“You’re not too bad yourself.”
Fingers touched my shoulder, and I turned to find Jack there. He still hadn’t said anything, but he didn’t need to. The way helooked at me said it all. He lowered his forehead to touch mine, and we breathed each other in. “I can’t wait to bond with you, Princess,” he murmured.
Emotion blocked my words. I gripped one of his lapels, hoping he knew. Even if he didn’t, they all would soon enough. The minute they bit me they would feel how wildly, completely, and unapologetically in love with them I was.
Lips brushed the back of my neck, and Jack turned me into Dylan’s arms, staying behind me like he couldn’t bear to step farther away.
“I’m not going to ruin your lipstickyet.”
“Later.”
Finally, Tyler approached, his eyes still glistening. He took both of my hands in his and kissed the back of them. “We almost said no. Did you know that? To playing the DCAs. We were so exhausted, and the idea of doing all of it for playing one song didn’t seem worth it.” His breath hitched. “Thank fuck we said yes.”
“We would have found each other,” I said. The thought of coming so close and missing each other was terrifying. But I also knew there was no other ending but this one. “I believe that.”
He kissed the backs of my hands again. “Me too. Now let’s take these photos so we can bond with you.”
We laughed, but he wasn’t wrong. I wanted to do this.
The roof wasn’t normally accessible, but they’d made an exception, and the photographer had set up a section to take photos in the sunshine with a gorgeous backdrop of the city behind us.
Approximately one million photos later, it was time. We were going to see each other in less than five minutes, and I still didn’t want to let them go.
Esme and the others waited for me. Everyone who was invited, and everyone else who’d been allowed in, was inside and sitting. The music was waiting.
My sister looked at me and smiled. “Are you ready?”
I took a shaky breath. “Yeah. I think I am.”
Freya cued the music, and the doors opened.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
________
JACK
Ipaced, waiting for our cue to go out on stage, and I couldn’t shake the nerves. We’d been a band for years, and even before Mindless Delirium, I’d been a musician. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been nervous to be on a stage.
“Feels really fucking weird not to have a guitar in my hand,” Tyler said.
“I know the feeling.”
But the nerves were purely from being in front of this many people while we weren’t playing music. The bonding itself? I couldn’t wait.
One of the wedding planner’s staff touched her earpiece and nodded. “They’re ready for you.”
“Thanks,” Liam said. “Let’s go.”
“Wait.” I nodded a few feet away and waited for the others to come closer before I pulled them into a hug. We weren’t often physically affectionate with each other, but we’d been a pack for a long time and had seen each other through a lot of shit. This was the next step, and it felt right to say goodbye to it. As well as silently thanking them for everything.
“Fuck,” Tyler said. “You already know I’m going to cry out there, so fuck you a little.”
We laughed, the tension broken. “Let’s go bond our Omega.”
The lights were bright and the crowd was as full as if we were performing. Through the glare, I could see our families in the first few rows. Eva’s mom was there too.
Music began to play through the speakers, soft and romantic. Completely opposite of the music we played, but it fit. We’d helped pick everything for this. Not a single thing—except Eva’s dress—was something we didn’t all agree to.
