Chapter 35
Thirty-Five
DARIA
Home. Vic’s words sink into my heart and settle there, warming me. I meant every word I said. I’m so glad he’s moving in too. We’ll all be together, and that makes me really happy. We’re moving fast, faster than any other relationship I’ve ever had, but it feels so right. That must be the scent match effect.
Fate wanted us to be together.
Who are we to deny her?
Before I can reach for my door handle, Linc is there, opening it and blocking my escape. Linc is a big guy, and his frame fills the doorway and blocks the glaring sun.
“Hey, bunny, I missed you.”
My stomach flutters. “Clingy much?” I tease.
“Always.” Then his hands are on my waist, hoisting me out of the truck, but instead of putting me down, he pins me to his body. My legs wrap around him on instinct, and he smirks up at me, hands moving to cup my ass. “Look at that, a perfect fit.”
“I guess so,” I say, running my fingers over the back of his neck.
Lifting me a little higher, he puts my tits right in front of his face and rests his forehead against my chest. “Wake me up when I’m dead.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “We have work to do. Let me down.”
“Fuck, no,” he says, sliding my body back down a little before walking toward the house with me in his arms, showing no sign of struggling. I’m a big girl, but I feel like a little damsel in his hold.
“You can’t carry me inside,” I warn him.
He gives me a look. “Watch me. Kai, open the door!”
A deep laugh comes from behind us, and I pull my focus from Linc to see Kai striding to catch up with us. “Do you need to be rescued?” he asks as he passes.
“I guess I’m fine.”
Linc swats my ass. “You’re more than fine. Say it with me: I’m hot as hell.”
“You’re going to be horrible for my ego,” I say with a laugh.
“Good.” Linc nods at Kai as he unlocks the door. His eyes meet mine. “Ready?” There’s a hint of trepidation, almost like he’s worried I’ll still say no.
Are we all living the same fever dream?
I glance at Kai, whose steady presence and smooth smile soothe away the errant worries that threaten to steal from the beauty of the moment. The first steps into my pack home.
My heart fluttering, I glance back at Vic, who is watching the whole thing with a big grin tugging at his lips. His smile is so beautiful. “Are you coming or what?” I shout to him, and Kai and Linc laugh.
“You’re perfect, you know that, right?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I bat my eyelashes at Kai. “I know.”
The guys all laugh again. Kai’s hand is on the doorknob, but he waits for Vic to join us before opening it. As the door swings wide, a rush of bergamot and cinnamon-scented air floats out of the house. There are traces of sweet myrrh, too, like Vic’s been here recently.
All that’s missing is me.
“Last chance to say no,” Linc says, holding my gaze.
“This is all I’ve dreamed about for years,” I confess. “I’m all in.”
“Good,” he purrs and carries me over the threshold, into my new home. “Because we’re not letting you go.”
Unloading the truck doesn’t take long. It helps that we left all my old furniture behind. I won’t miss my threadbare couch, scoffed coffee table, or bed. Plus, bringing that stuff into this house would be awkward.
Oh hi, do you mind if I put my rickety table down on your really expensive, super shiny wood floor?
Yeah. My stuff doesn’t belong here.
Part of me worries that neither do I. I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck for so long, always with the threat of losing my home looming overhead. But these guys own their house. While it’s not overly opulent, it’s clear money wasn’t a concern when they decorated the home. The gleaming wood floors are probably the most worn part, and even those are gleaming and pristine.
Everything else—the dining room table, the hutch full of formal dinnerware, the living room set, hell, even the little entryway table—are probably more expensive than all my furniture combined and looks brand new. Or maybe they’re made of quality materials and hold up better to the test of time than my discount dresser or bedside table. The house is masculine, but clean and minimalist, something I can get behind because it doesn’t make me feel quite so bad for not having anything to add.
Trying not to overthink where I came from and how clear it is that I probably won’t fit in with any of their rich friends, I tell myself that it’ll all be fine. So far, being an omega to this pack has been so easy. So...right. My money insecurities shouldn’t impact how I feel about being theirs. I’ll simply have to learn how to adjust to this new lifestyle. With the four of our incomes combined, I doubt there will be any times when I’ll have to worry about food or how I’ll pay the internet bill.
That should be a relief.
It’s not like I’m a gold digger. I had no idea they were rich when they asked to court me.
Ugh. Come on, Daria, stop worrying and start enjoying the moment!
Today is a happy day. Today is an amazing day.
I grab the last bag from the back of the truck, the one with my favorite things for my nest—a stolen shirt from Vic, a jacket from Kai, and some other essentials, like twinkle lights and my favorite fuzzy heart-shaped pillow. Although my nest hoard is admittedly nothing like my vision boards, it serves its purpose.
I head inside and head up to the second floor, following my nose and the path the guys have taken. There are eight bedrooms in this house, but I’ve only seen four. Each of the guys has their own, and so do I. My nest will be a shared space, and the room needs just the right vibe. Instead of heading toward my pack’s voices, I pivot and walk in the opposite direction, down the hall and toward the grouping of the remaining bedrooms. The first room has its own en suite bathroom and basic decor. Nothing fancy, but it could work, if not for the west-facing windows.
Logic says this house will have a good HVAC system. Past experience says I’ll still sweat my ass off in the summer. No thanks. I move to the next room, recoiling when a faint sweep of Ryan’s scent hits me. My stomach knots, and I slam the door. Definitely not that room.
Does he come to visit? I mean, the guys have said in passing that he doesn’t come around much, but he still has a room. What happens if he needs a place to crash or if he shows up drunk some night?
That’s a future Daria problem. Good vibes. Only good vibes today.
