Page 108 of Holly Jolly Heat
Through the bond, I felt their patience mixed with amusement. They weren't worried. They knew this would work out.
I needed to trust that.
"You're right," I admitted. "I'm spiraling. It's just that I love her so much. I want this to be perfect for her."
"It will be perfect because you'll be there," Ro said simply. "That's all she wants, Lucas. You. Not a perfect ceremony. Just you, us, committing to her forever."
My chest tightened with emotion. "When did you get so wise?"
"I've always been wise. You just usually don't listen." He smiled. "Now go do something useful. Help Bill in the kitchen. Check on Michelle. Anything except wearing a hole in the floor with your pacing."
"I'll check on Michelle," I decided. "Make sure she's not spiraling either."
"She's definitely spiraling," Dex said, checking his phone. "Janet just texted. Michelle's on her fourth outfit change and her seventh revision of her own vows. You're both disasters."
I flipped him off and headed upstairs.
I found Michelle in her childhood bedroom, surrounded by dress options, looking absolutely panicked.
"I can't decide what to wear," she said immediately upon seeing me. "Is the white dress too traditional? Is the blue dress not formal enough? Should I go with the cream dress that… Lucas, why are you laughing?"
"Because you're spiraling exactly like me. And it's adorable."
"This isn't funny. This is important. I need to look—" She stopped, seeming to really see me. "You're panicking too."
"Completely panicking."
"About what?"
"Same as you. What if I mess up? What if I say the wrong thing? What if the ceremony isn't perfect?"
She stared at me for a moment, then laughed, slightly hysterical but genuine. "We're both disasters."
"Absolutely disasters."
"Our pack is getting mated in six hours and we're both having full breakdowns."
"It's very on brand for us."
She collapsed onto the bed, and I joined her, both of us staring at the ceiling.
"I'm terrified," she admitted quietly.
"Me too."
"Not of you. Not of us. Just of?—"
"The permanence? The vulnerability? The fact that we're declaring our love in front of everyone we care about and the entire internet?"
"All of that." She turned her head to look at me. "Lucas, what if I'm not a good omega? What if I can't balance pack and work? What if I?—"
I kissed her, cutting off the spiral.
"Michelle," I said when we broke apart. "You're already a good omega. You've been a good omega since before I even knew you were an omega. Doubly so since the attic. Since you let yourself be vulnerable. Since you stopped running and started trusting." I cupped her face. "And you're already balancing pack and work. You've been doing it for six days. It's working."
"Six days isn't forever. It’s not even a full week!"
"No, but it's a start. And we'll figure out the rest as we go. Together. That's what pack means."
