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He kisses my fingers as he pulls back. “Does it bother you?”
My brows crinkle. “Not at all.”
He grins. “Good.”
Memphis moans in frustration from the bed.
“Shh,” I say teasingly. “He’s still hibernating.”
Denver, never one for subtlety, just pulls the pillow out from under Memphis’s head. “Up,” he orders, making Cam and me laugh more.
I open the box to see what Camden found. On top, there’s a soft blue cardigan I used to love. It’s nice, but I put it aside. For now, I’d rather keep wearing my Alphas’ things.
Underneath, I see the photos of Momma. Gently, I pick one up. It’s in a sturdy frame, but it still feels fragile somehow. Precious.
Camden leans in closer, examining the photo with me. “She looks like you,” he says. “Even the same eyes.”
I put my head on his shoulder, inhaling his comforting ocean scent. “That’s the best compliment anyone could give me.”
The best part of our hotel suite is the bathtub. It’s almost the size of a small swimming pool, clearly designed for Packs to enjoy together. Until tonight, I’ve been too tired to do anything but shower before bed. Now, I plan to take full advantage.
I fill the tub with unscented oils and bubbles. I don’t want anything concealing the scents of my Alphas.
It takes a little convincing from Camden and me to get Memphis out of bed, but eventually, I get all the Alphas into the tub with me. I sit with my back against Denver’s chest, bubbles coming up to my chin. Camden washes my legs lazily with a soft cloth while Memphis rubs his shoulders. I feel a rush of heat to my core. The way the two of them are so casually affectionate with each other never fails to make me slick.
“I could stay here forever,” Cam says. “Unlimited room service, comfy bed, giant bathtub.”
Memphis scoffs. “Not all of us have a million dollars in game show winnings to piss away. Anyway, I’m ready to get back to my place.”
We all go quiet. We haven’t talked about what’s next for us—there hasn’t been time, really. Now, it’s time. I feel irrationally nervous. What if what we want is too different? What if we can’t agree on a life?
“Are you going on your own, or are you inviting us back to Memphis?” Camden asks.
“I want you to come with me,” Memphis says firmly. “All of you. My place is big—we could all have our own bedrooms, even. And it’s quiet. Peaceful. I want you there. You don’t have to, of course. I know that rural life isn’t for everyone.”
He sounds nervous when he tacks on the last part. I realize that Memphis is just as scared as I am, scared that the rest of the Pack won’t want what he has to offer. I offer him a warm smile.
“I think I’d like living there,” I say. “I like quiet and peaceful.”
“It sounds perfect,” Camden says. “If you don’t care that I still like sleeping under the stars instead of a roof sometimes.”
The corner of Memphis’s mouth turns up. “One of the rooms has a skylight over the bed.”
“Now it’s perfect,” Cam amends. “Denver? What do you think?”
Denver’s arms tighten around me. “If I’m with my Pack, I’m happy.”
“I’ve always wanted to get some horses,” Memphis says thoughtfully. “I’ve heard they can be very therapeutic. Once we’ve settled in, I can start asking around.”
“That sounds amazing,” I say, stretching my legs out so my feet can tangle with Camden’s and Memphis’s.
Now, I have a home. One I’ve never visited, but which I feel sure that I’ll love. A place to be with my Pack and to relearn how to live without fear. Too long, I’ve been looking over my shoulder, waiting for my past to catch up with me. Now, the future is what matters.
I’ll take my time, adjusting to regular life. Get used to being around more people one step at a time. I might be happy to live on Memphis’s land, far away from the world, but I don’t want to be there out of fear. One day, I hope I’m able to walk into a crowded store without feeling panicked or trapped.
“It’ll be strange,” I muse, “being an Omega in public. I never really got a chance to see what that was like. I presented, then before I knew it, I was foraging for edible berries.”
Memphis’s expression is dark. “I don’t think you’ll like it. You’ll have less freedom than you did before. There are laws prohibiting Omegas going out alone without a chaperone.”
