Page 39 of Knottily Ever After (Crescent Lake Cozy Omegaverse #1)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Violet

T he sun shines brightly, glistening off the rippling water of Crescent Lake.

I sit on a bench in the shade with Quinn and Ben while Vaughn chats with Steve by the water.

It took very little convincing for the guys to spend the day with Steve and me.

I’d expected them to want to be by my side, protecting their Omega, despite there being no need.

What I hadn’t expected was my Alphas to be kind to Steve, treat him like a friend.

Their understanding makes warmth bloom in my chest, my whole body feeling light.

I am just about as happy as I can be.

I take Ben’s and Quinn’s hands in mine, squeezing them in my lap, as we sit with our bodies as close as possible.

“Thank you,” I say. “You have no idea what this means to me.”

Quinn chuckles. “Well, I’ll admit that I wasn’t sold at first. And I don’t forgive him for hurting you.”

Ben hums in agreement. “But I can see he’s remorseful.” He squeezes my hand. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to hide who you are your whole life.”

My heart still hurts for Steve, but I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

When Vaughn brings Steve back to our bench, the two of them laugh at some private joke. It brings a smile to my face, that warmth to my chest.

“Steve really knows his stuff,” Vaughn says smoothly, and I raise a brow at him in question.

“What stuff?”

“I’ll tell you all about it later.” He peers at his watch, looks behind us with a grin.

Right on cue.

I turn on the bench and peer over the hill to find a young man approaching, slight of build, light blond hair combed back, wearing a light blue shirt with white shorts that reach his knees. A smile breaks out across my face just as I hear Steve take in a sharp breath.

He walks wordlessly around the bench and stops at the same time as Sam. Then Sam runs at Steve, who catches him in a bear hug.

I feel a bit voyeuristic as they cry in each other’s arms, planting kisses on the other’s face, murmuring conversation.

“You did good, Baby Girl.”

I peer up at Vaughn who is smiling down at me with such kindness my heart skips a beat. “I hope so. I want them to be as happy as we are.”

Vaughn pulls me up from the bench and wraps his arms around me, and a second later, Quinn and Ben join us in a big group hug.

When we separate, Steve and Sam join us, hand-in-hand and smiling.

Sam turns his pale eyes on me, pleading and tearful. “Can I… can I hug you?”

I’m a bit surprised, but nod and step toward him. We embrace briefly, and when he steps away, he’s sniffling and wiping his eyes.

“I can’t thank you enough for reaching out,” he says, then looks up at Steve. “We still have a lot to talk about, but we wouldn’t be here right now without you.” He smiles at me. “Your kindness… I don’t know how to repay you.”

My head shakes. “No need for that. You deserve your happiness. Together.”

“And if I might say,” Sam gets a little shy, dipping his chin and peering through pale lashes, “you’ve definitely hit the jackpot with your Alphas here.” He fans himself dramatically, and I laugh, feel Quinn laugh beside me as he wraps his arm around my lower back.

Steve coughs beside Sam, who smacks his upperarm before they snake their arms together, locking fingers.

“Violet,” Steve’s voice is filled with warmth. “You may not feel the same, but you are still my best friend. Your actions continue to prove what an amazing person you are. I am eternally grateful for, if undeserving of, you being in my life.”

“We are still best friends,” I tell him earnestly.

“We’ll take the time to mend together, and I know this will all be behind us in time.

” I check the time on my phone, then look from Steve to Sam with a sly grin.

“Now, you two have a reservation in an hour.” I forward the confirmation to Steve’s phone, who stares at me with big, surprised eyes.

“Enjoy yourselves. And let’s do something together before you head back. ”

After expressing a lot of gratitude, Steve and Sam leave to go to their hotel room and get ready for their date at the nicest restaurant in town.

Courtesy of moi.

The grin doesn’t leave my face as my Alphas and I walk back to our home.

Our home.

The joy that thought elicits still astounds me.

“Violet, would you mind giving me a hand with something downstairs before we go up?”

“Of course,” I reply to Vaughn with a smile.

Down in the basement of Hops & Scotch, we adjust the giant fermenters together, something I’ve grown to love doing with Vaughn.

Over the weeks I’d helped out at the brewery, I’d learned a lot about the process, and how much Vaughn loved to come up with new recipes for his brews.

It made me happy to help him do what he loves, and I grew to love it, too. Although, maybe not as much as Vaughn.

We were in the basement around thirty minutes before going upstairs to enter the apartment. The scent of fresh flowers greeted me, along with some kind of sweet confection.

I followed my nose into the kitchen where Quinn and Ben stood at the island, broad grins on their faces, surrounded by vases of roses and exotic flowers of all colors, plus a couple of champagne bottles in silver ice buckets.

Confusion overwhelms me as I turn my questioning gaze on each of them as Vaughn joins the others at the island.

“What’s all this?”

“Well,” Quinn sings, “we have something we’d like to talk about.”

My eyebrows raise.

“Here in Crescent Lake, packs have what’s called a Joining Ceremony, in lieu of marriage,” Vaughn chimes.

“Because the government doesn’t recognize packs yet,” Ben grumbles.

“So we wanted to ask,” Quinn continues. “Are you willing to stay with us forever, sweetheart?”

“And are you willing to let us take care of you until the end of time?” Vaughn asks with a warm smile.

“And,” Ben says, moving around the island to approach me, “are you willing to stand by us, proclaim in public that we are a united, mated pack?”

There’s a hummingbird flittering in my chest instead of a heart. Every few beats it thuds hard, like it’s trying to escape.

I came to Crescent Lake to get away from the pain I found in L.A. The betrayal of a friend I trusted and was going to spend the rest of my life with.

Am I ready to make a leap like this again? So soon?

I look at Vaughn, my rock. The man who somehow knows what I need even when I don’t. The Alpha so staunchly in my corner at all times that I never have to look to know he’s there.

Then, I turn to Quinn, my caring, nurturing muscle man. He’s supported everything I do, from my physical fitness at his gym to my writing, always happy to help inspire me.

And Ben, my gentle, pierced, tattooed love. Always ready with a cuddle, or for long talks, or a simple night in front of the TV. And the pussy-eating champ of the world.

I love them. I love them all so much, my chest aches, even as the flutters die inside it, replaced by a steadier rhythm. A simple knowledge. A pure desire for happiness.

My voice is watery when I respond. “Yes.” My head nods vigorously, my vision swimming. “I want to be with you all forever.”

Rapturous joy erupts in the room, as I am wrapped in their arms, warm and safe and loved.