Chapter 21
21
CONNOR
“You’re going to crash the fucking car,” Ace mutters. “ Relax. ”
“I’m always relaxed,” I bite out, even though the ridiculous grip I have on the steering wheel gives me away.
We’re finally going to see Devyn again.
I’ll be reunited with the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.
My Omega.
Ever since Ben stayed the night at our new home, I’ve felt slightly better. He and Ace get along now, and we’re all on the same page when it comes to Devyn.
One thing is for sure—the mating bites did not go the way they should have.
I know Ace feels terrible for him, and so do I.
But there’s nothing we can do now except move forward and hope that she’s kind enough to forgive us.
“This is going to work,” Ace mutters, almost to himself. “This will be good.”
He’s repeating the same things I told him last night, when he woke up gasping for air and clutching me.
I can tell he’s starting to spiral, so I force myself to take deep, calming breaths.
I need to relax if I want this to go well.
My Alpha instincts are still wild, though. I find myself longing for Devyn, my chest aching and my temper flaring at the smallest things.
“It will work, Ace,” I assure him. “It will. ”
Even if I don’t believe it, I need him to, just so he can stay sane.
I know Devyn spent the night with Ben last night and she’s excited to see us.
Yet it seems like everything is coming down to this moment.
“What if she changes her mind?” Ace’s voice is small. “What if she rejects the bond?”
I shake my head. “That won’t happen.”
“She could, though. She’d be better off that way, with just you and Ben, and not some criminal?—”
“ Don’t ,” I snarl, stepping on the brakes harder than necessary at a light. I turn to glare at Ace, who looks at me warily, insecure and exhausted. “You belong wherever I belong, right?”
His eyes are dull. “Yes.”
“And we belong wherever she is.”
He nods.
I hate seeing him like this. He goes to dark places in his mind, and there are only so many times I can pull him out before he sinks back down.
“We’re a pack now,” I continue. “We’re tied together, Ace. Always .”
I’ve never been the best with words. Usually, it’s Ace with something clever to say that could make me smile or warm my heart.
But I want to get that look off his face any way I can.
“Just hold on for me,” I tell him. “We’re almost there. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” His voice is haunted, and I tell myself he doesn’t have to wait much longer.
We’re almost at the restaurant where this all began.
My first date with Devyn was here, and now Ace will have that experience, too.
I’ve rented the place out, so it’s a limited staff, the chef, and us four.
Ben insists Devyn will love the gesture, and I don’t disagree.
Her eyes lit up at every bite she had here, and her joy was infectious that evening.
Hopefully that can happen again, with Ben and Ace at her side.
But we’re not even into the parking lot when we first scent Devyn.
Holy shit.
It’s like I’m being pummeled in my chest by Omega. Her sweetness fills the car, all cookies and vanilla and sugar, and Ace lets out a strangled moan.
“Holy fuck ,” he gasps. “She’s here. I can feel her.”
My own body is a live wire, my inner Alpha desperate to come to the surface and take over.
“Patience,” I grit out, even as my chest aches. I pull us into a spot and place the car in park, then let out a deep exhale, panting.
“I can’t wait any fucking longer,” Ace snarls, unbuckling his seat belt. He starts to reach for the door handle, but I grip his arm.
“ Wait ,” I command, my voice low. He breathes heavily, his chest heaving as he regards me.
“This is our chance to start over,” I say slowly. “Do not lose control.”
Ace’s eyes flare, the blue turning into an icy inferno.
“Do not lose control until later ,” I correct myself. “Focus on making her happy.”
“I am doing that, prick,” he snaps. “Now let me fucking go before I bite your arm off, Con.”
We stare at each other for another moment until I release my hold on him, and we both step out of the car.
The air is even worse out here. It’s all Devyn, honeyed and sweet, with the slightest hint of Ben’s linen soap scent.
Ace and I head to the entrance, and I barely register what the hostess says to us as I spot them.
She’s here.
Omega.
She’s in a white lacy dress with a pink blazer, and her curly hair is halfway up. She sits next to Ben, who smiles at me knowingly when he sees us.
Then, my Omega is out of her chair and rushing to us.
She lets out a cry of happiness, and then she’s in my arms.
The ache in my chest fades, and I can finally breathe again. I bury my nose in her neck, inhaling her rich Omega scent at the source, when lavender suddenly engulfs me.
Ace joins in our embrace, the three of us in a group hug.
All is right again.
Devyn is here.
Ace pulls her from me and chuckles in delight. He wraps his arms around her waist, holding her tightly.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he mumbles into her neck. “I missed you.”
