Chapter 15
Talia
Isat in my car outside the cottage for ten minutes before I could make myself move.
The engine ticked as it cooled. October night air seeped through the closed windows, but I barely felt it. My entire body hummed with the aftershocks of what had just happened. What Hollis had said. What we’d done.
I love you.
Three words that changed everything.
My fingers drifted to my lips, still feeling the pressure of his mouth against mine. Gentle at first, then deeper. The taste of wine and lemon and something uniquely him. His hands in my hair, cradling my face like I was something precious.
I’d kissed Jace less than a week ago. Saturday, in the meadow, surrounded by autumn leaves and possibility. That kiss had felt right. Natural. Like coming home to something I’d forgotten I wanted.
And now I’d kissed Hollis. And that had felt right too. Different from Jace but equally real. Equally honest.
There’s nothing wrong with you.
His words settled in my chest like truth. Not reassurance I needed to beg for, but a simple statement of fact. I wasn’t broken for wanting multiple people. I was just honest.
I finally got out of the car and went inside. Dropped my purse on the entry table and headed straight for the kitchen. No point sitting in the dark spiraling. I knew what I wanted now. The question was how to make it work.
My phone buzzed. Text from Hollis: Made it home okay?
Yes. Thank you for tonight. For everything.
His response came immediately: Thank you for being honest. Sleep well.
I smiled and set the phone down. Finished my tea while planning exactly what I’d say to Jace tomorrow. No hedging. No apologizing. Just truth.
Sleep came easier than I expected now that I was done fighting myself about this. There was still some questions running through my head, still those same doubts at the back of my mind, but it was time to stop letting those doubts rule my life and actually live it.
I woke to gray dawn light and immediate clarity. Today I’d tell Jace. Tonight we’d cook together and I’d be honest about Hollis. Then I’d figure out Cassian.
My phone showed a text from Jace sent at 6 AM: Found amazing chanterelles yesterday. Want to cook together tonight? Been thinking about you.
Perfect timing.
Yes. 6 o’clock? I need to talk to you about something too.
His response came quickly: Everything okay?
Better than okay. Just honest.
Good. See you at 6.
I showered and dressed with purpose. Jeans and a cream sweater. Hair down because I liked it that way. Minimal makeup because I didn’t need armor today.
The bistro needed attention. Contractor reports to review, designs to confirm. I spent the morning making calls and organizing paperwork. Productive. Focused.
Around two, I heard footsteps on the stairs, and looked up to see Cassian in the doorway, holding a stack of documents.
“Afternoon.” He crossed to where I sat at the makeshift desk. “Final timeline from the crew. They can start Monday if you sign off.”
“Thanks.” I took the papers and scanned them. Professional. Reasonable. “This looks good.”
He didn’t leave. Just stood there studying me with those sharp gray eyes.
“What?” I asked.
“You’re different today.”
“Different how?”
“Lighter. Like you made some decision.” He pulled out the folding chair across from me and sat. “Want to tell me about it?”
This was exactly what we needed to do but for some now that we were face to face the nerves hit me hard.
But then I looked at Cassian’s concerned eyes and I realised that I had no need to be nervous.
Cassian was a good man. He’d gone completely out of his way to help me and admitting that I was developing feelings for him wasn’t like telling him something awful.
It was an unusual situation we found ourselves in but discussing it openly like adults was better than sitting here worrying about how everyone was going to feel and never actually resolving anything.
So I guess, I was doing this now.
I set down the papers and looked at him directly. Cassian Black, brilliant and wounded and careful. Who’d been nothing but kind since the moment I’d arrived in Hollow Haven.
“I had dinner with Hollis Green last night.”
His expression didn’t change. “The bookstore owner.”
“Yes. He told me he has feelings for me. That he loves me, actually.” I watched Cassian process this. “And I have feelings for him too.”
“I see.”
“But I also have feelings for Jace Maddox. We’ve been spending time together. Foraging, cooking. We kissed last week.”
Now Cassian’s eyebrows rose slightly. “That’s quite the week you’ve had.”
“And I… I have feelings for you too.”
The words hung in the air between us. Cassian went very still, his entire focus narrowing to laser precision.
“Me?”
