Chapter 28
Talia
Three months after the bonding, The Hearthstone Bistro was finally ready to open.
I stood in the dining room at five AM, watching dawn light filter through the front windows onto tables I’d chosen myself, chairs Jace had helped refinish, walls painted in the warm cream color Hollis had suggested would make the space feel inviting.
Every detail had been chosen carefully, with input from my pack and my own vision of what a restaurant should feel like.
Not just a place to eat, but a place to belong.
“You’re up early,” Cassian said from behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me back against his chest. “Couldn’t sleep?”
“Too excited,” I admitted, leaning into his warmth. “And terrified. What if nobody comes? What if the food is terrible? What if I’ve completely misjudged what this town wants?”
“Then we’ll adjust,” he said calmly. “But you haven’t misjudged. You’ve been testing recipes on half of Hollow Haven for weeks. People are excited about this.”
Through the bond I felt his confidence, his absolute certainty that this would succeed. It helped settle some of my nervous energy, though not all of it.
The past three months had been a whirlwind of renovation and menu development and permit applications and health inspections.
But through it all, I’d had pack support.
Cassian handling the business logistics I found overwhelming.
Jace providing foraged ingredients and physical labor.
Hollis managing the details I overlooked in my focus on food.
We’d moved into the house on Maple Street six weeks ago, slowly making Hollis’s grandmother’s property into our shared home. My cottage was now used primarily for storage and as a quiet workspace when I needed to focus on recipe development. But home was wherever the four of us were together.
“The others are awake,” I said, feeling them through the bonds. “Jace is probably making breakfast, and Hollis is organizing something.”
“Hollis is always organizing something,” Cassian said with amusement. “It’s his natural state.”
We walked home through quiet streets, hand in hand, to find exactly what I’d predicted. Jace at the stove making scrambled eggs and sourdough toast. Hollis at the table with a clipboard, checking off items on what looked like an extensive list.
“Opening day preparation,” Hollis explained when he saw me looking. “Final walkthrough checklist, backup plans if we run out of ingredients, contingencies for if turnout is higher than expected.”
“You made a list of contingencies?” I asked, touched by the thoughtfulness.
“I made several lists,” he said seriously. “Organization prevents panic.”
“This is why we love you,” Jace said, sliding plates of food onto the table. “Your lists and Cassian’s spreadsheets and Talia’s intuition and my ability to find things in the woods. We’re a perfectly balanced pack.”
We ate breakfast together, the bonds humming with contentment and anticipation.
This was what I’d come to value most about pack.
Not just the romantic connection or the support during heat, but these quiet morning moments.
The comfortable coordination of four people who’d learned to function as one unit.
“What time should we arrive?” Hollis asked. “Opening is at eleven, but you’ll want time for prep.”
“Eight thirty,” I said. “That gives me time for final prep work without rushing. And I’d like you all there when we unlock the doors for the first time.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Jace said immediately.
At eight AM, we walked to The Hearthstone Bistro together. Sarah from The Brew was already waiting outside with a massive bouquet of flowers.
“Congratulations,” she said warmly. “From everyone at The Brew. We’re all so proud of what you’ve built.”
“Thank you,” I said, accepting the flowers with tears prickling my eyes. “This means so much.”
Inside, my small staff was already prepping. I’d hired three people, all omegas who’d found their way to Hollow Haven seeking fresh starts like I had. Maya handled front of house. Peyton worked the line with me. Sofia managed desserts and baking.
“Boss,” Maya called from the front. “There are people gathering outside already. It’s not even nine yet.”
I looked through the window to see a small crowd forming. Martha from the farmer’s market. Wes Thatcher and several other rangers. Sophie from the bookstore. Even Gerald Whitmore, who’d become unexpectedly supportive after Cassian’s revelation at the town council meeting.
“Hollow Haven takes care of its own,” Hollis said quietly. “They’re here to support you.”
The next two hours passed in controlled chaos.
Final prep work, plating tests, making sure every station was properly stocked.
