Page 167 of Wisteria and Cloves

I shuddered, imagining what that life would have been like. "How did you get away?"

A smile ghosted across her lips. "I ran. Literally. Though my parents did give me the push I needed. When I said I didn’t want that bond, they said I would or I wouldn’t be a part of their family.”

She took a sip of her tea, “I have a friend, a beta. Avery. She has been my childhood friend and always there for me….she helped me after I ran with no plan. She helped me find this shop and stand up on my two feet.”

Lydia took a deep breath, “I had always been good at art…had pieces bought by connections to my family. So I had money saved away. That money helped buy this place…though the money went to Avery first then given to me in cash so I didn’t have a trail leading to me in case my parents wanted to find me.”

"A true friend," I murmured, warmth spreading through my chest at the thought of someone being there for Lydia when she needed it most.

"She saved my life," Lydia said simply. "And then..." Her eyes drifted toward the front of the shop where Lucian stood talking with Nicolaus, his tall frame silhouetted against the afternoon light. “I met my pack.”

"How did you meet?" I asked, genuinely curious.

Lydia laughed softly, tucking a stray strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "I’d been living here for a year. Hiding behind suppressants and scent blockers….and I decided to go out to the farmers market…to try to get out and be brave to try something new.”

She trailed off a soft smile on her lips as if recalling a memory, “I met Elias. He smelled of warm honey….and drew me into his stand he had at the market. He took me by surprise. An Omega….freely walking around and doing what he wanted. No Alpha’s in sight.”

"An Omega..." I repeated, sitting up straighter. "Another Omega in your pack?"

"Yes," Lydia nodded, her smile widening. "Elias was the first pack Omega. He sells honey and his baked goods he’d sold at the market.” She laughed softly. "He sensed what I was immediately, despite all my blockers. He also just had a way. Like the moment he looked at me he knew I was special.”

I leaned forward, fascinated by her story. Her life.

“Once I met him….the others followed. It took me a while to trust them…but slowly I let them court me…and eventually I fell in love with the four of them. I let myself fall for them…and when I did…I knew that they were my forever.” Lydia glanced over at Lucian to see him give her a smile before going back to talking to Nicolaus.

"He still looks at you like you're the most precious thing in the world," I observed, following her gaze.

Lydia's smile deepened, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "All four of them do, even after three years together. It never fades—that's how you know it's real." She took another sip of tea before setting her mug down. "And your Alpha... Alphas, I should say... they look at you the same way."

I felt warmth bloom in my chest at her words. "I still can't believe I found them. Or that they want me."

"Why wouldn't they?" Lydia asked, her head tilting slightly. "You're clearly intelligent, brave, and from the looks I have seen you love them dearly.”

I gave her a sigh, “I just second guess myself…and trusting something not to disappear after finally feeling free…..is hard..” I told her. “Sometimes I wondered if they would rather not have to put up with my family drama, and just find an Omega who would fit them better.”

"That is normal.," Lydia confirmed, turning back to me with a gentle smile. "Though it wasn't always easy for me either. Trust comes slowly when you've been taught your whole life that your only value is in what you can provide."

I nodded, understanding completely. "Sometimes I still catch myself waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like this happiness can't possibly be meant for me."

"As I said…I used to feel the same way," Lydia admitted, setting her mug down and leaning forward. "For the first year, I kept a bag packed—hidden in the back of my closet. Just in case."

"Did they know?" I asked.

"Elias found it," she said, a hint of sadness crossing her features at the memory. "About three months after I'd moved in with them fully. I found him sitting on my bed, holding this pathetic little duffel bag with three changes of clothes and my art supplies." She paused, her voice growing softer. "He didn't say anything at first. Just sat there with tears in his eyes."

My heart clenched at the image. "What did he do?"

"He asked if I was planning to leave. When I tried to explain that it was just... insurance, he very gently took my hands and said, 'Lydia, love doesn't come with escape routes.'" She smiled through the emotion in her voice. "Then he helped me unpack that bag, item by item, and we put everything away together. Properly away. Like I was really staying."

I felt tears prick at my own eyes. "That's beautiful."

"It was terrifying," she corrected with a gentle laugh. "But beautiful too. And eventually, I realized the bag wasn't protecting me—it was keeping me from fully accepting the love they were offering…even if I knew I loved them and they loved me in return. I hadn’t fully let myself fall and trust completely. "

"When did you finally unpack it?" I asked, looking at the strong woman before me. Much stronger than I am.

"I didn't," Lydia said, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Elias did it for me. He understood what I couldn't admit to myself—that I needed someone else to make that decision. To show me it was safe to stay." She traced the rim of her mug with her fingertip. "Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is let someone else be brave for us."

I absorbed her words, feeling them resonate in places I hadn't examined too closely. "I think... I think I might still have my bag packed. Not physically, but here." I tapped my chest lightly.

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