Chapter 33 Sophie
SOPHIE
The low rumble of the snowplow echoes through the valley, vibrating in my chest as I stand by the front porch, arms wrapped around myself. Seeing the massive machine clearing the last of the heavy snow from the road leading up to the inn fills me with a strange sense of relief.
After what felt like an eternity of being snowed in, finally the boys can stop their shoveling. The rising sun glints off the wet pavement in patches where the snow has already started to melt, the temperature just warm enough to send small rivulets of water trickling down the edges of the path.
I step forward, the wooden planks creaking beneath my boots as I watch Tyler, Brodie, and Ethan gathered around the snowplow, their eyes lit with fascination. Something about big machines seems to bring out the little boy in every man.
“We’ll probably have a muddy mess by noon,” Tyler mutters, kicking a damp clump of snow off the fence post he’s leaning on. His breath fogs in the cold air as he puts his hands in his pockets.
“Better than being stuck,” I reply, stretching my arms above my head. I feel the tightness in my muscles from days spent wrapped up in blankets, sheltered in my nest, and surrounded by them.
The fresh air feels good. Necessary. The anxiety I’ve felt since yesterday is still souring my smell and I know they can tell.
Brodie straightens, resting his forearm on the fence, his amber eyes flicking to me. “Are you sure about going into town alone? Roads might be clear, but it’s still a long walk.”
I knew this was coming. Alphas. Always protective. I smile, rolling my eyes. “I’m a big girl, Brodie. I’ve survived worse.”
Ethan’s eyes narrow slightly, his stance shifting just enough to tell me he doesn’t like it. “Still, it wouldn’t hurt to wait a day. Make sure everything’s solid before you head out.”
I walk toward the edge of the driveway, stretching my arms against the lingering chill in the air. “It’s just town,” I say, shaking my head at them. “I need this, guys. A little girl time. And Lily’s waiting for me.”
My gaze drifts to my car, nearly buried beneath a suspiciously placed snowdrift—the exact spot where they’d been dumping all the snow they shoveled. I arch a brow, giving them an accusing look.
“Besides, I’m not digging that out anytime soon.”
Tyler scoffs, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Right, because we totally didn’t just spend the last hour making sure your car was completely inaccessible, hoping you’d change your mind.”
I roll my eyes, stepping closer to them, my boots crunching softly over the snow-dusted path.
“Besides,” I add, arching a brow, “you three have been practically at my heels since the storm cleared. I need space.”
Brodie watches me closely, his jaw ticking as his eyes flicker between mine.
“If anything happens, you call,” he says, his voice steady but the concern clearly evident. “No waiting. No second-guessing.”
I nod, my heart softening at his concern. “I will.”
Tyler sighs, then pulls me in by the waist, pressing a firm, lingering kiss against my lips. His mouth curves into a grin as he pulls back.
“Don’t have too much fun without us, sweetheart.”
Before I can respond, Brodie steps in, his hand cupping the side of my face as he claims my lips in a slow, deliberate kiss. It’s grounding and possessive in a way that makes my pulse stutter. When he pulls back, his thumb brushes over my cheek.
“Be good,” he murmurs, his gaze flickering with meaning.
Then Ethan moves in, his fingers threading into my hair as he tilts my head up. His kiss is softer than I expected, controlled but undeniably deep. When he pulls away, his forehead rests against mine for a brief second before he exhales.
“Just be careful, Sophie.”
A warmth spreads through me, and on its heels, all of my fears linger even as I step back, inhaling the crisp morning air. “Always,” I promise, flashing them one last smile before turning toward town.
I can still feel their eyes on me, their instincts bristling at letting me go, but I need this—a moment to breathe.
Even if part of me already misses them before I’ve even left.
The cold air bites at my cheeks as I walk into Twilight Harbor, passing Ethan’s orchard. The crisp scent of winter and saltwater fills my lungs.
When I reach downtown, the streets are bustling despite the season. Locals are wrapped in thick coats, their laughter carrying through the air as they move between small shops and the cozy warmth of cafés.
It feels good to be here, away from the inn and the heavy emotions swirling inside me. But there’s still a nervous flutter in my chest, a weight pressing on me as I approach the café where Lily is waiting.
The café is warm, the scent of coffee and freshly baked pastries wrapping around me as I step inside.
A soft chime announces my arrival, and I just stand there for a moment, letting the comfort of it all soak in.
My gaze sweeps the room until I spot her—Lily—tucked into a corner booth, cradling a small bundle in her arms.
She looks up before I even make it halfway across the room, her sharp eyes catching mine. A grin spreads across her face as she indicates the seat across from her. “Took you long enough,” she teases. “I was starting to think you’d chickened out.”
I snort, shaking my head as I slide into the booth. “Please, if I were going to ditch, you’d just track me down.”
“Damn right, I would.” She smirks, then nods toward the baby wrapped snugly against her chest. “Wanna hold her?”
I hesitate. It’s not that I don’t want to, but something about holding something so small, so fragile, feels terrifying in a way I can’t name. But when Lily shifts the baby toward me, instinct takes over, and I reach for her.
She’s warm and impossibly soft, her tiny body tucking perfectly into the curve of my arms. Her little fingers twitch in her sleep. I stare down at her, something tight curling in my chest.
“She’s perfect,” I murmur, running a fingertip over her downy cheek.
