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"So could you," she points out. "But that doesn't mean it's not worth trying."

"Why?" Marcus asks. "Why would you do this? It's not your company, not your contract..."

Belle looks around at all three of us, and her scent shifts to something warm and determined and absolutely sure. "Because it matters to you. All of you. And that makes it matter to me."

The simple honesty of it, the way she's claiming her place in our pack without hesitation or reservation, makes my chest tight with emotion.

"Besides," she continues with a slight smile, "I'm a librarian. Preserving important community resources is literally what I do for a living."

Marcus stares at her for a long moment, and I can see something changing in his expression. Not just gratitude, but recognition. The acknowledgment that Belle isn't just someone we're courting, but someone who's already become essential to who we are as a pack.

"Okay," he says finally. "Let's save the courthouse."

And as we spend the next two hours planning strategy and dividing responsibilities, as Belle seamlessly integrates herself into our problem-solving process and proves that her mind isevery bit as sharp as her heart is generous, I know that we've found our omega.

Not just because she kissed me under the stars after experiencing something beautiful together, but because when our pack was in crisis, she didn't hesitate to make it her crisis too.

Belle Hartwell is going to be our mate, our partner, our everything. And if she can help us save the courthouse too, well, that's just one more reason why she's perfect for us.

The campaign starts tomorrow, but tonight, sitting in our living room watching Belle argue passionately about media strategy with Marcus and Felix, I'm already claiming victory.

We've found her. We've found our home.

30

THE WILLOWBROOK CHRONICLE

Sweet Eavesdroppers,

Oh mystarsand garters! Lady Inkwell is practicallyburstingwith the most delicious revelations that have come to light this week! If you thought the post-ball romantic drama was settling down, think again, my precious gossip-hunters!

First and foremost, if you haven't figured it out by now, then let Lady Inkwell spell it out for you in letters ofgold: our sweet little librarian Miss Belle Hartwell is clearly anomega, darlings!Who knew?Our supposedly innocent book-cataloguing belle has been hiding her secondary nature all this time! Though really, the way she has three devastatingly handsome alphas completelysmittenshould have been our first clue!

Lady Inkwell'seagle-eyedsources report that our dear Belle was spotted just last evening at the Metropolitan Opera House looking absolutelyluminouson the arm of a certain brooding security specialist! The two emerged from what appeared to be averyromantic evening, and witnesses report seeing them share what looked like a ratherpassionatekiss under the stars!Swoon!Could this be the next alpha to fall completely under our omega's spell?

But here's what has Lady Inkwell absolutelybeside herselfwith curiosity: how will this devastating professional setback affect our budding pack romance? Will our dear Belle's newfound happiness be enough to weather such storms? Can love truly conquer all, including municipal politics and cutthroat business competition?

Even more intriguing, darlings - Lady Inkwell has heard whispers that our mysterious omega was spotted at a certain pack's residence well past midnight following the opera debacle, and sources suggest she didn't leave until the wee hours of the morning! Could our sweet Belle be providingcomfortduring this time of professional crisis? How perfectlyscandalous!

Meanwhile, the gossip mill is absolutelychurningwith speculation about whether this courthouse catastrophe might actually bring our unlikely foursome closer together! Nothing bonds people quite like adversity, and Lady Inkwell suspects that our omega's fierce loyalty and community organizing skills might be exactly what her alphas need right now!

Speaking of which, Lady Inkwell has it on excellent authority that certainheateddiscussions have been taking place at City Hall regarding both the courthouse decision AND our beloved library's future! Could these two crises be connected? Are we witnessing some sort of municipal conspiracy against our town's most precious cultural institutions?

Lady Inkwell is simplydyingto see how this delicious drama unfolds! Will business disappointments drive wedges between our star-crossed lovers, or will adversity prove that their bond is stronger than professional setbacks? Will our omega rally her pack to fight back against bureaucratic betrayal?

Yours in breathless anticipation and slight concern,

Lady Inkwell

P.S. - Has anyone else noticed that our dear Belle seems to have developed quite the glow recently? Lady Inkwell can't helpbut wonder if all this alpha attention is agreeing with her! And might we expect some very interesting announcements in the near future? How perfectlythrilling!

31

MARCUS

Istretch my legs from my position at the corner of our massive sectional, trying to find a comfortable spot that doesn't exist. This fight is absolute shit. These guys are dancing around like they're afraid to actually hit each other, and I'm starting to think I've wasted our first real break in three days.

"This fight is shit," I announce, gesturing at the screen where two fighters circle each other with all the urgency of people waiting for coffee to brew. "What happened to boxers who actually wanted to fight?"