43. Sabs #2
“You better not run away from me this time.” I pretend to scold him, though the memories of that night still leave a bitter taste on my tongue.
“Run?” He tightens his grip on me then reaches up to stroke the spot where his teeth left a permanent mark on my skin. “I’m never leaving you again.”
“Get a room!” Carmen teases from next to us where she’s dancing with her gorgeous omega, Amora.
“They’re still in the early bonding phase.” Amora tuts. “You remember what that’s like.”
“I still can’t keep my hands off you,” Carmen replies fondly, twirling Amora around and making her giggle.
“Me neither,” Drax murmurs into my hair.
After Drax insists on dancing with me for three full songs, where I grind on him in a way that drives him wild, Adler decides that it’s definitely his turn now.
He takes me from Drax, who heads over to the bar with Luca.
After giving Adler my full attention for one song, Luca joins us, making me the filling of a yummy alpha dancing sandwich, the rest of the party falling away.
“We’re all thinking of going to Club Knotty next.” Nia’s voice pulls us out of our rhythm. “Are you guys coming?”
“I think we’re gonna have an early night,” Adler answers before I have a chance.
“I bet you are.” Corbin appears behind Nia, wiggling his eyebrows with a knowing smirk. “Have fun.”
After saying our goodbyes, we all traipse along the beach so we can catch a cart home. When we reach the sidewalk, I’m surprised to see Orin waiting.
“Orin?” I blink as he leans against his car, looking sexy as hell, as usual. “What are you doing here? I thought you were working late.”
He opens the car door for me. “I told you I had something special planned, remember?”
“You didn’t tell me that it was happening tonight!” I squeal before noticing that the others hold back. “Aren’t you all coming too?”
Luca beams at me. “This one is all for you.”
“I’ll keep the nest warm for when you get home,” Adler promises.
“Not if I get there first,” Drax quips.
“Get in.” Orin places his palm on my lower back, urging me inside the car. “You don’t want to be late.”
“So you’re not going to tell me where we’re going?” I ask when the car hums to life.
“Nope,” he replies mysteriously. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
Over the last few weeks, we’ve gotten to know each other a lot more.
While he’s opened up to me a little about what he’s gone through in the past, Orin still struggles to talk about his own feelings.
However, we do understand each other better, and I’ve learned that we share the same fierce sense of loyalty.
Bonding with him has given me an insight into how much he truly cares.
How his first priority really is everyone else in the pack, and despite acting like a grump sometimes, he enjoys being everyone’s rock.
Drax is still acclimating to being an alpha, and Orin monitors his mood.
Adler is a loose cannon that he has to keep in check.
While Luca is more sensitive, the pack mediator, Orin can be that firm voice of reason when Luca’s kind approach doesn’t work.
“Is this going to be another Desperate Housewives watch party?” I giggle.
We had a date last week where he took a rare night off, ordered in all my favorite food, then settled in for a Desperate Housewives marathon. We had so much fun, despite not being able to watch half as many episodes as we planned because, Well… We got a little distracted.
“Not tonight.”
I search my brain as we turn down the road to Omega Village. “Do you need to speak to Margie?”
Orin doesn’t say anything, pulling to a stop near Margie’s security kiosk.
“Okay, what are we doing here?” I turn to face him. “I don’t understand.”
“Your surprise is waiting for you at Stella House.”
“But you can’t come with me.” I wave at the gate. “Omegas only, remember?”
“This surprise isn’t for me.” A smile tips Orin’s lips. “Call me when you’re done.”
“Okay…” I eye him skeptically before I get out of the car and walk down the street, Orin’s headlights illuminating the path, watching every step I take.
Margie looks up from the true crime magazine she’s reading inside her kiosk, waving at me as I pass with a knowing twinkle in her eye. “Have a good night, hon!”
I briefly chat with the omegas I pass on my short walk to Stella House. Several are in costumes, on their way to Club Knotty.
