It wasn’t just Fate or the Matestone that compelled my feelings. It was real. Each of those men meant something to me and they still do. We are a pod. A family. A weird, dysfunctional one that probably shouldn’t be allowed out in public that often, but a family nonetheless. And I broke us.
The sobs come out harder and it feels like my heart is breaking. I don’t know how to go forward, or backward. I hurt them, and they didn’t even wait to see which way I went. They all, en masse, shifted and disappeared into the waves to nurse the heartache I had abandoned them with.
My head is pounding and I have the hiccups. I look down on my Matestone and it’s a dusky grey, no longer bright and shiny. Apparently I have broken that too. I break everything.
I don’t know how long I cry, but when I wake up, the rain has stopped and the sunrise is visible over the mountains. The clouds are gone and the ocean looks perfectly still and peaceful. Once again, it’s a new day... and for the first time since Fate brought me to them, I am choosing a day without my guys. My heart aches, but I slowly turn the ignition and Betsy comes to life, sputtering but valiantly doing her best to carry me where we need to go. I pull out of the overlook and consider my options. To the right, I could go home. I could drive back up to the Valley and start over, kick Adam out of our apartment and change the locks. I could find a new job. My heart will always ache, but I’ll be safe. To the left, a different home awaits me. One with supernatural boyfriends and a world of mystery and enchantment. Reaching for the penny in my cup holder, I hold it close and ask Fate to direct me.
“Heads, I go home to the Valley. Tails I go home to the pod.”
I flip the coin high up in the air and catch it, flipping it onto the back of my hand. Before I can look, the sputter of multiple motorcycles riding in formation breaks the early morning calm. I turn my head to the left and see four motorcycles coming down the road at breakneck speed. My heart catches in my throat as they zip into the parking lot and come to a stop alongside me. My eyes are filled with tears when they all remove their helmets and I stare into the eyes of my men.
Struggling to free myself from the seat belt, I throw myself out of the car and launch myself into the arms of the first one I can reach—Earl.
“Don’t go, baby. Please don’t go.” he shakes as he whispers into my hair, holding me so close.
More hands reach for me and I am surrounded by them, the center of a giant embrace as each of them takes their turn, wrapping me up in their arms and pressing kisses to the top of my head, reassuring me. I let the penny that has been clenched in my hand drop as I raise my face to Darren and let him sweep me off my feet with a blistering kiss that promises an eternity and then some.
“I was scared; I needed to think,” I whisper, my voice hoarse from crying. “But you’re my home now. All of you. So, I choose you. I choose each and every one of you. This is me. It’s not Fate. It’s not a Matestone. It’s just Ronnie. I want you, Earl. I want you to challenge the crap out of me and love me until I can’t move. Bryan, I want you too. I want you to be the voice of reason who helps me get through this adjustment, but more than that, I want you to keep pushing me to explore and try new things. Trevor, I want to laugh with you until we cry or accidentally break something. I want stolen moments with you in inappropriate places. And Darren. I want you to keep being my Silver Kit. To guide me when I need it, and to remind me that I have the strength to fly on my own too. I want you to never stop kissing me and accidentally electrocuting me. We all have a chemistry that is undeniable, and I want this... if you’ll still have me.” I finish my speech and have to give myself a pep talk to look at my men. They would be within their rights to refuse me, but I don’t know if I can make it if they do.
They don’t answer me right away and my heart sinks. Large hands span my waist, lifting me easily and I find keys being taken out of my fingers before I am plunked on the back of Earl’s bike. I wrap my arms around his waist and lean my cheek against his back.
“We’ll have Chuck and one of his friends come get Betsy, baby. We’re taking you home right now. Let’s Ride!” Earl bellows and takes off, zipping back down the highway with his men following behind us.
We make record time back to Misty Cove and as soon as the gate is open, Darren throws keys and a series of instructions at Chuck before helping me off Earl’s bike. The four of them frog march me into the Clubhouse and I can’t help but giggle as my heart overflows with love.
We march up the stairs and down the hall until we are at a door I’ve never noticed before.
They carefully unlock the door and carry me inside.
I gasp.
It looks like something out of a dream. The driftwood crafted bed. The sheepskin rugs. The floor-to-ceiling ocean view.
“What is this room?” I ask, craning my neck to take it all in. “It’s gorgeous!”
They all breathe a collective sigh of relief.
“It’s our Mate’s room. We’ve been preparing it over