I chance a glance at Ben, who stays at the table, watching the three of us with a fond expression. He catches my stare and nods subtly at me.
He understands that we need this.
I don’t know how long Ace and I stand there, clutching Devyn to us. I lose track of time as I stand with my mate in my arms, all the crushing agony that I’ve experienced for almost two weeks finally gone.
“I missed you guys too,” she says, looking at Ace and me. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
My face hurts from smiling.
My mate is back, and I refuse to be away from her that long again.
* * *
Dinner is a chance for the three of us to start over as a pack.
It’s what we all agreed to, and Devyn is thrilled at the fact that her three packmates are getting along so well.
Now that I know what it’s like to be separated from her, I’ll do everything in my power to never let that happen again.
Ben sits next to Devyn, and Ace and I sit across from them.
Devyn won’t stop beaming. Her eyes are bright and beautiful, and her skin has a natural glow to it.
The whole time we eat, none of us stop talking.
“You know, this is our first date as a pack,” she says cheerfully, spreading butter on a slice of bread. “I think this is the perfect place for it, too. I would love to own a restaurant like this one day.”
Ace grips my thigh under the table, and I nod subtly.
She can own twenty restaurants if she wants.
I’ll make it happen.
“Really?” Ben inquires.
“Sure! With Skylar and April…” she sighs. “Or maybe just a restaurant that sells desserts.” She cocks her head. “Okay, that’s actually a brilliant idea.”
“Like a dessert café?” Ace asks.
“A dessert café, bar and arcade,” Devyn clarifies. “Why not?” Then she looks at me. “We’ll have your coffee there, too.”
She’s smiling so widely that I would say yes to anything she wanted.
She wants to have a dessert café with a bar and arcade? Why not?
“Hell yeah. With zombie games,” Ace adds.
Devyn snorts. “Can you imagine?”
Yes, I can definitely imagine.
I’m suddenly struck by the image of Devyn standing in combat boots, a leather jacket, and camouflage pants, wielding a massive zombie-hunting gun that’s slung over her shoulder.
The lack of sleep and intensity from the mating bond make my brain go to strange places.
The server arrives with our soup, and my Omega’s eyes widen when she sees the bowl.
Her joy is infectious.
Even watching her eat soup is something to behold—the way her expression softens and her eyes close when she has a taste.
“I need to learn to make this,” she adds. “I love cooking, almost as much as I love baking.”
I wish I loved anything the way Devyn enjoys something.
Actually…I love Ace that way.
And now I love Devyn that way, as well.
The realization is startling.
She’s my mate and the most important person in the world to me, but the word love didn’t cross my mind until now.
“I love you,” I blurt, and everyone at the table freezes.
I feel Ace staring at me, and Ben gives me a surprised look.
Devyn puts her spoon down, her eyes wide.
There’s no going back from what I just said. Love confessions are completely out of character for me, especially after Devyn just talked about making soup.
I blame the mating bite.
Everyone is looking at me, including the waiter that’s watching us from the corner of the restaurant.
Fuck it. I might as well own it.
“I love you,” I repeat, this time more confidently. “I love who you are, as a person, and as my Omega. I know this is probably not the best time to say this, and I don’t want to scare you away, but…it just came out of me. And I don’t want to lie to you.”
Devyn continues to stare at me, her mouth open in shock.
“I knew you were special the first time we met,” I continue, refusing to second-guess my words. “I know it’s fast. I know that, and I don’t expect you to feel the same. But it’s impossible not to love you, Devyn.”
Ben looks to her, his lip quirked. “I told you,” he says.
She blushes and bites her lip, hiding a smile.
Ace pats my knee. “Good job expressing your feelings, pumpkin,” he says sarcastically, and I scowl.
“What? It took you over a year to say it to me. It must be nice.” He turns to Devyn. “I had to drag it out of him.”
Devyn’s scent grows sweeter, and the air thickens with vanilla.
For the first time, I recognize the scent of my Omega’s joy.
“Connor,” she whispers. “Really?”
I nod.
“Well, since we’re doing ill-timed confessions,” Ace says, “I love you too, sweetheart. Not because of the mating bond, either. Just like Connor said, you’ve been special since we first met.”
I smile, pleased that Ace admitted it to her, too.
It’s a passionate, deep love that I sense in him through the bond.
“I cherish who you are,” I continue, and Devyn’s eyes fill with tears. “You’re rare. You’re exceptional, and I can’t believe I’m mated to you.”
She won’t stop smiling, and now I can’t either.
