Epilogue
Iris
ONE YEAR + ONE WEEK LATER
“Iris, over here!”
“Look here, Iris.”
“This way, Iris!”
“Omega!”
Wilder growls and points at the photographer who just used his bark on me and my designation, telling security to throw him out. I step and repeat until I reach him, his arm automatically tightening around my waist. The rest of our pack is on the other side of him, smiling for the cameras.
“You didn’t have to throw him out,” I say through my teeth, keeping a well-practiced smile on my face.
“Of course I did.” He smirks down at me.
Wilder always looks bad-boy handsome, but even more so tonight for the premiere of Knotting Hill.
He’s wearing a casual black suit and black shirt, his hair is gelled back at the top, beard freshly trimmed, and my healed bite mark on his neck proudly on display amongst his tattoos.
The matching bite on mine tingles just thinking about that day a year ago when Pack Quinn claimed me, and I claimed them.
We had a bonding ceremony on a private beach last week on the one-year anniversary.
It wasn’t anything overly fancy that would draw attention, only close friends and family were invited, but it was beautiful and ours.
And tonight, we’re finally showing the world Augie’s masterpiece.
We’ve seen the film already, even snuck into test screenings around the city to see peoples’ reactions, and so far it’s been a hit.
There’s early Oscar buzz for Jett and my performance, and every press outlet is calling us the new “it” Hollywood couple, both on screen and off.
Good thing we’ve already got our next film in the works.
This one Augie and Mateo wrote together, something they’d been secretly working on for a few years.
When they told us all about it, Wilder and Jett were shocked to say the least. Apparently they had no idea Mateo had any interest in writing.
It didn’t shock me, however. Mateo is a creative person just like the rest of his pack.
He’s also Augie’s mate. It made sense to me with the amount of time they’ve spent together over the years that they would work on a project together in a larger capacity.
The story is a moving one, about an Alpha and Omega who meet in college, but life keeps pulling them apart and reuniting them at the worst possible times. I have no doubt that next year they’ll both be winning awards for how beautiful and poignant it is.
Wilder squeezes my waist and I stare up at him. He smiles, adoration shining in his hazel eyes as he tucks a strand of curled hair behind my ear before leaning down to kiss my forehead. I melt into it, drawing in his love and strength. The cameras flash like crazy but I ignore them.
Jett, Mateo, and Augie approach us, dressed in similar suits to our Prime but in varying colors.
They all circle around, touching me in some way as they close in for pack photographs.
Mateo’s hand secretly grabs my butt and I try not to laugh when I turn to kiss his cheek then blow a kiss to my blond Alpha and sweet Beta.
More cameras flash and my pack gathers in closer, Mateo and Wilder making me laugh when they start to whisper flirty and dirty things in my ear. The photographers love the joy radiating off us, and so do I.
If you had asked me a year ago if I’d be walking down the red carpet for Knotting Hill with not only a career soaring to heights I’ve always dreamed about, but a pack that loves me wholly and completely, I would have laughed in your face.
I thought that I couldn’t have one without the other, but Pack Quinn has proven me wrong.
Was building a pack hard? Yes. It continues to be some days.
We all have our ups and downs, and we worked backwards with how a modern-day pack would usually come together.
But we made it work. They courted me, took me on dates, integrated me into their studio, and I got to know each of them for who they are beyond what they show the world.
Wilder is fierce and loyal, tough and scary on the outside, but soft on the inside. He’s silly and romantic when he’s alone with me and our pack. We love to go on motorcycle rides down the coast and go for ice cream dates. I always laugh with him and my Omega is at ease when he’s around.
Jett is my light in the darkness, someone I go to when I need to reconnect with myself and nature.
If I’m his star, then he’s my compass. He’s taught me how to surf—though I’m not very good—and we love going star gazing together on the beach and finding all the best burger places in town when we’re not filming.
Mateo can be similar to Wilder in some ways, which is why they often push each other’s buttons.
But unlike our Prime, he doesn’t give one persona to the outside, he just is who he is.
He’s devoted to his pack, his family, and especially Augie.