Lily lets out a small chuckle, shifting in her seat. “She’s also demanding as hell. Just like her mama.”
“What’s her name?”
“Charlie,” Lily says with so much reverence it’s contagious.
A smile tugs at my lips, but it doesn’t fully form. I keep staring at the baby, at how she fits so easily in my arms, at how something in me both aches and settles all at once.
“Did you always want this?” I ask softly.
Lily’s expression turns thoughtful, her gaze drifting toward the window.
“Not always. I thought I wanted freedom and adventure. But when I found out I was pregnant, everything changed.”
She looks back at me, eyes sharp and assessing. “What about you?”
I swallow hard, shifting my hold on the baby.
“I never really thought about it. Never let myself. I was too busy proving I didn’t need anyone.”
Her head tilts slightly. “And now?”
The words catch in my throat.
“Now…I don’t know,” I admit. “I see you, and I think maybe…maybe I do want something like this. A family. A place where I truly belong.”
A knowing smile tugs at Lily’s lips.
“Do you think they could be your pack?”
I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head.
“Yeah,” I say softly. “But it’s not that simple, is it?”
Lily snorts, placing her finger in her daughters tiny fist. “Why the hell not?”
I chew on my lip, struggling to find the words.
“Because…I don’t know how to do this. Any of it.” My fingers tighten slightly where they cradle her daughter, a small bundle nestled in the crook of my elbow.
“I didn’t grow up with a pack. I didn’t have a mom, or a dad, or any kind of family dynamic. My Aunt did her best, but she wasn’t an Omega, and I wasn’t her kid. I had the inn, and that was enough.”
I shake my head, my throat going tight.
“I don’t know how to be part of a pack, Lily. I don’t even know if I have the right to want it.”
Lily’s face softens, her teasing grin giving way to something more serious. She doesn’t rush to answer, just watches me for a moment, like she’s trying to decide exactly what to say.
“Sophie,” she starts, shifting forward so our knees brush beneath the table, her hand coming to rest on my forearm.
“Wanting something doesn’t mean you have to have it all figured out. You think I knew what the hell I was doing when I found out I was pregnant?” She huffs a small laugh.
“I freaked the fuck out. No Pack, No money and a lifetime away from where I thought I’d be. Thought I was gonna ruin her life before she even got here. Thought I wasn’t enough. But you know what? No one’s born knowing how to do this. You figure it out as you go.”
I exhale sharply, dropping my gaze to the baby, who stirs slightly but stays asleep.
“Yeah, but you’re a good mom, Lily. You just…know how to be what she needs.”
Lily shakes her head.
“No, I don’t. I make it up as I go, same as you will. And you know what else?” She waits until I meet her eyes again. “You are already part of a pack. You don’t have to ‘know how to do it’ to belong to them, Soph. You just do.”
I let out a quiet breath, my heart thudding against my ribs.
“It’s crazy, though, right?” I whisper. “Ethan? All of them? Here? I swore I’d never come back. But now I just want them so damn much. I Love them.”
Lily tilts her head, brow arching. “You tell me. Does it feel crazy?”
I don’t answer right away, because the truth is, it doesn’t. It never has. It always felt natural, inevitable, like gravity pulling me into place. I swallow hard, barely shaking my head.
Lily smirks. “Didn’t think so.”
I study her, something in her tone catching my attention. “And you? Do you have a pack?”
Something guarded flickers across Lily’s face. She shifts slightly, her gaze dropping to the baby as she strokes her tiny fist.
“My situation is…different,” she says quietly. “I don’t have a pack. My baby’s father?…well, let’s just say he’s not in the picture.”
I hesitate before asking, “What happened?” Then, softer, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
She’s quiet for a moment, looking down at her daughter. Whatever sadness lingers in her expression fades as she traces gentle fingers over the baby’s soft curls.
“Sometimes, the universe hands you a mountain of heartache before it gives you everything,” she murmurs. “In short, I didn’t listen to what my heart, my instincts were telling me and gave the wrong Alpha my trust.”
My chest aches for her, but before I can say anything, she exhales and straightens, pushing the weight of it away.
“But that’s not you,” she continues, changing the subject, her voice firmer now. “They are fucking crazy about you.”
My stomach twists, a heavy feeling settling deep in my chest. “You really think so?” I ask, barely above a whisper.
Lily’s smirk returns, this time softer, knowing. “I don’t think, babe. I know. You, Ethan, Brodie, and Tyler? You’re meant to be. And the sooner you let yourself believe that, the happier you’ll be.”
I glance down at the baby in my arms, watching the slow rise and fall of her tiny chest, thinking about warmth, about belonging, about love.
Carefully, I hand the baby back to Lily, my hands lingering for just a second longer than necessary. “I think…I think you’re right.”
Lily grins, her usual teasing edge returning. “Of course I am. I’m always right.”
The easy warmth in her voice makes me laugh, but it’s shaky, breathless. My mind is still spinning, but there’s something lighter about it now, something more certain.
I pull out my phone, glancing at the time. “You free in a couple of days?”
Lily quirks a brow. “Depends. You buying my coffee?”
“Obviously.”
She smirks. “Then yeah. Same time?”
I nod, sliding out of the booth. “Yeah.”
She watches me, her expression unreadable, but I know she sees everything—the doubt, the hope, the fragile confidence I’m still trying to hold onto. But she doesn’t say anything else. She just nods.