Page 150 of Knot All is Forgiven

I hear the guys talking over a news story about the rising crime rate in Lunarcrest as I spoon the tea blend into a strainer and place it in the kettle.

It had better be good because I'm not trying it myself first. I'm going to go in blind here.

After five minutes, I pour five mugs, grab the sugar dish, and load it up on a tray that Icarus insisted on buying. I protested it at first, saying we'd never use it, but now I'm very glad he managed to convince me.

Placing the tray in front of the Alphas, I point at the mismatched mugs. "It's tea," I say, grabbing a mug myself.

My men stare at me as if I have two heads, and I know I must be acting strangely, but honestly, I'm nervous. Once they all have their mugs, I take a sip, letting the flavors explode on my tongue.

"Holy shit," Simon says, pulling the mug away from his mouth. "This is really good."

"What blend is this?" Icarus asks, taking a slow sip.

"I uh, I made it myself," I mutter, looking anywhere but at him. He hums quietly and takes another sip, not revealing anything about how he feels.

Cyrus clinks his mug as he sets it roughly on the table. "I don't even like tea, but it's terrific. I think I may like it even more iced."

"Ooh, yeah," Simon says, taking another sip. "Iced on a hot day, sitting in the sun? Perfection."

I turn to Rafe, who's watching me intently. He slowly lowers the mug, narrowing his eyes. "Why do I feel like what I say is really important?"

"Because she's blended the pack tea," Icarus says with a grin. He leans back and crosses his ankle over his knee. "Without me."

I flush and chew my lip. "It wasn't without you."

"Oh?"

"No. I had been thinking about it and realized that the reason we could never find a good blend, me and you, was because we weren't the whole pack. It was missing them, too." I prop myself against the wall next to the TV, staring into my mug. "I started with a base of white tea. Then I added chamomile," I meet Icarus's gaze, and his eyes crinkle at the corner with a smile, "dried peaches," Simon straightens up, his massive smile taking over his face, "dried mangos," Rafe's soft, quiet smile joins the love he radiates through our bond. I turn to Cyrus, my big, gruff, stubborn Alpha, and look him straight in the eye. "And blackberry leaf. I don't think wisteria is used in tea."

His shoulders relax, and I didn't realize he had been holding his breath, waiting to hear if I included him.

"Pack scents," Icarus says, looking into the mug. "Brilliant. I adore it." He sets his mug down and reaches for my hands, guiding me around the coffee table to sit on his lap. "Clever thing."

I snuggle into him, the others squeezing us together until we are piled up on the couch, and I end up stretched across their laps. The news drones on about a new drug that is flooding the streets, and I groan.

"Can we turn the news off?"

"Let's watch a movie!" Simon says, tickling the bottoms of my feet. "I vote comedy."

"Seconded!" I say, raising my hand. "Do we have a third?"

"Aye!" Rafe responds, flicking his chin towards me.

"The motion passes!" Simon says as he claps his hands together loudly.

Icarus and Cyrus exchange glances, and Icarus scratches his head. "I don't know what just happened."

"You just got ganged up on," Cyrus grumbles. "Get used to it. They're always like this."

Chapter fifty-eight

"You've made my mom'slife complete," Athena says before she takes a long sip of her bellini. "Seriously, letting her throw this bonding ceremony has been all she's talked about for the past two months."

After bonding with the Stargazers, Icarus could no longer hold off his mother's feral desire to throw a massive party celebrating our blended pack.

"Hey, I'm not complaining at all," I say, smoothing the white dress as I stare at my reflection. "I never imagined I'd get to have one, so this is a dream come true."

The white satin dress falls to the floor, clinging to my hips and flaring out under my knees. The thin crystal straps have theirwork cut out of them, and the neckline falls in a cowl that lets the tops of my breasts peek out just a little. The back dips low, and with my hair up in an intricate, twisting updo, all four of my bonding marks are on display.

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