We can spend hours in bed talking about anything, and he loves to take me on spontaneous adventures and snap far too many photos of me when he finds good light.
Last but not least, there’s my Augie. Creative and kind, the dictionary definition of a Golden Retriever mate.
He’s my deeply sensitive and kind soul who writes me poetry and knows enough film and TV trivia to keep me entertained for hours.
Don’t tell my Alpha’s, but he’s the best cuddler.
If I ever need a hug, I go to him first.
“Iris,” Mateo says softly in my ear, pulling me from my thoughts. “They’re calling everyone in to watch the movie.”
“Sounds good.” I take a step forward but Wilder and Mateo’s grip on me tightens. I look up at them then over to a smiling Jett and Augie. No, not smiling, smirking.
Every one of my packmates is smirking, the mischievous nature of it making butterflies erupt in my stomach and heat course through my body.
If I wasn’t wearing the special Omega panties that Wilder got me that conceal the smell of slick, there’s no doubt even the photographers would be scenting strawberries right now.
Mateo’s lips brush the shell of my ear and I shiver. “We’re not going to see the film, mi conejita.”
I swallow. “We’re not?”
“Nope,” he says, popping the P.
I don’t have a chance to ask where we’re going, because I’m ushered off the red carpet toward the entrance to the theater.
I spot Sadie as we approach, who’s become like a little sister to my packmates.
She’s speaking to another Beta assistant, a flush on her cheeks.
When she spots me her cheeks get redder and I make a note to ask her who that is later.
“Are you all ready to go in?” she asks.
“We just came to tell you we’re taking Iris on a little adventure,” Jett says, Mateo’s hand on my back guiding me past her. When her wide eyes meet mine briefly, the only thing I can do is shrug because I have no idea what’s going on.
“What?” she sputters. “But the screening!” Her worried voice follows us.
“We’ve seen the film already,” Wilder notes.
“But the after party!”
“We’ll be there,” Jett assures.
More butterflies build in my stomach from the anticipation of whatever is going to happen, as I’m guided through the theater doors, my silver body con dress made of shimmering material catching light as we step through the doors.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” I ask, Jett and Augie now in front of us, Mateo’s hand still on my low back and Wilder’s between my shoulder blades.
“Have patience, sweet girl,” my Beta says playfully over his shoulder.
I puff out a breath as I’m led past the front of the lobby of the theater where people are mingling, some I know and some I don’t.
My pack waves and greets those who try to stop us with promises of seeing them soon and to enjoy the film.
An announcer over a speaker calls everyone into the screening so they can start the movie on time, but that’s the last I hear before I’m led to an entrance behind the theater that says employees only.
Jett holds the door open for us and I grip Mateo’s arm as I walk up a flight of steps. When we reach the small room at the top, I know immediately where we are.
“The projection room?”
Once we’re standing near the center of the space, Mateo pulls me back against him so my ass is pressed to his groin. I gasp when I feel his half-hard cock. His fingers hold my hips and he shifts my hair to the side to run his nose along my scent gland.
“We thought since we’ve seen the movie, we’d watch it from a new perspective.”
He pulls me back tighter and grinds his hips into me, replacing his nose with his tongue, licking over my rapidly beating pulse.
My hand flies back to coil in his hair, and I raise my gaze to meet the rest of my packs who have gathered in front of me.
I’m aware the film is starting because the projector comes to life—everything is remotely run these days—and the already dim room gets darker due to the light in the theater going down.
“We’re not watching though, are we?” I say quietly, my question ending on a gasp as Mateo sucks on my neck with more gusto.
Augie steps forward and shakes his head, his finger tilting my chin up. He leans in so his lips hover over mine at the same time Mateo nips my neck.
I gasp and Augie captures the sound with his mouth, sealing his lips over mine in a heated kiss. By the time he pulls back I’m breathless and my underwear are ruined, the scent of strawberry filling the air alongside my pack's heady cocktail of honey, lemon, mint, and basil.
“No, we’re not,” he teases my lips. “But we are going to fulfill the next fantasy on your list.”