Hello, there! As always, thank you a million times for the support in this journey! I'm very happy you like it :)

I'm not sure if I'll update before New Year, so Happy New Year to you and yours, and may this New Year bring you all the happiness, and success you deserve.

Without further ado,

ENJOY (And review)

WARRIOR

Chapter 11.

As soon as they crossed the threshold and I was in their arms, all my nerves disappeared. They were here with me finally. So many things had changed, so many things had been said, and yet we remained mostly the same.

I wished I could have captured their expressions on camera when I told them I knew I was their mate. They were so shocked. Sam reacted as I expected, given what happened a few days ago. It didn't stop me from telling him to fuck off because it still wasn't my responsibility to come clean about the whole mate thing.

But after that minor hiccup, everything went smoothly. I cuddled to their warm bodies on the couch, forgoing my usual fluffy blanket. And I was the happiest I had ever been.

They were so accommodating. I just wanted to be held by them. No rush to take off our clothes, no matter how tempting. I was sure I wanted them both before our weekend was over, but I wanted to feel their arms around me first.

Sam's answer when I explained this almost made me cry. "We'll never pressure you to do anything you don't want, sweetheart. I can speak for both of us when I say we are just as happy to hold you."

Paul then gave me a cheeky smile. "Okay, maybe not just as happy, but close enough."

I snorted and laughed, but I knew what he meant and that, despite his words, he was happy with just holding me.

I was on cloud nine. On a cloud of warm bodies surrounding me and lulling me into the safest place I've ever been—the sense of home.

I once read a book where the main male character was visiting his parents, and his dad told him it was crazy how the feeling of home could go from a place to a person. That's what I felt.

They've proclaimed their love for me without any expectations. I was scared of being hurt, but I knew deep in my heart that it was worth it and that they would do anything in their power to protect my heart.

I moved from the couch to sit on the coffee table facing them. Sam paused the movie, and he and Paul gave me their undivided attention.

"I love you," I said, looking between them both. "You are my home."

The happiness in their eyes and faces was beautiful. I didn't have words to describe them. I could give them the words back. It was scary, and it almost went against my instincts to say it back. I felt it; I trusted them, so I took the leap of faith. After Edward left, I became reluctant to let other people into my heart. I was afraid that once I loved them, they would leave me, too. But with the passing of the months, I understood that I couldn't control other people's actions. I could only control my reaction.

And, like I said. I trusted Sam and Paul. Whatever the future held for us, I was 90% sure we would stick together.

I leaned down and kissed Sam first and then Paul. Sam hauled me to his lap and hugged me tighltly while Paul kept hold of my hands. It was an awkward position, neither of them relinquishing their hold on me, but I didn't care.

We spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling on the couch, alternating between talking and watching whatever was on the TV until my stomach announced its need for nourishment.

I blushed, remembering I hadn't had anything since my miserable cereal and yogurt in the morning. I had been busy getting my next week's assignments ready early, so I had my weekend free that I completely forgot about lunch, and now my stomach was angry.

Paul let out a low chuckle. "You sound like you'll eat for an army."

I had never been picky with eating, but eating in front of someone who didn't need to eat made me a bit self-conscious about it. I was trying to get over it.

Baby steps.

"I'm actually starving."

Sam frowned, too in tune with my mood to easily read what was not said out loud.

"When did you last eat?"

I lowered my gaze. Food and nourishment was important to them. It was for me, too. I had gotten better in my relationship with food. I actually ate it now instead of pushing it around my plate or nibbling at it.

"This morning." I murmured, knowing there was no point in hiding or lying about it.

Paul stood up and kissed my forehead before heading to the door. "I'll get us something to eat."

I nodded, confused. Was this part of them taking care of me and providing for me? It didn't make sense. They've ordered takeout plenty of times before.

Once Paul was gone, Sam turned to me. "He's giving us some space to talk."

Oh. I wasn't sure I liked the sound of that.

"Talk? Do you regret telling me?"

He shook his head vehemently. "I only regret not telling you sooner."

I nodded again, feeling like a bubblehead.

"I want to make sure you know without a shadow of a doubt that I don't love Leah or hold any residual feelings toward her. I hadn't had feelings for her for months. Even before knowing you."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"She was your first love. I know how deeply that can affect you." I didn't like it. I didn't like what it meant for him and me, but I couldn't change the reality of it.

"I admit it left a mark. I did love her once upon a time. Do you remember when we talked about it?"

I did remember. It was soon after I met them, before I caught feelings for him, right back when things with Jake were complicated, and I was still half zombie, half faking it till I made it. Essentially, he told me he'd loved her deeply, and breaking up with her, breaking her heart, had been one of the most difficult things he'd had to do in his life. I saw how sad he was about it and how much I wanted to take away his pain.

