49
Phoenix
When the Alphas said they had a surprise planned for me, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Part of me wondered if it would be something extravagant or overly romantic, but when we pulled into the small parking lot in town, my eyes widened in surprise.
The neon sign above the entrance flickered with the words “Strike Zone Bowling Alley,”
and I blinked at it for a moment before turning to Kage, who was driving.
“Bowling?”
I asked, more confused than anything else.
Kage grinned as he put the car in park. “What? You don’t like bowling?”
I raised an eyebrow, suspicious of his sudden enthusiasm. “I didn’t say that, but… how did you know?”
Parker, who was in the passenger seat, turned around and gave me a teasing smile. “We might’ve had a little chat with Wren when she visited. Apparently, you’ve got quite the strike record.”
I blinked, caught off guard. They’d talked to Wren? About me? That little detail made my heart flutter unexpectedly. I hadn’t even realized how much I missed my sister until this very moment. I wasn’t one for bowling regularly, but it was something Wren, my other sisters, and I used to do when we wanted to escape reality for a few hours. It was our little tradition.
“You guys really grilled Wren?”
I asked, laughing softly. “I’m surprised she didn’t keep that a secret.”
“She put up a good fight,”
Kage admitted with a shrug. “But we’re persuasive.”
I shook my head in disbelief, but a warmth bloomed in my chest. They’d remembered something that seemed so small, so trivial, but they had gone out of their way to plan this just for me. I didn’t feel like they were trying to impress me, to win me over as an Omega. They were simply trying to make me happy.
As we all piled out of the car, I felt a little lighter. The evening air was crisp, and the lights from the town gave the night a cozy glow. Zephyr was quiet but he gave me a soft nod as we walked inside. Parker opened the door for me, his usual cocky grin in place as he held it open with a little bow.
I rolled my eyes at him, but I couldn’t help the smile that pulled at my lips. It was easy with them tonight, easier than it had been in a long time.
The inside of the bowling alley was exactly like the one I remembered from childhood trips—bright lights, the smell of greasy food, and the faint sound of pins crashing in the distance. It was comforting in a way I hadn’t expected. Nostalgia settled over me as we made our way to the counter to rent shoes and get set up for a game.
Kage stood beside me as we grabbed our bowling shoes. “I gotta say, I’m looking forward to seeing this strike record in action.”
I snorted. “I haven’t bowled in ages. Don’t get your hopes up.”
“Oh, my hopes are very high,”
he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Don’t let me down, Phoenix.”
I gave him a playful nudge, shaking my head.
I still couldn’t believe they’d planned this, but it wasn’t just the activity itself—it was what it represented.
These moments, small as they were, helped chip away at the walls I’d built up between us.
They weren’t just seeing me as an Omega anymore, someone they had to care for during heat cycles or protect from the world.
They were seeing me, Phoenix—the person who loved bowling with her sisters and found joy in silly, everyday moments.
That realization made something shift inside me.
Slowly but surely, I was starting to trust them again.
Once we were all set up with shoes and bowling balls, we made our way to our lane. Parker punched in our names on the screen, and when I glanced up, I couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous nicknames he’d given everyone. Kage was “Kingpin,”
Zephyr was “Silent Striker,”
Parker was “Pretty Parker,” and mine? “Phoenix Fireball.”
I shot Parker a look, and he grinned, entirely unapologetic.
“You know you love it,”
he said with a wink.
“You’re ridiculous,”
I muttered, but I couldn’t stop smiling.
The first few rounds were full of laughter, teasing, and plenty of trash-talking. Parker, predictably, was the loudest, crowing every time he knocked down a few pins. Zephyr was quieter, but I could see the concentration in his eyes each time he took a shot. He wasn’t one for idle conversation, but his presence was always steady, a quiet reassurance that he was here, even if he didn’t always say much.
When it was my turn, Kage gave me an exaggerated cheer. “Alright, Princess! Show us what you’ve got!”
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t deny the excitement bubbling up inside me. It felt good to be doing something lighthearted, something that didn’t carry the weight of our complicated relationships or the heaviness of the past. We were just… living.
I lined up my shot, taking a deep breath before sending the ball down the lane. It wobbled a little, veering slightly to the right, but at the last second, it straightened out and crashed into the pins, knocking them all down in one clean strike.
“Strike!”
Parker whooped, jumping up from his seat.
Kage gave me a mock bow. “I stand corrected. The legend of Phoenix’s strike record lives on.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound bubbling out of me before I could stop it. As the night wore on, I found myself relaxing more and more. Zephyr didn’t say much, but he kept stealing glances at me from across the lane. There was a sadness in his eyes that I knew all too well. He was pulling away, distancing himself, but I understood why. I wanted to reach out to him, but I wasn’t sure I was ready for that conversation yet.
