Page 110 of Talk About… History

“I thought it would be fun to see the progress and take a moment to appreciate the view,” he mused, stealing a kiss before holding out a strawberry. I leaned in and took a bite, the juice starting to run down my chin, but of course, he leaned in to lick it clean.

If we weren’t outside at my family ranch, this date would be ending very differently.

He cleared his throat and started filling a plate with chips, veggies, fruit, and fresh deli sandwiches. We were quiet as we ate, simply enjoying the bond thrumming between us and the beautiful view.

“What made you change your mind on the packhouse?” Arden asked, nodding toward the skeleton of the building to come. They’d been working for a few weeks now but it would be several months before it was complete.

“Cohen’s place just feels like home,” I admitted. “This will be amazing for family holidays and gatherings, even afternoons we want to get out of our house. I couldn’t imagine uprooting us all to come here.”

“It did just feel right, didn’t it?” he said, taking a bite and chewing before continuing. “When we first moved in there wasn’t that awkward phase where we had to adjust to each other and worry about stepping on Cohen’s toes. It was just… home.”

“I think it’s because we didn’t come together in this explosive way. We found each other and we put in the work to get to know each other and keep our identities,” I mused. “You don’t try to put me in a mold and I don’t do that to you either.”

“Very true,” Arden agreed. “I like the idea of us having a place to escape to. We could even have solo date nights out here.”

“We could.”

I could see us sitting in front of the big fireplace on cold winter nights. Summer days spent out in the pond and evenings on the back porch, just like this. Easy conversation and our bond strengthening even more.

Family weekends with our kids running around as we cooked out. My brothers and their future packs and kids joining us. Mama and Charlie hanging out, enjoying their retirement and being amazing grandparents.

I never realized just how much I’d avoided planning for the future before I met them. Now I could paint elaborate plans in my mind that I couldn’t wait to see unfold.

It was so much more than simply finding a pack, I found someone to build a life with. Even if it didn’t all go as expected, I realized that fate really was looking out for me in the end.

Tires on the gravel had us both turning to watch the others drive up in Cohen’s car. I turned to Arden, confused, but he just looked amused.

“I thought maybe everyone should appreciate this.”

“I did wonder why you made so much food for just us,” I laughed, standing up to greet my mates.

Cohen was the first to reach me, crushing me in a hug before Ford snatched me and twirled me around, his coffee scent rich as our bond sang. Every touch made it come alive and I never had to question if they were feeling the same.

Mason, reserved as usual, walked up last with a half-smile on his face. It reached a full smile by the time he pulled me in, our scents surrounding us like a cozy blanket, cider, spice, and fresh leaves.

“What are we discussing out here?” Ford asked as he filled a plate and dove right in, not bothering to care if he talked with his mouth full. I swear he was never not hungry. Maybe it was an alpha thing, Mason and Arden ate just as much, just with a lot less enthusiasm.

“Just how much we like living where we are and our plans for this place. Imagine our babies running around out here while we have picnics and hang out with family,” I said.

“We’re having babies?” Cohen asked, his voice so hopeful I couldn’t help but scoot closer to him on the bench seat.

“Yes,” I said. “I want to at least. We haven’t really discussed this, have we?”

“I want kids, I think you’ll be an amazing mom,” Arden said. “I’m going to be a wreck of course, worried over everything, but I’ll be as supportive as possible.”

“I’m not the sappy type,” Mason hedged. “In fact, I always said I’d be childless.”

“What?” I asked, voice small now as I let that sink in. Kids were a unanimous yes situation. One of us not wanting any meant it wasn’t happening. My heart slammed in my chest as he continued.

“I said I always said, not that I still agreed,” he corrected. “Now that I have a mate all I can think about is how fucking sexy you’ll look with your belly swollen with our babies. And I don’t think it would be so bad having little ones running around. There’s enough of us that I won’t fuck them up too bad.”

“You’re going to be an amazing dad,” Ford said around another bite. “You were more of a dad to me than mine was.”

Mason cleared his throat and looked down, unsure what to say but I could feel his shock through the bond. Ford just rolled his eyes at his best friend.

“You were always too hard on yourself. Though, we probably should have had this talk before her heat. Not one of us used protection,” he pointed out.

“That’s alright, we’ve left everything else up to fate, may as well leave this up to fate as well,” Cohen said, giving my hand a squeeze.

---