Cassian handled the register and reservation system.
Jace made himself useful carrying supplies and being generally encouraging.
Hollis managed the small details I would have forgotten, like making sure we had enough napkins and that the bathrooms were spotless.
At ten forty-five, I looked around the bistro with satisfaction. Everything was ready. The kitchen gleamed. The dining room looked warm and inviting. The menu was focused but creative, featuring local ingredients and the kind of food I loved to make. Comfort food elevated with technique and care.
“Five minutes,” Maya called from the front.
My pack gathered around me in the kitchen, the four of us in a tight circle.
“You’ve got this,” Jace said confidently.
“You’re going to be amazing,” Hollis added.
“I’ve reviewed the financials,” Cassian said with a slight smile. “Even with conservative estimates, you’ll be profitable within six months. This is going to work.”
“Thank you,” I said, pulling all three of them into a tight hug. “For everything. I couldn’t have done any of this without pack support.”
“That’s what we’re here for,” Jace said. “Now go feed Hollow Haven and show them what you can do.”
At exactly eleven AM, Maya unlocked the front door.
The crowd that had been waiting surged in with supportive cheers. Every table filled within twenty minutes. The energy was electric, joyful, the entire town seemingly determined to make my opening day a success.
I worked the line with Peyton, falling into the familiar rhythm of restaurant service that I’d missed more than I’d realized. Calling orders, plating dishes, tasting and adjusting and creating. This was what I was meant to do. This was home.
Orders flew. Roasted chicken with herbs Jace had foraged. Pasta with wild mushrooms. Sourdough bread from Micah’s bakery transformed into elevated avocado toast. Desserts from Sofia that made people audibly moan with pleasure.
Through the bonds I could feel my pack’s presence even when I couldn’t see them. Cassian managing the front with calm efficiency. Jace charming customers with stories about where ingredients came from. Hollis quietly supporting wherever he was needed.
Around two PM, during a brief lull, I stepped out of the kitchen to see the dining room.
Every table full, people laughing and talking, the warm buzz of community gathering to eat good food.
Several people stopped me to offer congratulations.
To say how much they’d enjoyed their meals. To ask when they could come back.
“This is incredible,” Martha said, stopping me on her way out. “The food is exactly what this town needed. Elevated but not pretentious. Delicious but not trying too hard. You’ve found the perfect balance.”
“Thank you,” I said, meaning it deeply. “That’s exactly what I was hoping for.”
The lunch rush finally ended around three PM. We’d served over sixty people, run out of several menu items, and received nothing but positive feedback. My feet ached and my back was sore and I’d never been happier in my entire life.
“That was amazing,” Peyton said, collapsing against the prep counter. “Exhausting, but amazing.”
“You were perfect,” I told her honestly. “All of you were perfect. Thank you for making this work.”
After the staff left, it was just pack again. The four of us in the empty bistro, cleaning up the remnants of opening day and processing what had just happened.
“You did it,” Cassian said, pulling me close. “You actually did it.”
“We did it,” I corrected. “This was a pack effort. I couldn’t have made this happen alone.”
“But it was your dream,” Hollis said gently. “Your vision and your talent. We just helped make it possible.”
“That’s what pack does,” Jace added. “We help each other’s dreams become real.”
Through the bonds I felt their love, their pride, their absolute certainty that this was just the beginning. The bistro would grow. Our pack would deepen. The life we were building together would continue to unfold in ways we couldn’t yet imagine.
“I have an announcement,” I said, sudden courage pushing the words out before I could second-guess myself.
All three of them turned to look at me with curious attention.
“I’m thinking about the future,” I said carefully. “About what comes next for us. And I realized I want to know if you’re all open to the possibility of children. Eventually. Not immediately, but someday.”
Through the bonds I felt their immediate emotional responses. Jace’s enthusiastic joy. Hollis’s warm approval. Cassian’s careful consideration that quickly resolved into certainty.
“Yes,” all three said in slight variations.
