Chapter Twenty-One
Harper
They said I could do all my baking for them from now on. And I loved that idea.
When I gave my notice, Amanda hugged me and said, “We’ll miss you. You aren’t quitting because your alphas are making you, are you?”
“No.” I wiped my eyes, touched at her kindness again, as always. “I just want to spend time with my alphas and with going to school full-time and well…we stay up kind of late…”
“You naughty girl. No details needed, unless you want to share?” She giggled at my frantic headshake. “Seriously, the only reason I am asking is because when you first came here, you were such a shy, nervous little thing, and we didn’t know how to help you really.”
“Probably why you kept me here when I was a such a screwup.”
She stepped back and brushed a lock of hair over my shoulder. “You were learning, and you learned a lot. If you ever want to come back, you will be welcome.”
“My pack wants me to do whatever I want, and for now, that means school and making treats for my alphas. But, can I be on your list if you need a fill-in for vacations or maternity leaves or sick days…whatever?”
“That would be amazing. It’s very hard to find someone who knows all the recipes and procedures to do that.” She smiled now. “Yes, that would be great!”
“And, despite the fact that I want to bake for those I love, I also plan to be a good customer here. I can be like all the other students who take up tables for hours on end, refilling coffee over and over and eating one small muffin.”
She hugged me again. “That’s fine. We will get to see your face. Now, let me fill a box with some goodies for your alphas so you get a day off at home.”
Of course, I was welcomed like a queen when I brought in the full sheet-cake-sized box filled with pastries, muffins, breads, and anything else Amanda could think of. We didn’t even have dinner that night, just carried the treats into the nest and ate in between lovemaking.
The next morning, I woke up early and was almost fully dressed before it sank in. I didn’t have a job anymore. Just school, my home, and, as Miles said, “Anything else you think you’d enjoy.”
“Ready?” Miles poked his head into the bathroom where I was leisurely combing my hair. “We are expected at the attorney’s office in a half hour.”
I let the brush drop. “How did I forget? Are you sure the others are all right with my doing this?”
“You’re changing your name, and while we did consider having you add all three of our last names hyphenated…”
“Oh my god, that would be awful. I mean, not awful, but how would I even know who I was anymore? Talk about confusing!”
“Right, so we decided, as long as you didn’t mind, for you to have my name, as the alpha of the pack. If you like one of the others?”
“No, this is perfect.” Better than perfect. “I’m almost ready. Are just you and I going?”
“All of us.” Lev appeared beside him. “It’s a pack action.
” How had I never realized he was a bear?
The rest of us were all wolves and there was a certain feel and scent to us, but now that I knew, I couldn’t unsee the differences.
He was the tallest with the broadest shoulders and his chest was much furrier than Rowan or Miles.
Vive la differénce. Each of them had so much to recommend them.
Rowan’s protectiveness, always worried about caring for everyone’s health.
Miles, so smart and witty. And Lev…best hugs in the entire world.
We all piled into Miles’ sedan and off we went to the attorney’s office.
It was just a name change because I didn’t want to do a human marriage and make one relationship more different than the others.
So, legal forms and documents and I might have to appear in court but the attorney didn’t think so.
I didn’t care.
We were doing this so that my old pack couldn’t track me down as easily. They might anyway, but looking at the two alphas in the back seat and the one driving…those wimps would regret it.
At the attorney’s office, we signed all the documents and then Miles asked, “Did you put the word in regarding what we discussed?”
“Yes, and I think you can feel confident it will be handled.” We all shook hands and the lawyer congratulated me on my new name, and I didn’t say anything until we got to the car when I held up my hand.
“What did you discuss?”
Miles looked grim. The others as well, but the alpha spoke for them all. “Your other pack has been reported to the Council.”
“But they can treat an omega any way they like. They paid for me.”
“What is acceptable is bad enough, but when they filmed without your permission, they crossed a line that even those elders cannot ignore. Yes, we wanted to protect you by the name change but when I discussed it with the attorney, he suggested we could take it further.”
I hugged them all so tight, and while I didn’t have any guarantees, it felt fantastic that those who had harmed me might not be able to do the same to someone else. And who knew? The elders were big on secrecy. This might indeed be the straw that led to their punishment.
An omega could hope.