Epilogue
Three Years Later
Rafe
Jordan's head pokes through my doorway. Her red hair is pulled back in a high, sleek ponytail, and her lips are painted a pale pink. "Are you almost ready?"
I press save on the file I have open before closing my laptop. "One of us has to keep this company afloat, Jordy."
In the three years since Jordan went full-time with Knightmare, I left my firm and took over as CFO for the company. It was an easy decision and made the most sense rather than her hiring someone.
The firm has grown in ways we couldn't even begin to fathom, and now we employ fifteen people.
Of course, Glinda is one of them.
It turns out that Jordan's success was not related to Hurry Up and Grow but rather to who she was as a person. When rumblings started about why she was no longer employed, they lost several key accounts as they transferred all their business to Knightmare. Last I heard, Woods was trying to use Lanie as a scapegoat for the mass exodus.
Serves her right.
I take my Omega's hand in mine, spinning her around to get a look at her outfit. The silver strapless dress looks sinful on her curvy figure, and I almost don't want to let anyone else see her in it.
"You look delicious, my love," I say, pulling her tightly against me and palming her ass. "I don't know if I want to share you tonight."
She whines softly, rubbing against my body in a way that has the sequins of her dress catching on my shirt. "Rafe…"
"What, we have time, don't we?" I peek over her shoulder at the clock, noting the time. "The awards ceremony doesn't start for another hour."
"But traffic," she says softly, running her hands up my body. Her protest is weak. I know she has been dreading this event for the past month, and I think if I told her I would whisk her away and let her stay home, she'd take it immediately.
But the least I can do is calm my worried Omega down.
I push her backward gently until the back of knees hit the brown leather couch in the corner of my office, and she sits swiftly. I kneel before her, pushing her dress up her thighs.
"Maybe I can give you a little preemptive reward, huh? Just something to tide you over until after the ceremony." She looks down at me with blown pupils, chewing her lip. Slowly, her legs part, knees falling farther apart in welcome.
Her tart mango scent swirls around me as her pheromones increase with her desire, and I dance my fingers up her thighs.
"I wonder, are you wearing panties, Omega?" She scoots her ass closer to the edge of the couch, giving me access to trace my fingers over her bare pussy. "Oh, you naughty little thing."
She's wet with slick, and my fingers easily slip inside her, rubbing her upper wall slowly. She groans in pleasure and falls back, almost flat, so I can push her dress past her ass to bunch around her stomach.
"Put your feet on my shoulders, Jordy, and let me take care of you." My girl is such a good listener, giving me space and leverage to circle her clit with the point of my tongue.
I lap up her delicious flavor, two fingers pumping slowly out of her as my tongue lavishes her clit with attention. She thrashes under me, uncaring about the sounds she makes.
We're the only ones in the office on a Saturday, anyway.
When I suck her clit between my teeth and lightly bite down, she clenches around me and releases a long, low moan as her slick drenches my hand.
"There we go," I say, sliding my fingers out of her and licking them clean. "Do you feel better?"
"I feel… relaxed," she says, sitting up slowly. "Thanks, Alpha."
I help her to her feet, straightening her dress and wrapping her arm in mine. "My pleasure."
When we arrive at the hotel, the others are all waiting for us outside the ballroom. "You guys are late," Cyrus growls.
"We're fine," I say, dismissing his attitude. I'm sure he can smell the slick that's living on her thighs, so it's clear why we were late. But I won't feel bad about helping my Omega relax before a big night.
"Let's get our seats," Icarus says, taking her arm and leading her in.
Simon hangs back, grabbing the hand that was recently in Jordan and interlocking our fingers. He pulls our clasped hands up to his mouth and kisses the back of mine, subtly taking a sniff. "Naughty," he whispers, flicking his tongue over one of my fingers. "I see you had fun without me."
"Ah, just a little. I fully expect you to join us when we're done here, Slime."
The green-haired Alpha's eyes heat, and he leans over and nips at my earlobe. "I believe it's my turn on top."
We settle into our seats for a surprisingly tasty dinner. Eventually, everything settles down, and the awards ceremony starts.
