Page 58

57

T he last bit of the hike is the longest, and by the time we stumble into camp, my muscles burn and my mouth is dry, despite the rain. We’re immediately surrounded by my security guys and the rest of the team, everyone wanting to know exactly what happened.

We give them the barest summary—omitting the choker and the heat—before I order two of my guys to drive us to the nearest hospital. I won’t feel like all this is truly behind us until I know that Cora’s okay. After a marathon heat and days of living off cave water and snakes, I’m sure we’re all malnourished and probably in need of IV fluids and a good round of antibiotics.

The days that follow are a blur of medical care, reports, and rest. Even after all the debriefing, it was like an unspoken agreement that we didn’t mention the necklace or Cora’s heat. I think we all inherently knew Cora wouldn’t want her personal life put under a microscope. Jax’s fresh bond mark on Cora’s lovely throat either goes unnoticed or ignored by the team of doctors.

They’ve kept us at the hospital for the past three days, which seemed excessive. Normally, I hate hospitals—reminds me too much of bullet wounds and stitching people up—but since Cora demanded a pack room, being here has kept us all together, which has made it tolerable.

Personally, I want this entire trip to be behind us. As grateful as I am that some greater power or twist of fate brought us all together, I’d like to move forward with my new pack—-however that looks. Which, I guess is what we need to figure out now.

“Are you sure she’s okay?” Roman asks the nurse for the hundredth time.

“Yep. Perfectly fine.” She smiles and shuffles through a stack of paperwork. Discharge papers. “Sign here.” She gives Cora the pen first before passing it off to the rest of us.

“I’ll give you a few minutes to finish gathering up your things, then someone will escort you out.” When the nurse leaves, we’re left with awkward silence.

We all know it’s time for the conversation we’ve been avoiding, but I sure as hell don’t know how to start it. In the throes of a heat haze, all inhibitions drop. But now, with our minds clear, it’s tough to talk freely.

Cora breaks the silence. “So, um. What…” She clears her throat to try again. “What happens now?”

Jax looks at her, confused. “What do you mean, love? We’re bonded. We start our life together.” He’s so matter- of-fact about it, like it's an inevitability. I guess, in his mind, it always has been.

We should have been easing into this conversation for days, asking questions, working out logistics. Now, we’re being sent out of the hospital without a plan for how to handle things. The dig will still be ongoing, but Cora and Roman’s contracts were only for a month. They’re supposed to be back at the university in a few days to resume teaching. I’m not sure what happens now with the dig. Maybe the Ekdoti government will take over? Who knows. It’s not really our problem anymore.

Now that the temple’s been discovered and the excavation is gonna turn into something more long term, my security company was fired and replaced with Ekdoti military officials. I guess the staffing requirements, and long term financial commitment of a dig that could last years, needs a more local approach. Not to mention things didn’t exactly go smoothly under our command.

The locals have all been clambering for the site to be made a national, or even global protected landmark, and religious leaders are arguing for rights to the site, too. It’s all above my pay grade. But I know Cora wishes she could stay and be a part of whatever comes next. Without anything holding us here, we’re all feeling a little shaky.

Except Jax of course. Not sure anything could shake that man. And right now, I’m grateful for his certainty.

Cora glances around at each of us. “Is that what you all want? To start a life together? I know, um, everything was heightened in the temple. I don’t want to…” She trails off, the next part so quiet it ’s hard to hear. “I don’t want you to feel obligated to bond, or form a pack, or even just live with me, if I can’t ever bond. I mean, we don’t know if I’m fixed or if the heat was a one-time thing.”

She’s still unsure about how we feel about her? I won’t let that stand. I might not know how we move forward from here, but I know damn well there’s no path forward without Cora.

“Cora. Omega .” I lightly bark when she won’t meet my eyes. “We want you. I want you. I want you, and Archer, and even the grumpy professor over there as part of my pack. I know there’s a lot to figure out still, but we’ve been defying odds this whole time. Beta’s aren’t supposed to have scent matches, but I know damn well Archer is mine. I think you know he’s yours, too. I can’t speak for everyone, but I don’t need some bite mark or babies to know you’re mine.”

“Me either, sweetheart.” Archer says quietly. “I-I’ve never felt like I belonged anywhere, not in my whole life. But… I feel like I belong with you. All of you.”

All eyes fall to Roman. He fought this connection for so long, and though he did seem to make his peace with this when we were down in the temple, and suggested he wanted to see where things go when we got out, who knows how he feels now that we aren’t in imminent danger.

