11. Nadia
Nadia
Epilogue
Dad sits across from me, a relaxed smirk softening his face.
The chandelier light catches his deep brown skin and the silver threading through his dark hair.
I get my dark complexion from him. Mom sits right next to him, her pale skin and blonde hair providing a contrast to his dark features.
Her silver bonding marks catch the light above the table.
Thomas, my other dad, and her Alpha, rests his heavy arm across the back of her chair.
His broad chest, pale green eyes, and short sandy hair match Mom's lighter complexion.
"I still hate that you guys bought a separate jet." Dad points his silver fork at Mikkel. "We own a massive corporate fleet. You’re wasting money."
Mom swats Dad's arm. "Leave them alone, Marcus. I think buying a private jet for their Omega makes a beautiful statement."
"Exactly." Mikkel covers my hand with his on the tabletop, his thumb tracing my knuckles. "The corporate fleet flies executives and board members. Nadia flies on our plane. End of discussion."
Dad chuckles, shaking his head. Thomas lifts his wineglass into the air, and Dad mirrors the movement.
"To the new pack." Dad holds his glass high. "You gave us a goddamn heart attack, but I guess we can tolerate having you two as family."
Soren clinks his glass against Dad's, then reaches over to tap Thomas's rim.
Laughter echoes through the dining room.
I lean back in my chair, sipping my expensive red wine.
The tension evaporated. The corporate wars and the media fallout never materialized.
Dad and Thomas handled the board, and Mikkel and Soren handled everything else.
I just get to sit here and enjoy my life.
The evening stretches on with easy conversation and old stories.
Dad finishes the last drop of his wine and pushes his heavy wooden chair back.
Thomas stands up, helping Mom out of her seat.
They walk around the table. Mom pulls me into a tight hug.
The soft scent of jasmine and warm honey washes over me.
"Happy birthday, sweetheart." Mom kisses my cheek. "We love you so much."
Thomas leans down and kisses my forehead. "Call us when you land tomorrow."
"I will." I squeeze Mom's hand, then reach over and hug Dad. "Thanks for dinner, guys."
Dad steps back and shakes Mikkel's hand, then claps Soren on the shoulder. Thomas mirrors the gesture. They exchange a look of deep, unspoken respect. The old business partnership morphed into an extended family unit without skipping a beat.
My parents head down the hallway. The front door clicks shut a second later, leaving the three of us alone in the penthouse. The dinner marks the perfect end to a chaotic two weeks, and I wouldn't change a single thing about it.
I leave the dining room and head for the main living area.
I sink into the plush leather cushions of the massive sectional sofa, tucking my bare legs underneath my body. The events of the day catch up with me, bringing a heavy, satisfied exhaustion.
My phone buzzes on the glass coffee table.
I reach over and snatch it up. The bright screen lights up the dim room. A text from Margo flashes across the display.
MARGO:
Happy Birthday, bitch! I saw the paparazzi photos of you three leaving that restaurant last week. You bagged the billionaires. Guess Phera lost its best customer.
A genuine laugh escapes my throat. I type a response.
NADIA:
Thanks, Margo. And yeah, those club days are done. I hung up my party heels.
Margo replies a second later.
MARGO:
I bet you did. They look like they keep you very busy. Seriously though, I'm happy for you. Wish my scent match would drop out of the sky.
I stare at the glowing screen. A month ago, I carried a bitter, cynical mindset about the entire bonding process.
I spent my weekends chasing a hollow ache on crowded dance floors, assuming true scent matches existed only in fairy tales or for other people.
I thought I'd end up settling for a decent, tolerable Alpha just to stop the loneliness.
I assumed I'd spend the rest of my life dealing with that empty void in my chest.
The yacht changed all of that. The Universe delivered the two men I craved for a decade right into my lap. The agonizing wait makes the payoff infinitely better.
NADIA:
Keep your head up, Margo. Don't settle for some random guy at the bar. Your match exists out there. You just have to wait for him to show up.
I hit send. I mean every single word.
I toss my phone back onto the coffee table. It feels like the end of an old life of frantic clubbing and empty hookups. I don't need the distraction. The constant, gnawing void in my chest doesn't exist anymore. My two Alphas fill the hole in my heart I used to carry, leaving no room for doubt.
Footsteps echo on the hardwood floor behind me.
Mikkel and Soren step into the living room.
They ditched their dress shirts from dinner.
Mikkel wears a tight black t-shirt that stretches across his chest, and Soren sports a plain gray henley.
The sight of them makes my mouth water. The bonding marks on their necks match the silver scars on mine.
Omegas don’t always mark their Alphas in return, but I’m possessive.
Mikkel drops onto the cushions on my left, and Soren sinks into the sofa on my right. They box me in, wrapping me in a solid wall of Alpha muscle.
I rest my head on Mikkel's broad shoulder. He wraps his thick arm around my waist, pulling me flush against his side. I reach my hand out. Soren tangles his fingers with mine, resting our joined hands on his thigh. His thumb traces a lazy circle over my knuckles.
Cardboard boxes stack high against the far wall of the living room. Packing tape secures my entire life inside those brown squares. Movers arrive first thing in the morning to load it all onto a truck.
"The jet fuels up at eight in the morning." Soren kisses the back of my hand. "We land in Camden by noon. We can stop by the corporate headquarters if you want a tour, or we can head straight to Oakhaven and unpack."
"Straight to Oakhaven." I close my eyes, inhaling the deep mix of rum and toasted coconut. "I don't care about the corporate offices right now. I just want to see our house."
Mikkel's chest rumbles against my cheek. "Our house. I like the sound of that."
"Get used to it." I tilt my head up, meeting his dark gaze. "I'm invading your space. My clothes go in your closets. My dad visits on the weekends."
"We wouldn't have it any other way." Mikkel presses his lips to my forehead.
A profound peace settles into my bones. Leaving Manten means leaving the city I grew up in, but the location means nothing to me now. I don't care about the penthouse or the familiar streets. My home sits right here on this couch, wedged between the two men who claimed me.
I look at the Alphas flanking my sides. I got my Alphas. I wouldn't trade a single second of that nightmare on the ocean, because it brought me exactly to where I belong.
Our new life starts tomorrow.
THE END