Page 58 of Pack Plus One (Sweetwater City Reverse Harem Omegaverse #1)

The simple truth of that statement washes over me. I’m not alone.

It’s terrifying. And wonderful.

“Pasta sounds good,” I say finally, turning away from Alpha Bites and toward my pack. “But I need to shower first. I’m pretty sure I have wallpaper glue in places wallpaper glue should never be.”

“I could help with that,” Jude offers with exaggerated innocence. “I’m very thorough.”

“I bet you are,” I laugh, shoving his shoulder lightly.

“My shower has excellent water pressure,” Caleb mentions casually. “And plenty of room.”

The implication sends heat curling through my belly.

“Are you offering your shower or your company?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Both,” Caleb says without hesitation. “Always both.”

The directness of his answer, the unwavering certainty in his green eyes, makes my breath catch. This is what draws me to him, to all of them—the way they want me without apology or pretense.

“I’ll consider the offer,” I say, trying to sound casual despite the blush I can feel warming my cheeks.

Jude whoops. “She’s considering it! That’s practically a yes in Leah-speak.”

“It is not,” I protest, but I’m laughing as we make our way to the pack’s vehicles.

I end up riding with Caleb, the sleek black SUV practically silent as it moves through Sweetwater’s streets.

“He can’t hurt you,” Caleb says suddenly as we pull up to the pack house. “Eric. He can try, but he can’t succeed. Not anymore.”

I turn to look at him, struck by the certainty in his voice. “How can you be so sure?”

Caleb kills the engine, then turns to face me fully, his expression serious. “Because you’re stronger than he knows. Than he could ever understand.” A pause, then, “And because we won’t let him.”

The fierce protectiveness in his voice should make me bristle. Instead, it makes me feel secure.

“Thank you,” I say simply.

Caleb nods once, then gets out of the car, coming around to open my door.

Inside, the pack house is warm, the scent of home washing over me as soon as we enter.

Mason and Liam have arrived before us, already moving through the kitchen as they prepare dinner.

Jude is nowhere to be seen, presumably in one of the bathrooms trying out whatever new hair product has caught his fancy this week.

“I’m going to shower,” I announce, suddenly desperate to wash away the stress of the day along with the wallpaper glue. “Alone,” I add when Caleb opens his mouth to offer company again.

He nods, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Towels are in the linen closet. Use whatever you need.”

I head upstairs to Caleb’s bathroom, a luxurious space with a shower that could comfortably fit three people.

As I strip off my glue-stained clothes, I catch sight of myself in the mirror—tired, stressed, but also somehow.

.. radiant. There’s a glow to my skin, a brightness in my eyes that wasn’t there six months ago.

It’s the pack, I realize with a start. Even without formal claiming bites, we’re connected now, my biology responding to their consistent presence in my life. The thought should scare me, but instead it brings a sense of peace.

The shower is exactly what I need, hot water sluicing away the day’s tensions along with the stubborn wallpaper glue. I use Caleb’s shampoo, the familiar scent wrapping around me like an embrace. By the time I step out, wrapped in a fluffy towel, I feel renewed.

I realize too late that I’ve forgotten to bring clean clothes.

After a moment’s hesitation, I rummage through the drawers in the bedroom, finding one of Caleb’s soft sweaters and a pair of sweatpants.

They’re both comically large on me, but they smell like pack, and right now that’s exactly what I need.

Downstairs, I find all four males in the kitchen, the scene so domestic it makes my heart clench.

Mason is chopping vegetables, Liam is stirring sauce on the stove, Jude is setting the table with more enthusiasm than accuracy, and Caleb is opening a bottle of wine, his movements confident and controlled.

They look up when I enter, and something shifts in the air—a collective intake of breath, a subtle change in their scents. It takes me a moment to realize why: I’m wearing Caleb’s clothes, my hair still damp from using his shower products, too.

To an alpha’s instincts, I look claimed. Marked as pack.

“I borrowed these,” I say unnecessarily, plucking at the oversized sweater. “Hope that’s okay.”

“More than okay,” Liam says, his voice slightly rough.

“Keep them,” Caleb adds, his eyes darkening as he takes in the sight of me swimming in his clothes.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” Mason announces, breaking the charged moment. “Jude, the forks go on the left.”

“In this economy?” Jude quips, but he rearranges the silverware according to Mason’s instructions.

