Page 69 of Pack End Game

Zak catches my eye, and we share a moment of silent amusement.

My gaze moves to Mia, and she doesn't look like she thinks Freddie's reaction is funny at all. She watches warmly as he carefully strokes the glass with pure reverence. Already imagining his beloved mascot suit in a prime display location.

The craziest thing is... I can picture the Simon suit hanging in the case. Our children someday rolling their eyes as Zak and I tell stories of our football glory days, and Freddie interrupts with his funny mascot anecdotes. The same stories they'll have already heard a thousand times before.

I'm not saying any of this seems sane.

But I think I understand it.

Mia's vision. Freddie's willingness to embrace a home more unique than all the others we've toured combined.

Rufus, who has followed us around for more than an hour with a face cycling through confusion, amusement, concern, and reluctant fascination, finally stops pretending this is a normal showing.

He jingles the heavy key ring that belongs to the defunct senior living facility. "I need to ask," he says carefully. "Are we truly entertaining this?"

Mia turns toward me.

Not Rufus.

Me.

And the whole building seems to hold its breath with her.

That's the thing about being head of the pack. At the end of the day, the final call is mine. Not because Zak and Freddie don't matter, and not because I've changed my mind about wanting to give Mia everything she wants, but because somebody has to be the one who considers the logistics when an ask becomes real.

I already know our omega's happiness is the most important thing at stake here.

Could we make this work? Can I say yes to the sprawling, half-forgotten senior living facility with weird smells, endless potential, and enough room for the domestic future she keeps hinting that she wants with us, piece by piece?

I focus on Mia.

At the hope written all over her face.

At the future flickering behind her eyes.

Then I look at Rufus.

"What do we need to do..." I can't believe I'm doing this, "to have this building zoned for residential use? And how soon are the current owners willing to close if we make an all-cash offer?"

Rufus just stares at me for an uncomfortably long time.

A full stare with bewildered eyes and a slack jaw.

Just when I'm about to repeat my questions, Rufus's gaze darts toward Freddie, as if he's checking to see if he's missed the part where this is all a joke.

"You're serious?" He lets out a short laugh that sounds equal parts continued disbelief and hysteria.

"I am."

Mia has been holding her breath, but she throws herself at me with this confirmation. I catch her around the waist and hold her to me as she peppers kisses all along my jawline, mumbling, "Thank you so, so much," in between her kisses.

My whole body floods with the warmth an alpha can only feel when he knows he's truly made his omega the happiest person in the world. She squeezes me so tightly that I don't think she'll ever let go until she finally seems to realize she needs to let me finish talking details with Rufus.

Sheepishly, she slides down the length of my body and goes to Zak, grabbing his arm and clutching him tight. He looks down at her affectionately.

I worried he might be the one to hold out on his acceptance since he seemed the most skeptical about the potential, but that all seems to have faded away. I think Mia's happiness has managed to eclipse any doubts either of us alphas initially shared.

"I just have to ask one more time." Rufus pauses, taking a deep breath to ready himself for my answer. "You're serious about this?"