Chapter 42
FORTY-TWO
Faye
“I can’t believe I slept for fourteen hours. You should have woken me.”
I wake up with Damon’s arm draped over me. Everyone else is already up and dressed, Laz hurrying forward to offer me a tray laden with buttery toast and jam.
“It’s to be expected after bonding,” Cole assures me. “I called our pack doctor—”
“You called the doctor because I overslept?”
He shuffles his feet, looking a bit bashful. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Sleeping more is a good sign.” Ren adds, perched on the edge of the sofa. “It means your bond is becoming part of you. How does your connection to Damon feel today?”
“I feel…” Before, being close to Damon felt like a gnawing need at the forefront of my mind. That persistent longing has lessened. “Let me try something.”
I shuffle out from under Damon. He grumbles in objection then rolls over again, still not fully awake.
I pad across the living room, creating distance from him. Our connection no longer feels like it’s strained, like a rubber band that’ll snap when pulled.
“Not quite as overwhelming, huh?” Ren grins, realizing what I’m doing. “That means you’ve successfully moved onto the final stage. The bond adaption phase. Your body and pheromones are now in tune. Your bond won’t feel as intense outside of heats.”
“How do you know all this?” I should be the one to have completed all the research, but Ren and Cole seem to be experts.
“He stayed up all night reading with a torch.” Laz kicks Ren’s foot. “While snuggled up next to your feet.”
“Did not!” Ren jumps up. “Well, maybe for a bit, but I read other things too.”
“Aside from tormenting Ren, don’t you have a class to prepare for, Laz?” Cole asks, crossing his arms as Ren plops back down onto the couch. “I know you have a design assignment due today.”
“Have you memorized all our schedules?” Laz rolls his eyes.
“Pretty much,” Cole smirks. “And I know Ren’s teaching a seminar that he’ll be late for if he doesn’t hurry.”
I love how he keeps them all in check. He wants them to do well.
Damon’s cell phone rings from underneath his pillow. Frowning when he sees the caller ID, he picks up. “Yeah?” We can’t hear what the person says on the other side, but Damon’s expression darkens. “Okay, I’ll call you back.”
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“That was my boss, Orin. They’re short on security. He wouldn’t usually call me in, especially right now—he knows the rules around bonding—but there’s a big soccer game between rival alphas that’s expected to get out of control. The fans are already arriving.”
“You should help out.” I try to smooth out the crease between his eyes.
“Are you sure?” he asks, concern clear in his tone. “I’d rather stay with you.”
“We’ve moved onto the bond adaption phase, or so Ren says.” I grin at him. “They need you. And maybe it’ll be good to stretch the bond and see how it feels?”
“Fine.” Damon sits up, tormenting me with his rippling muscles and intricate tattoos. “But if you need me, all you’ve gotta do is call. I’ll drop whatever I’m doing.” He quickly texts his boss. “I’ll let Orin know I’ll be there.”
“I guess that just leaves the two of us, Faye,” Cole says. “If you’re feeling up to it, you can join me for a house viewing this morning?”
“Doesn’t everyone else want to see it too?” If it were me, I’d like to see the place I’d possibly be calling home for a few years.
“If you like it, we’ll like it,” Ren retorts. “That’s all that matters.”
“And if I don’t like the decor, I’ll change it.” Laz shrugs. “No biggie.”
“As long as it has a roof, nest, and a big enough bed, I don’t give a fuck,” Damon replies. “And a fridge of my own.”
I roll my eyes. “Of course, that’s a non-negotiable.”
“I guess it’s just the two of us then, beautiful.” Cole’s mouth quirks, giving me a peek at his dimple. “So you’re in?” He checks his watch. “Will you be ready in an hour?”
I agree, and by the time I’ve eaten and dressed, everyone has already left to go to class or work, leaving only Cole waiting for me. His white T-shirt fits loosely but still hugs his muscles, and he smells so good. Fresh, warm, and excited.
“So where is this mystery house?” I ask him as we leave.
“You’ll see.” He takes my hand. “Frank called in sick today, so I could drive us myself, but I thought we’d walk and take the scenic route.”
Campus looks even more magical now that the leaves are changing color. Lush green leaves are turning faint, their edges curling like they’ve been kissed by the sun.
When we reach the lake, we pause, giving me time to stare across at the striking bonded houses.
