Chapter 66
sixty-six
Our meadow is the first thing I see when I open my eyes.
At first, I think I might be back on my attic cot. Dreaming about the happy place my Omega projected for me.
But the landscape swaying in a strong gust of wind is much larger than a crack above a shutter. And a rusty rattle tickles my ear, along with a dusting of blond chest hair. Just as a large, calloused palm finds the back of my head, petting my loose hair.
Daisy? Is that you?
The raspy voice is familiar, but it’s coming from… inside me?
No, inside the bond.
It’s really here. A beautiful alcove, glowing at the very heart of me. Full of summer sunshine and colorful blooms, all protected by a gilded cage of… Gideon.
I sit up in a rush, a dozen memories barreling into me, along with a jolt of panic. Gideon is okay, though. He lies a few feet away, sleeping beside our alpha, snoring softly.
The man underneath me tenses, then hugs me hard. It’s alright, daisy. Everyone’s good. They’re just catching up on sleep.
None of it makes sense. I run my hands over my naked body, finding four bites instead of three. But I—But we—How did I do this?
My Omega is absolutely exhausted. She only twinges awake long enough to sigh an apology. I didn’t know if I could do it until it happened, she whispers. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. I just wasn’t sure it would work. And… I didn’t want to let you down. Again.
Which means all this time, while I shut her out and shunned her for the alleged “mistake” she made when she bit Atlas; my Omega was trying to figure out how to fix this. And give us all the pack we needed.
Every shred of resentment I clung to evaporates. Leaving staggering relief and the most painful sort of gratitude.
She still begs, Forgive me. Please.
And I do, I realize. I have.
I forgive her for leaving me alone all those years—because, now, she’s made sure none of us ever will be again.
She absorbs the grace I funnel into her hiding place, breathing it deep before slipping back into her slumber.
Finn yawning as he stretches. He must sense the wistful bent of my thoughts, because his voice is distinctly warm as he chimes, You and your Omega are brilliant, firefly.
My handsome alpha flashes his infectious grin. It’s so genuinely joyful, I can’t help but smile, too. My arms open for him. He crawls straight into me.
Ryker doesn’t even flinch. When I turn to gaze up at my lion, he tells me, “Your Omega wouldn’t let anything else happen until you’d bitten Gideon first. Once he’d claimed you back, he could hear what she wanted and direct us.”
Finn grins again. “Yeah, she has quite the bossy streak when there’s something she wants. I liked it.”
To prove his point, my alpha projects a dozen dirty memories into our bond. My core gives a feeble, trembling twitch. Relief flows through me when the perfume that follows isn’t my super-intense heat version.
Ryker inhales deeply, his shoulders collapsing on a sigh. God, daisy. I missed you so much.
I feel how conflicted he was over the last week. He wanted our physical connection and loved how much I needed him, but constantly longed for glimpses of me. I listen, my chest aching.
When I hug his neck, he buries his face against his claim mark and kisses it. I have to take a moment to figure out how to isolate his strand of our braided bond, but once I have it, I can whisper directly to him.
Were you okay in here? Was it too much?
Ryker shakes his head, showing me how peaceful his inner landscape is. I was fine, daisy. Better than fine. Your nest was perfect. His voice drops to a low timbre, and he nods sheepishly at the arched windows draped in gauzy periwinkle curtains. And those helped.
I understand him on a painfully deep level. Even now, with a summer storm brewing on the horizon… I’m just grateful I didn’t wake up in another windowless room.
Whatever emotions snap through me at Ryker’s admission have Finn groaning quietly, folding me into a warm embrace. Atlas stirs, too, kissing Gideon’s forehead and nuzzling him before lifting his eyes to mine.
I fall into the bottomless pools of adoration, absorbing every flicker of gratitude and reverence. He lets them sink into my beautifully chaotic center, falling over the others’ tethers like a flurry of shooting stars.
His lips pull into my favorite half-smile. Hello.
Despite weeks of feeling him partially buried inside me, this is the first time I’ve been able to hear him. My eyes water as I smile back. Hi.
He doesn’t move—because he doesn’t need to. Just like that afternoon in his study, our connection is so much more than physical touch or trains of thought. He feels the emotions rising inside of me and reflects them back in a way no one else ever could.
Because he’s the other half of my soul.
And the man blinking awake between us?
Makes us whole.
Gideon notices the exact moment we turn to him. He rolls onto all fours with his usual poise, tossing Atlas a glowing smile. “Well, thanks for the body heat, but my girl is awake, now, so...”
Atlas laughs, snapping his hand out to grab Gideon’s ankle. The gorgeous omega shakes him off with a kick, lurching forward to tackle me into the mattress. He kisses my face while he floods our connection with pure, ringing joy.
