Chapter 48
For so long I accepted that I had failed at being an alpha and accepted that I shouldn’t be one. However, I’m growing back into myself and I’m ready to reclaim my anatomy as leader of this pack.
It had been many months since the last time Zayden had to dress in a nice suit, slacks, and a tie.
His fingers had been fumbling with the dark blue, sleek tie for the past five minutes as he stared at himself in his bedroom mirror, trying to convince himself to get it together.
Tonight was important. He couldn’t risk anything going wrong, not for Sonnet’s sake, and not for his pack, either.
There was a knock at his bedroom door, and then Sonnet’s soft voice. “Zayden? Can I come in?
“Yes. I’m in my bathroom…struggling.”
Sonnet rounded into the bathroom and laughed. “Do you want some help?”
“Maybe.”
She laughed again before gently turning him towards her. Her fingers glided with ease as she fixed his tie perfectly, patting him down. When she looked up, his heart skipped a beat.
“You look beautiful,” he hummed, digging his hands into her loose-curled hair and kissing her gently over and over and over again. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”
She purred, which made it even harder to control himself, but lately, he and his alpha had been struggling to let her out of their sight, their presence, their touch.
Since being back home, he had fought oversleeping on at least one side of her each night, making the others rotate.
Felix said it was because he could sense she was getting close to her heat cycle, but Zayden knew it was simply because he loved her so much not to spend every second making sure she could feel it.
When he finally stepped back, he couldn’t help but let out a low, approving growl.
Sonnet looked like a princess, dressed in the very elegant evening gown he had meticulously shopped for.
The dressmaker called the color marigold yellow, made carefully with a fitted bodice, thin shoulder straps, a sheer waist panel, and a glossy satin skirt with a high slit.
She’s an actual princess.
“Zayden!” She giggled, trying to push him away as he attacked her with more kisses. “We’ve got to go! The boys sent me up here to bring you to the car.”
“How about I send the boys to the gala in our honor and you and I can stay home?”
Her eyes sparkled, as if she were considering the offer. “You’ve become very clingy.”
“Is that bad?”
“No. I really like it. But,” she kissed him gently, “I know this gala is very important. Your manager gave a very long lecture last night. I’d hate to hear how long his scoldings would be if we didn’t go like planned.”
Zayden groaned, resting his forehead on her shoulder. Her faint aroma of strawberries and whipped cream made him sick with need. “You seem so confident about being dragged to a high-stakes party with us.”
“I am a little nervous.”
“About what part?”
“All of it,” she whispered, a tinge of fear in her tone, so he squeezed her gently into him. “I never imagined my mates would be well known. It’s all a little hard for me to picture having pictures taken of us and needing to come out publicly. I’m worried about what people will say.”
“I’m sure everyone will have a lot to say,” Zayden admitted, tucking his hands on her face and looking at her gently.
“But I need you to know, none of that matters to us. We’re all very proud to be showing you off tonight.
I know it’s not conventional. I know it’s been made clear that this publication is meant to shed a positive light on our band.
But that’s not why we’re doing this. We’ve all wanted to show you off for a very long time now and make it clear we all belong to you.
Damn what everyone else thinks, says, or wants. We just want you.”
Sonnet’s expression softened, and her fingers ran through his short, dark blue hair. He watched her nose scrunch slightly, a habit of hers every time she played with his hair, still adjusting to the short length.
A teasing smile curled her lips. “What do you think the paparazzi will write about your dyed and short hair?”
He smirked. “That you’re a witch that has condemned us.”
“Oh, I like that.”
Zayden chuckled and picked her up easily, carrying her out of his bedroom and down into the kitchen where the others were nitpicking each other’s outfits.
They all wore black suits with different colored ties.
Jude kept his hair naturally curled; Felix’s was perfectly combed and specifically styled, and Kai kept his purposefully messy.
They were all wearing the cufflinks Kai had bought them, but one little box remained unwrapped.
He didn’t want to, but he gave Sonnet over to Kai. This was his moment. His confession.
While Sonnet was getting ready, that’s when Kai had gone from room to room, giving his awkward little speeches and revealing his gifts.
He had saved Zayden for last, and when he had finally tried talking to him, Zayden was worried that Kai wanted to leave the pack.
It wasn’t until after some back and forth and Kai finally revealed the cufflinks that he understood.
This was Kai’s way of saying he was never going to leave them.
Sonnet looked at Kai suspiciously as he walked her over to the kitchen island where her present rested. He cleared his throat awkwardly, his face pale, and a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.
Have we ever seen Kai like this before?
Never.
“I’m not good at speeches or talking about my feelings, so don’t expect much out of this,” he began.
Jude smirked. “What a way to start.”
“Anyway,” Kai growled. He shifted back and forth on his feet and fiddled with his tie.
It wasn’t until Sonnet gently held his hand that he calmed down.
“Ever since I was assigned alpha, I’ve been thinking about my mate.
What she would look like. How we’d meet.
I never, not once, thought it would be like this.
And I’m so happy for it.” He took a deep breath, his chest expanding with confidence.
“You came into my life when I least wanted it, and most needed it. I fought very hard not to fall in love with you, but I have, and being back home has just made me that much more confident in knowing what I want. I know I’ve been a jerk in the past and haven’t made things easy, but I want to change that.
I want you, Sonnet, and I want you to know every day how loved you are by us. ”
He fumbled with the gift box, finally opening it to reveal a beautiful charm bracelet that resembled the cufflinks each of them was wearing.
