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JOSIE

M y brain feels like mush as I look over the tutorial again . Buying a new staff management software shouldn’t be this difficult. I’m pretty sure the words are blurring into a different language as I try to make sense of all these steps. I sigh to myself, realizing I need to admit defeat.

I need help.

Not a moment later, Jesse pops his head into the room that I’ve overtaken as a small office.

“You rang?” he asks.

“I’m admitting defeat. Can you help me?”

He smiles and comes to sit near me as he explains, in English, how things should work in the system and gets everything set up.

Being bonded is nothing like I thought it would be.

I figured it would be wonderful, but it’s so much more than that.

Jesse and I talked about it shortly after bonding and agreed that it’s like coming home.

I’m home with these men, and they with me.

The emotional connection was tricky to figure out, but we got it down.

Then the mental communication came. That threw all of us for a loop.

Henry went into research mode and found that it’s something that can happen with Mate Matches, but it’s not widely talked about.

Thus our surprise. We tackled it together, though, just like we do with everything in our lives now.

Even though it took me a few months to stop assuming the other shoe is going to drop, the guys were so patient with me, and now there’s no fear.

We’ve all been able to talk through and push past our issues.

There have been a few therapy sessions, but nothing insurmountable when we support each other.

“That’s all you gotta do,” Jesse says.

“I’m telling you, the instruction manual made things way more complicated. I’m pretty sure it’s written in Cantonese.”

“It’s in English, my silly Omega. You’re just impatient,” Jesse tells me with a grin.

I let out a fake scoff of outrage. He just laughs before placing a kiss on my nose and walking downstairs again.

When I glance at the clock, I see that I’ve still got an hour before dinner.

We’ve made it a policy to eat at least one meal a day together.

It’s typically dinner but sometimes we have to switch to breakfast. All this to say, I need to get some shit done.

Going into the program, I follow the steps Jesse explained and add all my employees now.

After I bonded with the guys, I finally had enough energy and support to start growing Touch Helpers.

I’m fully in management mode, and I have seven touch helpers, including Georgie and James.

They’ve been steadfast at my side and extremely helpful in training new employees.

Next, I add all our clients and start assigning each Touch Helper to their clients.

We have a definite backlog that I need to make time to tackle.

Later, I’ll tackle it later. For now, I need to get existing information shored up in this system.

I focus on the task at hand, working as quickly as I can so my Pack doesn’t have to call me down to dinner. Again.

Josie Girl, food’s done.

Shit, Vic caught me, I’m officially late.

Be right down! I reply to him.

Quickly, I lock my laptop and scamper down the stairs, excited to see what we’re eating today.

Ray graduated from high school four months ago and has been taking summer classes at the local trade school, learning how to cook.

She’s been cooking dinner for us more frequently, and it’s fun to see what she comes up with.

Is all of it good? Fuck, no. She admits it when it’s a miss, though, and we order out.

All of us want to see her succeed in whatever she chooses, so when mistakes happen, she doesn’t seem to worry.

She does throw food at Simon sometimes for cooing at her about how proud we are, but he’s trying to get that reaction.

Seeing Simon’s fun side come out as we continue to grow as a Pack has been the best thing.

He’s the kid in class who likes to poke at people to get a reaction, but he’s smart enough not to take it too far.

He and Jesse get into some trouble sometimes.

When I make it to the kitchen, I see those two conspiring in their chairs, and I give them a look so they know I’m on to them.

Henry’s at the head of the table, and I haven’t seen him all day, so I plop myself right on his lap.

“Mmmmm, I missed you today,” he says in his low rumble.

“Same,” I say softly, resting my head on his shoulder.

A gagging noise comes from the other end of the table.

“Get a room!” Ray says dramatically.

I look over at her, feigning wide-eyed innocence, “Oh, are you unhappy that we’re in love? Does it bother you to see us snuggling? I’m so sorry. I’ll come snuggle you instead. You definitely need more love.”

Standing up, I start to move toward Ray when she flings a vegetable at me from the serving dish.

“Keep your cooties to yourself!” She grins.

Grinning back, I hold my arms out, “But Ray… I just want to love you! Let me love you!”

We start laughing as we joke around before Vic finally speaks up.

“Josie Girl, there’s a ton of love at this table. Now sit down so we can eat.”

I blow out a breath, “bossy.”

“Sassy Omega,” he mutters.

I point at Henry, “You’re a bad influence.”

Henry just shrugs, “He’s not wrong.”

We grin and dig into the food. Tonight, Ray made some kind of lamb chop with fancy vegetables and rice.

Look at us eating healthy and shit. The first bite has everyone fawning over how good the food is.

Ray really has a knack for cooking and is serving up fewer flops the longer she works at the skill.

My heart feels so full, I worry it will burst at times.

Seeing Simon and Jesse bond brings me more peace than I could have imagined.

Vic is the Pack’s voice of reason, and Henry leads us the best he knows how.

Mostly, he loves us all and takes care of us.

All four guys dote on me, but also remind me that I’m a strong Omega who is fully capable of taking care of myself.

Honestly, I don’t know what would have happened if I’d never taken the job to see Ray. She kind of kick-started everything. Vic and Simon may still have happened, but it wouldn’t be this perfect existence we’ve carved out for ourselves.

I look over at Ray, “Thank you.”

“For what?” she asks.

“For allowing me to meet you and be your Touch Helper. If I hadn’t taken you on, I wouldn’t have bumped into Jesse. I never would have met Henry, and I don’t know what would have happened with Vic and Si. I just wanted you to know that I’m so thankful to have you as part of this life.”

She gives me a wobbly smile, “Sappy.”

“You love it.”

“True,” she admits.

I look around the table and let the moment seep into my bones. Life might not be perfect, but this Pack is as close as I could imagine.

I won’t give them up for anything.