He trailed his hand through my hair before leaving with Maximo.
“Whew,” Poppy said, fanning her face.
“I was going to ask how things are going with your alphas, but I think that’s all I need to know,” Westin said, her eyes dancing with humor.
“Fuck that,” Poppy said. “I want to knoweverything.” She raised her brows suggestively.
“Everything’s going really great,” I said primly, taking a sip of my chai latte.
“Come on, Josie,” Clementine said. “I’m living vicariously through you. Give us more details than that.”
I bit my lip. I had been looking forward to meeting my friends today because I needed their advice.
“Well, yesterday they told me they wanted to bond me,” I said slowly, my voice drowned out by excited squeals.
“I’m so happy for you,” Clementine said.
“They said they’ll wait until I’m ready, but it’s what they want.” My face heated as flashes of last night flitted through my mind.
“Girl, I see that blush. Now I want to know what you were doing when they asked you,” Poppy said.
I shot her a dirty look and she just laughed. Damn her for being so perceptive.
“Just as I thought,” she said. “While I always say the more alphas the better, three really is a great number. No one is left out—you have one for every…”
“I swear to god, Poppy, if you finish that sentence, I’m going to dump this water on you,” Westin said quickly.
Poppy just smiled and winked. My face was seconds away from going up in flames.
But also… she wasn’t wrong.
“Ignore her,” Westin said. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve this, Josie.”
“Thanks.” I bit my lip and fidgeted with the napkin in my lap. “I just… how do I know if I’m ready?”
“Why wouldn’t you be ready?” Clementine asked. “You love them, right?”
“Of course,” I responded. “But I haven’t known them that long and bonding is a forever decision.”
My unspoken fears danced through my head: What if they changed their minds? Realized they’d made a mistake? Met a better omega and cast me aside? I felt so secure in our relationship when I was with my alphas, but doubt pricked at me the moment we were apart.
“Josie, those alphas are obsessed with you. That won’t change,” Clementine said, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “Poppy, how did you decide it was time to bond your alphas?”
Poppy looked thoughtful. “My process was a little different because my alphas courted me for a month while I was at the DA. I felt a connection with them right away because we’re mates. But honestly, when they asked me to move in, all I could think about was getting out of the fucking Academy,” she said with a grimace.
The briefest bolt of jealousy went through me that she had only spent two months at the DA, but I quickly shoved it aside. I didn’t want anyone to suffer like I had, least of all Poppy, who I loved.
“Once I moved in, we still had a couple weeks until my heat. We ended up bonding during my heat, which was, like, the hottest experience of my life. But yeah, we had known each other longer than you’ve known your alphas, Josie. You’ve also gone through a lot more than I have.” Poppy’s voice was unusually soft and sincere as she reached over and squeezed my other hand. “I’m so confident you’ll love being bonded to them, but you get to take all the time you need.”
“Thanks,” I said, touched by her support.
“I didn’t realize your alphas are your mates, Poppy,” Clementine said. “I guess it really is more common than the government says.” She whispered that last part, glancing around the small café to make sure no one overheard.
“I wish I could feel it,” I said, scooting closer to the table and keeping my voice low. “My alphas said they knew right away that I was their mate, but I can’t feel it yet.”
“Do you think they’re lying?” Westin asked, her voice sharp.
“No, I don’t,” I admitted. “But it would be helpful if I could actually feel it myself. And besides, fated mates just means we’re biologically a perfect match, right? It doesn’t necessarily mean anything about actual compatibility.”
