Scottland – An Invitation
The envelope was pale cream, tucked under her bedroom door.
Scottland turned it over in her hands, reading the handwritten script on the front.
To the Bravest Omega in the Gray Pack.
Her heart skipped.
Inside was a simple card:
"We honor you this evening.
Wear what makes you feel beautiful.
Come when you're ready.
— G"
Scottland bit her lip.
Then smiled.
Grant – A Pack's Celebration
The great hall had been decorated with care.
Strings of golden lights wrapped the beams overhead. Lanterns glowed in the windows. Music filtered in from a quartet of musicians by the hearth.
But the most striking thing was the energy.
Not tension.
Not grief.
Not defense or fear.
But joy.
Warm, full-bodied, genuine joy.
They were celebrating Scottland.
For standing tall in front of the alpha who had broken her.
For speaking when her voice had been silenced for too long.
For choosing to live.
Grant paced by the fire, adjusting his collar for the fourth time.
"Stop fidgeting," Wren teased, passing him a glass of sparkling cider.
"She's coming," he muttered.
"I know. And she's going to look beautiful."
He stared at the door.
"I don't care what she's wearing," he said quietly. "Just that she walks in knowing she's loved."
Scottland – Yellow and Gold
Her fingers trembled slightly as she fastened the gold locket Wren had gifted her around her neck.
Inside was a tiny picture—her, smiling shyly at the cottage door, and Grant beside her, looking at her like she was his whole world.
She wore the yellow dress again.
It felt right.
Like sunshine.
Like a beginning.
She stepped into soft silver shoes and twirled once in the mirror, catching sight of her flushed cheeks, her bright blue eyes.
Tonight, she wanted to be seen.
And not just as a survivor.
But as a girl who could sparkle, laugh, dance.
So when she entered the hall, head high and heart full…
Everyone turned.
And the room hushed.
Grant – Breathless
He hadn't breathed since she walked in.
His chest was tight.
His heart was loud.
There she was.
Hair braided gently down her back, dress fluttering around her knees like a petal in the wind. Silver shoes. Locket glinting. Smile soft.
She looked like something holy.
And when she saw him, her smile widened.
She crossed the room slowly.
And held out her hand.
"I believe I was promised a dance."
The First Dance
The music swelled gently.
He took her hand.
Placed one palm on the curve of her waist.
And they moved.
Slow.
Tender.
Unhurried.
Grant wasn't a fancy dancer, and Scottland wasn't used to letting someone lead. But together, they found a rhythm—simple, grounded, their eyes locked.
Around them, the pack watched.
Not intruding.
Just bearing witness.
To the beginning of something sacred.
As the song ended, Grant leaned closer.
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone as radiant as you."
She giggled, slightly breathless. "It's the shoes."
"It's not."
His fingers tightened just slightly on her waist.
And for the first time since they met, he bent—very slowly—and pressed a soft kiss to her temple.
Not possessive.
Not hungry.
Just… reverent.
Scottland closed her eyes.
And smiled.
Wren – A Toast
Wren stood on one of the tables, holding up her glass.
"To Scottland," she called. "Who reminded us all what bravery really looks like."
Cheers rang out.
"To Scottland!"
Scottland flushed scarlet but lifted her cider.
"And to Grant," Wren added slyly, "for being the only Alpha I've met who actually understands what it means to deserve an Omega's trust."
More cheers.
Scottland leaned into Grant's side and whispered, "You know she likes making you squirm."
"I know," he murmured, lips near her ear. "But she's not wrong."
Scottland – A Slow Bloom
As the night stretched on, Scottland found herself spinning in little circles with Wren, laughing breathlessly under the lanterns.
She tasted sweet things from the dessert table. Spoke softly with Elders who nodded at her with deep respect. Let children braid ribbons into her hair and call her a princess.
It was everything she'd never dared imagine she could have.
Joy.
Not stolen.
But earned.
And when the music slowed again, and Grant approached with a quiet, hopeful look, she didn't hesitate.
She stepped into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Like she belonged there.
Because she did.
Grant – The Whispered Promise
As they swayed, he murmured, "I'll wait a thousand years for you."
She smiled up at him. "I don't think it'll take quite that long."
His thumb brushed her cheek.
"I just want you to know… this moment? It's enough. Just you. Here. Tonight."
Scottland looked at him.
Then rested her head against his chest.
"I think I'm falling for you," she whispered.
Grant's heart skipped.
He held her tighter.
"You're not alone."
Later – Beneath the Stars
After the party, when the lanterns dimmed and most of the pack had gone to bed, Scottland and Grant walked the garden paths hand in hand.
The stars stretched endlessly above them.
"Tell me something true," she said.
He paused.
"I've never loved anyone the way I'm starting to love you."
She blinked.
Soft smile.
"Good. Because I've never been allowed to love before. And I'd like to learn with you."
He stopped walking.
Turned toward her.
"I want to kiss you," he said softly. "But only if you want that, too."
She touched his chest.
Rose on her toes.
And kissed him first.
The Kiss
It wasn't explosive.
Or desperate.
It was soft.
Curious.
A gentle press of lips.
The kind of kiss that asked, Can I?
And answered, Yes.
Grant cupped the back of her head. Scottland's fingers curled in his shirt.
When they pulled apart, they were both smiling.
"This feels like home," she said.
Grant rested his forehead to hers.
"You are my home."
Closing Scene – A Candle in the Dark
Later, in her room, Scottland lit a single candle on the windowsill.
She opened her journal—the one Wren had given her months ago—and finally wrote something more than a single sentence.
She wrote:
"I stood up.
I danced.
I kissed someone I chose.
And I want to keep choosing.
Every day."
She blew out the candle.
And slept through the night with no nightmares.
Just dreams.
Of yellow dresses, silver shoes, and the Alpha who never asked her to be anything but herself.