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Leith pulls me back down for more kissing, his thick hand cupping the curve of my stomach as he murmurs against my lips, “Order double of everything. If sex makes her crave pizza, we’re going to need extras.”
I laugh into his mouth, feeling lighter and happier than I have in weeks. Probably ever. This is my well-fed, sexed-up life now. And you better believe I love it.
By the time the pizza arrives, we’re all up and dressed, piling into the kitchen like a slightly rumpled, very satisfied pack. There are boxes upon boxes of every pizza combination imaginable. Pepperoni, supreme, veggie, even a ham and pineapple one that makes me wrinkle my nose the second I see it. Beck immediately goes for a slice of the pineapple abomination.
“That’s disgusting,” I say, edging away like proximity alone might infect my pizza preferences.
“Don’t try to talk him out of it,” Piers says dryly, grabbing a slice of supreme. “Beck’s been eating it since before college. He’s convinced it’s the superior flavor profile.”
Beck sprinkles an alarming amount of red pepper flakes on his slice and holds it out to me. “It has every flavor. Sweet. Salty. Savory. And spice. It’s perfect.”
I crinkle my nose and take a slice of supreme instead, adding a few respectable dashes of flakes. “No thanks. I eat adult pizza.”
Beck gasps like I’ve wounded him. “Bullying your mate so soon after bonding? Not cool, sugar. Not cool.”
I laugh and start directing traffic without even thinking about it. “No more eating over the counters. We’re a bonded pack now. We eat as a family.”
They happily go along with it. I point to the large breakfast table, which I’ve never seen any of them use and start assigning seats. Finn picks up my laptop and files and places them neatly on the counter.
I place myself right in the middle of the table, where I can arrange them to surround me as I please. I tug Leith down on my left because I can feel a thread of vulnerability through the bond. Even after everything, his old fear of being left out is still flickering at the edges. On my right, I pull Piers down because I can sense him fighting his possessiveness. It’s costing him something to share me right now.
Beck looks at the seating arrangement and raises an eyebrow. “Is this permanent? Do I need to file a formal complaint with the union?”
I laugh and blow him a kiss across the table. “Where we sit will depend on what I feel like each day. You’ll survive, cowboy.”
Beck grins and takes a huge bite of his pineapple pizza. “As long as I get to sit close enough to steal your crust, I’m good.”
I point to the spot directly across from Piers where he can easily reach across the table and swipe things from my plate. His foot finds mine immediately under the table.
Finn sits across from me, smiling softly as he watches us. Leith is quiet but relaxed beside me, his hand resting on my thigh under the table. Piers keeps one arm draped along the back of my chair, thumb brushing my shoulder.
It feels so natural. So right.
I take a bite of my pizza and look around at my four alphas. Their hair is messy, sleepy eyes all focused on me. It feels big. So much so I don’t quite know what to do with it.
We eat in silence for a while, before Finn quietly asks, “How’s work at OmegaBox going? Are you settling back in?”
I take another bite and shrug. “It’s good. I’ve mostly caught up on everything. Jazz did an amazing job holding things down.”
I hesitate, then admit, “But… I don’t know. I might be in a slump. It’s probably temporary. Right now I’m trying to convince fifty omega influencers to test and brag about a new line of omega toilet paper. It’s not exactly glamorous or exciting stuff.”
Leith, who’s been demolishing a slice of pepperoni, looks up. “What kind of stuff excites you?”
I think about it for a second, chewing slowly. “I loved the startup phase with Lark. That chaotic, everything-is-new energy was so much fun. And,” I glance around the table, giving them all a look that says don’t you dare repeat this. “I loved working on the launch of Saint’s Coffee. Technically it wasn’t my job, but I did it for Lark. Because she loves him.”
“It was a lot of long hours, and I didn’t even get paid for it, which was annoying, but it’s still one of my favorite projects.”
Piers sets his pizza down, watching me thoughtfully. “Maybe it’s time you find something new. You might need a change. Maybe another start-up.”
“I can’t leave Lark,” I say immediately.
Beck swallows his bite and jumps in. “Didn’t you just say your second-in-command did an amazing job while you were out? Lark should be fine.”
I take another bite of pizza and chew on that idea. Could I actually leave OmegaBox? Would Lark be devastated? The thought feels both terrifying and freeing.
I shake my head, not ready to go down that road right now. “Speaking of important things,” I say, turning to Piers, “have you made any progress on the fifty-four acres?”
Piers’ expression shifts. He puts his slice down and looks at me with smug satisfaction. “Actually, yes,” he says. “I closed the deal yesterday. There’s still some paperwork to finalize, but as of last night, the land in Nantucket is officially mine.”