Epilogue
Dax
Six months later
The coastal highway stretches before us, sun glinting off the ocean to our right. In the rearview mirror, I can see Cole grinning like an idiot while Malik pretends to read something on his phone, but the slight curve of his lips gives him away.
We’re all ridiculously excited about this.
“Think she suspects?” Cole asks for the third time since we left the city.
“No,” Malik says without looking up. “I checked her calendar. She thinks we’re all tied up with the Sterling wedding this weekend.”
“Which we successfully pawned off on the rest of the team,” Jalen adds.
I smirk, taking the familiar turnoff toward the beach house. Our beach house, technically. We bought it two months ago as a pack property, though Sierra doesn’t know that yet. As far as she’s concerned, she’s renting it for a long weekend of alone time to work on some new design concepts.
“Remember,” Malik says as the house comes into view, “act surprised.”
“I’m not the one who can’t keep a straight face,” Jalen retorts, jabbing his thumb at Cole.
“I can totally keep a straight face!”
“You’re grinning right now.”
“That’s because I’m thinking about Sierra’s face when she sees us.”
He’s not wrong. Our omega has gotten increasingly adorable over the past six months as she’s settled into the pack.
The merger of our businesses went smoother than any of us expected.
Turns out Sierra’s creative vision combined with ours really is unstoppable.
Smith and Knightley Events has already landed three major contracts that neither company could have secured alone.
But more than the business success, it’s watching Sierra bloom as our omega that makes my chest swell with satisfaction.
The way she’s made our house a home, filled her nest room with soft things in sage green and cream and dusty rose.
The way she bosses us around when we’re being idiots, takes care of us when we’re stressed, and fits so perfectly into our pack that I can barely remember what life was like before her.
The way she still blushes when we call her ours.
I pull up in front of the beach house, parking next to Sierra’s sedan. The weather is perfect. Sunny and warm with just enough breeze to keep it comfortable. Nothing like the storm that trapped us here together six months ago.
Though that storm was the best thing that ever happened to us.
“Okay,” I say, cutting the engine. “Everyone ready?”
“Born ready,” Cole says, already unbuckling his seatbelt.
We pile out of the truck and head up to the front door. I knock, trying to keep my expression neutral even though my heart is pounding with anticipation.
The door swings open, and there she is. Our beautiful omega, wearing nothing but a sleep tee that hits mid-thigh, her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun, her cheeks dusted with what looks like flour.
She blinks at us, her mouth dropping open in exaggerated surprise. “What are you doing here? This is my rental!”
“Really?” I say, matching her tone of mock confusion. “That’s so weird. Because we definitely booked this place for the weekend.”
“Stupid rental company,” Jalen adds, shaking his head sadly. “Must have double-booked us.”
“What a terrible mistake,” Malik agrees, his voice deadpan.
Sierra’s lips twitch as she fights a smile. “Well, this is awkward.”
“Very awkward,” Cole confirms. “I mean, what are we supposed to do now?”
“I suppose we’re stuck here together,” I say, gesturing at the brilliant sunshine and calm ocean. “You know, with the weather and all.”
Sierra bursts out laughing, the sound bright and joyful and everything I love about her. “Oh, whatever will I do?” she gasps between giggles. “However will I survive being trapped with four alphas in perfect beach weather?”
“We’ll help you manage,” I assure her, stepping forward to sweep her into my arms.
She squeals as I lift her, her legs automatically wrapping around my waist. “You four!” She laughs, swatting my arm. “I knew you were planning something when Malik was being too casual about me taking this weekend trip.”
“I wasn’t being too casual,” Malik protests, following us inside.
“You told me three times not to worry about the Sterling wedding,” Sierra says, raising an eyebrow at him over my shoulder. “Three times. You never tell me not to worry about anything three times unless you’re hiding something.”
“Noted for future reference,” Jalen mutters.
I carry Sierra through to the living room, which looks almost exactly like it did six months ago except better maintained. The furniture is the same. The windows still showcase that incredible ocean view. Even the kitchen where we cooked eggs and ate breakfast together is unchanged.
