in our pack! Alpha has denied your request!”
“Alpha has denied your request,” I murmur to myself, half in disbelief. I cannot believe he just said that.
Kei pokes Rodney. “Never say that again,” he grumbles before turning back towards me. He runs his wrist against the side of my neck, a gesture he does when he’s upset or nervous. “We don’t want you to leave us for Maki.”
I cover my face with my hands, breathing deeply. I do my best to keep myself calm instead of tackling both of my idiot best friends and knocking their heads together. “I amnotleaving!”
They both freeze, staring at me. “Okay,” Kei says slowly. “Then what did you want to talk about?”
“I love you both so much but you’re really dumb sometimes,” I tell them, shaking my head. “I wanted to see how you’d feel aboutaddingone to our pack, not taking one away.”
Rodney blinks at me. “Is Maki pregnant?”
“What?”
“Damnit, Rodney,” Kei says, flicking his cheek. “He means Maki, not a baby!”
“Oh shit. Right. Yeah. That makes sense,” Rodney says, looking over at me. “Why didn’t you just say?”
“I did! Literally just now! It’s not my fault your mind went straight to a baby!”
Kei groans, rubbing tiredly at his eyes. “Oh my gods,” he murmurs before we’re all falling together in a giggling pile of limbs. We are all ridiculous and I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.
Eventually, we all calm back down. The television is still silent and my heart is leaping up into my throat.
“It might take me a bit to fully accept another person into our pack,” Kei finally says, his voice soft and serious. “I can see he’s good for you. You’re more grounded now that you’re together.”
“I really like him,” Rodney says with a grin. “I’m not alpha but I’d let him in one of my nests if he wanted.”
“Thank you,” I say softly, looking at Kei.
He rolls his eyes. “Alpha approved,” he finally says, making a chuckle burst from my chest. I pull Kei into a tight hug, squeezing him tight until he finally fights against me, pushing me away.
“I’m going to mate him,” I tell my best friends once we’ve settled down again.
“You’re sure?” Kei asks, his eyebrows raised. “That’s a huge step.”
“I don’t think I’ve been more sure of anything before. I can feel it right here,” I say, touching the center of my chest. “He’s my mate.”
Kei nods his head. “Then yes, he can be part of our pack.”
“I’m really happy for you,” Rodney says, reaching over Kei’s chest to hold my hand. “You deserve to be loved the way Maki loves you.”
“Thanks,” I say, emotion welling up inside my chest. “I love you both.”
“We love you too,” Rodney says.
