Page 116 of Written in Scent

Chase’s family arrives last, sharp and businesslike, much like Alex’s. They move with the same assured confidence, exchanging handshakes and quick updates on markets and deals. But they give Chase gentle space. He’s not the eldest heir the way Alex is, so there’s no pressure, only warmth. His omega mother pulls him into a quick hug, his alpha mother and father nod with obvious pride, and they turn their attention to me with the same calm approval.

Through it all Noodle weaves between legs like a tiny gray ambassador. She is cheerfully called both Noodle and Mittens now because no one can agree on which name fits better. She steals a turkey scrap from the counter when no one is looking, then earns belly rubs from every new person who bends down to greet her.

At one point she ends up draped across one of Jamie’s parent’s lap, purring so loudly the whole room laughs.

My parents stand a little to the side, wide eyed at the size and energy of the crowd. They are used to quiet Thanksgivings, just the three of us, sometimes my grandparents too. But every time I catch their eye they share genuine smiles that say they see how happy I am.

The warmth of so many people who already love my alphas now extending that love to me settles deep in my chest. My pack moves around me without hovering. Alex brushes a hand across my lower back as he passes, Jamie winks when our eyes meet, Adrian presses a quick kiss to my temple, Chase rests his big hand on my shoulder for a grounding second. They check on me instinctively, the way they always do now.

Everyone gathers around the long table and the extra folding tables we dragged in from the garage. The room glows under strings of twinkling fairy lights, plates clinking and chairs scraping as we all find our seats. The air is thick with the scent of roasted turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, and the sweet cinnamon tang of the apple pie cooling on the sideboard.

Alex’s alpha father stands first, raising his glass with the same authority his son carries so naturally. “To Elodie,” he says, voice warm and heartfelt, “the young woman who finally made this pack feel complete.”

A ripple of laughter and applause moves around the table. Jamie’s dry father actually cracks a real smile. Adrian’s loud siblings cheer like they are at a sports game. My parents lift their glasses with shining eyes. More toasts follow, quick and funny and full of love, until the room fills with overlapping stories and easy teasing.

Joyful chaos takes over. Noodle weaves between chair legs, and she ends up in Chase’s omega mother’s lap, eyes half closed in bliss while Chase gently keeps her from launching herself into the mashed potatoes. I squeeze Jamie’s hand under the table, our fingers laced tight. Adrian passes me the exact side dish I love without being asked, the one with the roasted Brussels sprouts and cranberries. I catch his eye and he gives me that small, knowing smile that always makes my chest feel full.

Laughter spills over everything. Stories overlap. Someone drops a roll and Noodle is there in a flash. Through it all I sit in the middle of my pack, surrounded by the people who love them and now love me too.

Gatherings like this used to make me anxious, my heart racing at the noise and the eyes on me. Now they feel like the most natural thing in the world. Like I have finally found the exact table I was always meant to sit at.

Later in the evening, after the last slice of pie and the final round of coffee, I slip away with my parents to the back porch while the others clear dishes and laugh over old stories. The night air is crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and fallen leaves. Fairy lights twinkle in the trees, casting a glow across the wooden deck.

We ease into the cushioned chairs, the three of us wrapped in near silence for the first time all day. My mom reaches over and squeezes my hand. “We were a little overwhelmed at first,” she admits with a laugh. “All the noise, all those people, the energy in the house. It’s a lot.”

My dad nods, his eyes shining with open pride. “But then we saw you. The way you move through it all, so settled. So completely at ease. We’ve never seen you like this, sweetheart. You look… happy in a way we’ve never seen before.”

Their words sink into my soul and. I squeeze their hands back and smile. “I wasn’t sure either, when everything started to happen… and then with me missing the expedition I had worked so hard for… I’ve learned to trust that they have my back and that things will work out.”

“Dr. Okonkwo and the whole department were incredibly understanding about postponing the trip. Instead, they invited me on a smaller, more professional expedition over winter break with actual researchers. It’s even better than the original one.”

Both of them beam at once. My mom’s eyes mist over as she leans in and hugs me tight.

Dad’s voice is thick when he speaks. “We could not be prouder of the life you are building, Elodie. Not just the pack, but everything. You did this. You made room for all of it without losing any part of yourself.”

I rest my head on my mom’s shoulder for a moment, the fairy lights blurring above us. The porch is quiet except for the distant sound of laughter drifting from inside, and for the first time I feel every piece of my world fitting together without any missing edges.

By the time the last car pulls away, the house falls into a peaceful, beautiful quiet. Only my four alphas and I remain, along with Noodle, who has claimed the entire living room as her domain.

Our families have all headed home or back to their hotels, leaving behind the echo of laughter still lingering in the air.

We snuggle on the big couch in a delicious tangle of limbs and blankets. Noodle curls contentedly in my lap, purring loudly as I scratch under her chin. Alex drapes his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side. Jamie sits on the floor and rests his head in my lap beside Noodle, his floppy blond hair tickling my thigh, earning himself some head scratches too. Adrian sits on my other side, his fingers tracing lazy, soothing circles on my thigh. Chase takes up the end of the couch, his arm around Adrian and I, his hand resting possessively on my shoulder.

Soft conversation drifts between us about nothing and everything. Jamie makes a joke about how Noodle slash Mittens has finally acquired the biggest family in the world, and easy, low laughter ripples through all of us.

The fire crackles loudly in the hearth, casting golden light across the room. We talk excitedly about the upcoming winter break expedition, how the pack is already making plans to join me for part of it. Alex mentions clearing his schedule, Jamie wants to film it, Adrian is already researching the local insect species, and Chase is determined to make sure I stay safe in the rainforest.

I nestle deeper into the center of them, surrounded by their warmth and even heartbeats. The house is cozy around us, the future stretching out bright and certain before us.

This is home now, and it feels exactly like it was always meant to be.

Bonus Epilogue

The humid air of the rainforest clings to my skin like a second layer as I sit cross-legged on the wooden deck of the research station, field notebook open across my knees. Three days here and I’m already knee deep in my element.

The dawn light this morning gifted me a rare longhorn beetle, its iridescent green shell catching the first rays like a living emerald. I cataloged it with careful precision, then scribbled a quick poetic observation in the margin.

Wings folded like secrets, waiting for the right storm to set them free