“You. The way you’ve helped with this place. The way you see solutions where I only see problems. The way you make me feel competent instead of helpless.” I leaned forward. “I’m attracted to you, Cassian. I have been for weeks. And I’m done pretending I’m not.”
He was quiet for a long moment. Then: “Three alphas?”
“If you’re all interested. I know it’s unusual.
Jace already explained pack dynamics to me.
How it works in Hollow Haven. Multiple alphas, one omega.
” I held his gaze. “I’m just trying to be honest with everyone and see what you think, see what you make about the situation.
I just… I need to be honest with everyone. With you.”
“Because honesty matters to you.”
*”Because I’m done hiding what I want. I think I’m done trying to tell myself that I’m being unreasonable for wanting things. Life’s too short for that.”
Cassian leaned back in his chair, studying me with an intensity that would have made me nervous a month ago. Now I just met it head-on.
“You’re serious about this. All three of us.”
“I’m serious about seeing if it could work. I’m not asking for promises or commitments right now. Just honesty about whether you’d be interested in exploring it.”
“And if I said yes? If all three of us said yes? What then?”
“Then we figure it out together. Communication. Boundaries. Making sure nobody gets hurt.” I paused.
“Or at least, making sure if someone does get hurt, we talk about it like adults instead of letting it fester. This is just us saying we’re interested in trying, it doesn’t make you obligated to do anything you feel uncomfortable with. ”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. The first real smile I’d seen from him in weeks.
“You’ve thought about this.”
“I had a very long night.” I smiled back. “So. What do you think? Is this a crazy idea?”
Cassian stood and moved around the desk. Leaned against it so he was closer. Close enough that I could smell cedar and leather and something warm underneath.
“Talia Quinn. You moved to my town, started rebuilding your life, and somehow managed to get the attention of three alphas in under two months.” His voice was low, amused. “Yes. I’m interested. Very interested.”
Relief and excitement flooded through me in equal measure. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He reached out and tucked a curl behind my ear. The touch was gentle, careful. “But I need you to understand something. I’m not easy to be with. I have a complicated past and a family that actively hates me. Choosing me means choosing that baggage too.”
“I know about your family. About the development project.” I caught his hand before he could pull away. “Hollis told me some of it. How you sacrificed everything to protect Hollow Haven.”
His expression shuttered slightly. “Did he? I wasn’t aware that he knew.”
“He respects you. I think he’d like to meet you properly. To talk about this.” I squeezed his hand. “And so would Jace, probably. If we’re doing this, we should do it right. All four of us need to be on the same page.”
Cassian was quiet for another long moment. Then he turned his hand in mine so our fingers were properly linked.
“I haven’t been part of anything like this before. Pack dynamics aren’t something my family acknowledged.”
“Neither have I. We’ll figure it out together.”
He pulled me up from the chair. We stood close, his height making me tilt my head back to meet his eyes.
“I want to kiss you,” he said quietly. “But I think you should talk to Jace first. Make sure he’s actually okay with this before we add more complications.”
“That’s very mature of you.”
“I’m trying to be strategic.” His smile was wry. “I’ve wanted you since the first time I set eyes on you, which might have been slightly earlier than when we first met. But I can wait one more day if it means doing this right.”
“One more day,” I agreed.
He released my hand and stepped back, putting professional distance between us again. But the air had changed. Charged with possibility and intention.
“I should let you work.” He headed for the stairs, then paused at the top. “Talia? Thank you for being honest. It’s refreshing.”
After he left, I sat back down at my desk and stared at the construction schedule without seeing it.
Three alphas. All interested. All willing to try something unconventional.
I was either brilliant or insane. Possibly both.
But I wasn’t scared anymore. I was ready.
#
Jace arrived at my cottage at six exactly, basket of chanterelles in hand and that infectious enthusiasm radiating from him like warmth.
“Ready to create something amazing?” He set the basket on my kitchen counter and turned to me with a grin.
“Actually, I need to talk to you first.”
His smile faded into concern. “Okay. Want to sit?”
We settled on the couch. I angled toward him, direct and clear.
“I had dinner with Hollis last night. He told me he has feelings for me. That he loves me.” I watched Jace’s face carefully. “And we kissed.”
He absorbed this without visible surprise. “How do you feel about that?”