Page 157 of All Packed Up

“But I—this isn’t… I’m always gonna have this stupid scar,” she finally said, words bitten out harsh, a little angrier than she intended.

It hadn’t occurred to her until just then. If she wanted to have a mate, a bond of someone of her own choice… they’d have to bite her, to know that she also belonged to someone else. To Derek.

Nic was a beta, so she hadn’t even let herself think about the possibility of another bond. Since he was a beta, they couldn’t have a bond. Alphas could bond betas and omegas, but omegas and betas couldn’t bond on their own, not without an alpha to tie them together.

“That doesn’t matter, Wendy—listen,” Tate said, voice growing firmer as he reached out to thread their fingers together. “He doesn’t matter.”

The slim case was removed from her grip and was replaced with Arlo’s fingers twining through hers. “What he said.”

“Bonds and bite marks are something we don’t even have to think about right now,” Tate reasoned. “Courting is just the beginning.”

“And if it’s too soon, we can shelve it for now and come back to it later,” Arlo added.

Wendy didn’t know what to say as her gaze dipped from one alpha to the other.

“Or like, you can pretend we didn’t ask,” Tate offered, dipping his head. “That’s cool with us too.”

Arlo nodded in complete agreement, and she could practically see the sweat beading on their foreheads. “I can’t believe… that you’re nervous right now,” Wendy said, finally releasing her breath.

Arlo made a choked noise in his throat, and Tate reached over to slap him on the back before he chuckled.

Wendy squeezed their fingers in her own, lifted them up to her lips and grinned before pressing her lips against them both. Her cheeks were absolutely flaming as she muffled a laugh.

Wendy was quiet for another moment before finally nodding. “Yeah, okay, fine. You can court me I guess,” she said, tears making her vision waver. “I come with a lot of baggage,” she added. “I still don’t even think I know how many suitcases there are.”

“I will gladly help you carry some of it,” Tate promised.

“Me too,” Arlo added. He was biting down on his smile, reached up and swiped her wet cheeks. “Thanks for giving us the chance.”

“Stop being so adorable,” she blubbered.

Wendy stood up on her knees and practically fell on top of the alphas, wrapping her arms around them in a bruising hug. Their arms circled her, held her so tight she had no choice but to feel safe and cherished. Maybe even a little wanted.

They wanted to court her, even after she’d convinced herself that no one but those awful alphas would ever want her at all.

That was one more thing she was going to have to unlearn.

How long would it be before she stopped listening to their voices? Before she even separated them out from her own?

Wendy sucked in a shaky breath, her senses filled with more of Tate’s and Arlo’s scents.

Arlo tucked his head in her left shoulder and Tate in her right. After just a few breaths, the tension slipped from her shoulders, and she hummed happily between them.

“Thank you for the nest, and the joints in the case.”

Slowly, she leaned back, wondering if they could feel the heat from her face. It was an unconscious decision to lean to Arlo, the closest, and press her lips to his.

They were as soft as they looked, much warmer than she expected. His hand dropped to her waist, offering her balance when she leaned closer, as she wrapped her hand around the side of his neck. Sparks danced along her senses as their mouths mirrored each other and she pulled back with a surprised sound.

Arlo was all heavy-lidded grins that sent a trill of excitement through her. And next to him, Tate was waiting patiently, like a puppy anticipating a treat. She leaned toward him, and he placed his hand on her other hip, squeezed tight as she crushed their lips together.

After the night with him and Nic, Wendy had secretly been anticipating this moment. It was purely self-serving, and she didn’t feel a damned bit bad about it. She wanted to watch them together. She wanted to be right between them just like she’d been between Nic and Tate.

Her thoughts raced as quickly as her pulse, matching the symphony echoing in her chest.

Heat practically warmed every inch of her skin, and she pulled back from Tate.

She sucked in a slow breath, but all she could smell was Tate and Arlo. Alphas.