Chapter Twenty-One
Archer
We didn’t press Sylvia for a decision. Even though she was our mate and omega, this was her life and her choice. It had to be hard for her, after what she’d been through, to be torn between the newness of us and the safety of her home where her brother was.
Especially since she could only feel Dax. If she knew how loved and cherished she was from all three of us, she might feel more secure.
“Want some lunch, Sylvia?” I asked, since she’d been staring out the window for a good while.
Our bond was stronger since she mated with Dax, but it was still fractured.
I wished I could feel what she was feeling.
Ease any concerns she might have. She turned to me and nodded, wrapping her arms around herself.
She was swallowed in Dax’s sweater but she kept pressing her nose into the fabric, so I knew it was helping her.
Dax walked over and wrapped her up in a hug. She closed her eyes and smiled as he whispered something in her ear. Her facial features softened. The furrow in her brow disappeared. Our bond brother was very good at calming her down.
Talon made us all lunch. Leftover roast beef-and-Swiss sandwiches with his homemade pickled onions.
The sandwich earned a little dance from our omega as she ate and made Talon chuckle.
She brought sunshine into this house. We didn’t know how much we needed her in our lives until she arrived.
It was like not knowing you were hungry until you smelled something delicious.
We really needed to learn to sign.
“Can you tell us what’s going on in that mind of yours?” Talon asked when lunch was cleared away. “You look so torn.”
She shrugged and picked up her phone.
I want to stay but I also want to go home. My heart says stay but I’m afraid.
“What are you afraid of?” Dax asked, sitting next to her on the couch where we’d moved to watch a movie.
Not being enough. All of this being temporary. Not being real. You three changing your minds.
My heart broke as I read her words. As she held up the phone, tears came down her face. She couldn’t speak the words out loud but her pain and emotions, I could still feel as though she had spoken them.
“I’ll take the first one,” I said, scooting forward to take her hands in mine.
“Sylvia, you are not only enough, you are everything to us. Everyone has an idea of what they want in a mate but you…you blew all those fantasies away in the best way possible. You are it for us and we feel like we’re not enough for you. ”
She pursed her lips. You three are amazing alphas. You take such good care of me.
I nodded. “We haven’t even gotten started. I swear that you will always be our priority. Always.”
Talon cleared his throat. “My turn. What do you mean change our minds? Are you kidding me? Look around you, omega mine.”
Her cheeks reddened. She killed me when she blushed.
“When the three of us decide something, we don’t change our minds.
When Archer and Dax met long ago, they decided they were bond brothers and started this pack.
Then I joined and we bought this property and started a life together.
We aren’t mind-changers, omega. We are committers and we have committed our life to loving you.
Now, if you change your mind about us, then we will let you go.
We wouldn’t like it, but we’ll never take your autonomy from you. ”
I won’t change my mind. I promise.
Dax chuckled and brought over some of Talon’s fudge. That shit could cure anything. “And I’m pretty sure I showed you last night that I’m real.” He winked at her. She swatted at him and shook her head, embarrassed. She looked good in love, and I thanked the Goddess my heart belonged to her.
We sat with her a few minutes as she took a square of Talon’s double dark chocolate fudge. When she reached for her phone, my stomach dropped.
Maybe she wanted to go home.
Maybe we weren’t enough for her.
Maybe she was the one who changed her mind.
I want to shift again, with all of you and I want to spend the night. Is that okay?
I almost cried with relief.
“You can stay as long as you want to, Sylvia. This is your home.”
This is your home.
“No, this is your home. Our home is you now. No matter where you are or where we live, you are our home.”
Tears streamed down her face and I looked to Dax. He smiled. “Good tears. She’s feeling love and cared for and adored. Safe. Secure. Welcome. No worries. Our omega knows we love her.”
No shock about him saying that. We all loved Sylvia.