His brows furrow as he clenches his jaw, like he’s trying to pick his words carefully. “I don’t want to bond right now.”

Cora’s breath hitches and a whine slips out before she can stop it. I glare at the professor, growling without meaning to .

Roman holds up a hand in supplication. “Wait! I don’t want to bond right now . I want you, Cora. Please don’t misunderstand me. I want you so desperately it hurts to think of losing you. But I need to prove to you I’m committed. That I’m a worthy alpha for you, and for this pack.” His voice wavers as he continues. “I also need to know, for myself, that this isn’t an effect of our traumatic ordeal. That…that you all want me, too. I don’t know if I’ll be able to trust the truth of that until we’re out of here, and I can earn it.”

Cora sobs and flings herself into Roman’s arms. He catches her easily, stroking her head and purring to settle her. It doesn’t take a genius to know Roman’s already proven himself, that Cora wants him as he is. But I understand where he’s coming from. And as long as he isn’t bailing on our omega because of some self-sacrificial bullshit, I won’t have to kill him.

“Give me a chance,” Roman says, looking at each of us before returning his attention to Cora. He cups her face in his hands. “Please.”

“You really think I’m letting you go now?” Cora’s eyes are soft as she gazes at Roman. “I love you, Roman.” She kisses his cheek before turning to look at the rest of us. “I love all of you.”

“Right back at you, love,” Jax says with a shit-eating grin.

I wrap my arm around Archer’s waist while keeping my eyes on Cora. “I get what the professor’s saying, but I’d bond you tomorrow if you say yes.” I squeeze Archer. “Both of you. ”

Archer’s smile is a little sad. “What if she never goes into heat again?”

“Don’t you worry about that, hero,” Jax says. “You’ll get your chance to bond our girl.”

“How can you know that?” Cora says with a slight hitch in her voice.

“Oh, I got my ways.” Jax pats the pack on his back.

Roman narrows his eyes. “If you stole that neck?—”

“I said I got my ways, professor.” Jax dismisses him, taking a step toward the door, but before he gets there, some guy in a fancy suit walks in.

“Oh, good, you’re all still here.” The man shrugs off his suit jacket, throwing it over the arm of the tiny couch, then pinches the fabric of his dress shirt, pulling it out and shaking it like there’s something on it. “Holy Hades, it's hotter than a honeymoon hotel out there.” He chuckles, finally looking up at us.

“Dean Anderson?” Cora rubs her eyes like she’s afraid she's seeing a mirage. “What are you doing here?”

“Can’t I check in on my favorite professors?”

“Since when are we your favorites?” Roman retorts, but there’s a smile on his face as he moves in to hug the man. “Good to see you, Hunter.” He pulls back. “Now, seriously, what are you doing here? Pretty sure a phone call would have sufficed if you just wanted to check up on us.”

“I tried calling.” He glares at Roman. “Someone wasn’t answering.”

“We’ve been a little preoccupied.” Roman slings an arm over Cora’s shoulders. She looks shocked at the public display of affection from the typically closed off alpha, but her expression quickly melts into one of joy.

“I can see that.” Anderson grins broadly, but there’s something sad in his eyes. I recognize that look. He clears his throat, schooling his face to a more serious expression. “When I heard the two professors I sent into the desert for a dig went missing, and were buried in an underground temple for nearly a week, you can bet your ass I jumped on a plane over here. Besides, I wanted to see this big discovery for myself. It’s not often I get out in the field anymore, and I miss it.” His attention moves from Roman to the rest of us. “You gonna introduce me?”

Cora grimaces at Hunter’s mention of our escapade, but Roman smiles and quickly makes the introductions, surprising me yet again when he comes right out and says we’re looking to pack up. Nice to know the prof was serious about his intentions.

“Congratulations,” Anderson says. Yeah, I definitely know that look. He can’t hide the longing in his eyes. He clears his throat before continuing. “Well, despite the fact I came over to make sure you were still alive, I received an interesting piece of news right before I boarded the plane. You see, the Ekdoti government wants to offer Woodhurst University a long term contract to excavate Lunara’s temple in partnership with Ekdoti University. So, how would you like to stay?”

“What about our teaching contracts?” Cora wrinkles her brows.

“Well, I think as the dean I can get you out of those easily enough,” he chuckles. “What do you say? Want to head up the team here for a while longer? ”

Roman turns to Cora. “Well, what do you say, hummingbird? What do you want?”

That one simple question solidifies something I’ve been turning over in my mind for the past few days. I think Roman’s finally ready to lead our pack.

Cora smiles brightly. “I want to stay.”