Epilogue
BEA
"We should have left earlier," Seth says for the third time from the passenger seat, checking his phone. "The website said crowds start forming by eight."
"It's six in the morning," I point out from my position in the back between Grayson and the window. "We left plenty early."
"Unless there's traffic—"
"There won't be traffic," River interrupts cheerfully from the driver's seat, one hand on the wheel. "It's Montana on a Tuesday. We could probably drive in the middle of the highway and not see another car for an hour."
"Still—"
"Seth." I lean forward between the seats and squeeze his shoulder, feeling his anxiety through our bond. "We're going to make it. I promise. You're going to see your waterfalls."
"They're not my waterfalls—" But he's smiling now, his hand coming up to cover mine. "Sorry. I'm excited."
"We know," Grayson says dryly from beside me. "You've mentioned it. Seventeen times."
"That's not—"
"It's definitely seventeen," River confirms. "I counted."
Through the bonds, I feel Seth's embarrassment mixed with happiness, and I can't help but smile. My sweet, anxious alpha finally getting his road trip to Great Falls. The one he's been talking about since we bonded.
Summer in Montana is gorgeous. The mountains are green instead of snow-covered, wildflowers dotting the hillsides in bursts of purple and yellow and white. The windows are down, warm air rushing through the truck, and I'm surrounded by my pack.
Perfect.
"How's Elisabeth working out?" Grayson asks, his thumb stroking lazy circles on my knee.
"Amazing." I lean into him, breathing in ink and leather. "She handled three client meetings this week while I focused on the Pine Valley expansion. I actually had time to eat lunch. Sitting down. Like a person."
"Look at you," River says, grinning at me in the rearview mirror. "Business mogul. Very impressive."
"I'm not a mogul—"
"You hired an assistant and you're expanding to neighboring towns," Seth points out. "That's mogul territory."
"Next you'll be franchising," Grayson adds, his hand sliding higher on my thigh. "Bea Wilson Marketing, locations throughout Montana."
"You're all ridiculous." But I'm smiling, warmth spreading through my chest that has nothing to do with the summer heat.
My business. My actual, successful business that started with posting videos of River's forearms and turned into something real. Something mine.
"We're proud of you," Seth says quietly. "In case that wasn't clear."
Through the bond, his emotions wash over me—pride, love, satisfaction.
"It's clear." I squeeze his shoulder again. "But I like hearing it anyway."
The drive takes two hours, and we spend it playing increasingly ridiculous road trip games that River insists are "mandatory pack bonding activities."
Twenty questions where Grayson picks "air" and refuses to give better clues.
I Spy that devolves into River pointing out increasingly absurd things ("I spy with my little eye something that's Seth's dignity" "That's not visible, River" "Exactly").
License plate game that Seth takes far too seriously, keeping detailed notes in his phone.
By the time we reach Great Falls, I'm laughing so hard my stomach hurts and all three bonds are humming with joy.
"There," Seth breathes when we park. His eyes are locked on the distant sound of rushing water. "Can you hear it?"
We can. Even from the parking lot, the roar of water over rock fills the air.
The falls are stunning. Five massive waterfalls along the Missouri River, water crashing over ancient stone, mist rising into the summer air and catching the morning light in rainbows.
Seth walks ahead, drawn like a magnet, and we follow more slowly. Giving him this moment.
"He's vibrating," River observes, grinning.
"He's happy," I correct, feeling Seth's pure joy through the bond. "This is important to him."
"Then it's important to us," Grayson says quietly, his hand finding mine.
We spend hours there. Walking the trails.
Taking photos—River insists on approximately a billion pictures of Seth in front of each waterfall.
Sitting on rocks with our feet dangling over the rushing water while Seth explains the geological history with the enthusiasm of someone who actually finds rocks fascinating.
"And that one is Rainbow Falls," Seth says, pointing. His face is lit up in a way I've never seen. "See how the mist catches the light?"
"Beautiful," I say, but I'm not looking at the waterfall.