Her eyes were glazed over as she carefully held up the bracelet, looking from Kai to the rest of them. They each held up their wrists, showing off their similar gifts, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.
“This is the most beautiful, genuine gift I’ve ever received,” she choked. She squeezed Kai’s hand. “I love you,” she said with a wide, bright smile. “I love all of you so much.”
And time stopped.
Zayden wanted to freeze this moment forever: confessions, love, awkwardness, and togetherness. This right here was what gave meaning to life, and he was so thankful none of them had given up before meeting Sonnet.
They all crashed into each other, trying to be the first to hold Sonnet, and yet at the same time, their hands were also holding each other. They didn’t just love Sonnet. They loved each other, too.
Zayden loved his boys.
Zayden patted Kai on the back and squeezed Jude’s shoulder. He nodded at Felix before narrowing in on Sonnet. “Are we all ready to face the music?”
Kai started humming the soundtrack from a horror film, which made them all laugh.
“It won’t be so bad,” Sonnet laughed. “But maybe after this we can order a pizza? I’ve been to a few high-stakes parties before because of my mom, and they don’t always have good food.”
“Agreed!” Jude shouted.
Everyone got into the car Maddox had hired to drive them, and in it, Maddox called to give one last speech and pep talk about how this evening should play out.
They’d take pictures with the paparazzi.
After answering a few questions very vaguely, they’d spend the evening interacting with everyone at the gala, making their donation and speech, before leaving.
Maddox was specifically talking to Sonnet, helping her understand what he needed from her and preparing her for the evening.
Zayden kept watching Sonnet as they approached the event. When she saw all the paparazzi, she inhaled sharply before a slow, shy smile settled on her perfect, perky lips.
How much would he give to be back home right now, kissing and cuddling.
If you don’t stop thinking about our mate like that, we’re not going to last the next ten minutes.
Zayden smirked as the driver pulled up to the chaotic steps to the event. He got out first, holding open the door, letting each of his men out one by one until revealing her.
Sonnet looked only at him as she flipped back her hair and accepted his hand, stepping out of the car like a goddess. Every camera was flashing, but none of their lights could compare to how she sparkled.
Sonnet wrapped one arm around him, and the other around Kai, with Felix and Jude trailing right behind.
This is it. The perfect united front to quell the rumors and settle the debate on whether their pack was coming to a chaotic end.
Here they were, together, smiling, relaxed, and above all, completely enamored by their soon-to-be mate.
Everyone was shouting at them, each reporter wanting to be the first to be answered and get the scoop.
Zayden waited until they were far up the steps to pause, and they all posed, giving at least 50 paparazzi a perfect shot.
Zayden couldn’t help but notice how Sonnet seemed to be enjoying it, playfully flipping her hair around, her confidence growing with every picture taken.
Zayden nuzzled her. “You’re doing so good, sweetheart.”
“Do I look good?”
Kai softly placed his hands on her waist. “Too good. Is it too late to call back the car?”
“Unfortunately,” Zayden growled.
After answering a few questions, hardly leaving the paparazzi satisfied, Zayden led his pack inside with the hope that this reveal was enough to rewrite everything that had been said about them.
They had revealed that Sonnet was their Link match, that the canceled concert was to tend to their pack, and that their month away was also time spent carefully growing their bond.
Kai answered the last question, stating loudly and proudly that the rumors of their pack divorcing were false and that there was nowhere he’d rather be.
Jude almost shed a tear at Kai’s pride but hid it well as they integrated into the party where everything was much more reserved and well-mannered.
There were a few professional photographers and a few other famous people he recognized, such as Gianni, a rising pop star dominating his homeland in Italy and now taking over the spotlight here in America.
Zayden nodded at Gianni before Jude led them over to the well-dressed table with small hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
“Crap, Sonnet was right. We’re going to need to buy a pizza after,” Jude groaned, popping a beet and feta bruschetta into his mouth before cringing “Ugh.”
Sonnet giggled. “Felix seems to be enjoying it.”
And he was. Felix loved these types of delicacies and was trying his best to look neat while eating baked oysters, a piece of fig flatbread, and a spicy sweet potato crostini. Zayden skipped the overly fancy finger foods and grabbed a glass of whiskey.
Sonnet was enjoying herself by feeding Jude and Kai a piece of everything on the table, and they narrowed down things they enjoyed. Jude became less grouchy after that.
“Do you mind if I steal you away so you can walk the room with me?” Zayden asked, offering his hand, which she happily accepted.
“Now, tell me, what does walk around the room mean?”
“It’s my way of being able to show you off, while maintaining a good attitude by conversing with others in the room,” Zayden admitted matter-of-factly, before leaning down to her ear. “Although I’m mainly focused on showing off my omega.”
“I think I like being shown off.”
Zayden smirked and wasted no time. Like Maddox wanted, Zayden showed himself as a solid leader within his pack and settled any loose ends or questions anyone had.
Everyone at the event showed their approval, and with Felix, Kai, and Jude acting as a united front, it was hard to deny that they had returned to society stronger and healthier than before.
Zayden didn’t understand the importance of this night before.
He had considered it just another marketing scheme by his labeling company.
It wasn’t until this moment, watching Sonnet proudly confirm herself as their omega, that he understood this night was meant more for them than it was for their fans or the paparazzi.
Across the crowd, Zayden looked at his pack. They couldn’t feel each other’s thoughts yet, not until the bond officially sealed them. But in that quick second, he knew they were all thinking the same thing he was.
I’m so happy to be here.