Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
Lana
Today had been such a whirlwind between the job offer and fixing things with my brother. I felt like I could take on anything.
The house was too quiet when I walked in, but for once it didn’t really bother me. What I needed was a shower to wash away the smells of the kitchen, but at least the team was properly packed for the upcoming game.
I pushed open my door to find a large box waiting on my bed. There was a bright red envelope attached to it. Curiosity had me rushing forward, ripping it off, and tearing it open.
The handwriting was clean, but not one I recognized. Writing love letters wasn’t any of their style… though, I wouldn’t put it past Mason if given half a chance.
I may have snooped at your sizes so it should fit perfectly. Put it on. Dress up. We leave at six.
From the words alone, this was all Mason.
Tossing the letter aside, I ripped open the package, picking up the gorgeous black dress. It was a soft, buttery material that I knew would cling to every curve. The off-the-shoulder and sweeping neckline was perfect. And I had just the bra to do it justice.
More excited than ever, I hurried into the bathroom, stripping out of my work clothes.
It was time for a long shower. If I had my way, I wouldn’t be ending the night alone, so I took my time shaving and did a conditioning treatment on my hair.
When I finished, I blow-dried my hair and straightened it until it was hanging down in long, straight, glossy locks.
I was only wrapped in a towel when I stepped out of my bathroom, too excited to put on the dress to throw on comfy clothes while I did my makeup. They hadn’t given me any hints on where we were going, but from the dress alone, it was fairly easy to match the vibe.
I painted my fingernails black before brushing on my makeup, going for a dramatic smoky eye that would make my brown eyes stand out.
It was fun to dress up again. I’d done it for countless galas, but having them take the time to pick out the dress for me, choosing something to make me feel beautiful and confident, was just what I had been missing.
It was a mix of me and them, and this wasn’t an obligation, but something they put together to surprise me.
Effort went a long way. My omega was practically weepy in my chest, she was so happy. She saw their intentions before I did, and I was finally done holding her back.
This kind of effort was what I thought my pack was doing in the beginning. Now that I was experiencing the real thing, I realized they never did things with me in mind unless it benefited them.
At the end of the day, that was at the root of it all. They never did anything that didn’t center around themselves or their pack.
But tonight wasn’t about them. It was about me and my new pack. The one I was always meant to find.
I looked in the mirror, my fingers brushing over what were once bite marks that rested along my collarbone. The faded ridges were so faint and translucent that they were nearly impossible to spot.
I’d never really paid attention to the science behind bonding bites. Perhaps I should have, and I would’ve realized that ours was fading before my eyes.
My neck was almost unblemished now. The marks were barely visible, matching my skin-tone. Almost like they never happened at all.
I wondered where my new pack would put them if they chose to bond with me. Shockingly enough, the thought didn’t scare me. I trusted them already.
Seeing the old marks match my feelings, paired with the talk I had with Conrad earlier today, was the final string holding that bond together.
With a deep breath, I let it go, forgiving myself for not seeing their true intentions sooner. In my mind, I could see the dwindling tether, and the final threads that tied me to them snapped.
Something in my chest loosened before it disappeared completely.
The emptiness they left behind wasn’t hollow anymore.
It was almost a relief.
Letting all thoughts of my past fade away, I focused on getting ready again, doing the final touches on my makeup before finally pulling on the dress.
Just like I suspected, it fit perfectly. The fabric cinched at the waist, flaring out at the hips, before ending just above my knees.
I almost wished I had jewelry. A small, delicate necklace that would stop just above the swell of my breasts to round it out. For now, this was perfect.
I felt beautiful.
Sound filtered in, and I glanced at the clock, realizing my time was officially up.
All five of the men who had stolen my heart were waiting for me downstairs, each one dressed in black with a different colored tie.
Mason’s hair was styled, and he’d opted for some eyeliner that made his steely eyes pop. Lennon’s curls were gelled, resting neatly on top of his head. He’d shaved his stubble, exposing more of that chiseled jawline.
Kieran had gotten a haircut. It still hung in his eyes, but it was more tamed. His smile widened as I descended the stairs.
Cade was waiting at the bottom, giving me that lopsided smile of his. One that I couldn’t seem to get enough of. My thoughts strayed to our night together and my scent rose in the air.
Wilder’s shirt was taut against his broad chest, his hair combed back and his smile warm. He’d lost a good chunk of that shyness around me, and honestly, I loved it. I felt like I was finally learning who Wilder was behind the mask.
“You guys look incredible,” I said.
“And you are truly a goddess,” Mason replied.
The way they were looking at me now, like they wanted to eat me alive, had me wishing I could just take them to my nest and have my way with them.
They would look perfect in my nest, but I was too excited to find out what they had planned to suggest that.
There would be time for that later.
“Thank you,” I said, my bottom lip catching between my teeth as I fought off a wave of shyness. I’d never been the shy type, and I didn’t want to start now, but I swear these men did things to me.
To my surprise, Lennon was the first to move. He stepped up, pulling me into his chest. It was so surprising that I let out a gasp as he pressed his lips to mine. We’d spent time together, but he’d never made a move until now.