We settle around the table. It’s pasta and salad and good wine.

Perfect for the way I’m feeling right now.

The conversation flows and I notice them deliberately steering clear of bakery talk and Eric’s unwelcome appearance.

Instead, they tell me about their day before coming to help—a minor crisis at the brewery involving a missing shipment of specialty hops, a dispute with a distributor that Caleb settled, a new beer recipe Liam is developing that’s giving him fits.

After dinner, we migrate to the living room, Mason and Liam settling into a chess game while Jude channel-surfs with the determined focus of someone avoiding more productive activities. I find myself on the couch beside Caleb, my legs tucked under me, his arm a warm weight across my shoulders.

It’s normal. Comfortable. Like I’ve been part of this pack for years instead of weeks.

They’re…perfect.

“You’re quiet,” he observes, his voice low enough that only I can hear.

I shrug slightly. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

“Everything. Eric. The bakery. You guys.” I hesitate, then add, “Why you’ve never bonded before.”

The question slips out before I can stop it, something I’ve wondered about but never directly asked. The pack is stable, successful, clearly committed to each other. By all logic, they should have found an omega to complete their family years ago.

Caleb’s arm tightens slightly around me. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” I say, trying to sound casual. “You’re all so... good at this. At caring for each other. For me. It seems strange that no omega snapped you up long ago.”

Jude, who apparently has better hearing than I gave him credit for, abandons his channel-surfing to join the conversation. “We’re very picky,” he announces. “Extremely selective. Only the finest omega for the Le Roux pack.”

I roll my eyes at his typical deflection. “Seriously, though.”

Mason and Liam look up from their chess game, some silent communication passing between all four males.

“We’ve had opportunities,” Liam says carefully. “There have been omegas who expressed interest in joining the pack.”

“But?” I prompt when he doesn’t continue.

“But none of them wanted us,” Caleb says simply. “They wanted what we represented—stability, security, status. Not who we actually are.”

The blunt honesty of his answer takes me aback. “What do you mean?”

Mason sets down a chess piece, his expression thoughtful. “Most were attracted to the superficial aspects—Caleb’s family name, the brewery’s success, the financial security. When they discovered the reality of pack life with all of us combined...”

“They bailed,” Jude finishes when Mason trails off. “Turns out, not everyone appreciates my charming morning personality or Mason’s tendency to reorganize the kitchen at 3 AM or Liam’s diagrams for literally everything.”

“Or my... intensity,” Caleb adds quietly.

There’s something vulnerable in his admission that makes my chest ache.

I’ve seen Caleb’s intensity firsthand—the laser focus, the protective instincts that sometimes border on possessive, the deep emotions he tries to keep contained.

It’s overwhelming at times, even to me. I can imagine how it might have frightened away omegas looking for a more conventional alpha.

“Their loss,” I say firmly, reaching for his hand and lacing my fingers through his. “I happen to like your intensity. And Jude’s morning chaos. And Mason’s middle-of-the-night organizing. And Liam’s diagrams.”

The smile that breaks across Caleb’s face is like the sun emerging from clouds—warm and rare and beautiful. “We never found her,” he says simply. “Until now.”

The words hang in the air between us, heavy with meaning.

“Oh,” I breathe, the weight of the realization settling over me.

“Oh indeed,” Jude says, his usual playfulness softened by genuine emotion. “We’ve been waiting for you, doll. Even when we didn’t know who we were waiting for.”

Tears prick at my eyes, unexpected and unwelcome. Stupid omega hormones. “I’m not crying,” I announce preemptively. “It’s just... wallpaper glue fumes. Very toxic.”

“Of course,” Liam agrees solemnly, though his eyes are suspiciously bright.

“Completely understandable,” Mason adds. “Those chemicals can create a variety of responses.”

“Including being overcome with affection for devastatingly handsome alphas,” Jude suggests hopefully.

That startles a laugh from me, breaking the emotional tension of the moment. I swipe at my eyes with the sleeve of Caleb’s borrowed sweater. “You’re all absurd,” I say, but the words come out sounding like something else entirely.

Something like love.

Caleb’s hand tightens around mine, his thumb tracing patterns on my skin. “Be ours,” he says quietly—not a question, not quite a command, but something in between. A claim and an offering all at once.

The words should terrify me. Six months ago, they would have sent me running in the opposite direction, determined to maintain my independence at all costs.