“I know you really wanted one of the beach houses.” Cole follows my gaze. “But there aren’t any available until next year.”
“That’s okay.” I swallow my disappointment. “I know they’re popular. I’m sure whatever you found will be amazing.”
“I said there weren’t any beach houses available, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t get one.
See that house right at the end of the row?
” He points to the prettiest house on the street.
It’s slightly set away from the others and has the largest stretch of beach in front of it.
“The pack who had the lease were waiting to transfer to a college in Seattle. I may have had to pull a few strings to speed up their transfer. The house is ours if we want it. Do you want to see inside?”
“Yes!” I jump up to hug him. “Of course, I do!”
He grins as he walks to a nearby golf cart, opening the door for me to get in.
“I already had a crew thoroughly scent clean the house and remove all the furniture, so it’s a completely blank slate.
” I’m bubbling with excitement as Cole drives, making it difficult to concentrate on what he says.
“I know it’s not as flashy as some of the other houses, but we can make it our own. ”
Having each pack’s personal touches, all of the beach houses are slightly different.
“We’d be Amora’s neighbors!” I squeal in realization as we pass the Princeton pack house, continuing until we pull to a stop in front of the adorable, sage-colored house.
It’s three stories with a terracotta shingle roof, and a terrace that wraps around the entire first floor.
It’s more beach-weathered than some of the bonded houses, but that only makes me love it more.
I don’t need to live somewhere that looks like a carbon copy of Barbie’s Malibu dream house, like another home we passed.
It’s cozy, kinda like a beachy treehouse, nestled between swaying palms.
Cole opens the cart door for me then takes my hand, leading me up the house steps while twirling keys around his finger.
“Are you ready?” He doesn’t wait for my answer, pushing the door open.
From the moment I step inside, I instantly feel at home. It’s decorated in neutral colors—soft creams and whites—and it has incredible natural light that would provide optimal growing conditions for all the plants I’d like to have.
The downstairs floor is split into two sections.
There’s a kitchen and dining area with a gigantic sliding door that opens up to a gorgeous side patio that stretches onto our own private beach.
There’s also a living space with a floor-to-ceiling window that looks out across the lake and mountains in the distance. Sunsets here will be breathtaking.
Upstairs, there are enough bedrooms for the guys to have their own, but they’re modest—enough for a bed, desk, and dresser.
The wrap-around terrace makes the house seem bigger and means we can do an entire lap around the house.
I imagine the carnage Laz will cause, sneaking out to terrorize Ren when he’s knee-deep in studying or wearing a scary mask and peering in Damon’s window while he’s listening to heavy metal music.
Cole points out exciting features like the air-conditioning and custom lights.
And my eagerness ramps up even more as he makes suggestions for renovations like adding more fridges, putting up an extra TV, turning the basement into a mini arcade for Laz, and maybe putting a tiki bar outside.
I nod along, taking it all in and too stunned to speak.
How can this be my life?
Cole pauses at the bottom of the stairs to the third floor. “Do you want to look at the nest by yourself?”
“No.” I take his hand. His chivalry is something Gram would approve of. “I want you to come with me.”
“Of course, little omega.”
My jaw drops when I see the room—no, floor—that could be my nest. It’s the largest space in the house.
It has a wooden beam ceiling, which will look magical when wrapped in fairy lights and climbing plants.
There are also plenty of nooks that, with papasan chairs, would make ideal reading corners.
In the middle of the room, there’s an enormous recessed area, like a swimming pool without water.
Cole points at it. “We can get a custom-made bed to fit there.”
“That would be amazing.” There’d be enough space for all five of us to sprawl out without touching.
Off to the side is a walk-in closet and an adjoining bathroom. The shower has a triple head and more nozzles than I’d know what to do with.
Cole watches my every move as I take it all in. “What do you think?”
“It’s...” I don’t know what to say. I already thought Stella House was amazing, but this is on another level. It’s better than anything I could have imagined.
“If you don’t like it, there are plenty of other options in Forestville,” Cole says quickly. “Don’t feel obligated to take it just because I helped the other pack find a place in Seattle.”
“No!” There’s no way we can lose this. “I love it, Cole. It’s absolutely perfect.”
He grins, whipping out his phone. “I’ll tell the realtor we’ll take it.”