Chapter 29 Sharon
SHARON
I'm standing outside Savannah's house with approximately seventeen different things in my arms that I'm pretty sure I'm about to drop.
The house is warm when Savannah opens the door, and the smell that hits me is a combination of baby powder, cinnamon, and the kind of chaos that only comes from having three newborns in one space.
I can hear crying coming from somewhere in the back of the house, and Savannah looks like she hasn't slept in approximately three years.
"Sharon," she says, and there's genuine happiness in her voice despite the fact that she looks like a zombie. "Come in. Quickly. Before the cold gets in and wakes up whoever just fell asleep."
I shuffle in with my armload of wedding stuff, and Savannah takes half of it without asking, stacking it on the side table by the door.
She's wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt that has what I'm pretty sure is spit-up on the shoulder, and her red hair is piled on top of her head in a bun that looks like it was done in the dark while someone was screaming.
"You look fantastic, considering you have triplets,” I say, setting down the rest of my stuff.
"I am exhausted," Savannah says cheerfully. "But also happy. Like, deliriously happy. Haven’t met my boys yet?"
"I haven't," I say, and I can hear the excitement in my own voice. "What are their names?"
"Logan Junior, because apparently my alphas have zero creativity and just combined Logan's name with junior," Savannah says, leading me toward the living room.
"Then there's River, because Griff wanted something that sounded like it came from nature.
And then there's Xavier, named after Theo because apparently I have the most obvious taste in naming children. "
As we head into the living room, I see her three alphas taking charge of each baby.
Griff is on the couch holding Logan Junior, who is tiny and absolutely perfect.
Logan is pacing back and forth with River draped over his shoulder, patting the baby's back in what looks like a practiced motion.
Xavier is sitting in a chair that looks like it was specifically designed for holding babies, and he's holding Theo with the kind of gentle precision that suggests he's been reading every single baby care book ever published.
"They're beautiful," I say, and I mean it completely. The boys are tiny and pink and absolutely adorable in that way that newborns are adorable even though they also look like angry little potatoes.
"They're loud," Savannah says, settling onto the armchair that's apparently been claimed as hers. "But yes, also beautiful. Come sit. Tell me about the wedding. Because I need to think about something other than babies right now.”
I settle onto the couch next to Griff, who nods at me in greeting without disturbing Logan Junior. I pull out the final seating chart and show Savannah the arrangements.
"Sixty guests," I say. "All arranged so that people who actually like each other are sitting together. The photographer has his timeline. The florist has confirmed delivery. The caterer knows exactly what time they need to arrive. Everything is locked in."
"You sound confident," Savannah says, and there's something in her expression that suggests she's seeing something in me that I'm not entirely sure about.
"I am," I say, surprised to realize that it's true. "This wedding is going to be incredible. Tangle Peak and the Brownbox pack are genuinely in love. The weather is supposed to be beautiful. All the pieces are in place."
"What about Ben?" Savannah asks carefully.
“Left rehab, clearly is using again and…well let’s see if the ultimatum they gave him makes him see sense.”
“Meaning?”
“One year or he is out of his Grandpa’s will, if he isn’t clean for a whole year.”
The room turns cold, and even the babies and Savannah’s pack have gone quiet.
“Well, I can see that your pack are looking after you,” Logan winks as he says it.
Savannah smiles, and it's a real smile that reaches her eyes. "Good. That's good. You deserve pack that protects you."
"I have that," I say, and I can feel my scent shifting into something warm and happy. "I really do."
Logan Junior starts to cry, a tiny sound that somehow escalates into full-on newborn screaming that's impressively loud for something so small.
Griff immediately starts doing a combination of rocking and bouncing that looks like it's some kind of choreographed dance he's learned over the past few days.
"They're very vocal," Savannah says loudly, trying to be heard over the crying. "They have opinions about everything."
River decides this is a good time to also start crying, and suddenly the living room sounds like a concert of tiny angry humans expressing their displeasure with everything. Logan immediately starts bouncing harder, and Theo jumps up from his chair like he's been electrified.
"Welcome to my life," Savannah says cheerfully. "Three babies. Zero sleep. Approximately one million opinions from three alphas about how to raise babies."
"How are you actually holding up?" I ask, genuinely concerned. She looks happy, but she also looks like she's running on fumes and spite.
"I'm holding up," Savannah says, and her expression gets a little softer. "Honestly, I'm doing better than I thought I would. The alphas are helpful, and they’re less anxious than when I was pregnant. They’re so hands-on, and they really leave me to it, I can’t complain.”
"That's really beautiful," I say, and I mean it.
I think back to when I came over and she was pregnant, even with three babies in the room, you couldn’t tell because Savannah looks relaxed and the alphas have taken over. And although we haven’t talked about kids, I can’t wait to have some with my pack.