I smile, remembering all of the fun themed nights the Stellas and I have spent together—the inner animal night, the monster masquerade, and so many more.
It’s the first time I’ve been back to Stella House since bonding with every alpha in my pack, wonderful memories warming me as I halt on the familiar porch steps. There’s a light coming from inside, shining through a gap in the curtains.
Confused, I go to the door and find that it’s left open.
“Hello?” I call out.
“Up here!” a familiar voice responds as a dash of orange fluff whips past my ankles, causing me to jump out of my skin.
“Holy shit, Larry!” I clutch my chest. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
My jaw drops when I look up to see Delilah standing at the top of the staircase, beckoning me. “Come on, we’re all in the cuddle den!”
Before I can ask any questions, she scampers away.
I follow her up into the attic, where I’m greeted by the comforting glow of the twinkling fairy lights.
Along with Delilah, I’m stunned to see that Kady and Faye are here too.
They’ve already made themselves comfortable, lounging out among the plethora of cozy cushions, but they jump up as soon as they see me.
They’re all wearing matching pink hoodies that have a sparkly silver S on the front.
“What are you all doing here?” I cock my hip. “You’re supposed to be busy!”
“We’re never too busy for you.” Delilah gives me a hug. “Orin got in touch to say that he wanted to surprise you, and he thought a final night in Stella House might be what you need. So I rescheduled my flight to tomorrow.”
Mr. Grumpy-Pants strikes again with an incredible gift. I’ll have to thank him properly later.
“But what about the crisis you were dealing with?” I ask Kady as Delilah releases me. Before Kady can reply, I turn to Faye. “Or the special plant?”
Kady flicks her wrist. “Calder and Devon have it all under control.”
“And I helped with what I could, but Ezra can manage the rest on his own,” Faye says.
“Come on.” Delilah pulls me to my usual spot. “Sit down.”
A projector screen has been assembled, turning the den into a mini theatre. The others settle down around me, where there are piles of snacks and mountains of blankets.
“This is just like the good old days, right?” Kady remarks while loading up the movie. “Wow, I already miss this place.”
“I thought you were still living here?” I ask her.
“Actually, I decided to move my things into the guys’ apartment.” She shrugs. “After you moved out, I was spending more time there anyway, so it made sense to make the move permanent. Margie is already planning a big renovation for the place.”
“So…” A lump forms in my throat. “This is our last night in Stella House together, then.”
Delilah sniffs, dabbing at her eyes. “I never thought I’d feel so emotional about it.”
“Come on, Del!” Kady throws a cushion at her. “This is supposed to be fun.”
“We got these made.” Faye hands me the same pink hoodie that they’re all wearing. “We have the bathrobes, but we thought it’d be nice to have something to wear outside the house too.”
In addition to the sparkly silver S on the front, there’s a big Stella logo on the back in swirly text with little stars. I briefly clutch it to my chest before putting it on. Being encased in the soft material is like being hugged by a cloud. “This is so comfy!”
Faye grins. “I thought you’d like it.”
“We should start the movie soon.” I think I detect a slight crack in Kady’s voice. She’s secretly more emotional than she lets on. She points at the screen, tucking her feet underneath her. “You do have a flight to catch in the morning, Del.”
Del starts to hand out snacks, ignoring Kady. “I made everyone’s favorites for the occasion.”
She passes me a slab of toffee cheesecake, hands a colossal slice of chocolate fudge cake to Faye, and a lemon tart to Kady, reserving a mini key lime pie for herself.
Kady sighs as she takes a bite. “I do miss your cooking.”
We all get comfortable as the movie comes on, laughing along and talking through most of it.
“I can’t believe Orin planned this for me.” I grin as I scoop up cheesecake crumbs with my finger. “I mentioned to Luca that something like is just what I need, but how did Orin know?”
“Sometimes your bonded mates can know you even better than you know yourself,” Faye remarks wisely.