Page 51

Chapter 51

Ava

I stir in my sleep, feeling the warmth of my Alphas surrounding me.

It’s that warmth, and knowing who’s providing it, that slowly pulls me from my slumber. I feel so completely safe, I can take my time waking up. My body feels heavy, but content. I actually don’t think I’ve ever felt so happy in my life.

When I read romance novels, the feeling of being in love was often described as something that made you feel light and bubbly, like you could float. For me, waking up like this, I feel the opposite. Not heavy in a bad way, but rather grounded. Secure. My feet firmly planted on ground that will not give way beneath me, but will instead lift me up to new heights.

I open my eyes, and find Dante watching me.

His gaze is heavy, but not with the heat from last night. It’s warm and soft, like a blanket on a cold night.

When he sees that I’m awake he moves closer, nuzzling his face into my hair. I feel him take a deep breath, inhaling my scent, and I close my eyes and smile, feeling utterly content. His closeness comforts me.

The idea of needing an Alpha, or multiple Alphas, close to me as much as possible scared me once upon a time, but now I know that my Alphas will always do everything to take care of me. I never have to worry about missing them or feeling like I’m alone and adrift. They’ll always be there.

“How do you feel?” he asks, wrapping his arms around me and nuzzling me.

“I feel happy,” I tell him.

Those simple words would’ve been so hard to say once upon a time. I never would’ve wanted to admit to them, to give up so much of myself. How could I trust the feeling, I would reason. What would happen, I asked myself, if I admitted to such a thing and it was taken away from me, or the person took advantage?

But I don’t have to ask myself those questions anymore. I trust my Alphas completely.

“I never expected this,” I admit to him, as Dante gently kisses my neck. “I didn’t think I wanted this. But now… I wouldn’t give this up, I wouldn’t give any of you up, for anything in the world.”

I take his face into my hands, my thumbs brushing back and forth over his cheeks. “I never knew that Alphas like you existed. But you’re perfect for me.”

Dante smiles at me, looking so very pleased with my words, as if somehow he still doubted after everything that he could make me happy.

“Thank you for loving me,” I whisper.

Dante’s brow furrows. “Ava. You don’t have to thank me. Loving you is as natural as breathing. My pack and I will treasure our perfect little Omega.” He kisses me softly. “Always.”

I feel the others stir, and warm lips drop a kiss to my shoulder.

“What he said,” Ethan says, his voice rumbling against my back from where his chest is pressed against it. “You’re incredibly easy to love, gorgeous. We’re happy to do it.”

“Honestly,” Caleb notes, “I don’t think we could stop even if we tried. But we’re not going to try. Loving you is natural. It’s just who we are.”

“Well, I think loving you is who I am,” I reply, smiling. “I don’t know how people know the moment they fall in love. I feel like I was in love with you for ages before I realized it was happening.”

“Good,” Garrett says. “Because we’re going to love you for the rest of our lives. You’re stuck with us.”

He winks at me, and it warms my heart. I love that I can bring out his playful side. I know that not many people can.

I smile, basking in the glow of their love. I feel so incredibly lucky, to have my Alphas who love me so much, and to be able to love them so much in return. I had no idea how amazing it would feel to love someone the way that I love them. People talk about how great it is to have someone love you, but what about the other way around? I feel like I have a purpose now, like I’m made up of more than just myself. I’m part of a bigger whole.

I’m part of my darling pack.

Everything that I do now feels like it has more meaning, more life, more joy in it. I feel incredibly special, and I’m so glad that I have these men who gave my life the many things it was missing. I have a family again, and I can love them the way I didn’t get to love the last one.

“Oh, almost forgot.” Ethan drops another kiss to my shoulder and nudges me playfully, grinning. “We have a surprise for you.”

I frown at him. “A surprise? But it’s not my birthday.”

The others all laugh fondly.

“You need to get used to being spoiled more often than on your birthday,” Ethan teases me. “A surprise could come for you at any moment.”

“We love to do things for you,” Dante points out. “And why bother waiting for a special occasion?”

I laugh. I really am going to have to get used to this attention. “All right. What’s the surprise?”

“We’ve renamed our latest product in your honor,” Garrett says. “We’re calling it the AVA Watch. It was already a product for Omegas, so it felt like this was fate.”

“It’s the kind of thing that we think you would’ve wanted, back when you first presented,” Caleb adds. “We hope that if someone else is scared the way you once were, this device will help them to feel more in control of their lives and be less afraid.”

“We never want any Omega to feel the way you did,” Dante says. “Like being an Omega is anything less than a gift.”

Tears well up in my eyes. “Guys… you really don’t have to…”

“Of course we do,” Ethan says. “You’re our inspiration. Our reason for everything. You’re the person we were waiting for our entire lives, the hole in our pack we could never fill.”

I start crying properly, overwhelmed by my love and by their gesture. I’m so grateful for these men and for having them in my life. They’re my Alphas, my protectors, and my mates, and I know that I will always be loved and treasured by them.

“Thank you,” I whisper, pulling them into me and kissing them. I’m thanking them for so many things, for so many reasons, but I can’t quite get anymore words out. I’m too overwhelmed.

Given the way that they all kiss me back, I think they understand anyway.