For now, I was content with this—being here with all of them, laughing, playing, and slowly finding my place in the pack again.
◆◆◆
That night, I couldn’t sleep.
I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling as my mind raced. Every time I closed my eyes, the memory of bowling with the Alphas resurfaced—the way we laughed together, the way they looked at me. The soft brushes of their fingers against mine when they handed me a ball, the shared smiles that lingered a little too long. The small touches had felt so natural, so easy, and yet they left me wanting more.
I shifted in bed, trying to get comfortable, but the heat in my chest refused to settle. It wasn’t just the memories of the day; it was the undercurrent of tension that had been building between us. It was as though every look, every smile, every fleeting touch had ignited something inside me, something I couldn’t ignore anymore.
I glanced at the clock on my nightstand—just after midnight. The house was mostly silent, but I knew at least one of them would still be awake. Parker rarely slept, always the night owl, usually up scrolling on his phone or watching something to pass the time. I hesitated for a moment, considering whether I should stay in bed and try to force myself to sleep, but the restlessness in me wouldn’t let go.
Throwing the blankets off, I slipped out of bed and padded quietly down the stairs. As I made my way toward the living room, I could hear the low hum of the TV playing in the background. Sure enough, Parker was sprawled out on the couch, one arm draped over the back, his attention divided between the documentary playing on the screen and his phone in his hand.
He glanced up as I stepped into the room, a look of surprise crossing his face before softening into concern. “Doll,”
he said, his voice low, almost a whisper in the quiet night. “You alright?”
I nodded, though I wasn’t sure that was entirely true. “I couldn’t sleep,”
I admitted, my voice barely above a murmur. My heart was racing, but I couldn’t pinpoint why. Maybe it was the lingering tension from earlier, or maybe it was the way Parker’s eyes always seemed to see straight through me.
He set his phone down, turning his full attention to me. “Want to talk about it?”
I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head. Talking wasn’t what I needed. I wasn’t even sure I could put what I was feeling into words. But I knew I didn’t want to be alone. Not tonight.
“Will you… join me?”
I asked, the words leaving my mouth before I had time to second-guess them. The vulnerability in my voice surprised me, but it was too late to take it back now.
Parker’s eyes widened slightly, and I could see the internal struggle on his face. He was conflicted, wary, his Alpha instincts telling him to be careful, to not overstep. But there was something else in his eyes too—longing, the same need that I’d been feeling all night.
He stared at me for a moment longer, his chest rising and falling in a slow, measured breath. “Phoenix…”
he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He didn’t need to finish the sentence; I knew what he was going to say. He was going to tell me it wasn’t a good idea, that we should wait, that I should rest, that I wasn’t ready.
But I was. Maybe more than I’d ever been.
“Please,”
I said softly, cutting him off before he could finish. The word hung between us, charged with everything I couldn’t say out loud. I needed him. Not just physically, but emotionally. I needed to feel connected, to feel like I wasn’t lost in this mess of confusion and desire.
Parker let out a slow, shaky breath, his eyes never leaving mine. And then, as if something in him finally gave way, he nodded. “Whatever you want, Sweetheart,”
he said, his voice low and tender. He stood up, towering over me for a moment before stepping closer, his presence filling the space between us.
I led the way back upstairs, the tension between us thick enough to cut with a knife. My pulse thrummed in my ears, anticipation swirling in my chest as we reached my room. The soft light of the bedside lamp cast shadows across the walls, and as I sat on the edge of the bed, I looked up at Parker, unsure of what to say, unsure of what this meant.
He stood there for a moment, watching me with a mix of caution and desire, and I could see the struggle in his eyes. He wanted to be there for me, to give me what I asked for, but he was also afraid—afraid of pushing too far, too fast. But I wasn’t afraid. Not anymore.
“I just… don’t want to be alone tonight,”
I said quietly, looking up at him. “Can you stay? Just stay with me?”
Parker’s expression softened, and he stepped forward, his hand reaching out to gently cup my cheek. His touch was warm, grounding, and for a moment, I closed my eyes, leaning into the comfort he offered.
“Of course,”
he whispered, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin. “I’ll stay.”
He climbed into bed beside me, pulling me close as he settled against the pillows. The warmth of his body against mine was soothing, and as he wrapped an arm around me, I felt some of the tension ease from my shoulders. It wasn’t about anything more than being here, together, in this moment. And that was enough.
We lay there in silence for a while, the steady rhythm of Parker’s breathing lulling me into a sense of calm. My thoughts began to quiet, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt safe. Not because I was protected, but because I wasn’t carrying everything alone anymore.
“Thank you,”
I whispered into the darkness, my voice barely audible.
Parker’s arm tightened around me, pulling me closer. “Always,”
he whispered back, his voice a promise.