Page 25 of Wisteria and Cloves
I nodded, trying to absorb this new information. "They always said proper Omegas were placed with appropriate packs through family arrangements. That anything else was... undignified."
"Undignified," Miles repeated, shaking his head. "No, just inconvenient for families trying to use their Omega children as bargaining chips."
The SUV turned onto a tree-lined avenue, the urban landscape giving way to elegant brownstones and manicured parks.
"We're almost there," Miles said, pointing ahead to where the street curved around a small park. "That's our place—the brownstone with the blue door."
I followed his gaze to see an elegant four-story building with warm honey-colored stone and tall windows that caught the morning light. It looked nothing like the cold perfection of my family's estate. This felt... lived in and welcoming.
"It's beautiful," I said, meaning it.
"Christopher picked it out," Miles said with obvious affection. "He has an eye for homes that feel like sanctuaries rather than showpieces."
We pulled up to the curb, and I could see movement behind the windows—shadows of people preparing for my arrival. My stomach fluttered with renewed nerves.
"They're all here?" I asked.
"Julian and Christopher are. Nicolaus had an early meeting but he'll be back in a few hours. He was rather angry with his manager for scheduling him today when he asked him not to.” Miles spoke, his lip twitching in amusement. "Don't be nervous," Miles added, seeing my expression. "They've been practically nesting since dawn, making sure everything's perfect for you."
The image of these powerful Alphas fussing over my arrival brought an unexpected smile to my face. "Nesting?"
"Oh, you should've seen Christopher arranging flowers in your suite for the third time. And Julian's been pacing like an expectant father." Miles's eyes crinkled with genuine amusement. "It's been quite the spectacle."
Miles parked the car then came to my side andopened my door, letting in a burst of fresh air scented with nearby flowering trees. As I stepped out, the blue door of the brownstone opened, and Julian appeared at the top of the steps. He wore dark jeans and a simple gray henley that somehow made him look more approachable than the polished athlete I'd first met.
His eyes found mine immediately, and the smile that spread across his face was unlike anything I'd seen from him before—unguarded, genuinely pleased, tinged with relief as if he'd been holding his breath all week.
"Welcome home," he said, his voice carrying easily across the small distance between us.
Home. The word hit me with unexpected force. Not "welcome to our house" or "welcome to the Vale residence," but home. As if I already belonged here, as if this place had been waiting for me.
Christopher appeared beside Julian, his copper hair catching the morning light as he bounded down the steps with characteristic energy. "Finally," he said, reaching us just as Milesr began unloading my suitcases. "We were starting to think your parents had changed their minds and locked you in a tower."
"They considered it," I said, then immediately worried the joke was too bold. But Christopher laughed, a warm sound that made something tight in my chest loosen.
"Well, we're glad they didn't," he said, his gray eyes twinkling with mirth. "Though I'm sure Julian would have mounted a rescue mission if necessary."
Julian descended the steps with fluid grace, and I found myself holding my breath as he approached. Up close, I could catch hints of his scent—that warm blend of cloves and rain-soaked earth that had made my knees weak just a week ago.
"How was the drive?" he asked, his attention focused entirely on me as if Miles and Christopher had simply vanished.
"Educational," I said, glancing at Miles, who was directing Christoper with my luggage. "Miles helped clarify some... misconceptions I had about the arrangement."
Julian's expression darkened slightly. "What kind of misconceptions?”
"The kind my parents wanted me to have," I said carefully, still adjusting to the idea that I could speak honestly about them."About what would happen if things didn't work out between us."
Julian's jaw tightened, but his voice remained gentle when he spoke. "And what did they tell you would happen?"
I found myself looking down at my hands, the old habit of avoiding direct eye contact when discussing uncomfortable topics reasserting itself. "That I'd be returned to them in disgrace. That no other pack would want damaged goods."
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut. When I finally looked up, Julian's expression had gone completely still—not angry, exactly, but something far more dangerous. Controlled fury.
"They used those exact words?" Christopher asked, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced by something harder.
"Among others," I admitted quietly.
Miles moved closer, positioning himself protectively at my side. "I told her it was complete bullshit," he said bluntly, earning a sharp look from Julian. "What? It is."
