Page 175 of Finding the Forward: Part One
“You bought methehouse.” The fact that he remembered, and made good on that childhood promise, meanteverything.
“Yeah. I… I’ve been waiting for it to go up for sale foryears. We don’t have to live there, but Ineverforgot that promise I made you, Jellybean.” He pressed his lips to the top of my head.
“You bought me our house.” So many emotions warred inside me. The biggest was that I wanted him to take me to bed. Now.
Tears of happiness streamed down my face.
“I fucking love you. While anywhere I’m with you is home, I’ll never forget how much those stories we made up when we’d walk past it meant to me.” Emotion choked his voice.
“Thank you. I love you, too.” I kissed him long and deep, trying to convey how much him keeping that silly promise meant to me.
“That’s a very cute house,” AJ said, looking at the phone. “Very small. Might make a nice rental.”
We could live there and commute to New York on the ultra-bullet. Or get traded to Boston. It wasn’t pack-sized, but it wasn’tthatsmall. We could add on.
“I’m happy for both of you,” Jonas told us, knowing all about the house and the promise.
“My turn.” AJ handed us each a small box, much like what Grif had given me.
In it was a platinum signet ring, with our pack crest on it. The one I’d designed that we all had as tattoos.
“You got us pack rings,” I breathed, taking it out and putting it on.
“I did. I called in a favor and got our pack application to the front of the line. We’re now officially pack Lune Noire.” AJ beamed, looking relaxed, shirtless and sitting on the floor, without even his phone or fancy watch. Or sunglasses.
“We are?” I tackle-hugged him.
His arms tightened around me. “Yep, we are. Tomorrow, you three can call your agents and get those pack contract negotiations going.”
Grif joined us, as did Jonas, making one gigantic pile of hugs.
A pack. Happiness flooded me. After all these years, all these hardships and trials, the four of us were finally a pack.
Now we were one step closer to the day our little alpha could join us.
Chapter Fifty-One
AJ
“Grif?” I knocked on Grif’s partially open door, dressed and ready to head to Boston. My pack ring gleamed on my pinky.
A pack. We were now a pack.About fucking time.
“Come in,” he called from some place, probably the bathroom.
Holding the box awkwardly, I slipped in. My heart raced like a teenager about to ask their crush to the dance.
His room reeked of sex. We were running late because Dean needed to thank Grif properly for buying him the house they’d dreamed of living in together.
I always had a feeling we’d end up in Boston. It wouldn’t be a terrible thing. It wasn’t like I couldn’t afford to ride the ultra-bullet to work every day–or transfer to the Boston office.
While I’d grown up in New York, home was where they were.
“Hey.” Grif came out of the bathroom, wearing a button-down and khakis.
“Here.” I held out the long, slender box. “This is for you. We… we’re a pack now.” My chest tightened. This was a stupid courting gift. I should’ve gone flashy.
But how was I to know that Dean would get him his diploma for Christmas? Or that Grif was going to buy Dean a fucking house?
