Page 43 of The Flavor of Us

Because as much as I want to touch her, kiss her, hold her—I know this isn’t just about me. It’s not even just about Tati. It’s about Carleen too. And that? That’s a whole other tangled mess I don’t know how to unravel.

Because I wanther.

God, do Iwanther.

Carleen—the sharp-eyed Alpha with a spine of steel and a heart so big she tries to lock it away. The woman who watches over Tati like she’s the most precious thing in the world, whostepped in and punched a guy square in the face for hurting her Beta without a second thought.

She’severything.

And what kills me is that I don’t just want her in some fleeting, surface-level way. I want toworshipher.

I want to lay her down on soft sheets, kiss every inch of her skin, and make her feel like the most cherished, adored creature on the planet. I want to hear her voice crack when she moans my name, see her head fall back, and know that I’m the one who put that look on her face.

But she’s guarded—so,soguarded.

And the last thing I want to do is cross a line.

I twist to look at Ryder. He’s watching me, those sharp blue eyes locking onto mine like he can see straight into my soul. He raises one brow, his lips twitching slightly at the corners, and I know what that look means.Breathe, Ash. Slow down.

He’s always been the calm to my chaos, the steady hand on my shoulder when I start to spiral. And at some point, he’ll probably drag me into our room, push me face-down into the mattress, and remind me exactly who’s in charge when things get too loud in my head.

It’s always been the two of us—perfectly balanced, perfectly in sync. But somewhere along the way, it stopped being enough. Not because I don’t love him—becauseGod, do I love him—but because we were both missing something.

And now I’m sure, with every fiber of my being, thatsomethingis Carleen and Tati.

Even if it’s only been one day, even if it feels insane to admit—it’s true.

They fit with us. Perfectly. Seamlessly.

It’s like the four of us were carved out of the same stone, and it just took this moment, this night, to realize it.

Tati shifts slightly in her sleep, her small hand curling into the fabric of my shirt, and my heart squeezes so tight I have to close my eyes for a second.

How the hell did we get here?

How is it possible to feel somuchafter so little time?

Ryder’s hand squeezes my hip gently, his thumb brushing slow, deliberate circles against the fabric of my pants. It’s such a simple touch, but it’s grounding. “Stop overthinking,” he mutters softly, his deep voice vibrating against my back.

Tati flops over and smushes her face against Carleen’s chest, her breath coming in soft, even puffs as she finally drifts into a deep sleep. Her small hand curls in Carleen’s shirt, like she’s afraid letting go will make everything fall apart. I watch her for a moment, my head resting against Ryder’s chest, his slow breaths brushing against the back of my neck. The nest is warm, and despite the chaos of the night, despite the storm still lingering in my chest, this feels right.

I glance up at Carleen across the nest. She’s stroking Tati’s hair, her brown eyes softer than I’ve ever seen them. There’s something achingly tender in the way she holds her Beta, something fiercely protective, and I feel it like a weight in my chest.

“She’s precious,” I murmur softly, careful not to break the fragile peace hanging over us.

Carleen looks up, her lips twitching into the smallest smile. “She is. I fought it for so long—these feelings, this…thingbetween us. But it’s been so much easier now that I stopped running from it.”

“Is it wrong,” I start, hesitating just a little, “to say that this feels… perfect? That it’s been, what, a day? Less than a day and it feels like it’s supposed to be like this?”

Carleen’s smile widens just a little, her head tilting as she looks at me, reallylooksat me. “No, Ashton,” she says softly. “It’s notwrong. The heart wants what it wants and we can overthink it all we want, but it doesn’t change anything.” She pauses, her gaze flicking briefly to Ryder before landing back on me. “Biology might tell us we’re compatible, but this?” She gestures lightly to the nest, to the four of us tangled together in this fragile moment of peace. “This only happens because wewantit to. Because we’re choosing it.”

Carleen leans down slightly, pressing a soft kiss to Tati’s forehead, her lips lingering for a moment before she pulls back. But her gaze catches something, and her face tightens. Her eyes drop to Tati’s wrist—the faint, angry bruise starting to bloom against her soft skin. Carleen’s nostrils flare slightly and I see her shoulders tense.

“It’s not going to be easy,” she says softly, her voice tight with emotion. “There are going to be bumps in the road—nights like tonight. Times when we’re scared, or hurt, or unsure. But…” She looks back up at me, her brown eyes fierce and unwavering. “But this can work.Wecan work. If we want it badly enough, if we’re willing to fight for it, itcanwork.” For some reason, I feel like those words are more for her than for me.

“This is worth fighting for,” I respond.

The bruise on her wrist seems to mock us, a reminder of how close tonight came to being something so much worse. I hate it. Ihatethat someone touched her like that but as I look at her now—safe, warm, surrounded by people who care about her—I remind myself that she’shere.She’s withus.

---