45. Lakelyn
CHAPTER 45
Lakelyn
I blink awake, still enveloped in Chad’s nest, disoriented and unsure of what day it is. Memories drift in fragments, hazy and warm, as I stretch slowly, every muscle protesting even the smallest movement. My stomach growls, a reminder of hunger surfacing for the first time in what feels like days.
Dean is curled around me, his arm draped protectively over my side, tucking me securely against him. Chad presses in from behind, his warmth radiating from him, while Mason is nestled close behind him, completing the protective cocoon they’ve created around me.
As I lie there, cocooned between them, the memories start to sharpen. Flashes of heat, the rush of their touch, and—oh.
I’m—an omega .
I can feel it now, feel the change in me like a pulse, steady and undeniable. As the realization settles, my perfume fills the air, stronger than ever. Blueberry pie, sweet and warm, wraps around us, as real as the bond between us all. It’s proof, unmistakable now that it wasn’t just some fever dream; I really did present as omega, and the pack felt it too.
With my senses heightened, everything comes into focus. The steady, grounding rhythm of Dean’s breath feathering over my skin. Chad’s warmth, his body curving instinctively toward mine. And Mason, just a touch removed but close enough that his presence anchors me. I inhale deeply, my scent mingling with theirs, the mixture so familiar yet more intense than before. This new awareness spreads through me, bringing with it a feeling of belonging—like I’ve finally slipped into the place I was always meant to be.
It’s a lot. The feelings almost overwhelm me, at the same time, the bond between us settles me. It’s a strange combination.
I carefully slip out of bed, moving slowly to avoid disturbing them. I pull on my sleep shorts and the tank top. My body still feels deliciously worn out, but the pang of hunger keeps me going. Softly, I pad out of the nest, brushing away a stray feather from one of the pillows that’s clung to my shirt, and make my way toward the kitchen.
The house is quiet, the morning light filtering in through the windows, and I start searching through the cabinets, pulling them open one by one. Nothing but a box of tea bags and a bag of rice. I glance around, hoping for something, but it looks like Chad hasn't exactly had time to stock up.
Just as I turn around, a warm pair of arms wraps around my waist, pulling me into a solid, comforting chest. I sink back into him, relaxing as Chad presses a soft, lingering kiss to the side of my neck. His heat must have broken just like mine.
"Morning," he murmurs, his voice low and gravelly, the sound vibrating against my skin. I can’t help but melt into him, tilting my head slightly so he can nuzzle closer.
"Good morning," I reply, smiling as I feel his arms tighten around me. I turn my head enough to catch his sleepy gaze, his dark eyes softened with that barely-woken haze. It’s like I can feel him everywhere, his scent still clinging to my skin, and I never want to move from this spot.
But my stomach has other ideas, letting out a loud growl. He chuckles, low and rumbling against my back, and I sigh. "I don’t think there’s anything here for breakfast," I admit, pulling away just enough to gesture to the empty shelves.
Chad glances around the bare cabinets and nods. “Yeah… I got pretty wrapped up in building the nest. Never had one before.”
I turn in his arms, looking up at him in surprise. “You’ve never had a nest?”
He gives me a small, self-conscious smile and shrugs. “I guess I never felt… safe enough. Subconsciously, maybe I didn’t believe I deserved one.” His voice is soft, almost hesitant, as if sharing something he rarely lets himself acknowledge.
My heart clenches at the vulnerability in his words, and I tighten my arms around his waist, resting my head on his shoulder. "You deserve it," I whisper, pressing a gentle kiss to his collarbone as if I can convince him with the warmth of my touch. "And you deserve all the breakfasts and all the lazy mornings in it, too."
He sighs, hugging me close, his chin resting on the top of my head. “Well… maybe this one, at least.”
A warm sense of belonging fills me, and after a few moments of quiet, I lift my head, brushing my hand over his chest. “How about I go pick something up? You can get a little more rest.”
He shakes his head, a resolute look in his eyes. “Not a chance,” he says, a soft smile lifting his lips. “We’re going together.”
I raise a brow, giving him a teasing smile. "You sure you’re up for it? Sun’s barely up."
He chuckles, leaning down to press a playful kiss to my forehead. "I’d go anywhere with you. Besides, breakfast with my omega isn’t something I’m about to miss."
“Maybe you’re my omega,” I counter, tilting my head up with a smirk.