"Now tell me about your pack," Savannah says.
"They're being amazing," I say. "Cassian showed up at the office to help me with wedding details. Jett has been coordinating with the venue. They're protecting me, and being exactly what a pack is supposed to be."
"I'm glad," Savannah says, and I can hear genuine happiness in her voice. "I knew that you were going to find something special in this town. I didn't know it was going to be a pack of three incredibly hot alphas, but I'm happy for you and them.”
By the time I leave Savannah's house, my head is spinning with information about babies and having three newborns in one space.
It's dark when I get back to the house that I share with my pack. All three of them are waiting for me, and I can immediately smell that they've been cooking. The kitchen smells amazing, and there's music playing softly in the background.
"How is Savannah?" Pine asks, moving to help me with my coat.
"Happy," I say, and I can feel my scent shifting into something warm and relaxed. "Exhausted, but happy. She has three beautiful boys. Logan Junior, River, and Theo."
"The alphas really did just name one of the babies after themselves," Cassian says, coming out of the kitchen with a dish towel over his shoulder. "That's so on brand for that group."
"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" Jett asks, pulling me onto the couch and settling me between him and Pine. Cassian sits across from us in the armchair, and I immediately feel completely surrounded and safe.
"Nervous," I admit. "Excited. Terrified. All of the things at once."
"That's completely normal," Pine says, running his fingers through my hair. "You've planned an incredible wedding. Everything is in place. Tomorrow is going to be beautiful."
"What if something goes wrong?" I ask, and I can hear the worry in my own voice.
"Then we handle it," Cassian says simply. "Together. That's what pack does."
We have dinner together, and it's delicious. Cassian made pasta. Jett prepared a salad. Pine made garlic bread that's somehow perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We sit around the dining table and eat and talk about the day and everything that's happening tomorrow.
By the time we've finished eating and cleaned up the kitchen, I'm feeling slightly more settled. Not completely calm. But calmer than I was when I got home.
"Come on," Jett says, taking my hand and leading me toward the bathroom. "You need to relax. We're going to give you a bath, and then we're going to make sure you get a good night's sleep."
"I don't need a bath," I protest, even though I definitely do. My body is tense with stress and anticipation.
"You're getting a bath," Pine says, already running the water and adding bath salts that smell like lavender and eucalyptus. "No arguments."
I strip off my clothes with the kind of comfort that comes from being bonded to people who've seen every part of you. The hot water feels amazing as I slide into the tub, and I feel my entire body immediately relax.
Cassian sits on the edge of the tub, and he starts massaging my shoulders while Jett and Pine take turns washing my hair and my feet and generally taking care of me in ways that I didn't know I needed.
"You're going to be incredible tomorrow," Cassian says, working out a knot in my shoulder. "You're going to walk around that venue, and everyone is going to see how talented you are. Everyone is going to see that you pulled off something amazing."
"What if I mess up?" I ask quietly.
"You won't," Pine says firmly. "But even if something small goes wrong, you're going to handle it with grace and professionalism. You've got this, Sharon."
By the time I get out of the bath, my skin is pruned and my entire body feels like it's made of warm honey. Jett wraps me in a towel, and Cassian carries me to the bedroom while I protest that I can walk on my own.
"Let us take care of you," Pine says, settling me onto the bed and drying my hair with the kind of gentle care that makes my chest tight with emotion.
They dress me in one of their t-shirts because I love sleeping in their clothes. Then they settle me into bed with me between Cassian and Jett, and Pine on the other side of Jett.
"Tomorrow is going to be perfect," Cassian says, pulling me close. "But tonight, you're just going to sleep. You're going to rest. You're going to let your pack take care of you."
"I'm scared," I admit quietly. "I'm scared that I'm going to mess this up. I'm scared that something is going to go wrong. I'm scared that I'm not actually as good at this as everyone thinks I am."
"You're terrified right now," Jett says softly. "But you're also one of the strongest people I know. You walked into this town broken and scared, and you've built a life here. You have grown into running an established business, successfully."
"What if I am incapable and I just don't know it yet?" I ask, my insecurity bleeding through.
"Then we're here to catch you," Pine says. His hand comes up and brushes my hair away from my face. "All three of us. We're not going anywhere. We're going to be with you every step of the way."
I fall asleep surrounded by my pack, and my dreams are filled with beautiful flowers and perfect lighting and a couple so in love that you can see it radiating off them.
In my dreams, the wedding is absolutely perfect.
Everything goes off without a hitch. Tangle Peak and the Brownbox pack stand at the altar and look at each other like nobody else in the world exists.
In my dreams, I'm exactly where I need to be. Doing exactly what I need to do. Being exactly who I need to be.
Universe, please make dreams come true.