35. Sunshine
Chapter 35
Sunshine
I rolled over in bed, perfect bliss seeping into my bones.
We’d taken a nap on the couch and then moved to the nest, where we made love all night.
I lost track of my own body, focused on touching and kissing and loving. Being bonded was the best thing of my entire life. They loved me, and I was more certain of that love than the pull of the Moon on the ocean.
Julian rolled over, tucking me against his waist. He was starting to wake up, and his sleepy contentment seeped into me. I breathed in his pineapple and coconut scent, perfectly happy to lay in bed. Forever.
He opened his eyes and kissed my forehead. “Good morning. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I looked into his brown eyes. “It’s amazing that I can feel it.”
Julian gave me a sleep smile. “Bonding is pretty great, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
He kissed me, and I gave a happy sigh. Before heading into the nest last night, we’d all texted our people to let them know we had bonded and would be off work the next few days.
Timing wasn’t great on my part, but it could have been worse. I’d covered for Holly a few months ago, it was only fair they cover for me.
Logan and Luca stirred on either side of us. Logan patted my hip, and Luca tightened his arm around me.
“I hope you’re okay with this bond the next time I flip out about something.” I frowned, remembering the downside of them being able to know what I was feeling.
“Of course we are.” Logan rolled over. “I’m going to make us some food.”
“It won’t be any worse than when I’m on a call.” Julian pushed some hair out of my face. “And the intensity of the emotion gets easier to block out when you need to, like how you’re not constantly thinking about how bright the sunlight is.”
We got out of bed, dressed, and stumbled into the kitchen. The waffle batter was beyond help, so we decided on a massive breakfast of bacon, toast, eggs, hashbrowns, and a fruit salad.
I kept wanting to pinch myself, I was so happy. So deliriously happy. Julian kept himself glued by my side, and I loved feeling how much joy and comfort he took from touching me.
Any doubts I had about being “just a beta” were gone.
After we finished breakfast, we settled onto the couch.
“Chill time?” Julian looked at me. “We could watch cooking shows and let Logan judge the contestants.”
“That sounds perfect.” I was exhausted, but in a good way, and I was sure Julian felt the same. He pulled the blanket off the side of the couch, and the scent of our sexy times from the day before rose around me, potent.
I shivered, telling myself we needed a break. I was a little bit sore from taking Logan’s knot, but it was so deeply satisfying I didn’t care.
I picked up my phone, decided to text my family more details, and my stomach sank.
I had twenty missed text messages from Talia, and four missed calls.
Julian looked over my shoulder. “Whoa.”
Dread deflated some of my joy as I scrolled through the messages. She texted me late in the afternoon after I’d told Holly I’d been bonded, asking if we could hang out again after work. She mentioned bringing baking supplies over and we could experiment with cupcake flavors. An hour after that, another text about bringing food over. By the third and fourth one, it was a long rant about how she really needed me.
It devolved from there. She kept texting me, saying I was obviously ignoring her, and she was sorry about being friends with Becca, but that didn’t mean it was okay to ignore her now.
Julian was shamelessly reading over my shoulder, and I let him. Logan and Luca had gone silent.
I felt guilty for being upset so early into the bond, but all I got them was concern and support. They weren’t secretly upset, or disgusted. They wanted me to be happy and didn’t like it when I was upset.
I sighed and put my phone down. The end of the text message string was Talia telling me she stopped by my cottage, and when she saw I wasn’t home, she assumed I was at Pack Kahele’s house, and she hoped I was having a good time. Since I was clearly busy, I could call her whenever.
I put my head on Julian’s shoulder. This was going to be a Thing.
“Somehow,” Julian said quietly, “I doubt she’s gonna calm down if you tell her the reason why you were out of contact for eight whole hours is because you were bonding your new pack.”
I made a noise and rubbed my face against Julian’s chest. He was ridiculously comforting. Luca sat down on my other side, and Logan hovered.
“You’re not wrong,” I said.
It didn’t happen often, but there had been a few times over the years Talia was extremely upset about something and if I couldn’t drop everything to console her, she was very hurt.
“She’s going to be really happy for me, but also still hurt I wasn’t there.”
“Is she though?” Logan frowned. “She’s going be even more hurt that you’ve got a pack now and she doesn’t.”