Every year, Lunarcrest City recognizes local business owners with the Lunar Award. It's partly bragging rights, but it also comes with a lot of clout.
"And this year's honoree for the category of Best Omega Run Business is Jordan Knight of Knightmare Advertising and Public Relations," the mayor, a round man with white hair, says, holding up the crescent moon-shaped crystal trophy.
Jordan's jaw drops, and she looks around, confused. She was nervous but happy just to be nominated, but I don't think she ever thought she'd win.
We all knew she would, and no one cheers louder than us when she walks on stage to accept the award. Her speech is short, mainly just thanking us and her clients, and when she gets back to the table and collapses next to me, I pull her into my lap and purr softly.
Ghosting my lips are her ears, I whisper, "I'm so proud of you, Jordy. So so proud."
Cyrus
I sneak up behind my Omega as she leans over the counter, lost in her phone. When I grab her around the hips and pull her flush against my body, she squeals and tries to wiggle out of my grip.
Unfortunately for her, my hips have her ass pinned, and I'm not very inclined to let her go.
"Cyrus," she growls in that cute little Omega tone. "Let me go."
"You can't lean over like that and expect me not to come take advantage," I say as I rub a hand up her thigh. These little sleep shorts she wears around the house are almost unfairly hot.
Since we moved into the large two-story home outside the city last year, Jordan has spent a lot more time in the kitchen. She practices her baking frequently, and I can smell the cookies she's waiting on in the oven.
"How much time is left on the timer?" I purr, kissing down her neck.
The timer goes off.
"None!" Her giggle taunts me as she slips out of my grasp and pulls the snickerdoodles out of the oven. The warm cinnamon smell that wraps around the kitchen grows, making my stomach rumble. I reach out to grab one as she puts it on the cooling rack, and she smacks the back of my hand with her spatula.
"They're hot, C! You'll burn your tongue, and I don't want it out of commission for that long."
"Fine," I pout, wrapping my hands around her waist.
She looks over her shoulder, wrinkling her brow at what she sees. "What's going on, Cyrus?"
I groan, ducking my head. "My parents called. They want to see me." The words taste like bile, but I need to talk to Jordan about this. If anyone will understand, it's her.
Since we bonded, her parents have tried to reach out. Someone in our hometown was talking about our pack, and they overheard. She tried one phone call with them, and they blamed her for her late presentation and refused to accept that they had done anything wrong. They just wanted us to take care of them monetarily as they started to get up there in age.
Jordan doubled down on the no-contact and had to increase her visits with Dr. K for a few weeks, but she recovered from it.
And now I'm facing the same thing.
"Do you want to see them?" she asks, leaning back against the counter. "Why are they reaching out now?"
"Mom's sick." I'm surprised at how much it hurts to say. My mom wasn't an awful mother, but she let my father beat on me enough that she was complicit.
Still, it's my mom. And it hurts.
"If you want to go, I'm with you," she says slowly. "But you don't need to feel like you have to go just because she's sick. That doesn't change the way they treated you."
I run my hand through my loose hair. "I know. What if she's really sick and dies, and I regret not seeing her?"
"Have you regretted not seeing her before now?"
"No, not at all. I especially don't want to see my dad." Jordan takes my hand and leads me to the living room, where she shoves me down on the plush gray couch and perches on my lap.
"If you worry that you'll regret it, tell them you'll talk to your mother on the phone, but you're uncomfortable going in person. And I'll sit with you and hold your hand. But you do not owe them a relationship, Cyrus."
I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her tighter, sighing into her neck. "Thanks, Jay. It never used to bother me, but the more I'm around Icarus's parents…"
"I know exactly what you mean. It makes you mourn the relationship you were supposed to have with yours."
"Yes! So when my dad called, even though all those negative emotions swirled to the surface, so did the jealousy and the naive hope that maybe they're different now." I palm the back of her neck, rubbing my bite mark and savoring the way she shivers in my arms. "Thank you for understanding. I couldn't talk about this with the others."
She nods, kissing me softly. "It sucks sometimes to feel so alone in it, but at the same time, at least we have each other." I stretch my legs out before laying back, pulling her on top of me as we lay together in the quiet.
