I roar, spilling deep, just as she bites over my peck. And I swear, I’ve never felt so full in my life.
My Sugarplum is courage and fierce determination. She’s empathy and endless love. She brings me a peace I haven’t known since my bull riding days. She’s destiny. And I am so damn lucky to have found her.
The rest of the pack is there too—woven through her. Like she’s the thread that ties all of us together. Her love for me shines bright, but so does her love for Kai. For each of us. She’s the guiding link, the one who reflects it all back, fuller and stronger.
My knot is locked deep inside her, pulsing.
It’s not receding. Which can only mean one thing. Her heat is over.
I see the moment she realizes it too. Tears spring to her eyes, and I kiss them away the second they fall.
“Don’t cry, Sugarplum. We have a lifetime of heats. I can’t wait to spend every one of them with you.” I push everything I feel down the bond—my love, my awe, my joy—and she beams through her hiccups, flooding me with love in return. It’s overwhelming in the best way.
I roll onto my side, keeping her close. The rest of the pack settles in around us, warm and quiet and whole. And just like that, we fall into a deep, post-heat sleep.
Together.
Rose
My heat took it out of everyone. We slept the entire day away, curled up in the nest while snow fell quietly outside. I was pretty disappointed that my heat had spoiled Evander’s plans, but he’d just laughed and said, “Christmas isn’t a day. It’s a whole vibe.”
So we woke up on December 26th to the smell of cinnamon and bacon—and Wyatt making a full Christmas breakfast. There are several presents under the tree, and when I look closer, I realize they’re the gifts I got the alphas when the girls and I went shopping. There’s a small sticky note on one of the boxes.
I peel it off.
Have a Merry Christmas! Love, The Omega Book Club.
The swell of gratitude nearly knocks me over. When I’d gotten that call from Benito, these gifts were still in shopping bags. Now they’re wrapped in sparkly paper with curling ribbons and metallic bows.
Strong arms wrap around my waist from behind, the scent of pine and oak washing over me. A bearded face nuzzles into my cheek, scent-marking me with quiet affection.
“I’m so glad you have friends who help you so much, Starlight,” Harlan says, voice rough with emotion. He can feel the gratitude for my friends coursing down the bond. We can open and close the bonds when needed, but I haven’t found a reason to shut them—not when they let me share love like this. It’s not mind-reading, just feelings. Warmth. Presence.
Speaking of presence, Evander’s excitement is practically bouncing off the bonds. Helivesfor Christmas. But even the other alphas are radiating a mix of anticipation and nerves.
Probably can’t wait to open their presents. So, I decide to put them out of their misery. I hand each of them their gifts and watch with delight as they tear into them like overgrown puppies.
For Harlan, I had a watercolor commissioned in town. It's a painting of our entire pack, with us at the center. On the back, I wrote a little letter:To my alpha, We made this. Love, your Starlight.
He pulls me into his lap and kisses me senseless.
Next is Wyatt. His gift is horseback riding passes for a ranch down the Peninsula. I’ll admit, it’s kind of for me too.
“I thought we could go together,” I say, suddenly shy. “You could teach me?”
His smile is like the sun coming through the window. He walks over and gently places his hat on my head. “I’d love that, Sugarplum.”
Logan opens his next. It’s a sleek, expensive watch that matches his whole sharp CEO aesthetic. He gives me a smile, until I make a turning motion, encouraging him to read the engraving.
Don’t waste time regretting.
His smile turns wistful, softer. He leans down and kisses me, tender and slow.
Evander is practically vibrating as he tears open his gift. Inside are three ornaments.
The first is a photo of us in front of the tree we chopped down together. The second says,Sterling Pack’s First ChristmasAnd the third is a tiny version of the full to-do list Evander made for our holiday season.
“So we can remember the list every year,” I explain. His smile is electric. He pulls me into a sideways hug, since Harlanwill notlet me leave his lap.
