18. Theo
Theo
I never thought I’d be jealous of a goat.
The little white menace had been sleeping beside Emma for two days until this morning, when Dr. Mitchell shooed her away.
Yet, there she is stubbornly planting herself outside Emma’s cottage door, refusing to budge.
That silly goat knew before any of us, not only that Emma was our mate, but she was in danger.
And now we’re all falling apart.
I’ve never seen Liam pace before. In all the years I’ve known him, he’s always been calm and contained. But for the past two days, he’s worn a path in our kitchen floor, moving back and forth like a caged animal.
Rowan isn’t much better.
He’s sitting at the kitchen table, staring at the same page of inventory he’s been “reviewing” for the last hour. The burnt sugar notes in his scent have intensified, turning sharper with worry.
And me? I’m a wreck, too, just hiding it better.
Someone has to keep it together.
“Dr. Mitchell’s been in there a long time,” Liam mutters, checking his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes.
“Good sign,” I say, sliding a plate of untouched muffins closer to him. “Means she’s conscious enough to talk. Eat something, for God’s sake. You’re making me nervous.”
He ignores the food but stops pacing.
“She was asking for suppressants again,” Rowan says quietly, " before she fully woke up. Begging for them.”
The memory of finding Emma feverish and delirious sits heavily in my chest. She’d repeatedly clutched Liam’s hand, whispering, “Don’t let him find me” over and over again.
Someone hurt our mate.
Someone scared her so badly that she’d rather poison herself than risk being found.
The protective surge that rises in me is startling in its intensity. Betas are supposed to be the reasonable ones, the calm in the storm between alpha aggression and omega vulnerability. But there’s nothing calm about what I’m feeling right now.
The farmhouse door opens, and Dr. Mitchell enters, medical bag in hand. All three of us rush to him.
“She’s awake,” he announces, and the collective exhale is audible. “Fever’s broken, vitals are stable. She’ll be weak for a few days but recover fully.”
“Did she say anything?” Rowan asks. “About why she was taking so many suppressants?”
Dr. Mitchell’s eyes are kind but professional as he looks between us. “You know I can’t discuss that without her permission. Patient confidentiality.”
“She’s our—” Liam begins, then stops himself. “We’re responsible for her. She works for us.”
“I understand your concern. What I can tell you is that she needs rest, fluids, and absolutely no more than one suppressant a day, and no more patches. Her system needs to detox.”
He looks directly at each of us in turn. “But I will say this. That young woman has been through something traumatic. She’s terrified. Whatever you boys are feeling right now, you must put her well-being first.”
“We would never hurt her,” Liam says, his voice rough with emotion.
“I know that,” Dr. Mitchell replies gently. “But she doesn’t. Give her time. Let her come to you when she’s ready.”
After he leaves, the three of us sit in heavy silence.
“What do we do now? She knows we know she’s an omega. She might try to run.”
“We don’t let her,” Rowan says firmly.
“We can’t force her to stay,” I counter. “That might be why she’s running.”
Rowan’s jaw tightens. “So we just let her leave? Potentially go back to whoever hurt her?”
Liam starts pacing again.
“We convince her to stay,” I say. “We show her that she’s safe here. That we’re not like whoever she’s running from.”
Liam stops and looks at me, “You should go to her first. She trusts you more.” A shadow crosses his face.
“She might be afraid of alphas after whatever happened to her.”
Rowan considers this and reluctantly nods in agreement. “Take her some food,” he suggests, already moving to the refrigerator. “The chicken soup she liked before.”
Ten minutes later, I knock on Emma’s cottage door with a food basket.
“Emma? It’s Theo. Can I come in?”
There’s a pause, then a weak “Yes” from inside.
She’s sitting in bed, propped against pillows, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. The fever flush has faded, leaving her pale but alert.
“I brought a visitor who’s been inconsolable without you,” I say.
Maple trots straight to the bed and hops up despite her stubby legs. She immediately curls against Emma’s side, resting her head on Emma’s lap with a contented sigh.
A smile breaks across Emma’s face as she strokes Maple’s head. “I missed you, too, Troublemaker.”
I set the basket on her bedside table. “Brought your favorite soup. And some of those scones you liked.”
“Thank you. For everything. Dr. Mitchell told me you all took turns… watching over me.”
“Of course we did,” I say, settling carefully into the chair beside her bed. “We were worried sick about you.”
Her eyes drop to her hands, where she’s patting Maple. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”
“You’re not trouble, Emma.” I lean forward, trying to catch her eye. “You’re important to us. How are you feeling?”
“Embarrassed,” she admits quietly. “Anxious. Confused.” Her fingers continue their gentle movement through Maple’s fur. “I suppose you all know now.”
I nod, “That you’re an omega? Yes.”
She tenses visibly, her hand stilling on Maple’s head. The goat bleats softly in protest until she resumes petting.
“I never meant to deceive you all. I just—I’ll leave.”
“You don’t have to explain,” I interrupt gently. “And you definitely don’t have to leave. Not unless you want to.”
Her eyes meet mine, searching. “How can you say that? I lied to you. I put your farm at risk. What if I’d gone into heat during a public day?”
“First of all, you didn’t lie. Your application said ‘beta-preferred workplace,’ which is technically true. You prefer working with betas, I assume.” I give her a small smile. “And second, we all have secrets, Emma. Things we’re not ready to share.”
She looks at me. “There’s more, isn’t there? Dr. Mitchell said something before he left. About how I shouldn’t be able to smell you all through the suppressants.”
I take a deep breath. This is it—the moment of truth.
“Emma, have you ever heard of scent compatibility?”
