Page 99 of Mating With My Grumpy Alphas
Willa
The morning sun streamed through the barn doors with the kind of golden intensity that made everything look like a photograph waiting to be taken. I stood in what would soon be my expanded studio space, watching Rhett and Wes measure walls and discuss load-bearing requirements, and felt the deep satisfaction of watching dreams become concrete plans.
“What do you think about skylights?” Rhett asked, looking up from his notebook where he’d been sketching modification ideas. “Natural light for photography, but positioned so they won’t create glare issues.”
“That would be incredible,” I said, already imagining how the changing light throughout the day would affect my work. “Are you sure it’s possible?”
“Everything’s possible,” he said with the confidence of someone who’d spent his entire life making impossible things happen. “It’s just a matter of engineering and patience. ThoughI might want to run the structural plans by Jonah Maddox, he’s the best contractor in town.”
“Kit’s alpha?” I asked, recognizing the name from our conversations about the local pack.
“The same. And Reed’s got experience with custom builds too. Between the three of us, we can make this barn into anything you want.”
“We’re not in any rush,” Wes added from his position near the windows. “This is our forever home. We can take the time to do it right.”
Forever home. The words still sent shivers of wonder through me. Six weeks ago, I’d thought forever was something that happened to other people. Now I was planning expansions and renovations for a life I’d never imagined I could have.
"What about the nest room?" Elias asked, appearing in the doorway with four cups of coffee arranged on a tray. "Any thoughts on modifications there?"
"Bigger," I said immediately, making all three alphas grin. "And maybe a reading nook by the windows. Somewhere I can curl up with a book when I need quiet time."
"Private access to the garden," Wes suggested. "For when you want fresh air without having to go through the main house."
"Built-in storage for comfort items," Rhett added, his practical mind already working through the details.
"And better temperature controls," Elias concluded. "Something that can adjust automatically based on seasonal heat patterns."
The casual way they discussed my comfort and needs, like ensuring my happiness was the most important engineering challenge they'd ever face, made my chest tight with emotion. This was what love looked like in practice. Not grand gestures or dramatic declarations, but careful attention to the details that would make daily life better.
"What about space for all of us?" I asked, settling into the window seat with my coffee. "I know I need a nest room, but I also want a bedroom that belongs to all four of us."
"Master suite expansion," Rhett said immediately. "Bigger bed, more storage, maybe a sitting area where we can all relax together."
"And a bathroom that can actually accommodate four people getting ready at the same time," Wes added with a laugh.
"Speaking of building our future," I said, pulling out my phone to show them the email I'd received that morning, "the gallery in Millfield wants to offer me a solo show. Three months to put together a cohesive collection, with full marketing support and a professional photographer to document the opening."
The silence that followed was profound, all three of them processing what this opportunity meant for my career and our life together.
"That's incredible," Elias said finally. "A solo show is huge for any photographer, but especially for someone just returning to the field."
"What kind of timeline are they looking for?" Wes asked, his analytical mind already working through logistics.
"Six months from contract signing to opening night," I said. "Which gives me time to develop a theme, shoot new work if needed, and prepare everything properly."
"What's your instinct about the theme?" Rhett asked. "What story do you want to tell?"
I looked around this place that had become my home, at the three men who’d become my world, and felt the answer settle into place with perfect clarity.
“Wildlife conservation,” I said simply. “The connection between protecting habitat and the creatures that call it home. What it looks like when animals find their place in the natural world.”
“That’s perfect,” Elias said with understanding. “Your photography has always been about capturing the relationship between living things and their environment.”
“Exactly,” I said, excitement building as the vision became clearer. “I want to document the species Wes works to protect. Show people why conservation matters through the beauty and vulnerability of the animals themselves.”
I nodded firmly to myself as a sense of resolve set in.
“So I’m doing it,” I said, looking between all three of them with growing excitement. “The gallery show, the conservation theme, all of it.”
