The Alpha’s Surgeon

34

The bourbon had loosened everyone, the warm haze of the drink mixing perfectly with the cozy cabin atmosphere. Laughter had softened into something more mischievous, and playful teasing naturally began to slide into flirtation.

Rae leaned a little closer to Trey, her smirk turning teasingly sultry. “You know,” she murmured, tipping her cup slightly, “you could at least try keeping up with me… if you’re not too busy staring.”

Trey’s green eyes sparkled as he grinned. “Oh, I’m keeping up. Just making sure you don’t trip over your own confidence.”

Rae rolled her eyes, but the teasing lilt in her voice betrayed her amusement. “Confidence is required if you want to survive my chaos.” She leaned just a fraction closer, and Trey matched her movement, the playful tension simmering.

Across the room, Del and Elijah were in their own dance of smirks and subtle nudges. Del elbowed him lightly, whispering something under her breath that made him laugh and roll his eyes. “You think you can outsmart me?” she teased.

Elijah’s grin was slow, deliberate. “Outsmart you? Please. I’ve been trying to figure out how to keep up since meeting you.”

Del laughed, leaning on the counter casually, letting her gaze linger on him with a warmth that was unmistakable. “Well, consider this your trial by fire, Carter.”

Meanwhile, Will and Remi sat near each other, leaning back in their chairs with their cups in hand. Remi caught Will glancing at her more than once and raised a brow. “What? You staring or just pretending to be thoughtful?”

Will smirked, setting his cup down and leaning closer. “Maybe a little of both. You’re hard to ignore, you know.”

Remi laughed softly, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Careful, or I might take that as an invitation to tease you back.”

With Aspen sprawled asleep between them, the room’s energy had shifted from playful chaos to something warmer, charged with laughter, soft glances, and the kind of subtle, teasing flirtation that promised the night was far from over.

The playful teasing hung in the air like charged static, the cabin warm with the fire crackling and the soft hum of conversation. Cups sat forgotten on the table as laughter died down, leaving only the quiet of lingering glances and Aspen’s tail thumping against the floor.

Trey leaned closer to Rae under the pretense of checking something on her cup. His hand brushed hers, lingering just a beat too long. Rae smirked, tilting her head teasingly. “Careful, Carter,” she murmured, voice low but playful.

Trey’s green eyes darkened, and without another word, he leaned in. Their lips met in a sudden, electric kiss, full of the mischief and tension that had been simmering all evening. Rae laughed softly against him, teasing yet surrendering just enough to feel the heat of the moment.

Across the room, Del edged closer to Elijah. A shared joke turned into a brush of arms, and before either could stop it, their lips pressed together. Elijah’s hands found her waist, pulling her slightly closer. Del leaned in with a breathless smirk, matching his intensity.

Will, across from Remi, hesitated only a heartbeat longer before leaning over, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Their lips met in a slow, deliberate kiss, playful teasing melting into heated connection.

It was in that moment, breathless and flushed, that Trey muttered, almost without thinking, “You’re mine, Rae.”

Rae blinked at him, surprised by the sudden seriousness in his voice. “Excuse me?”

“I said it,” Trey repeated, green eyes locked on hers, a teasing grin tugging at his lips but something sharper underneath. “You’re mine. Always have been.”

Elijah froze for half a heartbeat, then smirked at Del. “So… I guess that makes you mine too.”

Del’s eyes widened in mock shock, though her grin betrayed her amusement. “You don’t even know what you’re saying!”

Will’s gaze flicked to Remi, and his lips twitched into an amused smile. “Looks like… I’ve got you, huh?”

Remi blinked at him, surprised, but the teasing sparkle in her eyes didn’t fade. “Finally admitting it, huh? About time.”

The room went quiet for a beat. Rae’s mouth fell open, Del’s eyes widened, and Remi blinked, all of them suddenly realizing the weight of what had just been said.

Trey’s grin softened as he leaned closer to Rae again. “So… yeah. You’re my mate. Guess it’s out now.”

Elijah laughed softly, brushing a loose strand from Del’s face. “Seems like the cat’s out of the bag for both of us.”

Will shook his head, smiling faintly at Remi. “And me too, huh?”

Aspen, oblivious to the revelation, shifted in his sleep, tail thumping approvingly.

The cabin was charged—heated, chaotic, and undeniably warm. The teasing, the playful tension, the heat—all of it had led to the truth being spoken aloud. The boys had let it slip first, and suddenly, nothing could be unsaid: they were all mates.

Rae blinked at Trey and Elijah, still flushed from the kisses and the heat in the room. “Wait… how long have you… known?” she asked, voice a mixture of disbelief and teasing exasperation.

Trey smirked, leaning back in his chair with an easy confidence. “Honestly? From the moment you and Del collided into us yesterday morning,” he said, eyes glinting. “Aspen’s chaos aside, it was… obvious.”

Elijah chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Yeah. You can’t hide the way you two interact. The pull was instant—like gravity, but messier and way more entertaining.”

Rae’s eyebrows shot up. “So… since yesterday? You’ve just been holding onto that while letting us think nothing?”

Del elbowed her lightly, grinning. “Guess you weren’t the only one who had a wake-up call today.”

Will, sitting slightly apart, rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “I… uh…” he admitted, voice quieter. “I’ve actually known for a while. Back in school, after I shifted… and Remi announced she was leaving for college. Something just clicked, you know?”

Remi raised a brow, mock glaring at him. “Sheesh, Will. You didn’t think to tell me then?”

Will shrugged, a small grin tugging at his lips. “I didn’t want to scare you. Or… ruin the moment. I thought maybe… it’d be better to wait.”

Rae, still smirking, nudged him with her elbow. “Better to wait? You’re lucky I’m not throwing this cup at your head.”

Trey laughed, eyes flicking between them all. “Guess that makes us all a little sneaky, huh? But… it fits.”

Del leaned back, brushing her hair behind her shoulder, grinning at Elijah. “So… you’ve been waiting to see if I survived your initial judgment before claiming me too?”

Elijah just shrugged, smirk still in place. “A little observation never hurt anyone.”

Rae rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a grin. “Well… I guess that explains a lot.”

The room settled into a warm, quiet hum after the revelation, the girls still a little stunned, the boys slightly smug, and Aspen’s tail thumping against the floor in rhythm with the calm chaos they all called home.