His eyes sparkle, and he pulls me closer, voice warm and low. “No ‘maybe’ about it. I’m all yours.”
The grocery store is quiet, the aisles empty as we wander through. We’re like a couple of teenagers who can’t help touching, brushing against each other at every turn. I lean closer, letting our arms bump and our fingers lace together as if some part of me needs his touch, craves it in a way that’s new and almost overwhelming. Is this how it feels for Chad all the time—like touch isn’t just wanted but necessary?
He carries a small black basket in his other hand filled with breakfast essentials: sausage, bacon, eggs, pancake mix, and orange juice. It’s everything we need for a lazy morning feast. I skip the grits today, even though I usually love them, but I can’t quite get into the mood for them. We stroll slowly, savoring this new closeness, feeling as much at home here in each other’s presence as we do in our nest.
Our nest.
The thought drifts into my mind, so naturally, I almost don’t notice it. But it feels right, sinking in like a secret I didn’t know I’d been holding. My heart skips a beat, and as if he can sense the shift, Chad squeezes my fingers, a subtle confirmation, like he’s reached right into my thoughts and saw what I’m thinking.
We continue strolling down the aisle, his fingers still woven with mine as we share quiet smiles, basking in the ease and warmth of each other's company. My mind drifts, already picturing us back in the kitchen, filling the space with laughter and the scent of breakfast, like a little pocket of peace that belongs just to us.
Then something shifts. I can’t quite place it at first, but a faint prickling awareness settles along the back of my neck, as if the air itself has changed, charged with something… unfamiliar. Chad’s fingers pause against mine, and he glances over, his gaze sharpening.
“You feel that?” I whisper, trying to brush off the unease with a smile, but it doesn’t quite stick.
He nods subtly, scanning the aisle ahead. "Yeah," he murmurs, his voice low. “Like we’re not alone.”
A chill creeps up my spine as I glance around, but there’s nothing out of place. The store is empty, quiet save for the faint hum of the overhead lights and the distant buzz of the freezer section. But that feeling remains, like a presence lingering just beyond view, watching.
“Let’s finish up and head back,” he says softly, guiding me closer, his arm slipping protectively around my waist.
I nod, leaning into him as we walk to the checkout. The warmth and strength of his arm around me help soothe some of my nerves, but I can’t quite shake the feeling, like shadows watching from the edges of our sanctuary.
We pay quickly, both of us on edge now, and as we make our way toward the exit. Chad’s hand tightens around mine, linking with my fingers again, his thumb rubbing circles against my palm.
“Whatever it is,” he murmurs reassuringly, “I’m not letting anything near you.”
As we step into the parking lot, my eyes dart around, searching for any movement or flicker of someone watching. I try to shake the feeling, but a memory nudges its way forward— Jenny, the alpha that wants Chad, her cold stare fixed on me, as if I had taken something that belonged to her. Her words from that day echo in my head…she’s obsessed, and I wouldn’t put it past her to be following Chad.
I hesitate, my gaze drifting over the rows of parked cars. There’s no sign of her, but the feeling lingers, prickling through me, settling like a lead weight in my chest. I hadn’t seen her since that encounter, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about her. The way she’d watched Chad, like she was convinced he was already hers and I was just a temporary inconvenience, some passing fling she had to tolerate.
But she is wrong. Very wrong.
The bond between us feels unbreakable now, woven far deeper than I could have ever imagined. And maybe there are still conversations ahead—sorting through everything that happened in those days spent wrapped in each other’s arms, drifting between sleep and pure instinct.
None of us could have anticipated it would go this far. Or that I’d present as an omega, reshaping every dynamic we had, challenging everything I thought I understood about myself. Years ago, I’d dreamed of being omega, only to push that wish down until I convinced myself it wasn’t meant for me. Now, that ache flares in my chest, raw and real, knowing how right it feels.
Scent-bound, omega, soul-bound... It’s created something so much more than a simple pack. What we have now is undeniable, layered and complex, something no one—Jenny or anyone else—could ever take from us.
I open the trunk, and Chad sets our bags inside. Just as I reach to close it, strong arms wrap around me from behind. A cloth presses against my face, suffocating me with a scent sharp and chemical. I try to twist away, but dizziness quickly fogs my mind, my vision blurring as dark spots creep in at the edges. My limbs go heavy, the world tilting, until everything slips into blackness.