Page 115 of Knot in Bloom
“For now. Looking for work while I decide if I want to stick around.” Her smile falters slightly. “My ex is here today trying to get back together, so I’m mostly hiding out and enjoying the festival.”
“Ugh, ex drama. Well, you’re welcome to hide here as long as you want.”
“Thanks, I might take you up on that.” She starts to move away, then pauses. “It’s really good to see you, Sadie. Congratulations again.”
As she disappears into the crowd, I notice River watching from a nearby booth, his attention clearly caught. But he doesn’t approach—just goes back to whatever he was doing with a thoughtful expression.
Through our pack bond, I feel my alphas’ recognition that we’re watching something important happen—curiosity mixed with protective instincts, and underneath it all, hope for their friend.
After they move on to other booths, I catch my alphas exchanging meaningful glances, and through our bond I feel their shared amusement and affection.
“Interesting girl,” Reid observes.
“Very interesting,” Caleb agrees, his protective instincts humming through our connection. “River’s got it bad.”
“Think she’ll stay in town?” Levi asks, though I can feel through our bond that he already knows the answer.
“I think,” I say carefully, then have to pause as another wave of nausea hits, “that Honeyridge Falls has a way of giving people exactly what they need, even when they’re convinced they don’t want it.”
The festival continues around us—families celebrating together, businesses thriving, a community that’s become home to an ever-growing collection of pack bonds. Despite feeling terrible, I’m surrounded by more love and support than I ever imagined possible.
As we pack up our booth with several thousand dollars in new orders, I understand that the florist who thought she wasn’t meant to be bonded has become the center of something beautiful and lasting.
Our baby will grow up surrounded by pack love and community support, with other pack children as playmates and extended family bonds that will shape their entire life.
Even if I spend the next month throwing up, it’s worth it.
Epilogue
SADIE
Two years later, our cottage is beautiful chaos and I wouldn’t change a thing.
“Cameron, gentle with the flowers,” I call, watching our eighteen-month-old son examine my prized roses with the intense concentration only toddlers can manage. His blonde curls catch the afternoon sunlight as he carefully touches each petal. “Those are Mama’s work flowers.”
“Pretty,” he declares solemnly, then abandons the roses to run toward Caleb, who’s building an elaborate sandbox castle. “Daddy, help!”
“Of course, buddy,” Caleb says, immediately scooping Cameron onto his lap. “What do you think? Does our castle need a moat?”
Cameron nods seriously, and I watch with a full heart as Caleb patiently shows him how to dig channels in the sand. The way all three of my alphas light up whenever Cameron calls for them still makes me melt every time.
“How are my girls doing in there?” Reid asks, settling beside me on the porch swing and placing both hands gently on my verypregnant belly. One of the twins immediately responds with a strong kick against his palm.
Through our pack bond, I feel his wonder and love as he connects with our unborn daughters, the emotion so strong it makes my chest tight with happiness.
“Your daughters are using my ribs as trampolines,” I complain, but I’m smiling as I cover his hands with mine. “And they were supposed to arrive three days ago.”
“They’re just taking after their mama,” Levi says, looking up from the book he’s been reading aloud to Cameron earlier. “Stubborn and determined to do things on their own timeline.”
I’m about to protest when the sound of car doors slamming makes us all look up. Lila emerges from Dean’s truck, carefully cradling a tiny bundle, while Julian and Callum help extract a diaper bag and what looks like enough baby supplies for a week-long trip.
“We brought visitors!” Lila calls out, beaming as she approaches the porch. “Someone wanted to meet his extended family.”
Baby Mitchell is four weeks old and absolutely perfect—tiny fists, dark hair like his mama, and currently fast asleep despite all the commotion. Emma Rose toddles alongside Dean, her big brown eyes already scanning the yard for Cameron.
“Cam-Cam!” she squeals when she spots him in the sandbox. “Play!”
My son immediately abandons his castle-building to run toward his favorite cousin, both children colliding in an enthusiastic hug that makes all the adults laugh.
