Chapter 38
Zachary
Iknock on my neighbor Noah’s door. I’m exhausted, but before I dive into my couch with my omega, I need my furry best friend. Footsteps grow louder inside and so do Dreamsicle’s happy meows. I’ve missed my little guy.
Noah and I bonded over the fact we’re both app developers when he first moved in.
He swings the door open. At six foot seven, Noah is an absolutely massive alpha, making my orange cat seem like a kitten in his arms. He’s got serious Viking energy with his long, wavy dark blond hair pulled up in a messy knot, the same shade as his short beard. Dreamsicle scrambles in his arms.
“Oh, hey, man, how did everything go?” he asks me, passing my excited cat over.
Dreamsicle’s purrs make my heart melt. “Rocky start, but her heat went great. Sorry about the frantic texts and sudden cat duty.”
He gives me a half smile, watching my cat cuddle in my arms. “Nah, we had a great time. I had a Norwegian Forest Cat growing up, and I miss him. It was nice to have another buddy in the house for a while.” Noah scratches Dreamsicle’s chin. “I’ll watch him anytime.”
“When we’re recovered, please let us take you out to dinner.”
“How about pizza and beer here?”
I nod, not surprised. He’s a bit of a homebody. “Yeah, sounds great!”
“Let me grab Dreamy’s stuff I stole from your apartment.” Noah collects some scattered toys, unopened food, and one of Dreamsicle’s many cat beds, piling everything inside of it.
“Thanks again.” I wedge the supplies under one arm, cradling Dreamsicle with the other as I turn to leave, ready to return to Madi.
“Hey, Zach…” Noah says softly, gaze darting away. A pink blush appears on his cheeks. “Ah…are heats as great as they say?”
I appreciate the vulnerability of his question.
With as rare as omegas are, many alphas will never experience a heat.
I don’t want to rub my luck in his face, but I also can’t downplay such a soul-bonding and life-changing week, so I answer honestly, pulling down the collar of my shirt.
“With the right omega, it’s an incredible experience. ”
He stares wide-eyed at my bond bite, a mix of hope and jealousy on his face. “Damn, it’s like the coolest tattoo ever. Congrats!” His smile settles on gentle and sincere.
We both turn at the sound of Madi yelling from the couch through my open door. “Where’s my new son? He has a sister to meet!”
I set Dreamsicle down and he rushes back into my apartment. “See you soon. You know, she has a best friend, I can see if—”
Noah shakes his head so forcefully, his knotted hair falls down a bit. “No, no, that’s fine. Omegas are…so pretty…I would say the wrong thing…too short…breakable.”
I can’t help but smile at this massive alpha being scared of little omegas. “I promise, they’re anything but breakable.”
Noah nods, but I can tell he doesn’t believe me. “If you say so.”
Hunter pokes his head out. “We’re ordering food.”
I pat Noah on the shoulder. “Your omega is out there. Don’t give up just yet. See you.”
Back in my penthouse, I slip off my shoes and crawl in next to Madi. “Order Chinese, please. I need Kung Pao chicken like my life depends on it.”
Hunter hands me water from my fridge. “Already ordered it for you. It will be here with the rest of our lunch.”
“Hunter, have I told you I love you recently?”
He snorts, plopping down next to Alric. “Love you, too, buddy. All of you.”
“What did everyone else get?” I ask.
“Madi wanted poke, I got lasagna not made with love, and Alric wanted a turkey club the same way Madi likes her heat. Double meat.”
He high-fives her.
Once lunch is delivered and eaten, I put on a romantic comedy for us to watch. By the end of the movie, Madi has fallen asleep sitting up, both cats purring in her arms.
Alric stares at her. “Should we move the cats so she can lie down? I don’t want her to wake up with a strained neck.”
I quickly sit up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, first cat dad lesson. You never move a cat that’s on you. That’s the rule.”
He narrows his eyes at the cats. “What if I have to use the bathroom?”
“You hold it!” Hunter and I say at the same time.
Hunter cackles. “Also, if she didn’t strain her neck from the countless, enthusiastic blowjobs she gave us over the past week, I’m sure she’ll be fine with a vertical nap. Spine of steel on that one.”
Dreamsicle wakes up from the noise and comes to lie on my chest. “See, they never stay in one place too long on people, we move around too much.” He affectionately butts his little orange head against me before curling on my chest. I pull out my phone and project it onto the TV.
“Let’s look at some houses. Not sure if we can find one better than the Willow house though. ”
“Houses?” Madi says sleepily, her eyes slowly opening. “I want to see.” Bellini jumps off the couch and Dreamsicle follows his new roommate.
I kiss her shoulder. “Go back to sleep, my love.”
“No. Pack house time.” She stretches. “I need a nest. A real one, one that’s not in a closet.”
“It needs a gym,” Hunter decrees.
“And a library,” I add.
“Plus a sex room,” Madi says in a matter-of-fact tone, sitting up fully.
“Is the nest not a sex room?” Hunter asks, confused.
“Sort of but that’s more for heats, cuddling, and an escape from the world.
This would be a room dedicated to pack pleasure.
” Madi describes what she wants. “We need a sex swing and one of those fuck benches, like those fancy spanking ones. That could be a lot of fun. All the furniture designed for fucking. Oh, and a whole wall of toys. Handcuffs. Paddles. Nipple clamps, the ones with jewels on them.”