I pause, looking at all of them in turn. Seeing how they’ve all gone still. All waiting with bated breath for my answer.

“I already am,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

The pack moves as one, converging on the couch until I’m surrounded—Caleb’s solid warmth at my side, Jude perched on the arm of the couch, Liam and Mason settling on the floor near my feet.

Their combined scents envelop me, and my heart cracks with how much I’ve wanted this and didn’t really know I did till now.

“We should make it official,” Jude suggests, suddenly serious. “Like, with actual bites and everything.”

“Jude,” Liam chides. “That’s not something to rush into. When Leah’s ready?—”

“I’m not suggesting we do it right this second,” Jude protests. “Just... soon. Before someone else tries to steal our omega.”

“No one is stealing anyone,” Caleb growls, his arm tightening around me.

“I don’t know,” I say thoughtfully. “Mrs. Finley did offer to introduce me to her grand-nephew at some point. Apparently he’s a ‘very eligible alpha with excellent dental work.’”

The collective growl that rises from all four of them makes me laugh. “I’m kidding,” I assure them. “Though the dental work part was real. She’s very concerned about genetic orthodontic issues.”

“Wise woman,” Mason nods seriously.

“See? Mason gets it,” I grin.

“Mason gets everything except jokes,” Jude teases, reaching over to ruffle the beta’s neatly combed hair.

Mason ducks, rolling his eyes. “Living with you, my tolerance for absurdity is surprisingly high.”

“Which is exactly why we love you,” I say, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of his head.

The casual admission slips out before I can censor it, hanging in the air between us. I freeze. We haven’t said those words yet—not directly, not plainly. We’ve danced around them, implied them, but never spoken them aloud.

The pack goes still, four pairs of eyes fixed on me with varying degrees of surprise and hope.

“What I mean is—” I start, fumbling for a way to backtrack.

“Don’t,” Caleb interrupts, his voice gentle but firm. “Don’t take it back.”

“I wasn’t going to,” I protest weakly. “I was just going to clarify that I meant?—”

“That you love us,” Jude supplies, his expression uncharacteristically vulnerable. “All of us. With our weird quirks and annoying habits and alpha dramatics.”

“And beta pragmatism,” Mason adds quietly.

I look at each of them in turn—Jude with his hopeful grin, Liam with his steady gaze, Mason with his quiet certainty, Caleb with his intense focus—and realize there’s no point in denying what’s become increasingly obvious.

“Yes,” I admit. “That’s exactly what I meant.”

The tension breaks, replaced by a wave of joy so palpable I can smell it in their combined scents—sweet and rich and intoxicating.

“Well, thank fuck for that,” Jude says, his irreverent response belied by the brightness in his eyes. “Because we’ve been stupidly in love with you even before you jumped into a dumpster to escape Caleb.”

“I didn’t jump,” I correct automatically. “I slipped.”

Caleb’s gaze softens as he meets mine. “Doesn’t matter,” he murmurs, his voice low and husky. “We would have loved you even if you’d landed on your face.”

A warmth spreads through my chest at his words, chasing away the last of my anxiety. “The point is?—”

“The point is,” Liam interjects, his voice steady despite the emotion swirling around him, “that we love you too. Individually and collectively.”

“With certainty,” Mason adds.

“What they said.” Caleb grins, his hand finding the nape of my neck in a gesture that’s become familiar.

I’m not prepared for the wave of emotion that washes over me, tears spilling down my cheeks before I can stop them. “I’m not crying,” I insist again, even as Caleb’s thumb gently wipes away the evidence to the contrary. “It’s just... a lot. In a good way.”

“We know,” Liam says softly.

And they do know, that’s the miracle of it. They understand me. They see all of me, not just the parts that fit some predetermined omega mold.

Caleb pulls me closer, pressing his lips to my temple. “No pressure,” he murmurs. “About the bonding. We can wait.”

“Until you’re ready,” Liam agrees.

“Or until we’ve proven ourselves worthy,” Mason adds.

“Or until you can’t resist our collective charm any longer,” Jude suggests with a wink.

I laugh through my tears, overwhelmed by their patience, their understanding, their willingness to move at my pace. “Thank you,” I say simply, because there are no adequate words for what I’m feeling.

“For what?” Caleb whispers.

“For waiting,” I say. “For finding me. For being exactly who you are.”