My hands trace her soft skin as her slow breathing calms my racing heart. She wiggles against me, sinking deeper into the crook of my arm. "If you would have asked me four years ago if I thought Cyrus Stargazer would ever open up emotionally, I would've choked on my coffee. I am so proud of how much you've grown, Alpha."
I chuckle, tipping her chin up so I can meet her gaze. "Thanks to you, Omega. You were patient with me and helped me learn how to let others in. I can never repay you."
"You don't need to repay me. I'm just glad I'm one of the people you chose to let in."
My lips crash on hers, and she melts into me as my tongue traces the seam of her lips. After a few minutes, we break apart, gasping for air. "I'm never letting you out, Omega."
Simon
I slide out from under the old truck, wiping my hands on my jeans. "What, Clicks?"
"Your ole lady is here," he repeats, leaning against the wall. His greasy blonde hair hangs to his shoulders, and his scrawny body looks like a good wind would blow him over.
"Thanks, brother." I hop to my feet, passing through the shop to the dingy lobby of Hawk's Autobody. "You're early!" I say, surprising my Omega.
She spins around, scowling. "You scared me!"
"You should know better than to turn your back on a predator," I growl. Silence stretches between us before we both break out in peals of laughter.
"Oh yes, Slime Knight, the most predatory of all predators," she chokes out, wiping her eyes. "Are you almost ready?"
"Eh, I got a little bit more. Wanna come watch?" She nods excitedly, bouncing on the toes of her black combat boots. She's dressed to ride today in a pair of sinfully tight jeans and a nearly see-through white tank.
I wasn't sure about introducing her to the Hawks, but after she met Nitro at the bonding ceremony, he insisted I start bringing her around. Turns out, the whole family loves her. I'm not surprised.
"Alright, Clicks?" she says as she passes the Beta.
He smiles broadly and nods. "Alright, Lady Slime."
The nickname never fails to make her smile.
I go back under the old truck, trying to finish replacing the gas line before we head out when I spot a pair of massive boots next to Jordan's smaller ones. I stop work and strain to listen to them.
"I'm just saying a rebrand is a good idea. You guys aren't what everyone thinks, Nitro."
"Yeah, well, that's on purpose, Lady." His voice is gruff, and I can picture him crossing his arms over his massive chest. "If everyone knows we're not a bunch of hellions, they may try to cross us and force us to become some."
"Maybe so. But some clubs are still heavily respected but known for the good they do. Maybe you just need that little bit of positive press."
I have to give it to Jordan. She's tenacious. For three years, she's been trying to get Nitro to let her do some PR spin for the Hawks.
It's not a bad idea. The Hawks are heavily involved in breaking up trafficking rings and busting up some crime syndicates that are getting a foothold in Lunarcrest. People may think we're a part of them, but the Hawks don't play in that kind of bullshit.
"I'll think about it, yeah?" He finally gives up and then walks away after exchanging a few pleasantries.
Once I finish up, I take Jordan around the shop to meet some of the other guys.
"Jordan, this is Quarter. He's like me, his pack isn't in the club." The Alpha stands up from the cracked break room couch, smiles, and shakes Jordan's hand.
He's big, nearly the size of Cyrus, with a round stomach and a ruddy complexion. His red beard and freckled skin hint at his heritage and give him a slight resemblance to my Omega.
"Quarter?" she asks, shaking his hand. "There's gotta be a story for that one."
He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck with embarrassment. "I wasn't making good choices when I joined. Nitro said I got a quarter of the brains as the rest of them."
She gasps, smacking me on the chest when I laugh. "That's unkind!"
"Hey, it could be worse," he says with a shrug. "They could've called me Harvey."
The man in question jumps to his feet from where he was reclined against the wall and spins on Quarter. Half of his face is torn up with a scar from a bad bike accident. "Hey, rude. At least mine passes as a real name."
Jordan doesn't understand the comic book reference, but she laughs with the rest of us as the two Alphas get into it. Harvey eventually turns his attention to Jordan. "Nice to meet you, Lady Slime. Heard a lot about you."
