Chapter 12 #2
"Probably pretending they're not watching from the windows." His voice was dry, amused, his dark eyes dancing with warmth. He jerked his head toward the main house, where I could see movement behind the curtains. "Want to go put them out of their misery?"
I nodded, and Reid's hand dropped from my face to catch my fingers, intertwining them gently with his own. The touch was warm, grounding, and I let myself hold on instead of pulling away.
We walked up the porch steps together, and Reid pushed open the door.
The main house was warm, smelling of coffee and bacon and something sweet baking in the oven.
The living room was big, comfortable—worn leather couches, a stone fireplace, bookshelves stuffed with paperbacks and photo albums. It felt like a home. A real home.
The other three Alphas were there, trying very hard to look casual and failing miserably. Nolan was standing by the window, a coffee mug in his hands, his sandy blond hair catching the morning light. His green eyes were fixed on the door, filled with a hope he wasn't quite managing to hide.
Sawyer was leaning against the far wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his pale blue eyes watchful. He looked calm, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw was set.
Kol was pacing—actually pacing, wearing a track in the hardwood floor. His honey-blond hair was disheveled, like he'd been running his hands through it, and his amber eyes were bright with anxiety. He stopped mid-step when the door opened, his whole body going rigid.
Three Alphas. All of them looking at me like I held their hearts in my hands.
The thought was overwhelming. Terrifying. But underneath the fear, there was something else—something warm and bright that felt a lot like belonging.
"She said yes." Reid's voice was calm, steady, but I could hear the joy thrumming underneath it. His hand squeezed mine gently, his thumb stroking over my knuckles. His dark eyes swept over the other Alphas, watching their reactions.
For a moment, no one moved. No one breathed.
Then Kol let out a sound—a whoop, loud and joyful and completely undignified—and crossed the room in three long strides. He stopped just short of touching me, his amber eyes bright, his whole body vibrating with barely contained energy.
"Really?" His voice came out breathless, hopeful, cracking on the word like a teenager's.
His honey-blond hair fell across his forehead, his face alight with a smile so wide it looked almost painful.
His hands twitched at his sides, clearly wanting to reach for me but holding back.
"You're really saying yes? You want—you want to be part of this? Part of us?"
I nodded, my throat too tight to speak. Kol made another sound, a low whine, then he was looking at Reid, asking permission with his eyes. Reid nodded, and Kol turned back to me.
"Can I hug you?" His voice was softer now, gentler, all that restless energy focused into careful control. His amber eyes searched mine, bright with emotion. "Please? I've wanted to hug you since the day we met and I promise I'll be careful, I won't squeeze too hard, I just—"
"Yes." The word came out of me before he finished, rough and cracking. "Yes, you can hug me."
Kol moved slowly, giving me time to change my mind, and then his arms were around me—warm, strong, careful.
He held me like I was something precious, something breakable, and I felt the tension in his body, the way he was restraining himself from squeezing too tight.
I leaned into him, breathing in his scent—orange blossoms and honey and something bright and warm—and felt something inside me crack open.
"Thank you." Kol's voice was muffled against my hair, rough with emotion, his arms still wrapped around me like he never wanted to let go. "Thank you for giving us a chance. Thank you for being brave enough to try."
Tears were streaming down my face again, but I didn't care. I held onto him, this golden Alpha who wore his heart on his sleeve, and let myself be held. When Kol finally pulled back, Nolan was there, his green eyes soft, his expression gentle.
"Is it alright if I—" He started, his voice that familiar quiet calm, his sandy blond hair falling across his forehead. He held out his hand, palm up, offering rather than taking.
I reached out and took it. Nolan's fingers closed around mine, warm and steady, and he pulled me gently into an embrace. His touch was different from Kol's—calmer, more grounded—but just as warm. Just as welcoming.
"I'm so glad you're staying." His voice was soft against my ear, barely above a whisper, carrying a weight of emotion he usually kept hidden. His hand rubbed slow circles on my back, soothing and gentle. "I'm so glad you're letting us try."
I nodded against his shoulder, not trusting my voice.
When Nolan released me, I turned to find Sawyer. He hadn't moved from his spot against the wall, his arms still crossed, his pale blue eyes still watchful. But there was something different in his expression now—something softer, warmer, almost vulnerable.
I didn't wait for him to come to me. I crossed the room, stopped in front of him, and held out my hand. For a moment, Sawyer just looked at it. Then, slowly, he uncrossed his arms and took my hand in his.
His grip was firm, calloused, the hand of a man who'd worked hard his whole life. He didn't pull me into a hug—that wasn't his way—but he squeezed my fingers gently, held my gaze with those pale blue eyes, and nodded.
It was enough. From Sawyer, it was everything.
"Same time tomorrow?" His voice was low, rough, carrying that gravel-over-stone quality I was starting to love. His pale eyes held mine, steady and sure, the corner of his mouth quirking in what might have been a smile. "Stalls won't muck themselves."
I laughed, the sound wet and shaky and real.
"Same time tomorrow." My voice came out rough but warm, a smile breaking across my tear-stained face.
Sawyer nodded again, that short, sharp gesture of his, and released my hand. I turned back to the room, to the four Alphas who were all looking at me like I'd just given them something priceless.
Reid stepped forward, his hand finding the small of my back, warm and grounding.
"We should talk about how this works." His voice was gentle but serious, his dark eyes sweeping over the group. He guided me toward one of the leather couches, his touch light, giving me space to pull away if I needed to. "Set some ground rules. Make sure everyone's on the same page."
I nodded, sinking into the couch, suddenly aware of how exhausted I was. The emotional rollercoaster of the last few days was catching up with me, and my whole body felt heavy.
Kol dropped onto the couch beside me—close but not touching, vibrating with barely contained energy. Nolan took the armchair across from us, his posture relaxed, his green eyes warm. Sawyer stayed standing, leaning against the wall, but he was closer now, part of the circle.
Reid settled into the other armchair, his dark eyes fixed on me with that patient, steady gaze.
"First and most important." His voice was calm, measured, carrying the weight of authority.
He leaned forward slightly, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped between them.
"You set the pace. Always. If something's too fast, too much, too anything—you say the word and we stop. No questions, no guilt, no pressure."
I nodded, my throat tight.
"We court you together." Nolan's voice was soft, his green eyes gentle. He was leaning back in his chair, his posture deliberately relaxed, non-threatening. "But also individually. You'll have time with each of us, one-on-one, to build those connections at your own speed."
"And you can say no." Kol's voice was earnest, his amber eyes bright and sincere.
He'd turned to face me on the couch, his whole body angled toward mine, his hands clasped in his lap like he was physically restraining himself from reaching out.
"To any of us, at any time, for any reason.
No one's feelings get hurt. No one gets jealous. That's not how this works."
I looked at them—all four of them—and felt something shift inside me. Something settle.
"Okay." My voice came out rough, uncertain, but underneath it was something stronger. Something that felt like the beginning of trust. "Okay. I can do that."
Reid smiled—soft, warm, full of a quiet joy that made my heart ache.
"Welcome to the pack, Aster." His voice was low, rough with emotion, his dark eyes holding mine with an intensity that stole my breath. The words carried the weight of a promise, of a beginning, of something new and terrifying and beautiful.
Welcome to the pack.
I wasn't part of it yet. Not really. But I was on my way.