Chapter 30
thirty
KITANIA
Walking through the doors of the OMA had my stomach twisting into knots. It was funny how each office looked almost exactly the same. The one in Silver City bore an uncanny resemblance to the one in my hometown of Kipper Valley—the very campus I’d been kidnapped from.
The sign, the colors, the decor, right down to the smell of the lobby, were so similar it was startling.
I hadn’t expected to have such a visceral reaction to the similarities, but PTSD liked to rear its ugly head at the most inopportune times, surprising you with triggers you didn’t even know you had.
My palms went clammy, my legs weak, and my body released a burst of adrenaline into my bloodstream that made me feel shaky while my heart pounded like a bass drum against my sternum.
Luckily, this time, I wasn’t alone. This time, I was wrapped in my Alphas’ scents, their claim marks fresh on my neck, and the warmth of their bodies surrounding me on all sides. Dimitri’s large hand pressed reassuringly against the small of my back, and I straightened my shoulders, drawing from his strength.
I wasn’t just Kitania Marlowe anymore—I was Kitania Cristenello now. And that made all the difference in the world.
“You okay, little Omega?” D’s deep voice rumbled close to my ear, warming my skin.
I leaned into his touch, needing all the comfort I could get. “I’m fine. Just... memories.”
His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, and I knew his mind had wandered in the same direction mine had. How I’d suffered before him and his brothers had found me, rescued me, claimed me.
“We’ve got you. No one here would dare hurt you. They know what it means to cross a Cristenello,” he promised, the threat in his voice clear.
The receptionist called my name, eyes widening when all four of my Alphas moved with me. I felt the reflexive smile tug at my lips as Gio placed a possessive hand on my hip, while Tommy smiled at the flustered woman. Marco hung back, scanning the room with practiced vigilance, but his gaze returned to me every few seconds as if to reassure himself I was still there.
The paperwork was a formality—nothing more. The Cristenello name carried weight in this city, and my situation was... unusual, to say the least. As one of the Omegas who’d been stolen and sold in an underground trafficking ring before being found and rescued—thanks to my Alphas who had assisted the OMA and the FBI to help recover as many of us as possible—the OMA had granted me special privileges. Like not having to go through the whole scent binder process to find a match or follow all the protocols of an official courting period. My Alphas didn’t answer to the rules of others, and instead of arguing over semantics, Chaddrick Hurst, the director of the agency, had simply asked that we come into the office to finalize the official documents that marked us as a unified pack. And officially change my status on the Omega Registry to ‘bonded.’
“We’ll handle this,” Dimitri told me after I’d signed my name on the final form. “Why don’t you go get something from the café with Julia? She’s been dying to see you again. Said something about there being too much testosterone in this family and needing ‘girl time.’”
I giggled. “She really said that?”
Gio nodded, his face softening at the mention of his sister. “She practically broke our phones with all her calls when she heard we’d finally bonded. Been bitching that we’ve been hogging you.”
“Unless you’d rather stay,” Tommas added, his green eyes watchful. His dimples flashed as he smiled. “But fair warning—if you stick around for the processing part, you’ll be bored to tears.”
“Why don’t I walk you there?” Marco offered. “But I’ll hang back across the quad so you ladies can have your space to visit.”
The thought of temporary separation made my chest tighten, but I pushed past it. I was safe now. And the idea of seeing Julia again was too tempting to pass up. We were family now, after all. Sisters.
“Okay. I’d love that!”
I’d barely stepped into the quad between buildings when a blur of dark hair and sass crashed into me, wrapping me in a hug so fierce I nearly lost my balance.
“It’s about time!” Julia pulled back, eyes sparkling, wearing that familiar smirk on her face that reminded me so much of Tommy’s. “I was starting to think they were going to keep you locked in that penthouse forever!”
A laugh bubbled up before I could stop it. Julia was all spark and fire, and her confident energy was refreshing.
“They’ve had their reasons,” I teased, purposely tilting my neck this way and that to show off my new bond marks.
