Page 29 of Verses and Blooms
“I do.”
The car was still moving when people burst out of the front door of the building. Rydell led the charge, and I was climbing over Ledger, flinging open the door before they’d even hit the brakes.
Rydell caught me midair, crushing me to him. Our breaths mingled, his scent wrapping tightly around me as my biggest alpha nearly squeezed the life out of me. Dark plum, ink, violet, and leather. It was as strong as the alpha who held me, but so damn familiar it made my chest ache.
I was truly back with my pack.
“You came back to me,” he said. “I wanted to run after you so fucking bad.”
“You couldn’t,” I told him, pulling away from the hug long enough to put my hands on his cheeks, staring into thosebeautiful, dark green eyes of his. “God, it’s so fucking good to see you.”
He rested his forehead against mine, trying to calm his racing heart. I could hear it while he held me close, along with his heavy breathing.
“Audrey.” My name on Ansel’s lips sounded like heaven.
Rydell somehow let go of me, proving he was more in control than they’d given him credit for all these years, and then I was in Ansel’s arms.
My sweet omega held me close, breathing me in the same way I was doing to him.
“You stayed so strong for me, baby,” I said, kissing him on the forehead, then the cheeks, until he was laughing softly through his tears. My own were flowing down my cheeks, but I didn’t care.
All I cared about was that I was back with them. Touching them, reminding myself this was real.
I was safe.
“Kane? Caspian?” I asked, glancing around.
“They’re upstairs. I don’t think they knew you were coming back. None of us did. But Rydell heard something, and I felt?—”
“The bond,” Rydell said firmly. “Something I want to talk about.”
I was already moving around them, heading inside. “Caspian! Kane!” My voice rang out in the building. It smelled like chemicals, cleaners, and a hint of my pack.
Wrong, but much better than the hellscape I was in.
There was a thunder of footsteps as Caspian and Kane launched themselves down the stairs. Their eyes were frantic as they rushed toward me.
My blond alpha reached me first, pulling me close just like the others, crushing me to him. I swear I was going to be bruised just from their hugs alone, but I’d take them happily.
It was a reminder that I was alive.
Caspian took a shaky breath, studying me as he held me back just far enough to make sure I was intact.
“I’m okay. They didn’t have a chance to hurt me,” I reassured him.
“Oh, thank god,” Kane said, pulling me into a hug of his own. “I’ll be much more gentle than the others.”
“We have a lot to talk about before this heat hits,” Ares said after Kane and I had a moment to hold each other tight. “I want you to have everything I can possibly give you right now.”
“Shower, food, and then we can talk nesting,”
“Food, nesting talk, then shower,” he countered my offer with one of his own.
“And tea,” Kane supplied, taking my hand and leading me toward what I assumed was the kitchen.
“That sounds nice,” I admitted, but stopped walking. “Except for the fact that I’m covered in blood.”
I glanced down at myself and back up at my pack. “I’m taking a shower before I even touch food. Do you see this?”
