Page 100 of Knot Baked Out For This
"Because we want to help build something," Rowan says quietly, "not tear you down."
Build something. Not tear down.
The tears come without warning—angry tears, grateful tears, confused tears that can't pick an emotion and settle on all of them.
"This is too much," I whisper. "The cost?—"
"Is handled," Luca says.
"I'll pay you back."
"No," all three say simultaneously.
"Yes," I insist. "I'm not a charity case."
"You're not charity," Rowan says firmly. "You're?—"
"I'm what?"
They share another look.
"You're ours," Levi says simply. "Pack takes care of pack."
"We're not a pack."
"Aren't we?" Luca tilts his head. "We protected you from Korrin. We're building your dream. We're here at—" he checks his watch "—four-thirty AM on a Monday to make sure you're okay with construction decisions."
"That's not?—"
"And you kissed Luca," Levi adds helpfully. "In front of the whole town. Pretty packish if you ask me."
My face burns. "That was—he kissed me!"
"You kissed back," Luca points out, and there's something warm in his storm-gray eyes.
"Barely!"
"Still counts."
"Does not."
"Does too."
"Are we twelve?"
"You started it."
"I'll finish it?—"
"Children," Rowan interrupts, but he's fighting a smile. "Can we focus on the actual construction happening downstairs?"
Right. The construction. The illegal-but-necessary construction that's saving my business from my ex's vendetta.
"Show me the plans," I say, wiping tears with my sleeve.
Luca produces blueprints from nowhere because he's apparently Mary Poppins now. They spread them on my coffee table, three Alphas crowding around me, their combined scents making my apartment smell like a very attractive Christmas tree farm.
"Kitchen expansion here," Rowan points. "Doubles your prep space."