“I’m going to pretend your bonding was all very chaste—because otherwise, ew—but holy shit! I’m happy my brothers finally had the good sense to lock you down.”
“Uh, hello? I’m standing right here,” Marco groused, his tone dripping with mock offense.
Julia just waved a hand at him without even glancing in his direction. “Irrelevant.”
I chortled, then tried to smother it, but was unable to keep the dreamy smile off my face.
“That good, huh?” Julia winked while Marco sighed exasperatedly.
Marco groaned dramatically. “Jules…”
“What?! I’m not asking for details, trust me.” She gave a mock shiver, like that would be the worst thing in the world to have to suffer through hearing about. “I’ll pass on the play-by-play, thanks. All I’m saying is your mate has a particular glow about her. She looks happy—and that makes me happy.”
“I am,” I said quietly, warmth threading through every syllable. I felt their agreement ripple across the bond. “I don’t know how I got so lucky.”
“You have seen the amount of laundry these heathens produce, right? They haven’t brainwashed you?”
“Hey—” Marco started to protest.
“Trust me,” I said, my voice light and effervescent, “the benefits of having four mates far outweigh the piles of dirty clothes. Besides, I don’t mind doing laundry. It’s kind of soothing. And if it ever gets to be too much, that’s what laundry services are for.”
Her grin softened. “I knew I liked you. Sweet, stunning, and smart. No wonder my brothers are completely stupid for you.”
Blushing, I shook my head, trying to redirect the attention off of myself. “Please. Have you seen yourself?”
Her dark hair hung in glossy waves past her shoulders, and her brown eyes—so like Dimitri’s—sparkled with intelligence and humor. She was gorgeous in that effortless, confident way that made me a little envious, dressed in a fitted burgundy sweater and dark jeans that hugged her curves. It was obvious that Julia was the total package. But as was her way, she dismissed my praise with a wave of her hand.
Unfortunately, she wouldn’t let me off the hook that easily. “Woman, we’re talking about you here.”
“Kit’s too damn modest for her own good,” Marco muttered, arching a brow at me to challenge his next point. “Acts like being adored by four Alphas is just some happy accident.”
“It is ,” I protested softly, but Julia just smirked.
“Oh please. Scent matches are never happy accidents. They’re the universe flipping your whole damn life upside down and daring you not to fall in love.”
“Impossible. What’s not to love?” Marco flexed dramatically, showcasing his masculine prowess.
I rolled my eyes, even as my cheeks went hot—because, damn .
“Careful,” Julia warned him, a wicked glint in her eye. “Don’t make me start telling embarrassing stories. You know I’ve got a lifetime of material to work with.”
Marco narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t.”
She smirked. “How long have you known me?”
He opened his mouth like he might argue—but then his expression shifted. Softened.
“I’ve missed you, Jules.”
Her teasing faded for just a breath. “I’ve missed you too, asshole .”
He grinned, and so did she. And just like that, the energy shifted again—still light, still playful. But underneath it, I could feel it. The bond of family. The kind you didn’t have to earn.
Julia turned her eyes on me again and reached for my hand, giving it a squeeze. “I don’t know what my brothers did to get so lucky, but they hit the jackpot. You are my new favorite sister.”
A helpless little laugh escaped me. Again. “I’m your only sister.”
“Semantics.” She waved off the technicality, then linked her arm through mine. “Come on. Coffee awaits, and we are in serious need of sister time.”
It hit me all over again that I had a family now—not just my mates, but a sister and father-in-laws, too. It had been too long since I’d felt this kind of boundless acceptance, this kind of inclusion, this kind of questionless belonging.
I gave Marco a little finger wave as she tugged me toward the café with a familiarity that felt strangely right, like we’d known each other for years even though we’d only met twice.
We took the cobbled path across the quad, and I caught sight of a woman waiting by the entrance of the café—tall and slender, with rich red hair that flowed down her back in loose waves. Freckles dusted her pale skin like sprinkled cinnamon, and her emerald eyes held a gentleness that contrasted sharply with Julia’s feisty exuberance.
