Chapter 7: Chapter 7

JASMINE

As dawn broke, the morning light seeped through the heavy drapes of my room, painting soft shadows on the walls. Sleep had eluded me, my mind a chaotic storm of thoughts and emotions. The house was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos of the previous night.

Yet, the chirping of birds in the garden outside my window was a comforting reminder of life going on. I got up slowly, the burden of yesterday’s revelations weighing me down. Despite the size of the room, it felt suffocatingly empty, even though I knew my mates were nearby.

The distance between us was necessary, but every inch of it felt like a raw, unhealed wound. Questions swirled in my mind, and one of them seemed to crystallize that morning. Would the marking ever happen?

As alphas, we typically marked each other in the mating and possessing ceremony, but would the council ever approve of it? The mark—it was something I’d always known about, the ultimate symbol of loyalty and love, the claim of a mate over their beloved.

For alphas, it was a sacred ceremony, a moment of binding not just hearts but spirits. Yet, here I was, with three mates and a future shrouded in uncertainty. Would the ceremony ever take place?

Could we defy tradition and create something that reflected the bond we shared? Typically, the mark would be a single bite at the junction of neck and shoulder, sealing our connection. But with three mates, would that mean three marks?

What would that look like—a permanent reminder of each of them, etched into my skin? In quiet moments, I often traced my fingers over the spot, imagining the sensation of each of them marking me, their bond intertwining with mine.

But the thought also filled me with unease, a touch of fear, because our relationship was anything but ordinary. The council might never accept our bond, and our world wasn’t designed for this kind of love.

Yet, deep within, I couldn’t deny the truth. I wanted them, and I wanted to be theirs, completely. But the question remained, casting a long shadow—would we ever find a way to make it real?

A familiar sensation stirred within me—a flutter that I recognized instantly. One of them was near. My heart clenched, and for a moment, I was puzzled, just as a soft knock resonated through the room.

“Breakfast,” Sebastian’s smooth voice broke the silence, seeping through the thick wooden door.

I opened the door, a smile already playing on my lips, to find him standing there, a tray of food in his hands, his presence as comforting as the meal he brought. Despite the faint shadows under his eyes, indicating a sleepless night, Sebastian still exuded his effortless charm.

His dark hair was neatly combed, except for a single unruly strand that fell across his forehead. His blue eyes sparkled with affection—a devotion so steadfast it took my breath away.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked, his laughter reminding me of how his smile made me feel.

“I was just enjoying the view,” I replied, stepping back to let him in.

“So, is breakfast in bed a perk of having you as my mate?” I teased, trying to lighten the mood, though we both knew the gravity of what lay beneath.

“That too,” he responded with a soft chuckle, placing the tray gently on the bed before patting the spot next to him.

I joined him, our shoulders barely touching. “But honestly, I thought a breakfast with everyone and your parents might not be the most…appetizing way to start the day.”

His words were chosen with care, but I could hear the truth in them. He was right—after last night, a family breakfast would be awkward, to say the least.

“You’re right, thanks for thinking of that,” I said, reaching for a strawberry. “But I need to talk to my parents before lunch. I can’t spend all my meals in my room.”

“Good idea. Latte, right?” he asked, pouring me a coffee, and I nodded, savoring the fruit.

“Where are the others?” I asked instinctively.

“Erik went to your pack’s gym after arranging for his troops to reinforce security, and Aaron is in the library.”

“Typical,” I said, laughing.

We sat in silence for a few moments, eating and sipping coffee, but my silences with Sebastian were different from the others. There was something about him that made silence feel like a conversation.

We could sit in quietude, not uttering a word, and yet it felt like we were saying so much to each other. Our silent companionship spoke volumes.

But it was the ease of our communication that allowed me to voice the question that both filled me with hope and sent shivers of fear down my spine.

“Do you think we could really make it work?” I asked him, straightforward and without any pretense. With Sebastian, there was no need for that.

I didn’t pause for his response. I just kept going.

“Could we really be something as a couple, as a pack, the four of us? Could it work? Could it function?” I asked, my voice trembling with the fear of his answer. I wanted him to say yes, I needed him to say yes, but logic kept whispering that it was too complicated.

“For me, it would,” he replied, his words so simple yet so profound that they made my heart flutter.

“You know I respect the Goddess’s will above all else. If She has destined you to have three mates, then so be it—you’ll have three mates. If this is about uniting four packs, then we will unite four packs.” Sebastian’s voice was soft as velvet, but his words were firm, resolute. He would do whatever it took to make it happen.

His eyes met mine, and I was lost in their blue depths, not wanting to find my way out.

“The most important thing, Jazzy, is that I love you. It’s always been you. I would rather share you with two others than have anyone else by my side.” His words were so full of conviction, so full of emotion, that a tear escaped my eye and trickled down my cheek.

“I can’t speak for the others, but you have my answer. I’ll always be by your side. We just need to take it one step at a time, one day at a time, together.”

Sebastian finished speaking, cradling my face in his hands. His earthy scent enveloped me, and I yearned to surrender to his embrace.

He gently wiped away my tear with his thumb and smiled, his eyes flitting from one of mine to the other, his lips parting slightly.

I sighed and leaned in, craving the feel of his lips on mine, his taste, his touch, his warmth. It was a need that came from the very core of my being.