Chapter 33
My head isn’t in my work, and everyone knows it.
Today marked the end of Omen’s birth father’s criminal trial.
Hopefully, he will be sentenced for the horrifying crimes he has committed.
I still shudder remembering the sound of his fists hitting her body when their confrontation was live-streamed last summer.
Giving up the pretense of accomplishing anything, I wander down the hall to knock on Shiloh’s door. He’s on the phone, but waves me in. When I walk toward the comfy couch on the opposite side of the room, he scowls and points to his lap.
The way this Alpha has gone from pushing me away at every turn to demanding my presence is jarring. And hot as fuck. There is nothing hotter than a groveling Alpha begging for his Omega’s attention.
Slipping onto his lap, I relax my head against his shoulder. The warm white sand and amber scent settle the restless energy buzzing beneath my skin. My worry about Omen doesn’t go away completely, but it feels more manageable.
His call ends, and he hangs up the receiver, leaning back in his chair to look at me.
“Going to repeat the last time we were alone in your office?” I joke, the faintest hint of my perfume flitting through the air.
Heat fills his eyes, but he shakes his head. “As tempting as that offer is, loss of control isn’t what you need today.”
Raising a brow, I silently urge him to continue. Despite how tumultuous our relationship has been, he has always anticipated my needs before I can voice them. Some innate instincts his Alpha can understand that the others cannot.
“You need a distraction.”
Pressing a small kiss to my lips, he helps me stand.
I follow him out the door, waving to Jane as he tells her we are leaving for the day.
She beams at us, giving me a quick thumbs up when he isn’t looking.
Heat floods my cheeks at the Beta woman’s excited support of what she believes is us leaving to hook up, but I just laugh it off.
Shiloh is quiet, humming along to the music during the short drive to his apartment building.
Excitement flutters in my stomach as we walk inside.
It’s odd to get my own keycard and access to the building.
I practically lived here for two months and didn’t get one.
I guess making the move permanent changes things.
The changes are immediately noticeable as soon as the elevator stops on Shiloh’s floor. Where another apartment door sat at the opposite end of the hall, a blank wall is now put in its place.
My eyes are wide as he leads me into his penthouse. This portion of the building looks the same. A large living area next to an open kitchen. The staircase leading down to the lower floor is new, though.
“I will take you on a full tour later,” Shiloh tells me, squeezing my hand. I let him lead me up the small staircase to the left, toward the guest room I had previously stayed in. When he opens the door, my jaw drops. Gone is the small, neutral space.
“This is…” I can’t find the words to express how incredible the massive bedroom is. It takes up the entire upper level. Soft pink walls sparkle in the afternoon sun, the glitter in the paint catching the light perfectly through the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows to our right.
Dropping my hand from his, I wander. A white padded bed frame holds a bed large enough for all five of my mates and me to share with room to spare.
Soft pastel bedding brings a pop of color to the room, but it’s the new collection of stuffed animals at the center that has my heart bursting.
Five in total. I grab one and hug it to my chest, nearly melting when Orion’s scent puffs out of it.
Tears drip down my cheeks at the realization that they scent-marked stuffies for my bed.
Shiloh’s arms wrap around me, hugging me against him. I soak in his warmth while I wrangle control of my wayward emotions.
“Ready to see the rest?”
“Yes!” I bounce on my toes as he gestures for me to one of the two doors across from the end of the bed. Opening it, I squeal in delight when I see the huge walk-in closet with a built-in vanity. Several outfits are already hanging up, with boxes waiting in one corner.
“Did you have my stuff sent here?”
“Some of it. The others have been packing things and bringing them here throughout the week. We want you moved in this weekend, but were told you hate packing.”
With a laugh, I spin and hug him. “I really, really do. Thank you for taking this off my plate.”
He holds me to him, drawing me up for a long, languid kiss. “Anything I can do to improve your day, I will.”
Next, he shows me my bathroom, which is just as drool-worthy as the rest of the penthouse. Gleaming white tile surrounds a sunken tub large enough to hold me and two of my Alphas. A pack-sized shower takes up one corner, equipped with multiple shower heads and a corner bench.
Every inch of the space he designed for me shows just how much thought he put into it. Anticipating our pack’s needs before he had even asked to be a part of it.
Fates, I want to fuck him. Feel his knot buried as deep inside me as I want his teeth to be.
