Garrett huffed but released me, though he kept one hand on my lower back, maintaining contact. I leaned into his touch, not ready to lose the warmth of him completely.
"He's right," Micah said, though his voice was rougher than usual, and when I glanced at him, his ears were faintly pink. "We should discuss what this means. Practically speaking."
"Always so practical," Levi teased, but he sobered quickly. "But yeah. There's stuff to figure out." Oliver guided me back to my chair, though Garrett pulled his own seat closer so he could keep his hand on my knee. I didn't complain. After that kiss, I wasn't sure I could handle being separated from him right now.
"First things first," Oliver said, settling across from me. His eyes were warm, but serious. "Daphne, when you say you want to be ours fully, what does that mean to you? What are you comfortable with? What are your boundaries?"
I appreciated the question, even as it made my face heat. "I... I'm not entirely sure," I admitted. "This is all new to me. I've never been in a relationship like this. I've never been in much of a relationship at all, honestly."
"That's okay," Oliver said. "We can figure it out together. The important thing is that we communicate. All of us." He glanced around the table. "No one makes assumptions. No one pushes. If anyone's uncomfortable with anything, we talk about it."
"Agreed," Garrett said, his thumb tracing circles on my knee. "I shouldn't have jumped you like that. I should have asked first."
"I didn't mind being jumped," I said, and felt a flush of satisfaction when his grip tightened. "But yes. Communication. I can do that."
"There's also the matter of living arrangements," Micah said, clearly trying to redirect to safer territory. "You have your cabin. We have this house. There's no pressure to change anything immediately, but eventually..."
"Eventually we'd like you here," Levi finished. "With us. Full time. But only when you're ready." The thought of living here, of waking up every morning in that nest, surrounded by their scents, knowing they were just down the hall, made something warm unfurl in my chest.
"I'd like that," I said softly. "Not right away. I have my garden, my work at the market... but eventually. Yes."
"Your garden could come here," Garrett offered. "We have plenty of land. And we could build you a greenhouse."
"A greenhouse?" I blinked at him.
"I've been thinking about it," he admitted, ears going slightly pink. "You could grow herbs year-round. Expand your honey operation. Whatever you wanted."
"You've been thinking about building me a greenhouse," I repeated, heart swelling.
"I've been thinking about a lot of things." His eyes met mine, vulnerable and hopeful. "I've been thinking about you, Daphne. Every day since we met."
"We all have," Oliver said gently. "You've been the center of everything for a while now. We've just been waiting for you to be ready." I looked around the table at all four of them—Oliver with his steady warmth, Garrett with his quiet intensity, Levi with his boundless energy, Micah with his careful precision. Four alphas who had chosen me. Who had waited for me. Who were offering me everything I'd never dared to want.
"I'm ready now," I said. "I'm ready for all of it."
Levi made a choked sound. "You can't justsaythings like that?—"
"Let her say whatever she wants," Garrett interrupted, his voice low and satisfied. "I like when she says things like that."
"You would," Micah muttered, but there was no heat in it. If anything, he looked pleased. Oliver stood, circling the table to crouch beside my chair. He took my hand in his, his green eyes searching my face.
"We're going to do this right," he said softly. "We're going to take care of you, Daphne. Protect you. Love you." He lifted my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. "Welcome to the pack."
The words hit me somewhere deep, unlocking something I'd kept sealed away for years. Tears pricked at my eyes, happy tears, overwhelmed tears—and I blinked them back as I looked at these four men who were offering me everything.
"Thank you," I whispered. "For not giving up on me. For being patient. For..." I gestured helplessly, unable to find words big enough.
"You're worth the wait," Levi said firmly. "You're worth everything." Sitting there in the sun-drenched kitchen,surrounded by the pack that had chosen me, I finally let myself believe it.
Later, when the dishes were done and we'd moved to the living room, I found myself tucked into Garrett's side on the couch, his arm wrapped possessively around my shoulders. Levi sprawled on the floor at our feet, his head resting against my knee, while Micah sat in the armchair nearby, close enough to touch if I reached out. Oliver was making tea in the kitchen, humming softly to himself.
It felt domestic. It felt right.
"We should talk about Trinity," Micah said eventually, breaking the comfortable silence. "I know you wanted to wait, but..."
"But she's not going to go away on her own," I finished. The warm bubble of contentment dimmed slightly, but didn't burst. Not with Garrett's arm around me, Levi's warmth at my feet. "I know. What are our options?"
"Sheriff Morrison is building a harassment case," Oliver said, returning with a tray of steaming mugs. He handed me one, chamomile, I realized, breathing in the familiar scent. "The confrontation at the market gave him plenty to work with. Multiple witnesses, video evidence, explicit threats."