I’m sure we look ridiculous to the restaurant staff, the four of us with goofy grins on our faces, but I couldn’t be happier.
Every step that I’ve taken in life has led me to her.
The kid that didn’t fit in now has his Omega and packmates.
“I haven’t had a lot of people in my life,” I continue, “but I’m grateful I can add you and Ben into it, too.”
“Shut up,” she sniffles and laughs, wiping away a tear. “You’re going to ruin my makeup, and this is my expensive tube.”
“As long as you’re happy crying, babe, that’s all that matters,” Ace adds.
Ben keeps a pleased, small smile on his face, his attention focused on Devyn.
The server comes back with our entrées, and we keep the conversation light after our confessions.
I’m painfully aware of what’s in my pocket, though, and I’m sure Ace and Ben are, too.
Even as we just enjoy each other’s company as a pack for the first time, the anxiety of what’s coming looms over me.
So far, dinner has gone better than expected, especially now that we’ve opened up to her.
Devyn is loved, and she knows it.
That’s what matters.
By the time dessert comes around, I’m fighting the urge to touch her.
I keep one hand on Ace’s thigh under the table, and the other one gripping my fork.
At least she’s not eating custard this time as dessert. She chooses a flourless chocolate cake, but my arousal still peaks when she closes her eyes and moans over the taste.
I catch the raised mark of her mating gland when she angles her head, and my cock twitches.
Mine.
Yet, I still hold on to the guilt that the mating bite shouldn’t have happened the way it did.
Ben had told us about her plans and how she dreamed of the perfect moment for her mating bites, and that didn’t happen.
I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that I’m worthy of being her Alpha, though.
I’ll do everything I can to earn her forgiveness.
“So,” Devyn says, interrupting my train of thought. “What are we doing after this? We’re not separating, right?”
“Absolutely the fuck not,” Ace says before I can answer. “You’re staying with us for the rest of your life.”
I look at him, and he raises an eyebrow, challenging me.
“What he means to say is”—I turn to Devyn, who looks at me with wide eyes—“we would like you to stay with us. To move in with us.”
Devyn blinks, then looks to Ben.
“It doesn’t have to be forever,” Ben tells her, even though I want to argue that it absolutely will be. “And only if you’re comfortable.”
She nods eagerly. “Of course! I don’t want to be away from you guys, ever. Are you serious?” She reaches a hand over the table, and I take it, my body thrumming from the contact. “But what about the café? I mean, I don’t mind the drive, but?—”
“We have a new house,” Ace says, and Devyn frowns.
“You moved?”
I shake my head, squeezing her palm. “No, we just bought another house. One closer to you.”
She tilts her head. “You bought another house…to be closer to me?”
Ace scoffs. “Of course, babe. What choice did we have?”
She looks at us incredulously.
“We were sick without you,” I admit. “I can’t imagine how bad it would be if we were farther than we are now.”
“Where’s your house at?” she asks.
Ben turns to her. “They’re in the same neighborhood as Tammy,” he says, and Devyn gasps.
“We…we would be near Tammy?”
“She’s important to you, babe,” Ace says. “Of course we would be.”
Devyn bursts into tears and buries her face in her hands.
I share a worried look at Ben and Ace, but through our bond, I know she’s not crying out of sorrow.
Her tears are from joy, along with an emotion so powerful it’s overwhelming.
Love .
“Thank you,” she whispers after she looks at us again. “Thank you so, so much.”
“Of course, sweetheart,” Ace says. “Anything for you. We’re family now.”
She laughs delightedly, even though tears stream down her face. “Good,” she chokes out. “I’m so happy. I can’t believe this is happening.”
The box still weighs heavily in my pocket, and I’m wondering if now is a good time for what the three of us plan to do.
“Believe it, Dev,” Ben says. “This is what happens when people care about you.”
She wipes at her face with a napkin as our mating bond thrums inside my chest.
Once her tears are dry, a giddy, broad smile returns to her face, and I know it’s time.
I nod subtly at Ben, and then I squeeze Ace’s thigh.
“There is one more thing we have for you,” I say.
“There’s more?” she squeaks, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “I thought the restaurant was the surprise.”
“Only part of it,” Ace adds. “We’ve always got tricks up our sleeve, babe. Don’t worry. This will be the first of many.”
Ben told us she loves surprises, and her reaction gives me the final push I need.
I look at Ben and Ace. “Now,” I say, and the three of us stand out of our chairs, leaving Devyn bewildered.
Ace and I walk to the other side of the table where Ben is, and the three of us bend on one knee.