Mine. A greenhouse, built by the hands of the four men who had somehow become my world. A structure that had started as a general project and transformed into a gift for me specifically—before they even knew if I would accept them, before I had let myself believe I could have this.
The tears came without warning.
"Oh god, she's crying," Levi said, sounding panicked. "Is that good crying or bad crying? I can never tell."
"Good crying," I managed, laughing through the tears. "Definitely good crying."
Oliver's arm came around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. "Garrett did most of the construction. The frame, the glass work, the raised beds outside. Micah handled the technical aspects, climate control, irrigation, optimal light angles. Levi helped wherever we needed him and kept the whole thing secret, which was honestly the hardest part."
"I amterribleat secrets," Levi confirmed cheerfully. "I almost told you like six times."
"He really did," Micah said dryly. "We had to physically remove him from the room on more than one occasion."
I wiped my eyes, still not quite believing what I was seeing. "Can I... can I go inside?"
"It's yours," Garrett said softly. "You can do whatever you want." The door was beautiful—simple wood and glass with a handle shaped like a curving vine. I touched it gently, reverently, before pushing it open and stepping inside.
The interior was even more beautiful than I'd imagined. Slate tile floors, warm gray with flecks of green, perfectly practical for water and dirt and the mess of real gardening. Wooden shelving along both walls, sturdy and deep, adjustable to accommodate plants of any size. A long central table at waist height, topped with a smooth, water-resistant surface ideal for potting and propagating. And at the far end, a cushioned bench built into a bay window that looked out over the property, positioned to catch both morning and afternoon light.
A place to rest. A place to sit and watch things grow.
"The irrigation system's automated," Micah said, appearing at my elbow to show me a discrete panel near the door. "You can set schedules for individual sections, adjust humidity levels, monitor temperature remotely from your phone. I can walk you through the interface whenever you're ready."
"The heating's solar-assisted," Garrett added from the doorway, where he stood with his arms crossed, watching me explore with a soft expression. "Won't cost much to run through winter. And the glass is double-paned for insulation."
"We stocked the storage section," Levi chimed in, bouncing past me to throw open a cabinet. "Potting soil, different mixtures for different plants—Micah researched the optimalcompositions. And look!" He pulled open a drawer with a flourish. "Seeds!"
I moved closer, looking down at the contents of the drawer. Inside, arranged in precise alphabetical order, were seed packets. Dozens of them. Tomatoes, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Green Zebra, all the varieties I'd mentioned wanting to try. But also peppers and herbs and flowers, rare cultivars and unusual specimens, a treasure trove of potential wrapped in paper envelopes.
"How did you know?" I whispered. "About the tomatoes? I only mentioned them once, in passing..."
"We listen," Oliver said simply. He'd come to stand behind me, close but not touching, his presence a warmth along my spine. "We pay attention. That's what a pack does." I turned to face him, this man who had orchestrated all of this, who had coordinated his pack to build something beautiful for a woman who had spent most of her life convinced she didn't deserve beautiful things.
"Why?" The word came out cracked, splintered with emotion. "Why would you do all this?"
"Because you deserve it." His voice was fierce, certain. "Because you've spent your whole life growing things for other people, and we wanted you to have a space that was just for you."
"I don't know what to say," I admitted, my voice thick. "Thank you doesn't feel like enough."
"You don't have to say anything." Oliver reached out to brush a tear from my cheek. "Just let us love you. That's all we're asking."
Levi made a sound of protest. "Okay but also she could say she loves us back. That would be nice. Just putting it out there."
"Levi," Garrett warned, giving the other alpha a stern look.
"What? I'm just being honest!" Levi protested but his smile was big on his face.
I laughed, the sound wet and overwhelmed. "I do love you," I said, looking at Levi first, then letting my gaze travel to each of them in turn. "All of you. I thought I'd already made that clear."
"You did," Oliver assured me. "Levi just likes hearing it."
"I really do," Levi agreed shamelessly. "Say it again."
"I love you," I repeated, and then I was being pulled into a group hug, four sets of arms wrapping around me in a tangle of warmth and affection. We stood like that for a long moment, the five of us tangled together in the afternoon light streaming through the greenhouse glass.
"Thank you," I whispered into the tangle of bodies. "For not giving up on me. For being patient. For building me a greenhouse even when you didn't know if I'd ever let myself have it."
"We would have waited forever," Oliver said against my hair. "As long as it took."
