Page 25 of Lavender and Honey

I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Crowds still made me uneasy, but their consideration meant more than I could express.

When we arrived at the Cafe, the warm scent of roasted garlic and simmering herbs wrapped around me like a cozy embrace. The interior was intimate, with dim lighting and rustic wooden furniture that made everything feel a little more personal.

We were seated in a booth. Finn slid into the seat across from me while Elias took the spot beside me, his presence radiating a quiet warmth that made my pulse quicken. The menu was printed on thick parchment paper, the selections handwritten in elegant calligraphy. I skimmed over the soups and sandwiches, my fingers tracing the edge of the page as I tried to calm the nervous energy thrumming through me.

Elias leaned in slightly, his shoulder brushing against mine as he glanced at the menu. "They do a seasonal pumpkin soup that’s incredible," he murmured, his voice low and warm. "And their rosemary bread is always fresh."

I nodded, trying to focus on his words instead of the way his nearness sent an unfamiliar but not unwelcome tingle down my spine. "That sounds good," I said softly, deciding that keeping things simple was best. The thought of rich, comforting soup sounded grounding.

A waitress appeared with menus, her friendly smile putting me further at ease. "Welcome to Lark Café," she greeted me, before her eyes went to Finn and Elias, “And welcome back. Lucian just arrived, he is sitting alone. Did you want me to tell him you're here so he can join you?”

I titled my head at the name, but from the reaction Elias and Finn had they were surprised and knew exactly who she was talking about.

Elias and Finn exchanged a quick glance, their expressions a mix of surprise and something I couldn't quite decipher.

"Lucian's here?" Elias asked, his honey-warm scent shifting slightly with what seemed like nervousness. "He said he was going to be working late tonight."

Finn nodded, his deep voice calm as he addressed the waitress. "Thank you for letting us know. We'll go say hello in a bit, but we'd like to keep our table separate for now, if that's alright. Maybe give us a few minutes to look over the menu and talk to our friend about it."

The waitress nodded with understanding. "Of course. No problem at all. I'll give you a few minutes to look over the menu and will tell him what you said." Her eyes glanced over me, almost as if assessing me, making me shrink back a bit before she turned heel and walked away.

As she walked away, I felt a flicker of curiosity mixed with unease. Clearly, this Lucian was someone important to them, but it also wasn’t my business to ask about it.

Elias turned to me, his honey-warm eyes filled with a mix of excitement and hesitation. I bit my lip at this, not knowing what he was going to ask.

"Lydia, would you mind if our Alpha Lucian joined us?" he asked gently, he paused seeing the look of alarm that took over me at his words, “He is our head Alpha, but if you're not comfortable with that, we completely understand."

Head Alpha. I knew Elias had Alphas but I only really knew about Finn. If he mated with them, they couldn’t be bad. Still the unease didn’t subside.

But the hopeful look in Elias's eyes and the gentle reassurance in Finn's expression made me pause. They had been soconsiderate of my feelings, my boundaries. Perhaps this was a chance for me to step a little further out of my comfort zone.

"I... I think that would be okay," I said softly, offering a small smile, my voice a bit shaky as I talked. I was nervous. What if this Alpha didn’t like me, then as head Alpha he could forbid Finn and Elias from seeing me. A flicker of fear went through me at that. I was just starting to enjoy my time with these two…for it to be taken away now. I didn’t know what I would do.

The flicker of fear must have been written across my face because Finn’s soothing voice broke through the noise in my head.

"You don't have to do this, Lydia," he said gently, his green eyes steady on mine. "We can keep this just between us. No pressure at all."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. His calm strength was like an anchor in the storm of emotions swirling inside me. Elias's honey-warm hand briefly brushed against mine on the table, a quiet reassurance that I wasn’t alone in this moment. The softness in their expressions told me that they would respect my decision, whatever it might be.

"I... I think it’s okay," I said again, my voice steadier this time. "If he’s important to you, then it’s only fair that I meet him eventually." My heart still pounded at the thought, but I could feel their silent relief ripple through the air around us.

Elias's face lit up with a smile so warm it chased away some of the icy fear curling in my chest. Finn offered me a small, approving nod, his steady presence grounding me even as my nerves wavered.

"Thank you, Lydia," Elias said softly, his voice filled with gentle gratitude. "You don’t have to feel pressured— I promise Lucian is kind. He’ll be happy to meet you."

“Are you sure?” Finn asked, his tone careful as he studied me. I could feel the way he was assessing my body language, making sure I wasn’t agreeing out of obligation.

I hesitated for only a moment before nodding. “Yes. It’s fine,” I said softly, though my stomach twisted slightly at the thought of meeting this Lucian. “I mean... if he wants to join us.”

Elias reached across the table and gave my hand the lightest of touches, barely brushing his fingers against mine. It was so fleeting I almost questioned whether it had happened at all. “He isn’t scary. I have told him about you and he has been curious and wanting to meet you in person.”

I gave a small nod, not knowing what to say as I moved my hands to go back to holding the menu.

Finn glanced toward the waitress as she moved through the café and then back at Elias. “I’ll go let him know,” he murmured, standing fluidly from the booth. His tall frame seemed to move with purpose but no urgency, like a mountain shifting on its own time. He touched Elias’s shoulder briefly— a silent reassurance— before striding toward another corner of the café.

I felt my fingers tightening around the edge of my menu like it was a shield, and Elias must have noticed because he reached out, his hand hovering near mine but not quite touching.

"You don't have to be nervous," Elias said softly, his honey-warm voice wrapping around me like a protective cocoon. "Lucian is... well, he can be a little intense at first, but he's fair. Kind. He’s family to us, Lydia."

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