Chapter 26 #2
"We should talk about future stuff," Grayson says when we're done eating, his hand finding mine. "Before things get more complicated."
My stomach drops for a second before I catch his scent—calm, no anxiety.
"What kind of future stuff?" I ask carefully.
"Kids," River says simply, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. "We should be on the same page."
Oh. Right. The conversation I've been dreading.
"I don't want kids for a long time," I say in a rush. "Maybe five years, maybe ten. I need to build my business first, figure out who I am outside of being an omega. And I know that's not what most—"
"Sounds perfect," Seth says through the bond and out loud, his arms tightening around me.
I blink. "What?"
"You're twenty-two," River points out, lacing our fingers together. "Fresh out of college. Of course you want to build your career first. Why would we expect anything different?"
"Because Terrance—"
"We're not Terrance." Grayson's voice is firm, his other hand cupping my face. "We want you happy and fulfilled. If that means waiting ten years for kids, we wait ten years."
"Or longer," Seth adds, nuzzling into my neck. "Or forever. Kids are great, but they're not worth having if you're not ready."
The relief hits so hard I can barely breathe. "You really mean that."
"Of course we mean it." River pulls me closer, until I'm practically in his lap. "Bea, we're in our thirties. We've had time to build careers and figure ourselves out. You deserve the same opportunity."
"Besides," Grayson says with that smirk, leaning in to kiss my forehead, "I'm not eager to share you with tiny humans yet. I'd rather have you to ourselves for a good long while."
Through the bond, Seth's certainty wraps around me like a blanket. His love, his support, his complete acceptance of my timeline.
"Okay," I whisper. "Okay."
Seth's purr starts immediately, rumbling against my back. River kisses my temple. Grayson's thumb strokes my cheekbone.
"So," River says after a moment. "Travel plans. Where do we want to go?"
"Oh!" I perk up. "I have a whole list. London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Greece—"
"Tokyo," Grayson adds, his hand settling on my knee. "Thailand. The architecture, the culture—"
"Australia," River says, his arm around my shoulders. "New Zealand. The South Island has incredible hiking."
"Great Falls," Seth says against my neck.
We all turn to stare at him.
"Did you just say Great Falls?" I ask slowly. "As in... Great Falls, Montana?"
"Yeah." He looks confused. "It's only two hours away and I've never been. They have that waterfall viewpoint—"
"Seth." River is fighting laughter. "Bea just listed countries in Europe. Grayson wants Asia. I'm talking about literally the other side of the world."
"Billings is supposed to be nice too," Seth offers hopefully.
I'm laughing so hard I can barely breathe, and Seth tightens his arms around me. "You precious landlocked man. Your idea of adventure travel is Billings?"
"What's wrong with Billings?" But he's smiling now, sending affection-amusement through the bond.
"Nothing's wrong with Billings," I gasp. "It's just—have you ever left Montana?"
"I went to North Dakota once," he says defensively. "For a safety conference."
"North Dakota," Grayson repeats flatly, but he's grinning.
"Williston. Very nice people. Good breakfast buffet at the hotel."
"We're taking you to Europe," I declare. "Your horizons need expanding."
"I like Montana," Seth protests, but his happiness floods the bond.
"We all like Montana. But there are other places." I kiss him. "We'll go to Great Falls. And then we're going to Rome."
"And Tokyo," Grayson adds. "I want to see his face when he tries real sushi."
"I've had sushi," Seth argues. "The grocery store in Pine Valley—"
"That doesn't count," we all say at once.
His phone buzzes. He checks it and frowns. "Tessa Lang. She's panicking about New Year's decorations."
"When is Tessa not panicking?" River mutters, his hand rubbing circles on my back.
"She says everything's wrong and she needs help at the square." Seth's already standing, pulling me up with him. "I should go."
"We'll all go," I say, grabbing my coat. Grayson helps me into it, his hands lingering on my shoulders.
The town square is picture-perfect in the falling snow. Christmas lights twinkle, holiday music drifts from the diner, and right in the middle of it all is Tessa Lang on a ladder, yelling into her phone.
"No, I said gold and silver, not gold and bronze—" She spots us and waves frantically. "Oh thank god. Seth, I need you!"
Seth's already moving—full deputy mode engaged. "Tessa. Get down from that ladder before you break your neck."
"I can't get down, the banner will fall!"
"The banner can fall. You can't." His voice is firm but kind—the voice that makes people listen. "Down. Now."
She climbs down, grumbling, and immediately points at Grayson. "You. Tall one. Help with the banner. Seth, those lights on that tree are completely wrong—"
"I hung those yesterday—"
"They're wrong NOW!" She's spiraling, and Seth moves closer, his hand on her shoulder, grounding her.
"Tessa. Breathe. What specifically is wrong with the lights?"
She blinks at him. "They're... the spacing is uneven on the left side."
"Okay. I can fix uneven spacing. Can you show me?"
Just like that, she calms down. Seth's got this easy authority now—he knows how to handle crisis situations, including Tessa's decoration emergencies.
River's hand finds mine, warm and solid. He leans down, grinning. "Want to escape before she conscripts us?"
