Page 27 of Lavender and Honey

Lucian laughed softly, “Soren is our last mate. We four make a pack. Our family.” I blinked at this, so a pack of four, so far there are two Alphas, Lucian and Finn…then the Omega, Elias. Would that make Soren a Beta? This thought was quickly shook off as Finn spoke up.

"Soren is our last Alpha," Finn explained, his deep voice calm and steady. "He works from home doing computer work. Making logos, websites and such for people. He is more of our homebody Alpha.” The last part was said teasingly, a loving tone in his voice as he spoke about the man.

Lucian chuckled softly at Finn’s description, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Soren thrives in his domain,” he said, his tone warm with affection. “He’s the one who keeps everything running smoothly while the rest of us are running around.”

Elias grinned, leaning forward slightly, his eyes sparkling as he looked at me. “He’d love meeting you too, Lydia. Though Iimagine he’d try to convince you to let him redesign your shop’s website if you have one.”

I blinked, taken aback by their easy camaraderie and the subtle way they seemed to fold me into it. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before— the warm, natural rhythm of their pack dynamics drawing me in like a hearth on a cold night.

“I don’t… actually have a website,” I admitted softly, my voice faltering slightly under the weight of their collective attention. “It’s just been me running everything, and I am not very good at working computers let alone trying to design a whole website. That is definitely out of my wheelhouse of expertise.”

“That will definitely change if he hears about that.” Finn muttered, but I raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. He just gave me a grin but didn’t go on to elaborate more on the subject. Much to my annoyance.

I nodded slowly, absorbing the new piece of information about their pack. A pack of four… It was difficult to picture, not because it defied any norm but because the warmth and care that radiated from Elias and Finn— and now Lucian— were so unlike the distant, rigid dynamics I’d grown up with. Their bonds felt tangible, like threads weaving them together in ways I couldn’t yet understand.

I was used to one head Alpha, a Beta and an Omega…sometimes there were two Alphas but no more than that because fights would break out. Maybe I was just introduced to the wrong packs. With how my family is that wouldn’t surprise me. I was a bit sheltered growing up so learning things out in the world like this was interesting.

“Soren has been wanting to meet you since Finn and I have talked about you…and now that Lucian has met you he is gonna feel left out. I bet he is going to pout for days.” Finn laughed, seemingly amused by the thought of his fellow Alpha and mate, pouting for days.

“Soren sounds... interesting,” I said softly, not knowing what else to say. I saw Elias kick Finn under the table and give him a small glare which only made Finn sit back with his hands held up in surrender.

“Don’t tease him, you would be pouting too if the roles were reversed.” Elias scolded softly. Finn shook his head, still grinning.

Elias turned to me, “He also makes the best teas… I know that is something you would enjoy. Tea is the only thing I have seen you drink since I met you.” He wasn’t wrong. Teas were a comfort drink to me.

“He’s a bit quieter than the rest of us at first, but once you get to know him, he’s got a sharp sense of humor. “ Elias told me softly, love clear in his voice as he spoke about the other Alpha.

I nodded, “I will take your word for it.” I didn’t get to say much else before the waitress arrived bringing our food. I couldn't help but relax more as I looked at the three men around me.

This is the first time in a long time that I felt so comfortable and enjoyed myself so much. I hoped things stayed this way. I could get used to it.

Chapter Eighteen

As the meal wound down, I found myself relaxing more than I expected. The conversation flowed easily between Elias, Finn, and Lucian, their easy camaraderie drawing me in despite my initial nervousness. Elias's enthusiasm was infectious as he described his latest ideas for gift boxes, his honey-warm scent spiking with excitement.

"I was thinking we could do a seasonal collection," Elias was saying, his eyes bright. "Something with flavors that really capture the essence of each season."

Finn nodded thoughtfully, his deep voice warm with approval. "That could work well. We could adjust the wood stains and carvings to match the themes too."

As they discussed the details, I found my gaze drawn to Lucian. The Alpha had been mostly quiet throughout the meal, content to listen and observe. But every so often, I'd catch him glancing at me.

Lucian's steel grey eyes met mine, a flicker of curiosity in their depths. "What do you think, Lydia?" he asked, his deep voice gentle but carrying an undercurrent of authority that made me sit up straighter. "As an artist, do you find seasonal themes appealing?"

I felt a flutter of nervousness in my chest at being directly addressed, but there was something in Lucian's gaze that made me want to answer honestly. "I do, actually," I said softly, my fingers tracing the rim of my empty teacup. "There's something special about capturing the theme or essences of a particular time of year. The colors, the textures, the feelings it evokes… things along that line"

I trailed off, suddenly aware that all three men were looking at me with interest. Elias was beaming, his honey-warm scent spiking with excitement. "That's exactly what I was thinking. Little things like taste and colors bring back memories and emotions so I wanted these sets to do that.”

I nodded, I understood that. Meaningful gifts are something hard to find nowadays. Or at least it is in the bigger cities and the family I came from. Gifts were always about how expensive something is, so to see this much thought go into something was nice.

"As an artist, I'm sure you have a unique perspective on seasonal themes." Lucian stated, his deep voice cutting into the conversation again.

"Well," I began reluctantly, my fingers tracing the rim of my empty teacup, "I think seasonal themes could work beautifully. For autumn, maybe rich oranges and deep reds for the preserves, with wood stained in warm amber tones. Winter could be cool blues and silvers, with darker wood to contrast."

As I spoke, I felt my confidence growing slightly. This was familiar territory— color theory. That was something I didn’thave to put much thought on because it was so ingrained into my memory.

"That's a wonderful idea, Lydia," Elias said enthusiastically, his honey-warm scent spiking with excitement.

Finn nodded in agreement, his green eyes thoughtful. "We could even incorporate seasonal motifs into the carvings," he mused. "Leaves for autumn, snowflakes for winter, blossoms for spring..."

---