I rested my phone in the basket, the maps app open to help me navigate. Lars’s family home wasn’t far—nothing wasfarin Starlight Grove—but it was off Main Street in a neighborhood I hadn’t explored yet.
My jaw dropped when I pulled up to the house. It was a stunning Victorian with gorgeous mature trees in the front yard. I could imagine a young Lars growing up here, climbing trees with Easton and Finn and getting into trouble.
I was too distracted by the house to notice a tall, blonde woman walking towards me. Her expression was assessing as she ran her eyes over me, but then she broke out in a smile.
“Are you Olive?”
“Um, yes.” My voice was all weird and croaky.
“I’m Frida, one of Lars’s moms. It’s so nice to meet you.”
She was right in front of my bike as if subtly blocking me from riding away. Why had I done this? I should have just stayed home. I was going to make a fool of myself in front of this alpha, and then Lars would realize I wasn’t good enough for him.
“I made cookies.” I thrust the tupperware at her. “They’re probably not very good. And, um, sorry aboutthe fire.”
Frida’s mouth twitched as she took the container. “Why don’t you come inside? Lars is busy tearing open all our walls to check the wiring, but we can keep you company. And now we’ll have cookies.”
“I don’t want to intrude.”Please, please don’t make me.
But then, somehow, Frida was guiding me off the bike, putting down the kickstand, and gently nudging me across the front yard until we were inside the front door. Oh god, I wasn’t even dressed up. I was in leggings and an oversized sweater, and I still had my helmet on.
“I think everyone is in the library right now,” Frida said as she unbuckled my helmet and put it down by the door. She seemed to understand I was too dazed to do anything right now, or maybe it was just her alpha instincts taking over.
“Isla, our omega, is a big reader, so we made her this library,” she said as she led me into a dark green room with built-in shelves lined with books. “Hey, everyone, this is Olive.”
Three women were curled up on a plush green velvet couch.
“TheOlive?” The smallest of the women jumped off the couch and pulled me into her arms. She had white-blonde hair and blue eyes. “I’m Isla. I’m so excited to meet you.” Her scent was woodsy and floral, reminding me of both Lars’s and Lucy’s scents, and I wondered if she was their biological mom.
“Olive baked us cookies.” Frida pressed a kiss to the side of her omega’s face.
“Oh, that’s so sweet.”
The other two women introduced themselves as Jo, a tall alpha with broad shoulders and a dark pixie cut, and Harper, a bubbly alpha with curly, jet-black hair, and before I knew it, I was sandwiched between them on the couch.
Frida put the cookies on the coffee table in front of us and everyone grabbed one, thanking me.
“They’re probably not good,” I muttered, but they completely ignored me.
“I love chocolate chip,” Jo said, sighing happily. “We should probably save one for Lars, orhe’ll throw a fit.”
“Olive, you’re sooo pretty,” Harper said. “You better make sure Lars puts in the work to earn you.”
I didn’t know what to say. It was the same thing Rosie said in the diner, but in my experience,Iwas the one who had to earn an alpha’s approval. I took a bite of the cookie Isla pressed into my hand and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t terrible. Slice-and-bake for the win.
Lars’s moms carried the conversation, occasionally pulling me in, and I slowly settled deeper into the couch, the tension from my shoulders easing.
“Here he is,” Isla said, smiling at Lars, who came to an abrupt stop in the doorway to the library, eyes wide as he took me in.
“Olive.”
Oh god. Did he not want me here?
Before I could spiral, he was across the room, pulling me off the couch and into his arms. His hold was crushing, and I melted into him.
“Are you okay, sweetheart? Why did no one tell me you were here?” His tone was accusing as he looked around at his moms.
“You were busy,” Harper said, waving away her son’s concerns. “And we needed a chance to get to know your omega.”