"Please."
We sneak behind the gazebo, both trying not to laugh. The snow falls harder, muffling everything. River's scent is stronger here, away from everyone else.
"We abandoned them," I say, breathless from laughing and running.
"They'll be fine. Grayson loves being bossed around, he just won't admit it." River's grinning, pulling me against him. His hands settle on my hips. "And Seth's in full deputy mode. He could probably talk Tessa down from a literal ledge right now."
"What about you? Don't you feel bad ditching?"
"Not even a little bit." His grin gets wider. "Besides, I wanted you alone for a minute."
"Oh?" I step closer, my hands on his chest. "What for?"
"This."
He kisses me—no hesitation, no tentative exploration. His hand slides into my hair, angling my head, and his mouth moves against mine with the confidence of someone who's already had me, who knows exactly how I taste.
I kiss him back just as eagerly, fisting my hands in his jacket. His pine-snow scent surrounds me completely, stronger with his arousal, mixing with my cinnamon-apple until we smell like us. Like pack.
"Missed this," he murmurs against my lips.
"We literally kissed only three hours ago."
"Three hours too long." His hands tighten on my hips, pulling me flush against him.
I'm laughing when my boot hits ice. I'm falling backward and River lunges, catching my wrist, but the momentum takes us both down.
We land in a snowbank with a soft whump, me on top of him, both of us covered in snow.
"Smooth," he says, laughing.
"Very smooth." I'm giggling, brushing snow off his face, and he catches my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm.
His hands settle on my hips, holding me in place. Snow melts where our bodies press together. "Not sorry at all."
The laughter fades. We're hidden from view, the snow falling around us, and the way he's looking at me makes every nerve ending wake up.
"River—"
He rolls us so I'm pressed into the snow, his body covering mine, his weight perfect and grounding. His hips settle between my thighs and I can feel him—hard and wanting through too many layers.
"Tell me to stop," he says roughly, his hand sliding under my coat.
"Don't stop."
He kisses me like he's starving. His hand slides under my shirt, finding bare skin, and I arch into the touch. When his thumb brushes the underside of my breast, I gasp against his mouth.
"We're in public," I manage.
"Behind a gazebo in a snowstorm." His mouth moves to my neck, teeth grazing. "No one can see."
His hand cups my breast through my bra, and every reason this is a bad idea flies out of my head.
"Oh my GOD. My EYES."
We break apart to find Ben standing there with one hand dramatically covering his eyes, the other holding a container of cookies.
"Are you decent?" he calls out. "Please tell me you're decent."
"We're in public, Ben!" I try to sit up but River's still half on top of me, both of us covered in snow. My face is on fire.
Ben peeks through his fingers, confirms we're both fully clothed, and drops his hand. He's trying not to smile but also looks mildly horrified.
“How long where you standing there?” River asks.
"Long enough to be traumatized. I can't even leave the house without one of you being all over my sister." He shakes his head. "First Seth, now River. What, is Grayson gonna be making out with her tomorrow?"
River finally moves, standing and pulling me up with him, keeping his arm around my waist. I'm pretty sure my face could melt the snow around us.
"We were just—" I start.
"Making out in public where anyone could see?" Ben supplies helpfully. "Yeah, I noticed."
"Hey." River sounds remarkably composed for someone who was just caught with his hand up my shirt. "How's the cabin?"
"Don't you 'how's the cabin' me." But he's fighting a grin. "Mom sent cookies. Said you were out here helping."
"Speaking of," I say, brushing snow off my jeans, "you should go help Tessa."
Ben's easy expression shifts immediately. "Nope. Hard pass."
"What?" River looks amused. "The big tough mechanic is afraid of a five-foot event planner?"
"She scares me," Ben says without shame. "She gets this look when decorations aren't perfect. Like she's planning your murder but making it look accidental."
"She's not that bad," I protest, leaning into River's warmth.
"She made me re-hang the same banner four times last year because it was 'slightly askew.' Invisible to the human eye, Bea." He shudders. "You guys can handle her. I'm delivering cookies and leaving before she spots me."
He hands me a container and walks away muttering, "Gonna need so much therapy..."
River pulls me back against his chest, his arms wrapping around me from behind. "Your brother's terrified of Tessa Lang."
"Can you blame him?" But I'm laughing, leaning back into him.
He presses a kiss to my neck, right where a claiming mark could go, and I shiver.
We make our way back to find Seth and Grayson finishing up. The banner is perfect, the lights are fixed, and Tessa looks satisfied.
"Have fun?" Grayson asks, taking in our snow-covered clothes. He pulls me away from River and into his arms, brushing snow off my hair.
"Loads," I say cheerfully.
Seth grins, and through the bond I feel his happiness-amusement-affection. He's not jealous. He's just glad we're happy. He moves to my other side, his hand finding mine.
"Come on," River says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "Let's go home."
We walk through the snow together—all four of us, me in the middle, surrounded by them. I can smell all of them—cedar and rain, pine and snow, ink and leather—all mixing with my cinnamon-apple.
We smell like pack.
Like home.