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It was beautiful. Fiery and neon. Clarity Coast had shown up for Ellie’s wedding in her best colors. “I won’t say no to that.”
With his hand on the small of my back, Joel guided me out of the tent. Immediately everything was quieter, the music and conversation fading into the background and the soft rhythm of waves taking over. The temperature was milder in the breeze. Everything was perfect. We walked to the beach, passing the magnolia trees that were no longer blooming.
I paused at the edge of the sand in my heels.
“Leave them here. We’ll come back for them.”
Sand between my toes sounded great right about now, so I left my shoes on the grass, stretched out my hand, and laced my fingers with Vaughn’s.
Closing my eyes, I inhaled the ocean air, sinking into that low, settling feeling I had when I was near the water. It was always there, even when I didn’t look for it, but there were moments Ifeltit.
The ocean had always been my home. But now it was my second home. Because home wasthem. My pack. The men around me who’d already proven they would show up for me every time, no matter what.
Heat warmed my back and a kiss dropped on the top of my head. “What are you thinking about, baby girl?”
“Nothing.” I smiled. “Everything.”
Surrounded on three sides by them, I could stay here forever, looking out at the infinite water.
Vaughn looked over. “You really love the ocean. I didn’t realize how much.”
“I can’t explain it.”
“You don’t have to,” Cade murmured.
“I know it’s just—it’s always been there. No matter what is happening, it stays the same. It’s always wild, always dangerous, always… endless. Always exactly what it is, despite everyone trying to tame it or use it or change it. It’s just there. And it didn’t matter where I was, it always felt like home. Until you.”
Happy tears smudged the sky into a watercolor of nothing but light.
“You know,” Vaughn said, “if we’d scented you on the street, or at a party, we would have done things differently.”
I was about to ask how when Joel spoke low in my ear. “We would have courted you. We would have shown you who we were and what we wanted.”
“We would have made plans and spoken to your family.” That was Rowan.
Cade stepped closer in front of me. “And we would have declared our intentions.”
To my right, Hawk stepped around where I could see him. “We have no regrets about any of it,” he said. “The way we came together was meant to be, and I wouldn’t change a second.”
“But?” I looked at each of them.
“But we want you to have everything, Isolde,” Vaughn whispered. “Everything you might have had or could ever want. Every detail and every tradition.”
Cade reached into the inner pocket of his tuxedo and took a step backward, sinking down onto the sand. On one knee. “Cade what?—”
He held a small box, and there was no mistaking what it was. Every one of their bonds surged with love at my recognition. The rest of them began to kneel, and I shook my head. “If all of you kneel I’ll never get through this.” My voice already shook.
“You asked us, and we said yes,” Joel said. “And even though you’re already ours, and we’re already yours, we want to ask.”
Rowan reached for my hand. I let him take it as Cade opened the box.Green. A gold band curled around an emerald with color so rich you could get lost in it. Simple and beautiful.
“Isolde Penelope Allen,” Rowan said, taking the ring out of the box. “Will you be our Omega?”
The tears came so fast I could barely see, my chest bursting with both my happiness and theirs. “Yes. Of course I will.”
He slid the ring on my finger and stood, bringing my lips to his. I couldn’t kiss them fast enough. All of them. Addicted to this feeling of joy. I ended up held by Cade, trying to clear my skin of tears. “I’ve already cried so much today. I need to stop.” Then I laughed. “I knew when you told me you wanted a walk on the beach it wasn’t just that.”
“Couldn’t ruin the surprise.” Cade kissed my cheek. “We love you.”