Grayson catches my expression and smirks, his emotions rippling through our bond—satisfaction, possession, love.
"We should plan the next trip," River says, sprawled on the warm stone beside me. "Rome. Bea wants to see the Colosseum."
"And Tokyo," Seth adds. "For the sushi."
"Grocery store sushi doesn't count," we all say at once, and Seth's laugh echoes off the rocks.
"I know, I know." He settles beside me, his hand finding mine. "Real sushi. From a real sushi chef. Who probably won't judge me for not knowing proper chopstick etiquette."
"We'll teach you," I assure him. "Before we go. So you don't embarrass us."
"Gee, thanks."
Through the bonds, I feel all of them. Seth's contentment. River's joy. Grayson's steady, intense love. All of it weaving together, surrounding me, holding me.
"This is nice," I say quietly. "Being here. Together."
"Yeah." River sits up, wrapping his arm around me. "It is."
We watch the water for a while, comfortable in the silence. The mist cools my sun-warmed skin. The sound of rushing water drowns out everything else. My pack surrounds me—solid, real, mine.
"Remember when you kissed me at the festival?" Seth says suddenly.
I groan. "Do we have to talk about that?"
"I was terrified," he continues, ignoring me. "Thought I'd completely ruined everything. That you'd never speak to me again."
"I was the one who kissed you," I point out.
"And I thought it was a mistake. That you'd realize you didn't actually want me, just needed an excuse to get rid of your ex."
"Seth—"
"But then River asked you out. And Grayson walked into the bookstore. And we all somehow figured out how to be a pack." He turns to look at me, his brown eyes soft. "And now we're here. In Great Falls. Planning trips to Rome and Tokyo. And you're building an empire—"
"It's not an empire—"
"—and we're buying a bigger house next year—"
"We are?" This is news to me.
"We talked about it last week," Grayson says. "You were half-asleep, but you agreed."
"That doesn't count."
"You signed the paperwork," River adds cheerfully. "It absolutely counts."
I'm going to kill all of them. "What paperwork?"
"The 'River is your favorite alpha and gets to make all decisions' paperwork," River says with a completely straight face.
"That's not—"
"Your signature says otherwise."
I look to Seth for help, but he's trying not to laugh. Traitor.
"You're all ridiculous," I announce. "And I'm not buying a house. I like the nest. The nest is perfect."
"The nest will be in the new house," Grayson says reasonably. "Bigger nest room. More space. Maybe two nest rooms—one for heat, one for regular sleep."
"And an actual office for your business," Seth adds. "With a door that locks so we can't distract you during work hours."
"Though we probably will anyway," River admits. "But at least there will be a door."
I look between them, these three alphas who somehow became mine. Who support my dreams. Who make me laugh. Who see all my messy, complicated parts and love me anyway.
Who apparently bought a house without telling me properly.
"Fine," I say. "But I get final approval on the nest room."
"Done," all three of them say at once.
Through the bonds, I feel their satisfaction. Their love. The absolute certainty that this is forever.
Six months ago, I was terrified of wanting this.
Now I can't imagine anything else.
The water rushes over the falls, constant and powerful and beautiful. We sit together on the rocks, my pack surrounding me, and I let myself feel it.
The joy. The love. The absolute rightness of belonging.
This is home.
Not Honeyridge Falls, though I love it.
Not Seth's house, though we live there.
Not even the nest, though it's my favorite place in the world.
Home is this. The four of us together. Wherever we go.
"Come on," River says eventually, pulling me to my feet. "Let's get lunch. Then we can hit the gift shop so Seth can buy a million postcards."
"I'm only buying five—"
"He's buying a million," Grayson confirms.
Seth's protest gets lost in our laughter as we make our way back up the trail, hand in hand, three bonds singing in my chest.
And as we drive home later, the summer sun setting over the Montana mountains, I realize something.
I'm not scared anymore.
Not of wanting this. Not of being vulnerable. Not of letting them see all of me.
I'm just happy.
Really, truly happy.
And that's more than I ever thought I'd get.
THE END