56. Harmony
Harmony
Epilogue
One Year Later
We sit at a round table in the grand hall. There are so many gorgeous clothes and shining jewelry worn by all the most famous actors in the business. Clean white tablecloths adorn round tables, and they’ve seated us near the stage.
They've already announced a number of awards, but we are waiting for the category we want the most: Best Actress.
Maddock holds one hand, Everest clings to the other. Jaxx sits on Everest’s left, grinning at all three of us.
It has been a wild year, with another season of races for them while I was off filming my own.
Jaxx became our pack lead, though he mostly uses the position to annoy Maddock, who always gives Jaxx what he wants, and Everest tends to get caught up between them. But we’ve found our rhythm.
It’s so hard to be apart, but we stay in touch all the time. Even when I can’t feel them next to me, I can still place my phone on my pillow and go to sleep talking to them, surrounded by all their clothes, listening to their mellow voices and scenting them as I doze off.
Dad had the director and the PR manager fired after their stunt during the first photo shoot where I crashed, but it worked out for the better. Because Slipstream Seduction has already won Best Film and Best Director.
The movie was an international success, and people have gone wild for the races and the drama, and the relationship between the two main characters. And that is what I hoped would shine through.
“You’re a natural shoe-in. Don’t even worry about it,” Jaxx says as he leans forward, bumping Everest’s shoulder.
“Haven’t you done this every year?” Everest asks.
“It doesn’t get any different, no matter how many years I’ve sat here. It’s still nerve racking to know if I’ve actually made an impact on people or not.”
There’s already an actor up on stage, announcing the nominees.
My name comes out last, and the camera focuses on me, and I don’t think it bodes well.
They never put the winner in last position.
So, I kind of brush it off, quickly deciding that it isn’t worth it, that I have to pretend that I'll be happy for whoever is going to stand up on that stage.
I’ll do it one year. Just like Maddock pushed for eight years to be the world champion, I’ll keep developing and pushing my acting skills until I get to a place where people will recognize me.
But as the actor pulls out the envelope his face breaks out into a smile, and he looks directly at me.
“Harmony Grace for Slipstream Seduction,” he says, and my eyes go wide as Jaxx jumps up with a cheer.
“What?” I whisper. “Really?”
“It's time to go, sweetheart,” Jaxx laughs as he skips behind me to pull out of my chair.
Maddock is there, nudging at his shoulder, trying to get in there as well as Everest kisses my hand.
“Let me do it,” Maddock grunts.
“ I’m the pack lead, Maddy. It’s time to recognize who’s in charge,” Jaxx hums.
“Don’t fucking call me that,” he growls. I even felt the chair shake with how hard Maddock grips it.
“What are you going to do about it?” he purrs.
“Can you two stop it and just pull out the damn chair? They’re waiting for us.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jaxx winks as Maddock grunts again.
Claps echo around me as I shakily rise to my feet. Everest squeezes my hand, Maddock pulls me into a hug, and Jaxx kisses my cheek.
“We’re so proud of you, sweetheart,” he says, and I flush happily at all of them.
I force myself to walk towards the stairs in a purple gown that Jaxx had picked out for me, really feeling like their star.
I’d already prepared a speech, thanking everyone who took part in the movie, and my family, and my pack, but the whole thing goes by in a blur.
Holding the statue as I wave to the crowd and cameras, stepping down from the stage, while all I want is to be wrapped in the arms of my alphas.
They're waiting right at the bottom of the stairs, Jaxx is the one to pick me up and spin me around, carrying me back to the table as I laugh with him.
“You’re amazing, sweetheart,” Jaxx hums.
“We’re lucky to be in love with you,” Everest agrees with him, giving me his own nervous kiss.
“And we’re going to show you just how lucky we feel when we get back home,” Maddock growls, and all four of us light up with hunger.
“Okay, but I’m first, since I’m the boss and all,” Jaxx says, throwing a wink at a glowering Maddock as he eases me back to the floor.
Everest keeps his hand on my waist, Jaxx flings his arm over my shoulder, and Maddock pushes himself in close, all three of them staying connected to me.
We’ve already had one year together, and it’s been such a perfect time that I hope we’ll keep going, keep loving each other, and that every one of us will come out on top on whatever stage we perform.
Because I know that the best prize I could ever win is standing right here with the three alphas that have my heart.