Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
“Wake up, it's Turkey-Murder Day!” Stella squeals as a solid omega-sized weight lands on top of me, scaring me awake.
I fling my pillow as I scream, heart pounding in my chest so hard that it aches. The last few days have been long and tiring, and all I want to do is sleep. I don’t even have to look at the clock to know that it’s currently some ungodly hour of the morning.
For starters, the sun isn’t up yet, but this also isn't the first Thanksgiving I’ve spent with Stella and her family…
“Don’t worry, Dad will be too drunk to set foot in the house. Plus, even if he tried, Nick would handle him. But I couldn’t stomach the thought of you spending today alone,” Stella explains as I follow her inside. Last year, I spent the day with Sable’s Grams, Kai, and Bee.
This year, Sable and Kai are both gone, and I can’t handle the thought of spending the holiday with Bee and Grams, knowing Kai and Sable won’t be there.
Since Mom passed, my dad has chosen to hide from the cheer and memories of the holidays and left me to figure it out on my own. Despite his efforts with the studio space, he still hasn’t returned to the man who used to sing holiday music off-key and share the turkey wishbone.
I barely made it through last year without Sable, and that was only because of Kai. So I told Stella I planned to sleep all day alone in my apartment this year, and she said absolutely not.
So, here I am.
“Nick tries really hard to cook.” Stella wrinkles her nose, and I snort. “Thirty, and the man still can’t cook.”
“It smells good in here,” I say, trying to give the alpha the benefit of the doubt.
“That’s because I helped this year. Next year, I’m kicking him out and only letting Benson help me.” We laugh as we walk into the kitchen, catching the attention of the alpha as he attempts to roll a pie crust under Benson’s supervision.
Having their attention on me makes me feel awkward, so I end up retreating to the den to wait for dinner. I can’t offer to help. I don’t know how to cook, and I don’t want to overstep or upset anyone.
I snort to myself, burying my face in the pillow as I remember that day. It was the first time I really noticed Nick. At the time, he was thirty, and that seemed so much older than the ten-year age gap does now.
At some point, I gathered the courage to hit on the man, just for a little fun. I didn’t think anything would come of it. He was less than amused, and that was how the crush started, I suppose.
“The sun isn’t even up yet, Stella,” I complain to the bundle of energy next to me, and she scoffs.
“The parade starts in three hours. Sable will be here in six hours, and everyone else gets here at three p.m. this afternoon. Except Kai. He’s already downstairs with Val, making us coffee.” I hear the wince, since I can’t see anything with an arm over my face. I groan, rolling away from her.
Undeterred by my obvious rejection, she climbs under my covers behind me before putting her ice-cold toes on my back.
“You demon!” I hiss, jerking away from her. I snap my head around to glare at her as I lean up on my elbows, but Stella just grins like the monster she is.
“If you hurry, you can watch Benson and Nick fight with Kai about who gets to make you breakfast.” She wiggles her brows at me, and I simply blink back, not the least bit interested in that.
“I’ll make sure one of them includes a cinnamon roll.
And I swear I won’t make you touch a single pie crust the entire day,” she vows, making me snort.
After helping the alphas get nearly two hundred pies baked for the town, I never want to see another pie again. Okay, that's a whole-ass lie, but I certainly never want to help bake one again.
I don’t know what we would’ve done if Stella and Val hadn’t gotten here five hours early. Stella helped bake, while Val and Kai helped Colter deliver what was left.
Since Kai was their ride from the airport, he was here all freaking night with them. I went to bed when I couldn’t stand the sight of him for another second. By then, I was so exhausted that I basically passed out face-first in a pillow, like I have every night this week.
“You’re well aware that I start my cooking and baking early!
Come on, let's get downstairs before the guys drink all the good coffee.” She starts tugging on my arm, and I groan, reluctantly tossing the covers off.
“Okay, well, you can’t go down there with your cheeks out.
” Stella snorts, pointing at my ass and the fact that I’m only wearing boy shorts.
“Give me ten,” I mumble, making my way over to the drawers filled with the alpha’s clothes. “I’ll be right down,” I add with a huff, pulling out sweatpants that smell like Nick and a shirt that smells like Benson.
I can only hope their scent is enough to keep Kai away from me most of the day.
