Chapter 12
Tony
The week had been hell for more than one reason. Work was stressful, but that wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle. The biggest issue was our fathers breathing down our backs about Illiana and the upcoming deal. They wouldn’t stop talking about how much it would increase our projected revenue, and the opportunities it would bring to partnering with such a large organization from the Eastern Province. My pack was sick of hearing about it, especially since our fathers weren’t allowing us any time to speak about the ramifications of the deal on us, the actual pack who would be most affected by a bonding. We’d requested a meeting with them several times, only to be told that there was no appointment available. As I suspected, they wanted to ram through this deal despite our growing objections.
What made this week truly torturous was waiting for several days to see Safira again. After spending time with her, I was absolutely certain we couldn’t go through with the deal. We could barely speak on the drive back after we left her at the omega village. The three of us were in a daze, having realized that our suspicions were right. Safira was the one for us.
But she was new to this world, and we weren’t sure if she felt anything for us, although we suspected she might. The other issue was if she would stick around. The way she talked, it sounded like she wasn’t happy in her own world. But would she really want to stay here long term? Being an omega was no easy feat, even if it came with benefits. My greatest fear was that we would fall harder for her, only to see her leave us again. I didn’t think any of us would be able to handle it. We’d probably turn the whole forest over trying to get to her world and be near her again.
But today was going to be different. We’d planned to take Safira to a brunch at the country club, in honor of her birthday. She deserved at least that, and so much more. We’d all dressed in our finest weekend casual clothes, nice enough for the club but not too stuffy. I’d been jittery all morning, counting down the minutes until we were able to go pick her up. When Jax and Kaden finally met me in the hall, I knew they were just as anxious to see her as I was.
“Ready?” Jax asked, his calm voice masking the anticipation I felt from him through our bond.
“Let’s go. She’s going to be the best part of this awful week.” I griped as I practically flew through the door toward the car. The drive over felt like it took forever. But the instant we saw Safira on a bench outside the omega village, all my stress melted away. We pulled up and exited the car, our moods bright as we saw her stand and wave.
“Hi! I’m so excited!” She beamed as she reached to hug us one by one. Her faint lotus scent filled my nose, and I swallowed back a groan. How was I going to deal with acting normally around my friend when I wanted to get on my knees and worship her head to toe? I pushed down my alpha instincts and tried to act normal.
“Not as excited as we are.” I said, although that was an understatement.
“It’s only been a few days, but we couldn't wait to see you again.” Kaden added, looking at her with puppy eyes.
“You’re telling me! You three are the only friends I have here. I have so much to tell you!” she exclaimed, her enthusiasm radiating off of her. I was pleased to see that she seemed more open today, more confident.
“Well you can tell us all about it on the drive. In the meantime, we want to treat you to a world class brunch. We’ve secured a reservation at a very nice club where we can catch up.” Jax boasted. He’d booked a room at the country club, a private dining experience where we would have exclusive service. Safira nodded excitedly and then looked down.
“Should I change? I didn't realize it would be upscale-” She started, but I shook my head.
“You’re perfect. Now come, we want to show our friend a good time.” I held out my arm, and she took it without hesitation. We guided her into the car, and it felt right. Like courting should feel. But this wasn’t a date - it couldn’t be. Not yet, anyway.
I slipped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. The drive was easy. Our conversation flowed naturally, and I laughed more during this short time than I probably had in the last several months. Safira seemed so similar, yet so different with age. Like listening to your favorite song, but an even better singer.
As we neared the outskirts of the town, Safira suddenly perked up. Her eyes watched the green hills, filled with meadows and trails.
“Hey, would it be alright if we drove around a little?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I haven’t seen much of Haven yet. I’d love to see more of this new place before we head to brunch.”
Kaden glanced at me, and Jax gave a nod from the back seat. “Sure, why not?” I said, trying to hide my smile of amusement at how easy it was for us to say yes to her.
I took a right turn off the main road, heading towards a narrow, winding path. The further we went, the more the road narrowed. Trees arched over us, creating a canopy of leaves. Safira’s excitement was palpable as she gazed out the window. “This is so exciting! A whole new world to explore.” She said as Kaden and Jax paid more attention to her than to the view. The car rumbled as I drove along the dirt path, and the scenery was indeed beautiful, especially with Safira in the rearview mirror.
“Look at that view!” Safira exclaimed, pointing to a spot where the forest cleared, revealing a breathtaking panorama of rolling hills and a glistening lake. I made a few turns, even as the road grew bumpier. Suddenly, the car lurched.
I frowned and glanced at the dashboard. “I think we might have a problem.”
“What’s wrong?” Safira asked, her gaze shifting from the scenery back to me.
“We might be stuck,” I said, trying to maneuver the car forward. But the wheels only spun, digging deeper into the soft, muddy earth. The car didn’t budge. “Well, it looks like we’ve taken a detour from the detour.”
I looked at Safira, who had a sheepish smile on her face. “I’m so sorry, guys. I didn’t mean to get us into this.”
“This is not a problem at all. I’m sure we’ll be out in time for brunch.” I said confidently, getting out of the car to quickly realize that we would not, in fact, be out in time for brunch.