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I sang the opening notes of the song. It was one of Juliet Vale’s biggest hits, and I knew the words by heart.

It was slow and sad and somehow exactly what I wanted to sing. Rian strummed along on his guitar, adding a backup vocal to mine.

Feelings welled up as the song wound through love, heartbreak, and loss, and I touched my chest, moving my hand like I could strum invisible notes too. I stayed as close to Ben as I could without bumping his arm, putting my left hand on his back.

The music shifted into Juliet’s other piano-heavy ballad, and I laughed a little as I switched into the lyrics of “Letters I Never Sent.”

“Tricky,” West said with a laugh.

Ben gave us both a devious grin, knowing he was wrong for doing a mash-up.

West was wrapped around Alejandro and watching the three of us, looking relaxed.

We did the bridge of “Letters I Never Sent” and then the notes shifted again, and I knew we were switching back to “Burned My Name.”

The song ended and I let out a big sigh, my body tingling from joy. It was like being drunk and high without the actual drugs. No wonder people made this into an entire career.

“One more?” I asked, hopefully. “If you’re not too tired?”

“We make music because we love it.” Rian nudged Alejandro’s foot with his own. “What did your alpha say? Let us show off.”

“Playing songs with you is not a hardship.” Ben ran his hand down my back, his touch featherlight. “Let’s see if you know this one.”

The opening notes started on the piano, and Rian picked up strumming.

I recognized the song right away and I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. They were trying to woo me in the best possible way, with heartfelt emotional songs. Like love letters in the form of music.

I looked at West, and he had such a soft look on his face it crumbled my heart even further. West knew what this song meant to me, what singing it out loud in front of these men would do to me. He’d held me as I curled up on our bed, night after night, crying over losing myself, my family, what I thought my future would be.

It had gotten better, and now “Always on My Mind” meant better things for me, like missing West when he was at work. I’d texted him, “I miss you, and wish you were here.”

West gave me a small nod, his way of telling me I could do it. I could be brave and vulnerable.

I gave Ben a quick kiss on the cheek, my heart swelling as he moved through the long piano intro. “You’re evil for this.”

“I am,” he agreed.

Tricky alpha. I sang soft and slow, the same couple of notes on the piano repeating to create a lull. The song didn’t have a lot of guitar notes, but Rian improvised easily, matching the melody.

I sang with my heart in my throat, trying to think about the men in the room with me and not the losses I felt to get to here. But the bridge kicked in, and I lost it a bit when I sang, “Every fleeting dream feels like your face, but I wake to the cold of empty space. You’re part of the sky and I’m bound to the ground, searching for echoes of a love profound.”

Rian sang along, and it felt like a life raft when I was drowning in a stormy ocean. He locked eyes with me, his face filled with longing when we hit the part about a love profound.

My heart lodged tight in my throat. Now I knew where the phrase “sing your heart out” came from, because it felt like I laid my soul open and bare for them to see.

The song faded off slowly, the notes slowing down until it ended. For a minute I held my breath, and then Ben pulled me against him.

“I didn’t know.” He held me against him like I would fly away, just like in the song, and never return.

“It’s fine.” I sniffled, my eyes stinging with tears. “It feels better.”

Ben nodded like he understood, and I pressed my face into his neck, taking in his scent with deep breaths. Spicy woods, dark and inviting, with a sharp currant scent enveloped me. My omega instincts calmed, having his arms around me.

It was the most natural thing in the world, to tilt my head up as Ben leaned forward and kissed me. His mouth brushed mine,partially comforting, partially erotic. Warmth snaked through me like an electric spark.

The alpha cupped my face, fingers stroking my cheeks. My body relaxed. He was touching me; everything clicked into place just like all the songs said.

His mouth was hot and wet, his tongue brushing against the seam of my mouth and I opened for him immediately. Electricity raced over me, and I wanted more.