His appreciation is too strong to fit into words, so he simply sighs. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve given me. But I’ll sure as hell spend the rest of my life trying.
I’m about to sob and tell Gideon he has it all wrong—all backward. That he’s the one who granted me everything—
But thunder rolls on the horizon.
The deep, ominous sound freezes my alphas and our pack bond. All their eyes immediately snap to me.
I feel their protective impulses welling and brace for more thunder, waiting for the onslaught of chilling fear and dread.
Instead, I have an idea.
I wonder…
Gideon hears me and rears back, his gray gaze widening. “Are you sure, Vi? You just woke up from your first heat. We don’t have to leave this nest at all if you don’t want to.”
His offer is so tempting. Part of me wants nothing more than to stay here forever, wallowing in their scents and the wondrous fact that they all spent a full week loving me in every conceivable way.
But I know this is my moment. My Omega is so tired, she won’t protest. And when will I ever feel as confident as I do right now?
Gid listens and glances at Atlas. Our alpha projects his careful approval, nodding. “That’s my good girl,” he murmurs, bending to kiss my forehead. Whispering straight into my heart, So strong and brave.
Ryker meets my nervous gaze, distracting me with a ponderous expression. I have to go down to let Maximus in, anyway, he thinks.
Somehow, having an actual reason to indulge my insanity helps. I suspect my lion knew it would. Satisfaction fills his chest when I nod.
Finn swoops in, nestling me in his arms and striding to the nest door without a stitch of clothing. Gideon follows, pausing to pluck his robe and mine off the door rack.
Before my alpha barrels into the Omega Suite, he lets Ryker and Atlas exit first. It confuses me until the openness of the room seems to swarm me.
Whoa. Head rush.
Atlas halts Finn, brushing my hair back and leaning over me with consternation. This isn’t too much? Are you sure, baby girl?
I lift my face for his scent-mark. The tingling swath of bittersweet coffee and cream soothes my nerves instantly. I cock a small smile. Yes, Daddy.
The bolt of lust that streaks through his eyes is well worth the apprehension nipping at my lungs. When it simmers into true shock—because he cannot believe I’ve truly just teased him like that—Gideon snorts.
“Two brats for the price of one,” he jokes, stretching up to kiss Atlas’s stubbled cheek. “You’re gonna be a busy man, babe!”
He smacks our alpha’s ass before darting away. Atlas gives in to his impulses, chasing our omega toward the door. Growling low enough to renew my perfume. “You’d better run, little prince.”
Ryker trudges after them with a fond shake of his head.
Finn carries me the whole way downstairs, humming praises and funny observations to distract me.
Another clap echoes through the atmosphere as Ryker opens the kitchen’s French doors.
Maximus ducks inside, shooting his owner an impatient took-you-long-enough glare.
I see why when I peer outside. What was a sprinkle moments ago is edging into a deluge. My men pause again, weighing my reactions internally and externally.
Gideon must understand just how much this means to me, though, because he breaks ranks first. Striding forward and offering his outstretched hand.
It’s the one with my claim mark branded along his wrist, just under his friendship bracelet.
When Gideon senses my thump of longing, he smiles and reaches into the pocket of the robe slung over his arm.
After setting the fabric aside, he produces the matching bracelet he made me.
The other omega rolls the beads onto my wrist before lacing our fingers together.
Finn sets me down carefully. Far off in the distance, lightning flashes. Warning us that we still have time, but not much.
Before I lose my nerve, I suck in a deep breath, squeeze Gideon’s hand, and run.
He keeps pace, sticking by my side as I squeal and dash into the downpour. He gasps at the cold droplets, holding on to me harder. Behind us, the rest of our pack follows at our heels until I just… stop.
Keeping my eyes shut, I vibrate in place. Rain soaks my hair, my cheeks, my eyelashes. Rolling over my lips. Splashing around my feet.
I tilt my head back and drag in a deep breath. Then I open my eyes, staring right at the storm as it douses me.
And…
It’s okay.
I’m okay.
My toes squish in the sodden earth, reminding me of the last time I stood here, clasping my omega’s hand. That night, I could barely process anything, aside from the sheer joy of being outside. How terrifying and thrilling it was.
Now I’m here again. Only this time? I’m not afraid. Or ashamed. Or unsure. There are no cages or strained tethers or missing pieces.
This time, I’m just…
Free.
I blink up at the sky and release a choked sob. It morphs into a laugh when I turn to lean against the man beside me.
“Gideon,” I whisper. “I’m outside. In the rain.”
In a hundred lifetimes, I could never forget the brilliant smile that stretches across his face. “No, Vi,” he says, lifting our entwined hands. Spinning me into a twirl. “You’re dancing in the rain.”