“That’s Adeline,” Julia said, waving enthusiastically. “Addy! Look who I’ve got!”
Adeline smiled, and something in my chest tightened at the sight. It wasn’t that her smile wasn’t genuine—it was. But there was a shadow behind it, a familiar heaviness I recognized all too well. Pain.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Kitania,” she said, her voice soft and melodic. “Julia’s been talking about you non-stop since she heard about the bonding.”
“Just Kit, please,” I offered. “And it’s nice to meet you, too.”
As we walked into the café, I couldn’t help but notice the difference between the two women. Where Julia was all motion and sass, Adeline moved with a quiet grace, as if trying to take up as little space as possible. There was a carefulness to her that reminded me of myself not so long ago—the deliberate movements of someone who had learned the hard way that the world could be harsh.
The air was rich with the scent of coffee and baked goods, and the girls led me toward a small booth tucked in the corner. Julia immediately flagged down a barista she seemed to know.
“The usual for me and Addy, and—” she turned to me. “What’s your poison?”
“Just a vanilla latte, please,” I said, settling into the booth beside her.
As the barista headed off, I glanced out the window and spotted Marco sitting on a bench across the quad, reading something on his phone, close enough to see us but far enough to give us privacy. My heart skipped as he glanced up for a moment, probably feeling my attention regardless of the distance. He sent me a wink, and I smiled softly.
I turned my attention back to the girls, who were chatting happily and sharing gossip about one of their professors.
“Do you guys have class today? I’m not messing up your schedules, am I?”
Julia hedged, “Technically, yes. But what am I missing, really? How to Please Your Alpha 101? Scent Theory? Cooking class?”
The barista returned with our drinks and a plate of pastries, quieting our conversation for a moment. As we settled in with our coffees, Julia wasted no time diving back in.
“How is any of that truly important? I hate that I’m not allowed to take Economics, Psychology, Biophysics, or work toward a Law degree.”
“Better settle in and get comfy,” Adeline warned, blowing on the top of her beverage. “She’s on a roll now.”
“Sorry.” Julia winced. “It’s just… I’m passionate about being able to control your own freedom. I get carried away sometimes.”
“No, I get it,” I said, warming my hands on the mug. “I used to feel the same way. Before...” I trailed off, not wanting to dampen the mood with talk of my kidnapping.
Julia’s eyes softened. “Kit, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“Don’t,” I said quickly. “Please. I’m okay now. Better than okay.” I touched the fresh marks on my neck, drawing comfort from them. “I think what you’re saying makes perfect sense. We should have choices.”
Adeline nodded, her long fingers curled delicately around her cup. “Julia’s been fighting this battle since we met. The administration thinks she’s a troublemaker.”
“I prefer ‘catalyst for change,’” Julia quipped, but there was genuine fire beneath her humor. “It’s just—I wish I didn’t have to choose a pack to gain my freedom. Why is my entire worth tied to my ability to pop out babies?”
I shifted in my seat, feeling the weight of her words. A few months ago, I might have felt the same way. But now, with my bond marks fresh on my neck and the constant warm presence of my Alphas in the back of my mind, I understood things differently.
“Not everyone wants the same things,” I continued. “And that’s okay. I think everyone has their own path. I never thought I’d end up where I am now, but…”
“But now you’re disgustingly happy and in love?” Julia supplied with a teasing smile.
I smirked even as a flush crept up my neck. “Yeah. I really am.” I glanced at the other woman at the table with us. “What about you, Adeline?” I asked, wanting to include her in the conversation. She’d been quietly sipping her coffee, seeming content to let Julia and I do most of the talking.
Something flickered across her face—vulnerability, perhaps—before she composed herself. “I’ve always wanted a pack of my own,” she admitted. “A family. Children…” Her voice was so soft, I had to lean forward to hear her.
Julia reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. There was history there, something unspoken passing between them. I didn’t want to pry, but I was endlessly curious about her story.
“Hey, your pack is out there,” Julia assured her. “Scent matches are rare, but they happen. Just look at Demi and Kit.”
