Page 16 of Yes Now Yes Forever

My gaze turned to Lyra, and I watched as she dropped her gaze to her hands, picking at the fringe on the decorative pillow in her lap. “I’ve been in therapy long enough to know when my therapist pushes for something I should probably listen to their advice.”

The need to get up and wrap my arms protectively around Lyra surged in me. For the longest time, I’d felt I was a failure of an Alpha since I never responded like I was supposed to. When I met Fawn, I knew he was mine and that I loved him. Yet I didn’t feel the same possessive drive Tanner and Zachary had to get past due to his job. I was protective of Fawn, doing all I could to ensure no harm came to him, and strove to always ensure he was happy and healthy. However, now that Lyra was in my life, I fully understood how every other Alpha felt about their Omega and the internal battle they faced to keep themselves under control.

“How would you like to move this conversation forward, Lyra?” Dr. Mann asked.

“They know the truth about my mother, the accident, and what my life was like after. Really, the only part of my life we don’t talk about often or in detail is the years with my previous pack,” Lyra shared.

The mention of the men who cast her aside had all of us Alphas growling. Since my gaze was locked on Lyra’s face, I saw the slight twitch of her lips as if she were fighting a smile. Having caught it, though, settled something in me to see she was pleased with our reaction.

“Good, it will make it simpler for them to understand what we’ve uncovered today. As I told Lyra, I’ve been doing research focused on ways to help Omegas who have been through traumatic events. I believe there might be a simple yet significant way all of you will be able to help give Lyra the stability she needs,” Dr. Mann announced.

We all shifted our attention back to Lyra, expecting her to tell us, but it seemed she was as clueless as we were.

“They can?” Lyra questioned, her brows furrowing.

“Indeed,” Dr. Mann confirmed. “All that’s needed is for you to bond with your Alphas. You see, the things we lack are often found within the pack, it’s what makes it such a great system. Each and every one of these men was a perfect match to you and vice-versa.”

Lyra’s eyes went wide with shock and a hint of worry. The way Dr. Mann talked about bonding, I’d take a wild guess they hadn’t talked about her feelings on the matter. Since the day we met her in Eli’s office, the topic of bonding had been out of the question. Hell, we’d been thrilled when she agreed to move in with us, although I think the accidental bonding with Fawn was the real reason she said yes.

Still, after ending up in the hospital and finding out about her mother, things had changed for the better. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was exactly, and if I had to guess, I’d say it no longer felt like she had one foot out the door. Since she’d been back home things had been a little rocky, which was to be expected, yet I wasn’t worried she’d turn her back on us. In the beginning, we’d bent over backward to ensure Lyra felt zero pressure to move faster than she was ready for, and we were happy to do it. If there was one thing none of us questioned, it was the fact Lyra was worth doing whatever was needed for her to stay in our lives.

“B-bonding,” Lyra stuttered.

Dr. Mann nodded and carried on with her explanation. “Yes, as soon as I saw the way you responded to Fawn and how he could help you through your bond, I felt confident this was the best way forward. I’ll be honest, at first I was going to caution you from bonding just yet after everything. The last thing you need is to be bombarded with others’ emotions. However, I was proved wrong. Scent bonded matches have the deepest connection known to exist, there are no secrets, no lies, only truth. When your mind starts to fill your head with worries or negativity, they will know and ground you in the truth. People forget the true power of a pack, and it can do more for you than any medication I prescribe you.”

The room fell silent as we all took a moment to digest Dr. Mann’s suggestion and explanation. Lyra started to say something, then stopped, shifting her gaze to Eli as if silently pleading for him to step in.

With a grace I would never possess, Eli stood, offered his hand to Lyra, and helped her to her feet before turning to the doctor. “You have given us all a lot to think about as a family. I truly appreciate you taking the time to come to us. It’s clear how important your patients are to you, and that’s something I respect immensely.”

My brows raised in surprise at the eloquent way Eli ended the session without sounding rude. People skills were not my strength, which is why I stuck to working behind a screen in my home office. It’s harder to offend people when you never have to speak to them directly.

“If any of you have questions or, Lyra, you want to talk, don’t hesitate to call my office. I’m happy to do a video chat as well if something urgent comes up,” Dr. Mann said as she shook all our hands before Fawn escorted the doctor to the door.

The second we were alone again, Eli scooped Lyra up and settled on the couch between us. I grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it as I purred loudly, offering my support as Eli nuzzled his nose in her hair. Within seconds, Lyra let out a contented sigh, curled up, and rested her head on my lap. My love for this woman was almost overwhelming, which caused my hands to shake as I combed my fingers through her hair. Eli pulled the blanket off the back of the couch, knelt on the floor, and covered our girl with it.

“Petal, I need to meet with Jonathan, and the sooner I go, the faster I can be back,” Eli said in a quiet voice. “Promise me you’ll take a nap or at least rest until I get back. I know you haven’t been sleeping well.”

Lyra nodded, pulled Eli to her for a quick kiss, then snuggled into me as her eyes fluttered closed.

I met Eli’s gaze and, in a silent exchange, assured him I’d make sure Lyra didn’t let her fears keep her from the sleep we all knew she needed.

It felt odd to be back at my parents’ house where I’d lived until two weeks ago. However, Jonathan and I both agreed it would be the best place for us to meet. The media was still following our every move, but the gated community I’d grown up in would keep the jackals at bay. Not to mention the added assurance that no one who wasn’t trusted would overhear anything being said.

When I walked into the main living room, I found Crew stretched out on the couch with headphones on and a tablet in hand. It was clear he hadn’t heard me enter as he frowned at whatever was on the screen, chewing on the butt of his stylus. Once I was close enough, I waved a hand in front of his face, which caused my younger brother to jerk back, almost falling off the couch.

“Fucking shit,” Crew swore as he yanked off his headphones. “What the hell, Eli.”

I smirked as I slid my hands into the pockets of my slacks. “Is that how I should expect to be greeted now when I come to visit? People might think you’re happy to finally have the house all to yourself.”

Crew rolled his green eyes which were identical to our father, Rawlins’. “Bro, it’s only been a week. You’re gonna need to be gone longer than that for me to miss you. Right now, it feels like you’ve been on a business trip or something.”

“You must be lost in a project not to notice it’s actually been two weeks,” I corrected.

My brother sat up, frowning. He grabbed his phone and pulled up his calendar. “Well, would you look at that? My, how time flies. So, what brings you back here in the middle of the afternoon?”

“I’m meeting with Jonathan and his investigator,” I shared. “With the press still following our every move, I thought it would be best to keep a low profile. Mira Chambers decided to counter-sue.”

Rage flashed in my younger brother’s eyes. “Fucking bitch,” he growled out, shoving to his feet. “Tell me what grounds exactly she could have to sue you? There is no disputing the facts of what she did, her own fucking son turned his back on her to get a better deal.”