I melted into his touch, my lips teasing against his, a soft sigh escaping as my body caught on fire. If he could kiss like this, I would truly be in trouble when he finally took me to my nest.
“You smell incredible,” he said, his voice low and husky. “And you look even better.”
“You guys are going to give me a complex,” I complained playfully, but honestly my omega and I were soaking it in.
“Don’t hog her,” Kieran teased, pulling me from Lennon and brushing his own kiss over my lips. “This dress is perfect. I can’t wait to take it off of you later.”
It was like a switch had flipped between all of us. The guys were no longer bothering to hide how they felt. They were making sure not a single doubt could find space between us.
I wasn’t sure what changed. Maybe it was the fact that their leader had openly claimed me, but there wasn’t a single doubt in my mind that they had decided I was their omega.
For the first time in at least a few years, my scent perfumed around us, filling the space with sweet raspberry and chocolate. Not just a hint, but a flood of pure raw omega happiness and desire.
“Nope, not happening,” Cade warned the others, pointing an accusing finger before hooking my arm through his and pulling me outside. The others followed despite their groans of protest.
“He only says that because he got to taste her,” Lennon muttered.
“You’ll get your chance,” Cade shot back, shutting the rest of them up.
Except for Mason.
“Is that so?” Mason asked, his usual flirty tone edged with vulnerability. The question of whether I was going to take them all sat there, unspoken.
“Oh, I have no intention of going to bed alone tonight,” I promised him.
That was enough for him to rush forward and pick me up, his hands circling my waist and spinning me around, my hair flying out as my laughter burst out of me. It was just so damn easy with them. Every emotion was natural and unprompted.
“Is anyone going to tell me where we’re going?” I asked.
“Absolutely not,” Mason answered.
We piled into the pack’s SUV. Cade and Kieran sat in the front, while the deltas stuck me between them, leaving Wilder in the back. His fingers found my hair, brushing through it gently. It felt so good, I couldn’t help the groan that escaped me this time.
My scent was still exploding out of me, a small contented purr filling the space.
“She’s trying to kill us,” Lennon complained, before burying his face in my neck and inhaling like I was a drug he needed a fix of.
This was my first experience with this pack completely unfiltered and unguarded, the way it would’ve been from the beginning if not for my history, and honestly, some of theirs.
I expected more of a fight from Kieran as he came to terms with losing his ex, but I think the fact that he saw me give her a place between us helped. Even Lennon didn’t bother trying to fight it. He was all in now.
They all were.
I was never one for keeping my mouth shut, and I had to address the elephant in the room.
“Why the change of heart?” I questioned. “The date, the open flirting, the acknowledgments.”
“I thought that was obvious,” Mason said. “The moment you crossed that line with Cade, we became a package deal.”
There was that hidden vulnerability again, and I wanted to soothe it.
“You’re ready for us now,” Kieran pointed out.
“You stopped holding yourself back, and now you smell like ours,” Cade added as he breathed in, filling his lungs with my scent and purring in response. “Is that the reassurance you needed, princess?”
“Actually, yes,” I admitted. “I’m trying to work on not waiting for the other shoe to drop. For you to prove me wrong.”
“We’re not the type to hold anyone’s past against them,” Lennon said with a shrug. “You gave me a chance, and I was very much anti-omega from the start.”
“Yet you were the first one to show me the real you,” I countered.
He leaned in and captured my lips. “Because you made it easy.”
“Just like you’re not going to spend our entire lives comparing us to your exes. And we’ll do the same with ours. This is real.”
“We were always meant to be pack,” I said softly. “Nobody in our past was.”
“God, it’s good to hear you say that,” Mason said, pulling my face his way and kissing me. “My delta has been wanting me to claim you and rut you from the moment we met.”
“I’ve never been rutted before,” I admitted.
“Didn’t you have a delta?” Lennon asked.
“He took blockers that were approved by the AHA medical team,” I said quickly, not willing to let rumors spread. “He thought rutting was a weakness.”
“That makes sense with how they regarded your heat,” Cade muttered.
“They only gave me half of themselves in the beginning, then nothing,” I said. “And here you are giving me everything, including a date you planned down to the dress. Will you really not tell me where we’re going?”
“Don’t worry, it’s not far, princess. You’ll survive,” Lennon teased.
It wasn’t until we pulled up to one of the nicest restaurants in the city that I saw the sign outside. It was a murder mystery dinner. Something I’d never done before, but always wanted to.
“Don’t worry,” Wilder teased. “No suspense with this one, just fun.”
“Exactly how I like it.” I grinned, getting even more excited.
They led me toward the door, the sound of jazz music filtering out as Cade held it open for our pack.
“Do you have a reservation?” the woman behind the counter asked as we filed into the lobby.
“Yes,” Cade answered. “Pack Rhodes.”
She tapped away for a minute before looking back up at him. “Pack Rhodes, you’re at table four. Have a great night.”
Pack Rhodes. That had a nice ring to it.