36. Seb
Chapter 36
Seb
The warm Italian sun caresses my skin as I stand on the deck of the boat, watching as it lowers.
Lily's legs are wrapped around Silas' waist, her head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes are dropping, but she’s refusing to sleep after overhearing Ava and Max have landed and are on their way to the boat.
“She won’t want to live on the island,” I add to the conversation I’m having with Silas, because I know Ava better than anyone else.
“It’s the safest place in the world,” Silas pushes before sipping on the whiskey in his free hand.
“I doubt that.”
He glares at me. “Just because Ava did what she did doesn’t make it unsafe.”
I chuckle. “Did you expect her to escape?”
“No,” Silas exaggerates the word, making Lily laugh.
“No ... no,” Lily repeats.
“You realize once Ava is in her life, your daughter will be full of sass.”
Silas laughs. “I expect it.”
“What’s sass, Daddy?”
Silas groans.
“It’s another word for funny,” I lie, knowing I shouldn’t, but it’s for the best.
“I am funny. Hahahahaha.” Lily chuckles to herself as she pushes out of Silas’ arms, turns on her knees and stares out of the window of the boat.
“Come here.” Silas holds his hands out for his daughter.
I’m sure I hear Ava calling for Lily. I glance around.
The Amalfi Coast stretches out before us, a breathtaking canvas of colorful houses clinging to the cliffs, the azure Mediterranean sparkling below.
“Lily,” I hear Ava’s voice again, and my heart skips a beat.
“It’s Mommy,” Lily exclaims, pushing out of her chair. I follow as she rushes to the deck, my protective instincts kicking in.
“Be careful,” I say, taking her small hand in mine. The wood of the deck is warm beneath our feet. “It’s dangerous up here.”
“But my mommy’s here,” Lily insists, her voice trembling with excitement.
“I know, sweetheart. Let’s meet her.”
I glance down the boardwalk, and my breath catches in my throat. There she is. Ava. The sight of her sends a rush of emotions through me, and you’d think I was the one who was bonded to her.
Ava smiles at me in the distance. My heart crashes against my chest, its rhythm matching the waves lapping against the boats.
She drops her purse, and Max picks it up as Ava rushes toward Lily with open arms. The world seems to slow down, every detail etched in vivid clarity.
The way the lowering sunlight catches Ava's dark hair, the sound of her bare feet on the wooden planks, and the joy radiating from her face.
I run with Lily, not wanting her to slip into the water, only letting go when Ava catches her in her arms. The scent of Ava’s omega perfume mingles with the salty air as she twirls Lily around. Their laughter is so perfect it warms my soul.
When Ava stops, her eyes meet mine, and the world falls away.
“I’m sorry,” I choke.
She shakes her head. “Don’t. You have nothing to be sorry for. I hurt you.”
I shake my head. “I love you,” I whisper, the words floating on the sea breeze.
She smiles. “I love you too.” And it’s all I need to know.
“Why are you crying, Mommy?” Lily whispers, her small hand reaching up to touch Ava’s cheek.
“These are happy tears, baby girl. I’m just so happy to see you. To see everyone.”
“Daddy told me I’m going to be a big sister.”
Ava glances at me, a look of sorrow crossing her face. It’s fleeting, but I catch it, and it sends a pang through my heart.
I stroke Lily’s back and say, “You are, Lily. Hopefully, you’ll be the big sister to lots of brothers and sisters.”
Ava takes a deep breath and mouths, “Thank you.”
Max catches up to us. He doesn’t hesitate and holds out his hand. I shake it.
“Welcome to the pack,” he says and laughs. “She’ll need you. Someone to bring calmness when everyone else goes crazy.”
“I hope I’m needed for more than that,” I reply.
“We’re all equal, Seb. Only when she is in heat will the dynamics change, but I promise you’ll be more involved in the next one.”
I don’t want to spoil anything and nod. I know deep down Ava will need her alphas more than me, but sometimes she’ll need me, her beta, more than them.
Maybe it will be equal, but different.
Silas joins us. His hand reaches out to take Ava’s.
“I’m so sorry, Silas,” she murmurs. “I never knew what you did for me.”
“Don’t Ava. It’s in the past.”
“No, I’m also sorry for not getting to know you. I’m sorry for feeling you, but ignoring it.” She glances at me and I realize how much she fought against her emotions when on the island. “And I’m sorry for leaving Lily upset. I promise to never hurt her again.”
Lily kisses Ava’s cheek. “Seb gave me ice-cream. He’s nice.”
Ava smiles at me. “He’s very nice, Lily.”
“Will Seb be my Daddy, like Daddy Max?”
I hold my breath. Not sure of my place right now.
“Do you want a Daddy Seb?” Silas asks.
“My Daddies spoil me.”
“Well, that’s an excellent reason,” Ava says and giggles. “That’s why I like them too.”
“Can we all fit on your boat?” Max asks, changing the subject. “Mine won’t be here until tomorrow.”
“There are three staterooms. Ava and I have one. You and Silas can share and Lily can have the smaller one.” I give Max an enormous grin.
“No way,” Max argues.
“Lily and I will share for tonight and you three can argue over the other two,” Ava says. Giving us her best smile. “I need to catch up with this cherub.”
Max and I grumble, but Silas looks like Ava has just hung the moon and stars for him.
Silas chuckles, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Come on, you two. Let the ladies have their catch-up. I’m sure we can wait until Lily is asleep.”
As I watch Ava and Lily, now bathed in the golden Italian moonlight, I feel a bittersweet ache in my chest.