Alric leans over with heated eyes. “I’ve been wanting to spank the brat out of you for a very long time.”
She crooks her finger at him and he moves close enough to kiss her. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Mr. Monroe.”
“That will be sir to you very soon, omega,” Alric nearly growls.
“Legally speaking, it’s about to be Mr. Hayes,” I remind her. “We’re all taking your last name.”
She perfumes, her lust igniting in the bond.
I groan imagining her cuffed, lying on one of those couches, her perfect ass in the air as I sink my dick into her. “Where has this side of you been, Madi?”
She shrugs, but she has a mischievous smile on her face. “I’ve always kept sex with clients very basic. Anything more complex would require intimacy and trust I’ve never had with any of them. But now? I’m ready to explore some things.” She winks at me.
Hunter takes off his pants. “Let’s start exploring now!”
She giggles. “You’re too insatiable. I’m going to need at least another few hours to recover.”
Hunter brings his fitness watch closer to his face, grinning. “Set a timer for six hours.”
Much to all of our entertainment, she throws a pillow at his face.
We can actually all become Mr. Hayes today. I have the pack paperwork, we can sign it now and submit it before the office closes. We are all bonded—that goes far and beyond any legal standing—but we all still want it to be official.
I get up and grab the file, my favorite fountain pen and a long white jewelry box from my office. Alric sits up when he sees the yellow folder, house hunting forgotten.
When I return to my place next to her, I take her hand.
“We still haven’t filed our pack registration with the Department of Designation.
Nothing is more important than our bond, but this offers all legal protections as well.
You, of course, don’t have to sign anything.
We know you are ours. The state views this as a legally binding union, stronger than a marriage.
It’s far harder to dissolve. We can check the omega-less box. We don’t want you feeling confined.”
I want to give her all her options. I hope she signs it, though.
She looks at each of us before speaking. “I know the past two weeks have been a lot for us. I’m so sorry for how hard I fought this at the beginning, but I’m all in, forever. Just tell me where to sign.”
The bonds all light up as I hand her the pen, flipping to each page we need her signature. Once she finishes, it feels like everything is complete.
I can’t believe how far we have come. “Thank you.”
Her eyes widen. “Why are you thanking me? I should be thanking you all for not giving up on me. I’m sorry I was stubbornly desperate to ignore the perfection in front of me.”
Madi’s guilt spurs Hunter’s. “I’m sorry for putting you in the position—”
“Okay, new pack rule,” Alric interrupts.
“No more apologies for all previous actions and behaviors. I’m sorry for being a controlling, grumpy bastard”—holding up his hand and pointing to each of us—“Hunter, we all forgive you, let’s not make it a habit, but we wouldn’t be sitting here bonded if you hadn’t.
Madi, honey, no one blames you for your response, you are always entitled to your feelings, no matter how it affects us.
Now.” He turns to me. “Zachary, you have nothing to apologize for because you are a saint. Let’s make this all official. ” We all grin at each other.
Madi eyes the jewelry box. “Something for me?” she asks innocently.
“Well, I don’t think it will fit Hunter,” I joke, opening the box to reveal a golden necklace with five pink diamonds at the center. “I planned to give this to you the night we were stargazing. Happy one year, my love.”
She gasps. “It’s beautiful, thank you!” I help her put it on and she trails her fingers over the stones.
“Looks lovely on you.”
Her answering smile is dazzling and I can’t wait to spoil her forever. We lean towards each other at the same time for a long kiss.
When we finally break apart, Madi happily passes me back the paperwork and I rush to my computer to submit it.
On my way back to the living room, I stop and grab a bottle of champagne I had been saving for a special occasion and four glasses.
There is so much to celebrate. Hunter pops the bottle, and once everyone has some, I raise my glass. “To Pack Hayes.”
A chorus follows. “To Pack Hayes.”
“What are we going to do for our union ceremony?” Hunter asks.
“That depends on which type Madi wants.” I list off the options. “We can do a private bondmate ceremony with the four of us or throw a pack union party and invite everyone we know. There is also the option to have one-on-one weddings or a group wedding ceremony.”
“Wow, that is a lot of options,” Madi murmurs.
“Or,” I tease and her eyes grow big.
“Or?” she says hopefully.
“We go big and do them all.”
“Really?” Excitement swirls around us all in our bond.
“And a long honeymoon!” Hunter adds. “Something that involves a lot of bikinis. French Polynesia with an overwater bungalow, perhaps.”
“I’ve always wanted to go there!” she says dreamily.
Her excitement is addicting. I want to feel it every moment of the day. “Anywhere you want, honey. Just say the word.”
“I have a whole travel bucket list.”
I kiss her again. “I would love to see it.”
We spend the day sharing all the places we want to go, napping, eating, and eventually fucking again. Hunter puts on the footage of him and I double-dicking Madi in Alric’s gym while we all knot her on the couch.
By nightfall, Hunter carries a sleepy Madi to my bed, the rest of us sliding in with her and the cats following with soft purrs. Sometime in the middle of night, a small hand reaches for me, and I gently take her from a sleeping Hunter to drape her over my chest.
She lets out a happy little sigh and presses her lips to my bondmark before tucking her face into my neck, falling right back asleep.
Fuck, I love this pack.