Adeline smiled faintly, leaning into Julia’s side to bump her shoulder with hers in a companionable way that spoke to their close friendship. “That sounded almost conformist. And here I thought you were determined to rewrite the entire system.”
“Someone has to,” Julia insisted. “And it might as well be me. I’m not saying I don’t want love or a pack. I’m just saying I want to choose it on my terms. Not be forced into it, or be stuck at the OMA forever. I want a pack who doesn’t expect me to conform to some ‘ideal’ of what an Omega should be. I want to live life. Explore things I’m interested in. Find my own path in life.”
The way she spoke was so inspiring. So many of us felt the same way, and while I loved the domestic life I’d carved out for myself, one devoted to my pack and some day starting a family, I felt everything Julia was saying. Wasn’t I just longing for the possibility of owning my own café just the other day? Dreams like that weren’t possible for Omegas like us, and Julia was right. It wasn’t fair.
“I can’t change my designation, but I’m not gonna be some Omega baby factory. I swear, if one more Alpha asks about my damn ‘breeding potential,’ I’m gonna bare my teeth—and not in a fun way.”
Adeline nearly choked on her coffee. “I’d pay money to see that.”
“Come to my next pack interview and you’ll probably get the show for free. I swear, I wouldn’t even go, but my heat is coming soon and I don’t think I can stomach another one alone.”
“Suppressed heats are their own special kind of misery,” Adeline explained at my furrowed brows and confused expression. “And they get worse each time.” She winced like she’d survived her fair share of heats alone.
My stomach twisted at the thought. I couldn’t imagine the pain, even with medicine to help.
“Zero out of ten do not recommend,” Julia agreed in solidarity. “The hot flashes, the mood swings, the cramps, the—”
“The constant feeling that something’s missing,” Adeline murmured, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup. “Like there’s an empty space inside you that nothing can fill.”
The raw honesty in her voice made my heart ache. I reached across the table on instinct, covering her hand with mine. “Keep the faith. I know you’ll find your pack. Don’t give up.”
Adeline forced a smile, but there was a shadow behind it. “Look at us, being such downers when we should be celebrating. Matches like yours give the rest of us hope.”
“It does.” Julia agreed, then wrinkled her nose. “But I’ll be honest, my standards are dropping. At this point, I’d settle for an Alpha whose scent doesn’t make me want to vomit.”
“Julia!” Adeline scolded.
“What?” She shrugged unapologetically. “You know I speak the truth. Have you smelled some of the scents in those scent binders? Yesterday, I sniffed one that smelled like burnt popcorn and I couldn’t get the stench out of my nose for an hour.”
Snickers burst from all three of us, and it was like a dam broke. Suddenly, we were caught in the throes of laughter, sharp and sudden— cathartic .
“They’re out there,” I promised when we finally reined ourselves in. I couldn’t help but think about how each of my Alphas had their own unique scent that blended so perfectly with mine. “When you find the right match, everything changes. You can’t get enough of their scent and you want to be close to them all the time. It’s like... feeling truly at home for the first time.”
“That’s beautiful,” Adeline whispered, and the longing in her voice was unmistakable.
I squeezed her hand again. “What about you? Have you been to any pack interviews lately?”
Her gaze dropped to the table. “A few. None of them... worked out.”
“Because they’re idiots,” Julia said fiercely, protective anger flashing in her eyes.
I wanted to ask more, to understand how any Alpha could turn away someone as clearly sweet and kind as Adeline. But her carefully composed expression was fragile at best, and I didn’t want to pry. I understood better than most that some wounds were too fresh to touch.
Julia cleared her throat. “Enough about our tragically dull love lives. I want to hear about my brothers. Are they treating you right? Because if not, I’ll kick their collective asses. I may be smaller, but I fight dirty.”
“Why don’t I doubt that?” I said, picturing a young Julia keeping her four older brothers in line. You had become tough to hold your own as the only girl in a family of men. Now, it was my turn. “They’re better than I ever knew to hope for. It’s like the universe overcorrected after everything I’ve been through. I swear, they’d set the world on fire if it meant keeping me safe and happy, and the feeling is mutual.”
