Page 51 of Pumpkin Patch Pack
His answer resonates deeply. My chest tightens with emotion, and I have to blink rapidly to keep unexpected tears at bay.
“It’s not always easy,” Theo continues, his smile returning but with a hint of wistfulness. “Small towns have long memories; sometimes it’s hard to outgrow who people think you are. The funny one, the charming one, who’s good with people but not the one in charge.” He glances at Rowan briefly. “But being seen clearly by the people who matter—that’s worth more than any corner office in the city.”
Rowan reaches over, briefly squeezing Theo’s shoulder, a gesture of understanding, of solidarity. Their casual intimacy twists something in my chest, a longing for that kind of unspoken connection. My omega whines softly inside me, wanting to be part of their easy affection, to be touched with that same certainty.
“My turn for confessions?” Rowan asks, his deep voice drawing our attention.
Theo grins, the moment of vulnerability passing. “Bare your soul, brother. It’s good for you.”
Rowan rolls his eyes, but there’s affection in the gesture. He takes a thoughtful sip of his cider before speaking. “When our parents retired, I was terrified,” he admits. “Not of the work—I’d been doing most of it anyway—but of failing. Of being the one who let the family legacy collapse.”
It’s hard to imagine Rowan, the confident, capable Rowan, afraid of anything. Yet there’s no artifice in his expression as he continues, my body leaning towards him instinctively as he speaks.
“The farm had been struggling for years. Traditional farming wasn’t profitable enough, not for a place this size. The autumn festival was helping, but it wasn’t enough. We needed to expand, adapt, and find new ways for this land to sustain us.” He looks around at the farm, his expression softening. “This place isn’t just crops and livestock. It’s generations of history, of lives lived close to the seasons… I couldn’t be the one to lose it.”
“You didn’t,” Liam says quietly. “You made it stronger.”
Rowan acknowledges this with a slight nod. “We did. Together.” He looks at me. “That’s why your work matters, Emma. It’s not just about social media or marketing. It’s about helping this place survive, adapt, continue.”
I had been thinking of my job as temporary, a means to an end—safety, anonymity, enough money to move on when necessary. But I’m part of something much more significant now.
“I understand. Thank you for trusting me with that responsibility.” My voice comes out huskier than intended, and Rowan’s nostrils flare slightly in response, his pupils dilating as he holds my gaze.
Liam has been quiet and adds another log to the fire, sending sparks swirling upward. In the flickering light, his profile is striking—strong jaw, straight nose, and the tension he usuallycarries in his shoulders is somewhat relaxed tonight. The play of light and shadow across his features makes my fingers itch to touch him and trace the contours of his face.
“Your turn,” Theo prompts him, poking his leg with a marshmallow roasting stick. “Deepest, darkest secret time.”
Liam gives him a look that would be intimidating if not for the slight quirk at the corner of his mouth. “You know my secrets,” he says.
“Not all of them,” Theo counters. “And Emma doesn’t know any of them.”
Something passes between them, one of those silent communications I’ve noticed. Liam glances at me, then back at the fire. The tension in his shoulders returns, and my omega instinctively responds, wanting to soothe whatever pain is causing that rigid posture.
“I had another pack once, when I was younger,” he begins, his voice low and rough. “When we found an omega mate, we were sure we would only grow closer as a pack. But her manipulations began almost immediately; she would start arguments between pack mates by intentionally stirring the pot, play with our emotions by being hot and cold all the time, especially if anyone else was watching. Her stories and embellishments went so far as to cause major rifts between us, and when I started to catch on, I tried to warn the others. She really didn’t like that and convinced my other packmates that I was the one who was the problem. And when it came down to it, she made them choose her or me. And well… here I am.”
My heart constricts painfully at his words—the betrayal, the rejection he must have felt.
“I didn’t think I’d find another pack,” he says. “After what happened with the last one, I figured I was better off alone. Safer.”
The admission carries echoes of my own experience—the decision that isolation is preferable to the risk of being hurt again. I move before I think better of it and find myself climbing Liam’s lap and curling up against him. I feel his breathing stutter as he wraps his arms around me, and I begin a soft purr. I’ve never purred for an alpha before, and something tells me this is his first experience with it, too.
“What changed?” I ask softly, my voice barely audible over the crackling fire.
His eyes meet mine, his face flickering in the firelight, steady and unguarded. “Found my true pack.”
My omega responds with a surge of warmth that floods my entire body, a recognition of truth that bypasses all my carefully constructed defenses. These beautiful, complex, genuine men are mine.
I nuzzle deeper into Liam’s chest.
“Pack bonds are rare,” Rowan says, his tone thoughtful. “Most people never experience them. They go through life with family bonds, friendships, and romantic relationships, all valuable and meaningful, but different from what happens when a true pack forms.”
I’m suddenly nervous, my free hand fidgeting with the hem of my sweater. My heart pounds against my ribs, and I’m sure they can all hear it.
“Pack bonds, especially scent-matched ones, are deeper. More instinctive. It’s not just emotional or physical attraction. It’s recognition on a fundamental level—like your body and instincts recognize something in the other person that complements who you are.” He continues.
“It’s about balance,” Theo adds, his eyes finding mine with an intensity that belies his casual tone. “Different strengths, different needs, coming together to create something stronger than any individual could be alone.”
My body thrums with awareness of all three of them—warm and secure in Liam’s lap with his arms around me. Their scent intensifies; the combination is intoxicating.