Despite the scar that takes off the left side of his face, he's always been a good-looking, charming guy, and when he flashes my Omega that megawatt smile, a growl bubbles up in my throat.
"Damn, Slime, I ain't after your Ole Lady."
"Yeah, yeah," I say, rolling my eyes. We tell the guys at the shop goodbye, and I drag her outside.
Outside, I push her against my bike, brushing my hands down her face. "You are so beautiful," I say, staring into her pale green eyes. "How did I get so lucky?"
A pretty pink flush colors her cheeks. "I'm the lucky one. I'm so glad you never gave up on me, Simon."
"Ah, peaches, if there is one thing I'm not, it's a quitter."
I fit her with her helmet before settling her behind me on the bike. We fly through the city, her hands wrapped tightly around my waist, and I luxuriate in the feel of her pressed against my back.
Sooner than I would like, we pull up outside the house. Jordan pulls her helmet off, her face red from the adrenaline, and throws herself into my arms, kissing me heartily.
She's always riled up after a bike ride, and I'm not above taking advantage of it.
I pick her up, wrapping her legs around my waist, and we stumble through the house, lips clashing and tongues tangling. Footsteps behind me let me know Rafe is following us, and I groan against Jordan's mouth.
I throw her onto the ivory sheets in the nest, admiring how she sinks into the plush surface. Rafe grabs me around the waist and spins me to face him, slamming his mouth down on mine.
When he kisses me, it's a battle for dominance. We both love to win just as much as we love to lose. He wraps his hand lightly around my throat, and my body goes slack at the hold.
"Are we going to have some fun, then?" he mutters against my lips.
Jordan whines from the nest, and I wrench out of Rafe's grip, stripping her out of her boots and clothes.
An hour later, I lay, sticky and panting, with Rafe on one side of me and Jordan on the other. Jordan has drifted off to sleep locked on my knot, and Rafe nuzzles into my neck.
"I'm so fucking happy, Rafe," I say quietly. "I didn't think I'd ever feel like this."
The truth is, I never thought I would deserve it.
But time and time again, Rafe and Jordan have shown me I'm more than I thought I was. When I'm with them, I feel strong and cherished. Jordan trusts me with her heart and body despite everything that happened.
Jordan stirs, wiggling deeper in my arms. "You're my everything, Simon," she says quietly.
I can feel Rafe's smile against my neck as he says, "You're the heart of this pack, Simon. I'm just glad yours was big enough to hold me, too."
Jordan
I drop my paintbrush into the dirty water cup, stepping back to admire the giant canvas.
Lately, I have found a reprieve in art. It's given me a place to focus my nervous energy and helped us decorate our home. It's not that I'm a great artist, but I could drop a tube of paint on the canvas, and the guys would say it was my best yet.
But this one? This one probably is my best yet.
"Sunshine, you almost ready?" Icarus asks through the door. He knows better than to come in here while I'm painting.
"Yeah, I just had to fix one line. It's good now."
"Does that mean we can see it?" Simon's words are muffled, so he must be pressed against the door.
I pull open the door, and sure enough, he stumbles before craning his neck to try to see around me. "Not yet. We have to wait for the other two. Dinner first."
I rush to get dressed, choosing wide-legged pants and a slinky pink top, straightening my hair, and putting on a thin layer of makeup. It's the fourth anniversary of the day I met Icarus. The unofficial day Pack Knight came to be.
It may have taken another nine months or so to cement it, but we were always meant to be together.
We meet Cyrus and Rafe at the restaurant, a new fine dining place owned by my friend Nora's pack. It's gorgeous, with crisp black tablecloths, gold accents, and a unique menu based solely on colors. You choose a color per course, and the chef provides you with a meal that captures the 'essence' of that shade.
After dinner, I drag them all to a little diner I recently discovered. Inside, the hard plastic booths conjure a feeling of nostalgia that is hard to deny.
Once we all have our milkshakes (peach for me, chocolate malt for Simon, cookies and cream for Rafe, banana split for Cyrus, and pistachio for Icarus), Simon loses all pretense of being calm.
