"Nothing about our pack is traditional," I reminded him. "We formed this pack because we wanted something different. Why would courting be any different?"
Oliver leaned back against the counter, arms crossed. "It would mean sharing everything. Time, attention, affection. It would mean communication on a level we've never had to maintain before. It would mean making sure everyone's needs are met—hers and each of ours."
"Complicated," Levi observed, giving a low hum in thought.
"Very," I agreed, knowing that they were all taking this serious. "But potentially worth it. If she's the right fit, if she actually chooses all of us, then the complications become problems worth solving rather than reasons to give up."
"You think she could choose all of us?" Garrett asked, vulnerability creeping into his voice. "Four Alphas? That's a lot to ask of anyone, let alone someone who doesn't trust easily."
I thought about Daphne on her porch, the way she'd slowly, carefully sat down next to me despite her fear. The way she'd answered my hard questions with brutal honesty even when it hurt. The way she'd looked when I told her we'd be choosing her on purpose—like she desperately wanted to believe it, but couldn't quite let herself.
"I think," I said carefully, "that she could. But if we give her time and patience and prove we're serious, I think she could choose all of us. Because here's what I realized this morning: Daphne doesn't do anything halfway. When she commits, she commits completely. Look at her garden, her business, her entire life structure. She's all in or all out."
"So if she chooses us..." Levi trailed off.
"If she chooses us, she'll choose all of us," I finished, glancing at each one of the men I thought of as brothers. "She's not the type to half-ass a relationship any more than she half-asses anything else. The question is whether we can be patient enough to let her get there at her own pace."
"We can," Oliver said with absolute certainty. "We will."
Garrett was nodding, that determined set to his jaw that meant he was already strategizing. "Wednesday. We show her who we are as a pack. We let her see the good and the messy. We don't hide the arguments or the rough edges."
"Why would we hide those things?" Levi asked, confused.
"Because people usually try to present their best selves during courtship," I explained, knowing pretending wasn’t something Levi had ever tried to do. He was always himself. "They hide the flaws, smooth over the complications. But Daphne's been lied to—by omission if not outright—too many times. She needs to see reality, not a performance."
"So if Oliver and I get into it about something Wednesday night, we don't shut it down for her benefit?" Garrett asked, gently curious on what to do.
"Not unless it's actually inappropriate," Oliver clarified, a snort of amusement leaving him. "But normal pack dynamics? She should see those. She needs to know what she'd be walking into."
I finished my coffee, feeling the caffeine finally kicking in and clearing the last of the fog from my brain. "There's something else we need to discuss. Her scent."
Three pairs of eyes locked on me immediately. "What about it?" Garrett asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"It's honeysuckle," I hummed lightly thinking of her scent. "Sweet, but with an undertone of something sharp—maybe the fear, maybe just her natural complexity. But the important thing is how it responds. When I got close, when her defenses droppedeven slightly, it flared. Strong enough that I could smell it clearly even through the morning air."
"That's a good sign," Levi smiled slowly as his eyes lit up in understanding, "It means she's not completely closed off to us. Her biology is responding even if her psychology is still cautious."
"It also means we need to be careful," Oliver added, glancing at everyone with a warning look, "Omega biology can sometimes push faster than emotional readiness. We can't use her scent response as permission to push boundaries she's not ready for."
"Agreed," I said firmly, glad he caught on quickly where my mind had thought of the situation, "Which is why Wednesday needs to be low-key. Let her see us, let her biology acclimate to being around all four of us at once, but don't push for anything physical beyond what she initiates."
"What did she initiate this morning?" Garrett asked, trying to sound casual and failing.
I smirked, seeing the eagerness Garrett had to know everything about Daphne. "She sat next to me. Voluntarily. After minutes of hesitation and probably an entire internal debate about fight or flight responses."
"That's huge for her," Garrett said immediately. "The first time I met her, she kept at least six feet of distance between us the entire conversation until the very end."
"She's letting her guard down incrementally," I observed, thinking back to the young omega with such weariness in her eyes and posture, "Which means we need to move at her pace, not ours. Every time she takes a step toward us, we acknowledge it but don't grab for more."
Levi grabbed a scone, breaking it apart absently. "What if she doesn't show up Wednesday? What if she panics between now and then?"
"Then we give her space and try again later," Oliver spoke up, as he took a bite of his own food. "We don't chase, we don't pressure. We make it clear the invitation stands and let her come to us when she's ready."
"But we should check in," Garrett argued, shifting in his seat with restless energy. "Not in a pushy way, but just...check in. Something to let her know we're thinking about her without demanding a response."
I considered that. "Maybe. But keep it light. No emotional heavy lifting over text. Just a simple connection. Probably should get her phone number before Wednesday just in case. Then we could just send a text."
"I can do that," Garrett’s eyes lit up at the thought of talking to Daphne again, “I can drop by and bring her something…” He trailed off at the end glancing at Levi who gave a laugh knowing he wanted a sweet treat or bread to take to her again like I had.