“You’re sure?” I asked. “It’s a huge commitment. Kids would change everything.”
“Everything’s already changed,” Cassian said. “We’re bonded, we’re building a life together. Children would be the natural evolution of what we’re creating.”
“I’ve always wanted kids,” Jace admitted. “Just never found the right person or the right situation. This is both.”
“My grandmother always said the house was meant for family,” Hollis added softly. “For children running through the garden, for noise and chaos and life. I’d love to give her that.”
Relief and joy flooded through me. “Not right away,” I clarified. “I want the bistro established first, want us to be settled in the house. But knowing it’s something we’re all working toward makes everything feel more real.”
“We have time,” Cassian said. “Time to build the business, renovate the house properly, prepare for that next step. But yes, eventually, I’d very much like pups with you.”
We stood in the empty bistro, four people who’d chosen each other despite how unconventional it looked, dreaming about the future we’d create together. A successful business. A home filled with pack and eventually with pups. A life built on trust and communication and genuine love.
“Group hug?” Jace suggested with a grin.
“Absolutely not,” Cassian said automatically, but I felt his amusement through the bond.
“Too late,” Jace said, pulling all of us into a tight circle. “We’re doing this. Pack hug to celebrate Talia’s success.”
We stood there in the middle of The Hearthstone Bistro, tangled together, and through the bonds I felt what each of them was feeling.
Jace’s uncomplicated joy at our success.
Hollis’s quiet satisfaction at seeing me achieve my dream.
Cassian’s fierce pride mixed with his careful planning for future growth.
And my own overwhelming gratitude for these three men who’d given me back more than just professional success. They’d given me family. Home. The courage to dream bigger than survival.
“I love you,” I said, the words coming easily now after months of practice. “All three of you. Thank you for making this possible.”
“We love you too,” they said in variations, and through the bonds I felt the truth of it echoing back to me threefold.
The bistro was just the beginning. We had a house to finish renovating, a business to grow, a life to build together. Eventually we’d have children running through Hollis’s grandmother’s garden, teaching them about cooking and books and forests and the value of choosing family carefully.
But for now, we had this moment. Opening day success, pack unity, and the absolute certainty that we were exactly where we were supposed to be.
I’d come to Hollow Haven to escape my past and rebuild my career. I’d found so much more than that. I’d found pack. I’d found home. I’d found three alphas who saw every broken piece of me and chose to stay anyway.
And that was worth more than any professional success could ever be.
“Okay,” I said, pulling back from the group hug with a smile. “Let’s go home. We can celebrate properly tonight with the good wine Cassian’s been hiding.”
“I haven’t been hiding it,” Cassian protested. “I’ve been aging it for a special occasion.”
“This counts as special,” Jace said firmly. “Opening day success, pack unity, and Talia finally saying yes to future mini Jace’s. That’s definitely worth the good wine.”
“Fair point,” Cassian conceded.
We locked up the bistro together, and I took one last look at the space I’d created with pack support. My name was on the sign. My vision filled the dining room. My dream had become real because three alphas had believed in me even when I hadn’t quite believed in myself.
As we walked home through twilight streets, hand in hand with my pack, I thought about how far I’d come since arriving in Hollow Haven six months ago.
Broken and scared and convinced I’d never trust anyone again.
Determined to rebuild my career alone because depending on people only led to disappointment.
But these three men had shown me something different. That vulnerability could be strength. That asking for help wasn’t weakness. That love multiplied instead of dividing when you chose the right people.
“What are you thinking about?” Hollis asked, sensing my emotional shift through the bond.
“How different my life is now,” I admitted. “How different I am. Six months ago I never would have believed this was possible.”
“And now?” Jace prompted.
“Now I can’t imagine any other life,” I said honestly. “This pack, this town, this future we’re building together. It’s everything I didn’t know I needed.”
Through the bonds I felt their agreement, their satisfaction, their deep love for me and for each other.
We were pack. We were family. We were home.
And this was only the beginning.