“And the best part,” he whispers, pushing a hidden door open at the end of the bathroom.
My nest. It doesn’t have any of my mate’s scents yet, but the potential is there. It’s perfect. Bright and colorful without being overwhelming to my senses. The floor cushions are so soft, I’m tempted to lie down and take a nap just to enjoy them longer.
Glancing back, I see Shiloh hovering in the doorway. Waiting for permission to enter. Grinning, I lie back against a fluffy pink cushion and meet his eyes. “Come in, Alpha.”
He growls, stalking toward me. The pressure of his body against mine is everything I need. My hips rock, grinding against his hardened length. Our kiss is desperate, all tongue and teeth.
“Wait,” he chokes out, pulling back to sit on his knees. Our chests heave as we stare at each other. “As much as I would love to rut you into the floor of your new nest, we have plans.”
Pushing my lip into a pout, I inch my skirt up my thighs. He pins me with firm hands and a stern expression. “Behave, Omega, or you won’t get my cock at all.”
“Fine.” I blow out a breath and stand up, adjusting my soaked panties. I might need to change before we do whatever he has planned.
A buzzer rings through the apartment as we walk back into my bedroom.
I glance at Shiloh, who just smiles and kisses my cheek.
“Change into something more comfortable and meet us in the kitchen.” At the door, he pauses and gives me a narrow-eyed look.
“And make sure it is something appropriate for company.”
Flipping him off, I stomp into the closet and dig out a pair of pink leggings and a fluffy white sweater. Cozy but still teasing since the pants hug my ass and hips. He can suffer every time I lean or bend over.
Halfway out the door, I hear familiar voices speaking in the distance. I hurry down the stairs and jerk to a stop when I see my parents standing around the island.
“Bumblebee!” Dad rushes me, spinning me in a hug tight enough to knock the breath from my lungs. Things between us have been tense since their visit after we returned from Alabama.
The rest of my parents join us, surrounding me and hugging me just as tight. Shiloh leaves us be, sliding trays of food into the oven to heat.
“We owe you an apology,” Mom hedges, clasping my hands between hers. “We projected our worries and pushed you when you weren’t ready to talk. I hope you’ll forgive us for being overbearing.”
“I get it. If anything happened to one of you, I would react the same. Let’s just leave it in the past.” The front door opening interrupts more hugs. Over the next half hour, the rest of my mates trickle in. Clearly, Shiloh planned a family dinner and didn’t tell me.
“Sneaky Alpha,” I tease, leaning against the counter while he pulls rolls from the oven.
“You need a distraction, and so do they. I might have overstepped by reaching out to them, but if I am to be your Alpha-”
“You are,” I cut in. Clearing my throat and fighting back a blush, I clarify. “You are my Alpha.”
The purr that roars to life in his chest has me squirming. His arms cage me against the counter, lips pressing to mine. He dominates my mouth, taking control without touching any other part of my body. I fight back, nipping at his lips and sucking on his tongue.
“Mine,” he teases, licking my throat before he steps away. Heat sears between us, as hot as the oven he’s pulling trays of pasta from.
As much as I love my family, dinner cannot end soon enough.
“So, Shiloh, how old are you?” Mom asks after we’ve all sat down at the table. Of course, her first question is about the twenty-year age gap between us.
“Mom!”
“What? I’m not judging; I’m just curious.”
Shiloh places his hand over mine and squeezes, lips tilting up at the corner when I turn to look at him. The gray at his temples has spread over the past few months, leaving him with a salt and pepper look that makes my knees weak. Within the next year, he will be fully silver. My silver fox.
“I’m forty-two,” he tells them. “Early graying runs in my family.”
“I was simply curious. So long as you treat Bea right, we don’t care how big the age gap between you is.” Mom grins, looking at each of my mates.
Their inquisition continues. Digging into my mates’ careers and families as we enjoy the wonderful spread of food Shiloh’s chef prepared for us. Only Ridley is spared their questions since he had already passed their inspection when we visited my family home last summer.
Our phones chime, bringing the conversation to a halt. My hands shake as I grab the device from my pocket, worried to hear the results of the Pastor’s trial.
“The jury found him guilty,” my Alpha father, Phoenix, announces. We all let out a collective sigh of relief. Omen’s father is going to prison. For a very long time, given the charges against him.
“Thank the Fates.”