I’m irritated and on edge as we set the table later in the day. I don’t like it when the people I care about are upset, and seeing Stella cry earlier set me off.
“I just don’t understand why she can’t at least spend time with us while we cook. She acts like we don’t even exist as much as she possibly can!” Stella cries, swiping angrily at her tears. We’re on the front porch swing, staring out at the sun rising on the horizon.
“Stella, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you have no less than six people in that house right now that love and adore you.” I take her hand in mine and lean into her. “I think it’s time to focus on what we have and not what’s missing,” I whisper, just as the front door opens.
“What's wrong?” Val asks, glancing around like there might be something to protect us from. Sadly, all her pain is inside. “Fuck,” he grunts, possibly figuring out why his girl is crying.
“I tried not to let it bug me, but she didn’t even come greet us last night.” She sniffs, wiping more tears away. “Why is she just hiding out in that house?” Stella demands, and my heart cracks open for her.
Val has his omega scooped into his arms and cuddled to his chest in seconds. His scent fills the air, soothing her, and I have to resist coughing so I don’t offend anyone.
“Can I talk to her?” Nick asks as he steps out onto the porch, crossing his arms. Val and I share a look, clearly not willing to leave Stella’s side for our own reasons. Nick snorts, shaking his head slightly. “Didn’t think so.”
I scoot over so he can sit beside her, at least. I mean, as much as he can, since she’s still in Val’s lap.
“She thinks she fucked us up and doesn’t deserve to spend happy moments with us, Stella. I think she wants to, and if she felt less guilty, maybe she would allow herself,” Nick explains, placing his large hand on hers.
I lean into the big alpha, resting my cheek on his bicep.
He’s being strong for his baby sister, but I can feel the pain in his words.
No one wants to feel rejected by their mother, not even big, strong alphas.
There’s not much I can do or say at this moment to help him, but I can offer him a little comfort.
Nick is facing Stella, but when I lean on him, he drops his free hand to my thigh, squeezing it.
“So what do we do then?” Stella asks, looking up at her big brother with full trust. She knows Nick only wants what's best for her and will do anything he can to make sure she’s okay.
“We give her space and hope that she eventually realizes what’s waiting for her.
” Nick sighs, patting her hand before getting to his feet.
He takes mine, bringing me with him. “We’ll see you in the house when you’re ready.
” Nick nods to Val, who tucks Stella under his chin, soaking her in his scent.
“I hate seeing her so sad,” I whisper when Nick and I are back in the house.
“Me too.” He nods, but he’s staring straight ahead, lost in his own thoughts. Silently, I pull the big alpha into my arms and hold him tight. He leans down and nuzzles my neck, and I release my scent to help soothe him.
I know all of this must be so hard for him. I witnessed a fight between him and his father once. Wrong place, wrong time. It was heartbreaking, and if his father's words are etched into my mind, they must be locked in Nick’s forever.
“You’re so strong and kind. Your siblings really needed you, and you took on all of this for them. I can see how much they love you,” I murmur. He’s the complete opposite of the fucked-up things his father tried to convince him of.
“You’re—”
I’ll never know what Nick was about to say, because Kai struts into the room and interrupts.
“Stupid fucking betas,” I hiss to myself at the memory of earlier as I place a fork by everyone’s plates.
Maybe seeing Stella cry didn’t help my mood, but the more I think about it, the more I realize Kai is what's putting me on edge. He’s been doing shit all day, and I’m over it. From insisting on making me breakfast to interrupting every intimate moment between the alphas and me.
Somehow, I made it through dinner without snapping at him, but I’m so annoyed that I’m now outside taking a walk to clear my head. Everyone else is still inside enjoying after-dinner drinks, but I needed to get away from Kai and Bee.
I’m pacing in the grass when I hear him again.
“I got these for you. They were expensive, but I found a place that grows them year-round. As soon as I found them, I knew I had to get them…” Kai holds up this huge bundle of dandelions, and all I can do is blink at him as he places them in my hands.
I glance down at them and then back up at the beta.
The yellow of them is almost fake-looking, with waxy green stems looking out of place in the harsh light of winter.
The audacity of this man will never stop blowing my mind.
“I was hoping you would—”
“Kai,” I snap, cutting him off. I shake my head, looking into his eyes for what feels like the first time in years.