"I'm pretty sure I fell in love with you that day."

"But that was early on, even before Jake and I fooled around." It must have been hard for him to hear about his packmate and friend fucking the girl he had feelings for.

"It was uncomfortable, and I hadn't realized you were my mate yet, so it was all a mess in my head. When I told you about Leah, I had already gotten over her. Yes, I was sad because she was or is a good person, and I hated hurting her and lying. But it had to be done. I was sad because I felt awful for causing her pain. But you sat there, still suffering from your own heartbreak, and you lent me an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on. You didn't try to tell me it would be okay or that she would forgive me. You sat there, holding my heart in your hands, and you kept it safe and guarded. You listened, you saw me, and I fell hard and fast."

I was pretty sure I had tears in my eyes.

"All this to say that me hiding Leah and Seth from you has nothing to do with me possibly still having feelings for her. I don't have feelings for her and haven't for a long time. I embraced the mating bond and my feelings for you the day Jared asked you about your relationship with Jake."

He took my face between his big hands and rubbed his thumbs over my cheeks.

"Paul left because I asked him to give me a few minutes to clear that part. I don't have a problem sharing you with him, but there are things that I want to keep between you and me."

I understood. They had enough with sharing thoughts when phased. They could control what they shared and what not, but sometimes something slipped through.

My heart was beating faster than it's ever beaten, and it was all because of this man sitting in front of me, pouring out his own heart. If I weren't already head over heels for him, this confession would have definitely tilted the balance.

I hated to admit it but having the reassurance that there was no space left for Leah in his heart put me at ease. I didn't like that she was now in his pack and, therefore, would be spending a lot of time together, but I trusted Sam. Despite the hiccup of him hiding information from me, I know he didn't do it out of malice. As I said, I trusted him and whatever we were building.

I knew he'd never intentionally hurt me.

"Please say something." He whispered, and only then I noticed that I had been quiet for the whole speech.

"I trust you." It was all I managed to say.

He smiled softly and leaned forward, capturing my lips in his in a soft kiss.

"Are we okay?"

I nodded, and it was my turn to encase his face in my hands. "We are. I promise. No more bringing this up, okay?"

Instead of verbalizing his response, he kissed me deeper, and I was all in for that kind of answer.

I was getting aggravated; my breathing was labored, and my hands couldn't find parking in one specific part of his body. I was consumed by him, so much so that I didn't hear the door opening or any approaching steps, which is why Paul's voice made me jump when he spoke from behind me.

"Starting on the fun without me? I'm offended."

I broke away from Sam, who was also breathing hard, aside from being hard against my leg. He let out a frustrated groan that went straight to my core.

Paul was the epitome of calm and aloofness, but the bulge in his pants clearly indicated that he was not as unaffected as he appeared to be.

I licked my lips, thinking and fantasizing about having these two hunks all to myself. It was amazing that I could fantasize about it without feeling awkward. They were mine, finally.

It was time for me to take advantage of that.

But my stomach had other plans. It growled loudly, reminding us of the secondary reason Paul had gone out.

He took my hand and lifted me off Sam's lap, leading me through the small space to the kitchen island, where he told me to sit while he took everything out of the bags and set them on the counter.

"You must have bought the entire menu!" I exclaimed when he kept taking things out of the bags. The entire counter was covered in food containers.

He shrugged. "I couldn't decide, so I brought most of the stuff they had on the menu."

It was an assortment of pastas, lasagnas, and risotto, and I spied a meat carpaccio somewhere. He must know about my weakness for Italian food. It really all looked delicious, and I found myself getting a forkful of different containers into a plate. Angela had some cheap wine in the fridge, but since I didn't usually drink alcohol, the guys denied my offer and settled with glasses of water.

As always, when food was involved, they waited until I had enough food on my plate, and when I say enough, I mean enough for them to be satisfied with, which was way more food than I could actually eat. So they made sure I was served before they dug in. I always wondered where they stored so much food. None of them had much fat in their bodies. They usually ate healthy, but I had also seen the amount of sweets those two could devour.

"Are you okay?" Paul asked for the first time since he served me the food. I didn't take his silence personally.

"I am. I'm just stuffed. If I eat anything more, I will explode." I patted my stomach while reclining back on the chair.

He and Sam divided the food I had left on my plate among themselves and stored whatever was left in the containers in the fridge.

"How about we watch a movie and keep our hands to ourselves for a few hours?" Sam suggested.

"I'm in with the movie, but I can't promise to keep my hands to myself." I retorted, and I meant it.

Paul laughed heartily and tucked me to his side when we sat on the couch.

"My favorite kind of movie." He whispered huskily in my ear. I grinned.

My favorite kind of movie, too.