She nods. “It’s when an omega can smell their perfect match even through chemical barriers.”
“Yes,” I say.
She swallows hard. “And you think that’s what this is? Between me and…”
“All of us,” I confirm gently. “Rowan, Liam, and me.”
Her hand trembles slightly against Maple’s fur. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because Liam knew from the first day,” I tell her. “Since the moment Maple stole your… personal item. He caught your true scent. He recognized you immediately as our mate.”
“But he didn’t say anything,” she whispers.
“No. None of us knew at first. But then, the more time you spent with us, the more potent your scent became. Rowan figured it out. I only found out a few days ago. They wanted you to feel safe first. To choose us, if that’s what you want.
” I reach out slowly, giving her time to pull away, and when she doesn’t, I gently take her hand in mine.
“We would never force this on you, Emma. Never.”
Her eyes shine with moisture.
“You don’t have to decide anything right now,” I assure her, my thumb tracing gentle circles on the back of her hand. “We can take things as slow as you need. Or if you want to leave, we’ll help you do that safely too.”
A tear slips down her cheek. “What if I don’t want to leave?”
My heart soars at her words, but I keep my voice steady. “Then you stay. We figure this out together, at whatever pace feels right for you.”
“I like it here,” she admits softly. “I like the farm. I like the work. I like…” she hesitates, then adds in an even quieter voice, “I like all of you.”
“We like you too,” I say, smiling. “Rather a lot, actually.”
She gives a watery laugh, wiping her tears with her free hand. “Even after I nearly poisoned myself with suppressants and caused all this drama?”
“Especially after that,” I assure her. “Though we’d prefer if you didn’t make a habit of medical emergencies.”
Maple bleats, as if adding her vote to the conversation.
A small laugh escapes Emma, “Seems I’m outnumbered.”
“That goat has excellent judgment,” I say, smiling. “And she’s been right about you from the start.”
She squeezes my hand. “I was so scared you’d be angry when you found out, that you’d see me differently. I’m tired of being afraid. Tired of running.”
I nod. “Then don’t run. Stay with us.”
“It’s not that simple.” Her fingers tighten around mine. “I have… a past. Someone who is still looking for me.”
“We can protect you,” I say. “Rowan and Liam—they’re the strongest alphas I know. And I’m pretty resourceful myself.”
She smiles. “And I have a fierce attack goat.”
“Exactly. Who could get past Maple?”
Emma’s smile grows, then falters. “What if… what if I’m not what you all expect? What if this scent compatibility thing is wrong?”
I shake my head. “It’s not wrong. But even if it were—even if biology weren’t pushing us together—we’d still want you here. You fit, Emma. With us, with this place.”
She’s quiet for a long moment, absently stroking Maple’s fur.
“I was engaged,” she whispers finally. “To an alpha named Marcus Ashcroft. Powerful family, old money. My mother had agreed to the match even before discussing it with me. At first, he was charming, attentive… everything I thought I wanted.”
I stay quiet, letting her speak at her own pace.
“Then he started controlling things. Small things at first—what I wore, who I spoke to. Then bigger things—my work, my friends. He became violent when I didn’t obey.
” She swallows hard. “He wanted me to stop taking suppressants before the wedding. He had this big business deal coming up and wanted to impress investors with… an omega in heat to use me as a bargaining chip. When I refused, he… he tried to force me.”
Anger flares in my chest, but I keep my expression calm, my thumb continuing its gentle circles on her hand.
“I got away,” she continues. “Barely. But his family has connections everywhere. When I called my mother for help, she insisted I return to him.”
She laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “I later learned he had ‘paid’ for me. My mother always had a problem with substance abuse… guess it runs in the family. I’ve been running ever since, terrified he’d find me and…” She trails off, unable to finish.
“He won’t find you here,” I promise. “And if he does, he’ll have to go through all of us first.”
She looks up at me. “I’ve been alone most of my life. My mother was never really present… And when Marcus turned. I don’t know if I remember how to trust someone.”
“Then we’ll remind you,” I say simply. “Day by day. No pressure, no expectations… stay, Emma. Stay and give us a chance to show you how a real pack cares for their omega.”
Maple bleats softly, nudging Emma’s hand with her nose.
“Well, I can’t disappoint Maple, can I?” she says, her voice wavering between humor and emotion. Then, more seriously: “I want to stay. I’m tired of running, tired of being afraid. And this place… You all… it feels right. It feels like somewhere I belong.”
The words send warmth spreading through my entire body. I bring her hand to my lips, gently kissing her knuckles. “Then it’s settled. You’re staying.” A soft blush spreads over her cheeks.
“But I need time,” she adds quickly. “I’m not ready for… everything… yet.”
“Time—we have plenty of,” I assure her. “Fall’s just beginning.”
She nods, and her shoulders relax. “Thank you.”
“Hungry?”
“Starving, actually.” She shifts, wincing slightly as she moves to sit up straighter.
I help adjust her pillows, then place the tray across her lap. Her eyes close in appreciation as she takes her first spoonful of soup.
“This is still the best soup I’ve ever had,” she murmurs.
“Wait until you try my chili. It won three blue ribbons at the county fair.”
She laughs, and it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve heard in days. “You’re very proud of your cooking.”
“I’m proud of many things,” I say, watching her. “Including enticing you to stay.”
After her soup, she snuggles back into bed.
I stand, reluctant to leave but knowing she needs rest. “I should let you sleep. But first, may I tell Rowan and Liam that you’re staying? They’re practically wearing holes in the kitchen floor waiting to hear how you are. But they wanted to give you space. They’ve been worried sick.”
“Yes,” she says with a smile.