Page 57 of Claimed By My Exiled Alphas
I arrived at The Brew at five minutes to two, deliberately early because showing up late to a meeting about my own romantic future seemed wrong. The coffee shop occupied a converted house on the edge of Main Street, all exposed brick and mismatched furniture that somehow felt cohesive. More importantly, it had a back room that the owner rented out for private meetings.
Sarah, the owner, greeted me with a knowing smile. “You’re in the sunroom. I set up the corner table like you requested. Extra private, good natural light, comfortable chairs.” She paused. “And I’ll make sure nobody bothers you unless you ask for refills.”
“Thank you.” I wondered how much she knew, how much the town was already talking about the chef and her three alphas. Then decided it didn’t matter. We were doing this regardless.
The sunroom was perfect. Windows on three sides looking out at a small garden, the corner table positioned for both privacy and easy conversation. Four chairs arranged in a way that didn’t put anyone at a head position. Equal seating for an equal discussion.
I sat down, then stood up, then sat down again in a different chair. Stood up once more and moved to a third seat before forcing myself to stay put. This was absurd. They were just three men I cared about, not a firing squad.
Three men I cared about who were about to discuss sharing me like some kind of relationship negotiation. My stomach did an uncomfortable flip.
The door opened and Hollis appeared, carrying two cups of coffee. He was dressed casually in dark jeans and a gray henley, his strawberry blond hair loose around his shoulders instead oftied back. The sight of him settled something anxious in my chest.
“I took the liberty of getting your usual,” he said, setting a latte in front of me. “Figured you might need the caffeine.”
“Was it that obvious I’d be nervous?”
“You texted me at six this morning to confirm the time. You already knew the time.” His smile was gentle. “And I’ve been nervous all day, so I’m projecting.”
“You’re nervous?”
“Terrified.” He settled into the chair to my right. “I’m about to formally discuss sharing someone I have feelings for with two alphas I barely know. That’s somewhat outside my comfort zone.”
The honesty helped more than reassurance would have. Before I could respond, the door opened again and Jace walked in, his usual ranger confidence slightly dimmed by what looked like carefully controlled anxiety.
“Sorry if I’m early.” He glanced between us. “Didn’t want to be late.”
“You’re exactly on time,” Hollis said. “Sit. Coffee?”
“Already got mine.” Jace held up a to-go cup, then chose the chair to my left. Which put me between Hollis and Jace, with one empty chair across from me for Cassian.
We sat in slightly awkward silence for about thirty seconds before Jace said, “So this is weird, right? It’s not just me?”
“Extremely weird,” Hollis agreed.
“I changed outfits three times,” I admitted.
That broke some of the tension. Jace grinned. “I drove past the coffee shop twice before I could make myself park.”
“I’ve been here since one forty-five,” Hollis said. “Sitting in my car reading the same page of a book over and over without processing a single word.”
We were laughing when Cassian arrived, and something about his expression suggested he’d been bracing for disaster and was surprised to find the opposite. He was dressed more casually than I’d ever seen him, dark jeans and a charcoal sweater that made his gray eyes more pronounced.
“Sorry I’m late.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s exactly two.”
“You’re not late,” I said. “We’re just early and nervous.”
“Ah.” He took the remaining seat, directly across from me. “That makes sense. I’ve been parked down the street for twenty minutes.”
“Apparently we’re all disasters,” Jace said cheerfully. “Good to know.”
More tension dissolved. Cassian ordered coffee from Sarah when she appeared, and we all busied ourselves with our drinks while trying to figure out how to start this conversation.
Finally, Hollis said, “I suppose we should address the obvious. The four of us are sitting here because Talia has expressed interest in all three of us, and we’ve each expressed interest in her. And rather than forcing her to choose or competing in ways that would hurt everyone involved, we’re exploring whether pack formation is a viable option.”
Trust Hollis to cut straight through awkwardness with clear articulation.
“That’s the situation,” I confirmed. “And I know it’s unusual. I know it’s complicated. But I also know that I have genuine feelings for all three of you, and the thought of choosing between you feels wrong in a way I can’t fully explain.”