"Why won't you show us what you've been painting?" He lets out a soft "oof," and I somehow know Rafe kicked him. "What? She's been hiding it from us for months."
"Because it's a surprise. I've told you." I sip to the bottom of my milkshake, the sound of an empty suctioning straw filling the air.
Icarus shudders, reaching for my glass. "It's empty. Stop drinking, sunshine. I can't stand that sound."
Sheepishly, I push it away. "Sorry, Vick." I kiss his nose before leaning into him. "But I will show it all to you guys tonight, okay?"
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Simon shouts, jumping out of the booth. Rafe and Cyrus shake their heads at their eager packmate, and Icarus helps me out of the booth before dropping a few dollars on the table as a tip for the waitress.
Simon never wants to drive, but tonight, he's jumping behind the wheel before anyone else, and his lead foot is rushing us home. Dae and Blush greet us from where they lounge on their cat tower, the former angrily yelling for us to fill his food bowl again.
I stand in front of the door, nerves suddenly bubbling up my throat. I know I told the guys I would show them this, but now it feels so raw. I put my heart into this one. What if they don't like it?
Rafe must be able to read my mind because he puts his hand over mine on the knob and opens the door, whispering, "We're going to love it."
I step back, trying to look at my painting through their eyes.
It's a bird' s-eye view of my nest—not the one in this home, but the first one we built together. I tried my best to capture all the textures and colors, the blankets and pillows strewn around and sloppy after the heat we all spent together.
Like the picture of Meg's, with our empty milkshake glasses and straw wrappers, we aren't in this painting. I tried my best to capture our feelings in the inanimate objects that bore witness to our pack becoming whole. The teddy bear Rafe gave me turned on his side. The rope, loose and hanging from the side of the nightstand.
The ball gag, tucked into a corner.
I can tell when the guys see that because Cyrus groans, and the others laugh their asses off.
Rafe is the first to say something. "Jordan, this is incredible."
"You like it?" My voice is smaller than I thought it'd be. "I was trying to show the place my world changed. I wanted to capture how big moments can affect the world around you in small ways."
"It brings me right back to that moment," Icarus says, lightly dragging his fingers over one of the crumbled blankets in the painting. "When we left, I looked back at the room and thought about how much had just changed. That's what this looks like."
I point at the image of a button-up shirt sticking out of a corner. "That's Cyrus' shirt from when we bonded." The Alpha in question rubs the top of his neck, where my bite is prominently featured.
I go through the painting, pointing out what the items mean to me and sharing my memories of them. The guys fill in gaps in my memory from that time, showering me with praise for my work.
Simon is surprisingly quiet for someone so eager to see it, and I nervously await his opinion. He grabs my face, searching for something in my eyes. "That will forever be the most important time of my life," he says quietly. "Can we put this in the nest?"
My smile has to be blinding. I'm not sure why I worried they wouldn't love it.
But it's us.
Messy and chaotic, sure, but beautifully composed.
Icarus
"Doctor Knight, I think you need to see this." My lab tech, Joshua, says as he comes through the door. Since I started the Omega Gene research, I've had so many Betas apply to have their genomes tested that I'm drowning in work. Joshua has been an enormous help in keeping everything running smoothly.
"What is it?" I ask, rubbing my temples. All I want is to get home to my pack, and I hope this isn't a complication that will keep me from doing that.
He sits down across from me. "Jordan came in earlier this week to give her blood for another analysis."
Of course, I knew this. Every year, she's allowed us to examine her genome to see if the gene mutated any more since her presentation. It's been helpful to compare how it behaves over time so we can talk to others about what to expect.
"Is she okay?" The idea that my Omega may be sick makes my stomach cramp. She can't be sick. She can't. I won't accept that.
Joshua passes the paper to me, and I scan over it. Nothing jumps out to me, and he must see the confusion on my face because he leans over the desk and points at three letters and the result next to them.
The paper falls out of my hands, my heart beating out of my chest. My vision goes a little spotty, and I grab my chest. "I think I'm having a heart attack," I say through gasps.
