18. Brook Cinquefoil
18
brOOK CINQUEFOIL
MEANING: MIXED FEELINGS
OCEAN
________
M y signature lined the bottom of the marriage license alongside theirs. We were married. Truly married.
I couldn’t breathe. At the same time, I felt such sharp relief it made my knees tremble.
Geneva took the license and put it in a folder. “We’ll have this delivered with everything else. Now we need pictures before the grand entrance. Come with me.”
My head was light. Now that the adrenaline was fading, my body hurt from what Laura had done and my lack of food made me feel weak. Pictures. I could do pictures.
A hand landed on my lower back and moved with me as we walked. “Ocean?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you all right? You seem dazed.”
It was Cameron. His sugary lemon citrus whirled around me, soothing and invigorating. “I’m okay. Not used to being the center of attention.”
The hand on my back slid around one of my hips. “Today I’m glad you are. You look incredible.”
His words shouldn’t have made me blush, but they did. “Thank you.”
I wanted to talk to them. I wanted to be happy and involved and not feel like I was dizzy and drowning. But everything felt hazy. I still smiled, and it was a real smile because I was free , and even through the haze, my Omega felt safe.
Pictures with the lace cloak on and off. Pictures with all four of us and each Alpha individually. Pictures where they kissed me, and if I wasn’t lightheaded before, I was now. Kissing them lit up parts of me I didn’t know existed. And the way they kissed me was far from appropriate for wedding photos. But they didn’t seem to care, so neither did I.
“I think that’s it,” Geneva said with a grin. “We can go make your grand entrance.”
“Do we need any with the families?” I asked.
Cameron shook his head. “It was short notice for our families. Most of them are on the East Coast. You’ll meet them eventually. And forgive me, I assumed you wouldn’t want any with Frank and Laura.”
A fair point. I laughed. “You’re right.”
“See?” He winked. “I know my wife well already.”
All the breath whooshed out of me in one go. Again, like when Everett had said it, it shouldn’t be so… I didn’t even know how to describe it except for heat building under my skin and a longing I couldn’t name.
I couldn’t even focus on the announcement of us entering because holy shit Geneva had outdone herself. The small ballroom for the reception put the ceremony space to shame. More flowers and more candles. Purple fabric draping the chairs. A tiered cake with frosting roses in our color scheme.
“Do you like it?” Micah asked.
Looking up at him, I realized everyone was clapping for us, and the three of them were looking at me. “It’s so beautiful.”
“I’m glad.” His eyes searched my face. “We don’t have to stay very long. Promise.”
“Whatever you need.”
“No.” He lifted my knuckles. “Whatever you need.”
Cheerful screaming approached us, and Micah barely got out of the way in time for Trinity to slam into me. Fuck , that hurt.
“You fucking did it. You’re married and now I’m the only loser of the three of us.”
In spite of the pain and my exhaustion, I laughed. “You’re not a loser, Rin. You just haven’t met the right one yet. Or more than one.”
“Well, maybe your husbands have some friends. I could use a rich pack.” She pulled back and looked at them where they waited behind me. “What do you say? Have any single friends or packs looking for an Omega?”
Cameron chuckled. “Maybe.”
“Well, if you do,” Isolde said, pulling me in for a hug. “Make sure to warn them. She’s a brat.”
“Fuck off,” Trinity said. “I’m perfect.”
I hugged them both again. “Thank you guys.”
“We’re here for you, O,” Isolde whispered. “And I swear to god if you ever keep something so big from us again I will kick your ass myself.”
“I’ll let you.”
“No kicking my wife’s ass,” Everett said, stepping up beside me and interlacing his fingers with mine. “It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“These are my best friends. Isolde, and this is Trinity. You’ll probably see them quite a bit.”
“If you make Ocean happy, then you’re always welcome.”
Rin’s mouth fell open, and she stared at me and looked at Isolde. “Okay, seriously? Fuck both of you. First, you have a pack that worships the ground you walk on and makes you chocolate. I’m still not over that, by the way. And now you have a pack that you’ve been married to for like five seconds and they say things like this? I’m going to die alone.”
I couldn’t stop my laughter. “You are not.”
“I am,” she groaned, then lowered her voice. “My pussy is going to dry up and shrivel up from disuse.”
“Okay, miss drama,” Isolde pulled her away. “Let’s get you a drink and let some other people congratulate the happy pack, okay?”
“Fine.” Trinity hugged me one more time. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye, okay?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Isolde pulled her back across the room where the St. James pack had taken over a table and waited for them. Rowan smiled and raised his hand in greeting. I waved back. “Are there people we have to meet?”
“Have to?” Everett asked. “No. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to ever again, Ocean.”
“Congratulations,” a new voice said. Raina, the female Alpha who’d performed the ceremony.
“Thank you for doing this for us,” I said. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. DuPont.”
I blinked at the name. People would call me that. Did they want me to change my legal name? I wasn’t sure I wanted that. My name was the only thing I had left of my family.
“Raina, can you do me a favor?” Cameron asked.
“Sure thing, boss.”
“Keep Frank and Laura distracted. Or at least give us a heads up when you see them coming in our direction.”
My head snapped toward him, and he met my gaze with steady ease. “Why?”
“You want to see them?”
“I mean…”
One knuckle went under my chin to make sure I didn’t look away. His voice was soft. “Tell the truth, Ocean.”
“No, I don’t. But they won’t leave without talking to me. I’m pretty sure about that.”
With a smile, he dropped a quick kiss on my mouth like it was the most natural thing in the world. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. In the meantime, I think it’s time we cut the cake.”
Taking my hand, he guided me across the room, and I let him. Because they were already taking care of me, and I fucking liked it.
No, I loved it.
I was already sliding downward toward wanting more than they would give, and there was no way I was getting out of this with my heart intact.
Focusing on what Isolde told me, I pushed the thoughts away and vowed to enjoy it while it lasted.