But everything feels different now because we’re different. We’re pack.
“So,” Sierra says as I set her on the couch, immediately surrounded by my pack brothers. “What’s the real reason you’re here?”
“Can’t we just want to spend a romantic weekend with our omega?” Cole asks innocently.
“You can,” she confirms. “But I know you four. There’s always a plan within the plan.”
She’s not wrong. Sierra has gotten very good at reading us over the past six months.
Malik pulls out his phone, taps a few times, then turns it toward her. “We bought the beach house.”
Sierra’s eyes go wide. “You what?”
“Bought it,” I confirm. “Closed on it last month. It’s pack property now.”
“But—I’m renting it—the rental company—”
“Was us,” Jalen says with a grin. “We set up a shell company to handle the booking so you wouldn’t get suspicious.”
“You set up an entire fake rental company just to surprise me?”
“Actually, it’s not fake,” Malik corrects. “We’re legitimately going to rent it out when we’re not using it. Good investment property.”
She looks around the room, her eyes getting suspiciously shiny. “You bought our beach house.”
“Where it all began,” Cole says softly. “Where we became pack. Seemed important to keep it in the family.”
“Plus,” Jalen adds, “now you can come here whenever you want to work on designs. Or we can come here as a pack. Or we can rent it to unsuspecting event planners who might get trapped together in storms.”
“You know that was a once-in-a-lifetime coincidence, right?” Sierra asks.
“Was it though?” Malik says mysteriously. “Or was it fate?”
“Oh my god, you’ve gone soft,” she teases, but she’s already reaching for him, pulling him into a kiss.
I watch my pack brothers take turns kissing our omega, breathing in the combined scent of us all together, and something swells in my chest.
“So,” I say when she finally comes up for air, “what were you baking when we interrupted?”
“Cookies,” she admits. “I thought I’d have a relaxing weekend alone, but I got bored after thirty minutes and decided to stress-bake.”
“You were stress-baking because you were relaxed?” Jalen asks.
“I missed you guys, okay?” She huffs. “It’s been six months and I still can’t sleep right when you’re not there. My omega gets anxious.”
“Good,” Cole says smugly. “Because we can’t sleep without you either.”
“The bed feels too big,” Malik admits.
“Everything feels wrong when you’re not there,” I add.
Sierra’s expression softens. “So you really did all this just to surprise me?”
“Well,” Jalen says, exchanging glances with us. “There might be one more surprise.”
“Oh god, what now?”
Malik reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small velvet box.
Sierra goes still. “Is that—”
He opens the box to reveal a diamond ring, the central stone flanked by four smaller gems representing the pack. Sierra’s breath hitches.
“Sierra…” he begins, but she’s already nodding.
“Yes.” She looks at each of us in turn, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. “Yes.”
Malik takes her left hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles to steady them. He slides the ring onto her finger, the gold band slipping home as if it was made for her hand. The central diamond catches the light, flashing fire, while the four smaller stones surrounding it shimmer in the sun.
“It fits,” she whispers, staring down at it.
I lean in, thumb wiping away a tear as my lips find hers. “You chose us.”
“Every day,” Malik adds. “You choose us every day.”
“You make us better,” Cole says.
“You’re our omega,” Jalen finishes. “Our pack. Our everything.”
Sierra is fully crying now, but she’s also smiling. I pull her into my arms as Jalen and then Cole lean in, giving soft kisses.
After a few moments, Sierra’s smile gets wider.
“I should probably finish those cookies,” she says, though she makes no move to leave the couch where she’s currently sprawled across my lap.
“Later,” I rumble, running my hands up her thighs. “Right now, I want to recreate another part of that first week.”
“Oh?” She raises an eyebrow. “Which part?”
“The part where we couldn’t keep our hands off you,” Cole supplies.
“I like that part,” Sierra breathes. I stand, lifting her easily into my arms. “Then let’s go make some new memories in our beach house.”
“Our beach house,” she repeats wonderingly. “I still can’t believe you bought it.”
“Believe it, omega,” I tell her as I carry her toward the bedroom. “Because this is just the beginning.”