"You two are something else," I murmured, not quite able to keep the emotion out of my voice.
Garrett just shrugged, but there was warmth in his amber eyes. "We try." We settled on the porch, Garrett unpacking sandwiches while Micah poured tea from a thermos into three cups he'd apparently also thought to bring. The autumn sun was warm on my face, the air crisp with the promise of cooler days to come.
"This is nice," I said quietly, accepting a sandwich from Garrett and a cup of tea from Micah. "Thank you…I really appreciate it.”
The porch was quiet for a moment. Then Garrett's voice, low and steady: "You're not alone anymore, Daphne. Not unless you want to be."
"Oliver told us about yesterday," Micah said, his voice careful. "About what you talked about. The nesting. The fear." I tensed instinctively, but Micah held up a hand.
"I'm not bringing it up to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted you to know that we understand. All of us." He turned to face me fully, his green eyes intense. "We know you pulled away because your instincts coming back so hard like that it scared you…but we're not going anywhere."
The words hit me somewhere deep, echoing what Viola had said, what Oliver had implied. They all saw it, this shell I'd built around myself, this half-life I'd been living.
"I'm not good with words like Oliver is," Garrett said, a self-deprecating smile crossing his face. "I can't make pretty speeches or say the right thing at the right time. But I can showyou. Every day, in every way I know how, I can show you that we mean it when we say we want you."
"And I can provide reassurance by just being there." Micah added, completely serious. "We just want you to be happy."
I laughed again, but this time it was watery, tears pricking at my eyes. "You two are ridiculous."
"Ridiculously devoted," Garrett corrected. He reached out and took my hand, his calloused palm rough against my skin. "Let us show you, Daphne. Let all of us show you. That's all we're asking."
Micah didn't reach for my other hand but he shifted his chair closer, his knee almost touching mine. A small gesture of proximity that meant more from him than grand declarations might from someone else. My throat was tight, that familiar ache that seemed to come whenever one of them said something that cracked through my defenses. But this time, instead of fighting it, I let it wash over me.
"Okay," I whispered. "Show me."
Garrett's smile was slow and warm, transforming his usually stoic features into something breathtaking. A low rumble built in his chest, pleased and possessive, and he lifted my hand to press a kiss to my knuckles, just like Oliver had done the night before.
Micah made a soft sound, not quite a growl, more like a hum of contentment, and when I glanced at him, his grey eyes were warmer than I'd ever seen them. "We will," he said simply. "Every day."
After lunch, we returned to work, but the energy had shifted. There was an ease between us now, a comfort that hadn't existed before. We worked until late afternoon, stopping only when the shadows grew long and the air took on a chill. By the time their vehicles disappeared down my drive,Garrett's truck first, then Micah's, the garden was in better shape than it had been inmonths, and something in my chest felt lighter than it had in years.
I stood on my porch, watching the dust settle, and thought about the day. Today had been a very good day and I felt more reassured of my decisions with the four alphas. I took a deep breath and headed inside to sit down and relax for a bit. As I sat there sipping on a some lemonade my phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to find the group chat lighting up again.
Garrett: Made it home. Garden looks amazing. So does its owner.
Micah: Hope you enjoyed your day. I know I enjoyed it.
Oliver: How was the day?
I smiled, typing back:Day was good. Really good. Thank you.
Not even a second later my phone buzzed one more time.
Oliver: Dinner at our place this weekend? All of us together.
I stared at the message for a long moment. I took a few moments to think. I had enjoyed it the last two times even if the last time the urge to nest scared me.
I'd love that,I typed back.What can I bring?
Levi: JUST YOURSELF! But if you want to bring any dessert I won’t say no.
Garrett: Seconded.
Micah: I won’t object to anything you make.
Oliver: You don't have to bring anything. But if you're offering, I won't say no to anything you want to bring.
I smiled so wide it almost hurt.See you this weekend. I will bring cookies.