I winced. I wanted to say for sure, yes, she would be happy for me, but lately things had been confusing between us.
“Is it bad of me to want to pretend that I didn’t check my phone?” I groaned. “I’m so perfectly happy right now.”
“That’s not bad.” Luca kissed my cheek. “I’ve kidnapped you back to my lair, and I’m not letting you go.”
“Talia will probably stop by my job. I might as well tell her why I’m going to be home all day.”
Getting the best sex of my life, I silently added.
Julian grinned like he knew exactly what I was thinking. “Very busy.”
I picked up the phone and called her. It rang four times and went to voicemail.
As I was debating text messages, my phone rang again. Talia.
“Hey, I’m sorry I missed your texts last night,” I said.
“Oh my god, are you okay?” Talia’s voice was thick with tears. “I was worried about you. I checked your house and everything, but I guess you were with Pack Kahele.”
“I was,” I started, trying to figure out where in this conversation I should add in the bonded part.
“I didn’t realize you didn’t check your phone at all when you were with them,” Talia said. “Or in the afternoon.”
She managed to sound wounded and accusatory at the same time.
“I usually do but…” I paused. I didn’t want to add in the part about Julian’s work so I kept it simple. “Yesterday I bonded with Pack Kahele.”
Deafening silence at the other end.
“You bonded ? You mean like, you were hanging out?” She sounded confused.
“No.” Julian squeezed me, some of his bubbly warmth taking away my apprehension. Luca took my hand, steely determination trickling through our bond.
Some of my happiness returned.
I was bonded. Julian, Luca, and Logan were mine.
“I mean, I’m going to be introducing myself as Ms. Kahele from now on.” I couldn’t keep the sappy grin off my face.
“That’s my girl,” Julian whispered.
“Oh my god!” Talia squealed, her pitch ultrasonic. “Oh my god, congratulations.”
My pack relaxed.
I couldn’t stop grinning. “I know, I know. It was the right.”
“How did your family react?” Talia asked. “Raina didn’t seem excited when I stopped by this morning.”
“You’re the first to know,” I said. It was only a little lie, I hadn’t told my entire family. “I literally just checked my phone.”
“Omgosh.” Talia squealed again. “After you’ve had such a crush on them for so long.”
I blushed, even though they already knew that. “It’s perfect.”
“You’re okay? It seems sort of rushed after you dated Pack Beneventi for almost a year.”
I bristled but calmed my nerves. Some of my annoyance was Julian’s leaking through our bond. He gave my phone the stink eye.
“When it’s right, it’s right,” I said, patting Julian’s hand.
“I’m super happy for you,” Talia said. “I’ll send you a gift basket now that you’re an old, bonded lady.”
“Thanks, Talia.” I snuggled against Luca even though he was glued to my side. “It’s amazing.”
“I’m going to let you get back to all that sex you’re having.” Talia laughed. “We can talk when you surface for air.”
“Tomorrow night?” I asked. “We can go get that Indian food you were talking about, and you can tell me about your new cupcake flavors?”
“That sounds good,” Talia said. “I’ve got a ton of orders, and I’m experimenting with more risqué decorations for that bachelorette party.”
“Oooo sounds spicy.” I said goodbye and breathed a sigh of relief. “She wasn’t too upset.”
Luca patted my shoulder. “She should be happy for you.”
“She’s still hurt from the breakup.” I grabbed a muffin off the platter Logan set down on the coffee table. I needed to carb up. I was already wondering when the next time the four of us could be inside each other.
“Too soon?” Julian sniffed. “We’ve known each other for years . We dated for three entire months.”
“But I dated the other pack for almost a year.”
“That’s because they’re morons, but no matter.” Julian pressed his mouth against my neck. “They weren’t right for you. You’re ours.”
Shivers danced down my spine. “I am.”
“I’m going show you.” Julian brushed his hand over my arm and the shivers ignited. “Over and over.”
We spent the day in each other’s arms, and happiness hit me like a freight train.
I’d been worried about doing something wrong, about not being enough. But Holly was right. They loved me completely. We would bicker and fight, but it wouldn’t stop them from caring about me.
They were my pack and they weren’t going anywhere.