"You're not, Dr. Knight, just breathe." Joshua comes behind my chair and rubs my back awkwardly. "Do you need me to call your pack?"
"Did these results get released to her?"
"Not yet, but…"
I stand up so quickly he almost falls backward. "Don't. I have to be the one to tell her."
I have no hope of getting any work done the rest of the day, so I rush out, texting the guys as I do.
Pack meeting tonight. Mandatory.
Don't tell Jordan.
I mean she needs to be there.
But don't tell her we're doing it.
Slime
Russ, dude, you feeling okay?
Rafe
Are you having a panic attack?
Fuck.
I rush home and am surprised to see Rafe is already there, with Simon and Cyrus arriving shortly after I do.
"You scared the shit out of us, Russ," Cyrus says, squinting at me to try to ascertain what has me so flustered. "What's going on?"
An hour later, I hear the front door open as Jordan comes in. "What are you all doing home already?" she calls out.
Rafe squeezes my knee and calls out, "We're in the living room."
When she turns the corner she stops short, panic coloring her features. "What's going on? Did someone die?"
"Icarus got some news at work today, and it's tearing him up. We're not sure what it is." Simon's words are gentler than I deserve for keeping this from them, but I can't make my throat work.
Distress must be evident on my face because Jordan drops to her knees in front of me. "Whatever it is, Vick, we'll handle it together." She grabs my hands, rubbing them gently. "There's nothing we can't do together. Start at the beginning."
"You came in for your blood draw." My words cause them to freeze, but they don't speak. I think they know if they start asking questions, I won't be able to get out what I need to.
"Joshua came in today and gave me your test results. They run lots of tests before they map your genome. One of them is for human chorionic gonadotropin."
Her nose wrinkles and Slime whispers, "Are we supposed to know what that is?"
I take her face in my hands, staring into the eyes of my gorgeous Omega, whose life is about to change. "It's often abbreviated to HCG. The levels of HCG in your blood indicate that you are currently in your seventh week of pregnancy."
Emotions flash across her face, from confusion to fear to excitement, finally settling on disbelief. "I'm pregnant?"
"You're pregnant," I confirm.
"She's pregnant? She's pregnant!" Simon shouts, jumping off the couch and bouncing around the room.
Cyrus leans back against the couch, his eyes wide. "We're going to be dads?"
"We're going to be dads," Rafe echoes. "We're going to be dads."
Simon scoops Jordan up in his arms, spinning her in circles as he hollers excitedly. "You're carrying our baby! Baby Knight! Oh my God, I can't wait to see you with a big, round belly. Are you feeling sick? Do you want some pickles?"
Jordan bursts into hysterical laughter, and Rafe rescues her from the green-haired tornado. "You're going to be an incredible mom," he whispers, kissing her softly and setting her on my lap.
"Are you happy?" she asks me fearfully. "You don't seem happy."
"I am so happy, sunshine," I tell her, gathering her to my chest. "I wasn't supposed to know first. That's not how this was supposed to happen. You were going to find out you were pregnant and tell us, and it would've been a beautiful moment. I took that moment from you."
She smiles softly. "I don't need a moment like that, Vick. Who finds out first doesn't matter to me."
"I was also worried how you would take it."
She sucks on her teeth, stretching her legs across my lap to poke Cyrus with her toes. "I am surprised, certainly. Part of me wondered if it would ever happen since it hadn't already." She rests a hand on my chest, her smile nearly blinding. "But I am thrilled. A tiny baby Knight wandering around? It's going to be beautiful."
"You're sure?" Cyrus asks as he grabs her feet and kneads her arches. "Are you ready to be a mom?"
"I thought I was ready to be an Omega, and I wasn't. I don't know if I could ever truly be ready to be a mom. But just like with my presentation, I have you four to help see me through it." Jordan grabs Simon and Rafe by the hand, grounding herself by touching all of us.
I feel pure, brilliant love light my chest up from our bond, relaxing all my muscles. She must push it out to the others because they all visibly relax as well.
As we luxuriate in each other's company, I feel the anxiety I had earlier melt away, replaced by the certainty that our pack is exactly where it's supposed to be.