“Mom would have loved you,” Julia added suddenly, her voice softening. “She always prayed for a daughter-in-law who could handle all four of those brutes.”
The mention of their late mother made my throat tighten.
“I wish I could have met her.”
“Me too.” A rare moment of vulnerability crossed Julia’s features before she masked it with another sassy smile. “Anyway, you better not disappear into that penthouse bubble of theirs. I need another woman in this family before I lose my mind with all the testosterone.”
“I won’t,” I promised, surprised by how much I meant it. “I’d like us to be friends.”
“Friends? Honey, we’re family now. Way better than friends.” Julia squeezed my hand, her grip warm and sure. “And speaking of family…” She waggled her brows with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Am I getting nieces or nephews to spoil sometime soon?”
My cheeks flamed instantly, and I nearly choked on my latte.
“Julia!” Adeline admonished, though amusement colored her voice.
“What? It’s a valid question!” Julia protested. “I’m just asking if I need to start knitting baby booties or not. I need something to do in Home Ec.”
I set my cup down carefully, buying myself a few extra seconds. The question wasn’t unexpected, but it still made my heart flutter.
“I do want a family. Someday,” I admitted softly. “When I’m ready. But right now, I just want to enjoy being mated.”
“I get it. You want time as a pack before adding a tiny Marco or Gio. I guess I can wait,” she said with mock-dramatic flair. “Though that means I’ll have to put the knitting on hold. Tragic. What will I do with myself now?”
Adeline tried to hide her grin behind a tight press of her lips, but failed miserably. “Have you seen your knitting? You should get started now. It’ll give you time for a few test runs. I bet in a year, you could maybe manage a matching set.”
Julia gasped, clutching her chest like she’d been mortally wounded. “ Rude. I’ll have you know my last attempt at a scarf only had three holes in it. That’s practically couture.”
The conversation drifted to lighter topics after that—classes, campus gossip, ridiculous stories about my Alphas when they were younger and, apparently, feral. I laughed more in that single hour than I had in years.
It was a strange, unfamiliar kind of wonderful to sit with these women—to be included, seen , considered a friend.
Not just an Omega. Not just someone’s mate. But me.
I was mid-sip of my second latte when a familiar tingle raced down my spine. Looking up, I caught Dimitri’s gaze from across the quad, where he’d joined Marco. His eyes were dark with something I was learning to recognize—he needed me close again. The bond tugged at my core, warm and magnetic, and I knew the others would be feeling it too.
“Oh my God, look at your face,” Julia smirked, following my gaze. “They’re calling you home, aren’t they? That’s the bond-tug I’ve heard about.”
I blushed. “I think they’re getting restless.”
“Of course they are. Heaven forbid they go two hours without scenting you.” She rolled her eyes, but her smile was soft. “It’s disgusting how perfect you all are together. I’m almost jealous.”
She winked, letting the tease land with affection.
We gathered our things, and as we headed back toward the lobby of the OMA campus, Julia looped her arm through mine.
“Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“I promise I won’t be.”
“Excellent,” she said. “Because you’re stuck with me now. Family’s not optional, babe.”
The casual declaration hit harder than I expected, tightening my throat with something thick and grateful. Family. For someone who’d grown up in foster care, who’d never had anything close to a real one, the word still felt almost magical.
As we walked, I glanced over at Adeline’s quiet profile, catching the wistful look in her eyes as she watched a young mother pass with a stroller beyond the glass front door.
I knew that look.
I’d worn it myself.
The ache of wanting something so deeply, while quietly convincing yourself it would never be yours.
Now I knew what it felt like to believe in the future—to reach for it without fear of it slipping through my fingers.
Adeline’s story wasn’t over yet.
And neither was Julia’s.
Like me, they were both just getting started. Just learning to trust. Just beginning to bloom.
Each one of us just wanted to find our place, put down roots, and stretch our petals toward the sun.
And once we did—it would be nothing short of beautiful.