I’m overjoyed to see them reunited, to see Ava so happy, and to be part of this moment, and to be a member of this pack. But there’s a sadness too, knowing that while I’ll love every child Ava has as if they were my own, none will truly be mine.
Yet, as I look at Ava’s radiant smile and feel Lily’s small hand reaching for mine, I know that biology doesn’t define family. Love does. And in that, I am rich beyond measure.
“Seb, will you read me a book?” Lily asks. It’s as though she feels I need it.
“I’d love to.”
“I’ll come too.” Ava smiles and I join her, making our way below deck, and I can’t help but smile.
This pack is unconventional and it may get complicated, but somehow I believe Max and Silas, and especially Ava, want it to work.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Ava asks softly as she joins us on the deck an hour after I left her with a sleeping Lily in her arms.
“I think I’m going to need a bigger boat.”
She chuckles. “Max’s boat is ridiculously big.” She turns to Max. “My sister is having a bachelorette party in Miami in two weeks, and I’d like to go.”
“Okay,” Max murmurs. “Do you want me to book a hotel, a villa, or take the boat?”
Ava laughs out loud and clicks her thumb and middle finger together. “Just like that?”
Max lifts his glass of whiskey to his mouth. “Just like that, Ava. You can have anything in the world.”
She grins. “God, I’ve been doing all this thievery to live this life, not knowing how rich my future pack was.”
Max smiles. “Did you always do it for money?”
Ava glances up at the night sky and shakes her head. “Not always. Sometimes we did it because it was the right thing to do.”
She rises from her seat and strolls away. I watch as she opens the safe and returns to where we are. “Here.” She holds out her hand to Max.
He smiles. “My watch.”
“Yeah. I thought I should return it,” she says. “I’ve had it long enough.”
“But how will I know where you are if I take it back?” Max replies.
She narrows her eyes; her gaze not lifting from him.
“I knew you’d steal it.” He smiles. “That’s how I knew you were here. It has a tracker inside it.”
Ava nods her head lightly. “I know.”
Max’s grin disappears in an instance.
“That’s why I disappeared from your room in Monaco. But left your calling card. I wanted you to know I was onto you.”
Silas bursts out laughing as did I. She hadn’t even confided in me. But at least I know why she was so adamant about going to the room.
Max pulls Ava onto his knee, and says, “But you kept it.”
Ava’s eyes twinkle with mischief. “Maybe I was seeing if I could outwit the alpha,” she teases, tapping Max’s nose playfully.
“Or you wanted me to find you,” he pushes.
Ava just smiles and lifts one shoulder in the air.
As laughter fills the boat, a wave of contentment washes over me.
This is what family feels like. I’ve never had it before. My life went from care home to care home while I learned to hack to make enough money to not need anyone.
Until her.
Until she found me.
We were both alone at that time. We needed each other. But now I have something I never unexpected.
A pack.
Yes, it’s complicated, but it’s also so utterly perfect.
As I continue to watch Ava and Max’s banter, a familiar twinge of insecurity flares in my chest. Being the beta in this pack, I know I’ll sometimes feel like I’m on the outside looking in. But then Ava catches my eye and smiles, and I’m reminded of why I’m here—why we’re all here.
“I need a glass of water,” Ava says. “And then I’m going to check on Lily.”
When she disappears, Silas appears beside me, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “You ready?” he whispers.
I nod, trying to swallow my nerves. We only organized this today, once Max called to let us know Ava wanted this pack, providing I wanted it.
And now that the moment is here, I’m terrified. What if she says no? What if she doesn’t want a beta like me as her forever?
Max joins us, his eyes shining with excitement. “Let’s do this,” he says, giving us each an encouraging nod.
“She’s sound asleep,” Ava says, striding back onto the deck with a glass of water in her hand. “What—”
I exchange glances with Max and Silas, drawing strength from their alpha presence. It’s now or never.
Taking a deep breath, I start. “Ava,” I begin, my voice softer than I intended, “we’ve been thinking…”
“About how much we love you,” Silas continues, his confidence bolstering my own.
“And how we wasted too much time already and we want to spend the rest of our lives with you,” Max finishes, taking her hand. “And you know you can marry your pack in Europe.”
“And we know you wanted a proposal on the Amalfi Coast,” Silas says.
Her mouth opens wide.
My heart pounds as Silas produces a small velvet box. He showed me it earlier when he asked how I felt.
Then I was terrified.
Now I'm suddenly excited.
My palms are sweating, but I force myself to focus on Ava’s beautiful face.
“Ava,” we say together, “will you marry us?”
We open the box to reveal the diamond that Silas told me she was staring at the day she stole the Circle of Life. One perfect pear-shaped blue diamond, which is now accompanied by tiny blue diamonds and set in a platinum band.
Silas told me it’s worth a small fortune.
I hold my breath, watching Ava’s reaction as her mouth opens, and she stares at the ring. “It’s so beautiful, but how did you know?” She turns to Max. “I only told you yesterday.”
He taps her nose this time. “A billionaire has access to everything.”
Tears spring to her eyes, and for a moment, my heart stops. But then I see her smile, so radiant and so full of love.
“Yes,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. “Three times, yes.” She gazes at me and I know she’s letting me know how she sees me as equal to her alphas.
I can’t help but smile back at her because I’m not afraid of what the future holds anymore. I’m not afraid of losing her.
This is our happily ever after, but certainly not the end of our story, and I can’t wait to see where this adventure takes us next.