30. ETHAN

Chapter thirty

ETHAN

I’m sitting in the car, vibrating with so much nervous energy it feels like I might shoot out of my own skin. The air feels thick, electric, like something is about to give, and I can’t stop bouncing my knee. My hands twist in my lap, my nails biting into my palms as I try to keep myself grounded. It's been minutes, maybe hours, but time’s a blur when all I can think about is seeing Reid.

Zana’s sitting in the driver’s seat, her fingers drumming against the wheel, calm as anything. I don’t know how she does it. I’ve been in and out of sleep the past two days, tossing, turning, every little sound making me jump. The waiting is a special kind of torture. I’ve tried asking her about it—about Reid, about what’s going on—but all she keeps saying is, “It’ll work out.”

Work out? What does that even mean? How? When? She’s a vault, locking away every detail, and it’s driving me insane.

The car hums softly, parked just at the edge of the Wilhelm’s driveway. We’ve been here for what feels like forever, watching the house in the distance. It’s eerie in the morning light, its sharp edges and too-perfect landscaping making it look more like a trap than a home. I don’t care how fancy it looks; it’s poison. Every second Reid’s in there feels like a second too long.

Zana steps out of the car without a word and I sit up straighter, pressing my face against the window waiting for something to happen. Minutes crawl by. My chest feels tight, my heart racing like it’s trying to break free. And then the door opens and my breath catches in my throat.

Reid.

He’s there, standing at the threshold, looking... lighter. His hair’s a little messier than usual, his clothes slightly wrinkled, but there’s something about him—something brighter, freer—that makes my heart swell. He steps forward, hesitating for just a moment, like he’s testing the air, and then he’s moving. Toward us. Toward me.

I let out a shaky sigh of relief, my fingers gripping the edge of my seat. He’s okay. He’s really okay.

Zana twists around, meeting my gaze through the window. “Stay put,” she says firmly.

“Are you kidding me?” I groan, already halfway to unbuckling my seatbelt.

“Ethan,” she growls, her tone dropping into that Alpha register that leaves no room for argument. “Stay. Put.” I know she’s right, that rushing onto the Wilhelms property is a bad idea, especially as another Omega but it doesn’t make it any easier to wait.

Reid’s steps are quicker now, more confident, and as he gets closer, I see it—that happiness. A real, genuine light in his hazel eyes, a softness in his expression I haven’t seen before.

And then Zana’s there, meeting him halfway. She doesn’t say a word, just opens her arms, and Reid walks straight into them like it’s the most natural thing in the world. She wraps him up, holding him close, and then tilts his chin up, kissing the absolute life out of him.

I can’t breathe. My hands fly to my mouth, trying to smother the excited squeal that escapes, but it’s no use. They’re kissing—kissing like the world doesn’t exist, like they’re the only two people left on the planet. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted to see and more.

Reid’s arms snake around her waist, his bag dropping to the ground forgotten. He leans into the kiss, his shoulders relaxing, the tension that’s been living in his body for so long finally melting away. It’s beautiful. Perfect. And I’m losing my mind sitting here watching it.

When they finally pull apart, Zana’s grinning, her forehead resting against his. She says something I can’t hear, her hands cradling his face, and Reid laughs—a real, honest-to-goddess laugh that sends warmth flooding through my chest.

The moment Reid breaks the kiss with Zana, I can’t stop myself. “Me next!” I blurt out, practically bouncing in my seat, my hands gripping the edge of the car door. My voice comes out way too loud, but I don’t care. Reid is here and I’m not wasting a second.

Reid laughs, his head tipping back against Zana’s lips as if my excitement is the funniest thing he’s ever heard. He presses one last kiss to Zana’s lips, then shakes his head, muttering something to her that makes her grin.

Finally, he tears himself away and climbs into the back seat with me. I barely wait for the door to shut before I throw myself at him, arms wrapping around his neck as I bury my face in his shoulder. His scent—sandalwood and almond, warm and grounding—floods my senses, and I melt into him, my entire body relaxing for the first time in days.

Reid pulls me closer, his arms winding around me as he presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Hey,” he murmurs, his voice low and soft. “Miss me or something, Tahn?”

He’s called me that once before, a piece of my name and I love the way it sits on his lips. I hope it’s permanent. “Missed you,” I mumble, my words muffled against his neck. “So much. Never leave again, okay?”

He sighs, a sound that’s equal parts exhaustion and relief and then his hand comes up to cradle the back of my head. “Promise,” he says, his voice thick with emotion.

Zana climbs back into the driver’s seat, glancing at us through the rearview mirror with a soft smile. She doesn’t say anything, just starts the car and pulls onto the road, giving us this moment to exist together.

I shift so I’m sitting beside Reid, my hand immediately finding his. “My Beta,” I mumble under my breath, the words spilling out without thought. “My Beta, my Beta, my Beta.” I don’t care how it sounds. I just know that I’m finally complete.

Reid chuckles, his thumb brushing over the back of my hand. “You’re really something, you know that?” he says, shaking his head in amusement.

I grin up at him, my heart swelling in my chest. “You love it.”

He doesn’t argue, just squeezes my hand and rests his head against the back of the seat. For a while, we sit like that, the car humming softly around us, the world outside a blur. But it’s not enough. I can’t get close enough.

By the time we’re halfway home, I’ve shifted into his lap, my knees bracketing his thighs as I cling to him like a lifeline. His hands settle on my hips, steadying me, and I press my forehead to his, our breaths mingling in the small space between us.

“I missed you,” I whisper, my voice trembling with the weight of everything I’m feeling. “I missed you so much, Reid. I love you.”

His eyes widen and for a moment, he just stares at me like he’s trying to figure out if he heard me right. “You love me?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I do,” I say, my hands cupping his face. “I’ve loved you since before we even met. I smelled you, Reid. Sandalwood and almond. I’ve smelled you in my dreams, in my waking moments, long before you were here. You’ve always been mine.”

His lips part and then he smiles—a real, honest smile that lights up his entire face as he leans forward to press a kiss to my forehead. “I like the sound of that,” he says softly. “I really like the sound of that.”

I beam, my heart pounding in my chest, and I press another kiss to his lips, this one softer, slower. He sighs into the embrace, his hands tightening on my hips, and for a moment, everything else fades away.

When we finally pull back, his eyes are filled with happiness as he brushes a stray curl out of my face. “Give me time,” he says. “I’m falling in love with you, Ethan. I am. I just need a little more time to catch up.”

I nod, my throat tight with emotion. “Take all the time you need,” I whisper. “I’ll wait. As long as it takes.”

“Thank you,” he says, his forehead resting against mine. “For being patient. For being... you.”

The car slows as Zana pulls into the driveway, and I feel a pang of disappointment that the ride is over. But as I look into Reid’s eyes and see the flicker of hope and happiness that wasn’t there before, I know we’re exactly where we’re meant to be. Together.