44. Lia
Chapter forty-four
Lia
I stand at the window and stare at the Raines mansion. It’s the only place in the whole mansion where I can see my old home. It’s dark and still.
No one has been there in weeks.
Is that what it looked like when I lived there? Was I just a dark shadow living in a quiet house? Unheard, unseen.
“No.”
I jolt, my hands covering the arms that slide around my waist.
“No?”
“No, we always saw you. No, that’s not you anymore. No, we’re never letting you go,” Ianto growls.
“I feel like I need to say goodbye.”
I hear a meow and turn, finding the tiny kitten. I swoop down and pick him up.
“Would you want us to build a pyre?”
I wrinkle my nose at Ianto’s suggestion. “I’d settle for writing a letter.”
I reach into my pocket and pull it out, passing it to him.
He unfolds it and reads it.
I smile, just thinking about what’s going to happen. “I sent the letter to Ryn. She’s going to turn it into a song. It’s called Fuck you, Mama.”
Ianto splutters and starts to laugh.
“Are you serious?”
I nod. “Fuck yes. I need to say goodbye, and she’s playing the poor, hard done-by mother on TV, badmouthing me and Bailey to everyone.”
Ianto scowls at the mention of Bailey. “About your brother-”
“He’s the best, isn’t he?” I smile and step close to Ianto. “Every time you leave him alive…it makes me so hot.”
Ianto growls. “You don’t play fair, Omega.”
“What are you doing in here?” Ranger whines and pushes the door open, letting the light in. He stumbles to me and drags me into his arms, letting out a shriek when the kitten pricks him with paws full of deadly weaponised claws.
“You are on your last warning, you fuzzy pinata,” Ranger growls and whimpers. “Look, I’m bleeding.”
“Pussy!” Ianto says darkly.
The kitten sits up in my arms like the king he is, because, whoops, he was a boy and not a girl kitten, and lets out that deep as fuck rumbling purr that is his trademark.
“Bed, now!” Ranger snaps and moves around me, giving me extra space. The kitten swivels its head, gazing at him with a predator's eyes.
Ranger puts a hand on my back and pushes me out of the room.
I pad back to the bedroom, putting the kitten on the cat post I ordered. Ranger sweeps me up and drops me on the bed.
Zaden growls and throws an arm over me, pulling me back into his chest without even opening his eyes.
I let out my own purr and find Valen staring at me. He wiggles closer until we’re lying nose to nose.
Mills snuggles up behind him, his fingers languidly stroking my hips.
“Can’t sleep?” Valen whispers.
I shake my head. He leans closer and kisses me, his tongue teasing mine.
Zaden curls himself tighter around me as Valen breaks away.
This is the truth. The change that has changed everything. I’m not alone anymore. Even when they aren’t with me, I can feel them through the bonds that they always keep open.
The days of lingering in the dark, forgotten hallways of my family’s home are over.
With these alphas, I found my soul mates. I found myself. And with this pack comes the MC and something even more important. I’m part of a family. People who come and go, who ring my phone and send me messages, who invite me to dinner and lunch.
I don’t sleep alone anymore. I don’t eat alone. I don’t sit alone in windows wishing.
All my wishes came true .
And I don’t spend all night awake; instead, I fall into my alpha’s arms and dream of tomorrow.