Page 84 of Holly Jolly Heat
"You'd figure it out. Because you're brilliant and stubborn and stronger than you think." She laughed. "Now go. Apologize to your pack. Plan your announcement. Show the world what you’re made of."
She hung up before I could respond.
I stood in the kitchen, phone in hand, tears on my face, and felt the weight of the decision I'd just made.
Going public. Tonight. Putting everything on the line.
But Callie was right. I couldn't let Matthew Malone win. Couldn't let fear dictate my choices. Couldn't give up my pack to save a reputation that would crumble anyway if I tried to hide.
I had to fight.
I wiped my face, took a deep breath, and walked back to the dining room where my pack waited.
They were exactly where I'd left them, Lucas sitting at the table looking devastated, Ro leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Dex standing by the window radiating protective fury.
All three of them looked at me as I entered.
And through the bond, I felt their emotions: hurt, yes, but also hope. They were waiting to see what I'd choose.
"I'm sorry," I said immediately, my voice cracking. "For what I said. About wishing this hadn't happened. About needing to maintain distance. I didn't mean it. I was panicking and scared, and I lashed out, and I hurt you. All of you felt it through the bond, and I'm so, so sorry."
Lucas stood, starting toward me, but I held up a hand.
"Let me finish. Please." I took a breath. "Matthew Malone is threatening everything I've built. My reputation, my business, my other clients. And for a moment, for a terrible, cowardlymoment, I thought about taking his deal. Transferring you to his agency. Protecting my career by sacrificing our pack."
The pain that flashed across Lucas's face was like a knife to my chest.
"But I talked to Callie," I continued quickly. "And she reminded me who I am. I'm not someone who backs down from fights. I'm not someone who sacrifices what matters to save my reputation. I'm not someone who lets bullies win." I looked at each of them. "I'm someone who fights for my pack. Even when it's scary. Even when it might cost me everything."
"Michelle—" Lucas started.
"We're going public," I said firmly. "Tonight. On stream. All of us. We announce the pack bond ourselves, on our terms, before Matthew can spin it his way. We control the narrative. We show the industry that transparency and ethics and professional boundaries can coexist with pack bonds. We prove that I can be both a brilliant manager and a bonded omega."
Silence.
Then Ro pushed off the wall. "That's the Michelle we know. Strategic and brave and ready to change the industry."
"I'm terrified," I admitted.
"Good," Dex said.
"We're with you," Lucas said, finally closing the distance and taking my hands. "Whatever you need. However you want to do this. We're with you."
Through the bond, I felt their support, their determination, their love.
"Okay," I said. "Okay. We have about four hours to plan this. We need talking points, we need to coordinate the message, we need to notify my other clients, we need?—"
"We need to eat something first," Ro interrupted. "You haven't eaten since breakfast. Strategy requires fuel."
"I'm fine?—"
"Michelle," all three of them said in warning.
I laughed despite everything. "Fine. Food first. Then we plan how to change the industry."
"That's our omega," Lucas said, kissing my forehead. "Changing the world one stream at a time."
The next four hours were a blur of preparation. My mom made sandwiches and forced me to consume at least one before she'd let me continue planning. Bill contributed opinions about messaging while Maya and Josh argued about optimal streaming strategy.
