Page 92 of Claimed By My Exiled Alphas
We were family now. Messy and complicated and absolutely perfect.
Chapter 26
Jace
One week after the bonding, we ventured into town as a pack for the first time.
Talia needed supplies for the bistro, and Cassian had a meeting with the contractor about the house renovations. Hollis wanted to check on the bookstore after being away for several days. And I just wanted to be with them, wanted the world to see what we’d built.
The bite marks on Talia’s neck were visible despite her attempt to cover them with a scarf. Three distinct scars, healed but unmistakable. The visible proof that she was bonded, claimed, pack.
“You’re nervous,” I said as we walked toward Main Street, her hand in mine. Cassian walked on her other side, and Hollis slightly ahead, creating a protective triangle without even thinking about it.
“People are going to stare,” she said.
“Let them,” Cassian said firmly.
“Pack formations aren’t that unusual in Hollow Haven,” Hollis added. “Though three alphas might get some attention.”
“Three alphas and one omega,” I corrected. “That’s what they’ll notice.”
We turned onto Main Street, and I immediately felt the shift in attention. People doing double-takes. Conversations pausing mid-sentence. The weight of small-town observation settling over us like a physical thing.
Through the bond with Talia I felt her anxiety spike, felt her instinct to pull away and hide. But she held onto my hand tighter instead, lifting her chin in a gesture of defiance I recognized from childhood.
“That’s my girl,” I murmured, squeezing her fingers.
We stopped first at the hardware store for paint samples. The owner, Jake Morrison, had been serving Hollow Haven for thirty years and had seen every possible relationship configuration.
“Jace,” he greeted me warmly, then nodded to the others. “Hollis, Cassian. And Talia, good to see you looking well.”
His eyes tracked to her neck, to the visible bite marks, but his expression remained neutral and welcoming.
“We’re looking at paint for the house renovation,” Cassian said smoothly. “The old Green property up on Maple Street.”
“Ah, moving in together already?” Jake’s smile was genuine. “That’s wonderful. Hollis, your grandmother would have loved seeing that house filled with life again.”
Through my bond with Talia, I felt her surprise at the easy acceptance. This was what she’d been bracing for, this moment of potential judgment. But Jake just showed them paint samples and offered advice about which finishes held up best in mountain weather.
“See?” I said quietly as we left with sample cards. “Not everyone’s going to make it weird.”
“One person,” she countered. “That’s one person who was nice.”
“Let’s try for two,” Hollis suggested, gesturing toward Pine & Pages.
The bookstore was exactly as Hollis had left it, perfectly organized and peacefully quiet. His assistant, Willa, looked up from the register with a knowing smile.
“About time you came back,” she said. “I’ve been running this place solo for a week. Though I’m guessing you had a good reason.”
Her eyes landed on Talia, specifically on the bite marks visible above her scarf, and her smile widened.
“Congratulations,” she said genuinely. “All four of you. That’s wonderful.”
“Thank you,” Hollis said, clearly relieved. “I appreciate you handling things while I was away.”
“Of course. Though next time maybe give me more than a text saying ‘emergency, back next week’?” She winked. “I had to make up creative excuses for the customers asking where you were.”
We spent twenty minutes in the bookstore while Hollis caught up on business. I watched Talia relax incrementally as Willa treated her with easy friendship rather than judgment. Two people down, I thought. Two people who accepted us without making it complicated. Although being in a pack of her own, Willa, was bound to not have a problem with our new family.