Shaking off my doubt, I move to the third door and take a breath. “Third time’s the charm,” I murmur to myself and twist the knob. The door swings open, revealing a room that’s been sloppily torn down to the studs, chunks of drywall fighting to cling to them, held on by one measly nail. The tack strips from a carpet still outline the room. But that’s not what makes my brow furrow as I step inside to take in the destruction.
The energy is way off.
Something tangibly horrible and unwelcoming. Something unfamiliar and threatening. This isn’t a safe space. The hairs on my neck rise, and a tiny little growl builds in the back of my throat.
So much for good vibes.
A familiar scent hits my nose, and I turn, catching Kai watching me with a guarded expression. “We’ve brought everything in.”
I nod, a hard line between my eyebrows. Why am I suddenly so on edge?
He hesitates outside the room, almost as though he’s reluctant to come in. “Lincoln struggles to find the right way to show he cares...” Kai studies me from where he stands. “But with you, he doesn’t even hesitate. Vic’s always worrying he’ll never be enough, and yet, every chance you get, you’re there to remind him exactly how much you want him.”
“And you?”
“I’ve never felt more content. Never felt more sure that my pack is taken care of. Never felt such...relief. You’re going to be good for us. I only hope we’ll be good enough for you.” He lets his gaze stray around the room. “This was Felicia’s nest.”
That explains why I don’t like it.
“Vic ripped it apart when she left,” he says softly, finally coming into the room with me. His frown deepens, and he scowls as he glances around, as if he can sense the wrongness too.
“I don’t like this room.” The words come out with the undercurrent of a growl. My instincts are screaming that there’s a threat somewhere in here. Even though there’s nothing left, even though I can’t smell that omega’s scent, she’s left something behind. Something vicious.
Kai pulls me into his arms. “You can do whatever you want with it. We can seal it up, so you never have to come into it again.” He brushes his cheek over mine, marking me. The citrus soothes some of my discontent, but it’s not enough to chase away the chill of wrongness that’s settled in my bones. “You can turn it into your closet or an office or whatever you want.”
“I was looking for a room for my nest.”
Kai hums and runs his hands over my back, soothing me. “I think I know the perfect spot.” One of his palms floats down my back so he can grab my hand. Facing me, he backs toward the door and searches my face. “Are you okay?”
I’m not sure. I knew about the ex, but seeing the room and what Vic did to it sort of makes it real, if that makes sense. Before, to me, she was only a figment of their past. Now, though? Now, I sort of feel like hunting her down and ripping her head off.
It’s obvious that whatever happened really hurt the guys, Vic especially. I remember the way he looked at me that night we met, like he expected rejection, like an omega would never want a beta.
She did that to him.
Another growl builds in the back of my throat.
“Vic, Linc!” Kai calls as he leads me out of the room. “Come here.”
They appear out of what’ll be my bedroom down the hall. When they see where we are, what space we emerged from, the two of them exchange quick, worried glances before rushing over.
“I found her in there,” Kai tells them. “She’s really upset.”
“Let’s get her to her bedroom,” Lincoln says.
“No!” My shout startles them, but I don’t care. “Vic’s room. I want to go to Vic’s.”
Understanding passes between them, the silent sort of communication that only comes with years of knowing each other. Years of being a family.
So much history that I’m not a part of. It’s absolutely irrational to be jealous of their lives before me—of time I didn’t have with them—but I am.
“Ready for another ride, bunny?” Lincoln asks seconds before he scoops me up bridal style and strides to Vic’s room.
The guys are right behind us. Vic’s eyebrows are pinched together. I hate that. I don’t want him to feel anything other than good. He’s amazing. How could anyone ever make him think something different?
Compared to the other room, Vic’s is like a breath of fresh air. Not only does it already smell like me—thank you, Quinn, for your wonderful diffusing oils—it also smells like him. The energy here is steady. Nothing sinister. No lingering emotions hang in the air. Here, it’s simply warmth and protection.
Exactly what we need.
Lincoln sets me on the bed, and I scoot to the middle as they all stand at the side, waiting for me to do something.
“Come cuddle,” I tell Vic first, holding out my arms to him.
The line between his eyebrows is still there as he kicks off his shoes and climbs onto the mattress. I lie on my side, and instead of turning over so he can spoon me, I face him and wiggle my body as close to his as I can get it, tossing my leg over his hip and securing him to me. Meeting his eyes, I run my fingers through his hair, lightly scraping my nails over his scalp.
“You’re my beta, Vic.”
He swallows. “I know.”
I shake my head and run my palm down to cup his cheek. “No, I don’t think you understand. You’re mine. You were always meant to be mine, and you’re more than I ever could have dreamed of. I don’t know what Felicia did to you, but I promise I’ll never make you doubt your place. You belong here.” I grab his hand and put it over my heart, the tank top I’m wearing cut low enough that his palm warms my skin.
The pads of his fingers flex, and his eyes bounce between mine, almost like he’s not sure if anything I’m saying is real.
“My beta,” I tell him, smoothing my thumb over his cheek. He leans into the touch and releases a heavy breath. “You’re perfect,” I whisper, brushing my lips over his. “In every way.” I kiss his nose, his cheeks, his closed eyelids, every inch of him that I can get my mouth on. Dropping my mouth down to his neck, I bite him before gently pushing his shoulder. He rolls onto his back, and I straddle him, resting my center over his and caging his head between my arms.
“And I’m not letting you go.” My curls hang around my face, curtaining us as I claim his lips again in a slow, purposeful kiss. It’s not about sex right now. This is about Vic knowing he’s right where he needs to be. With me and the pack.
He moans into my mouth, smoothing his hands over my ass.
I kiss him until my lungs burn and my body trembles, desperate for air. Only then do I pull back and sit up, staring down at him. The line between his eyebrows is gone, and I reach to trace my finger over the ghost of the indention.
“Where do you belong, Vic?”
“Contigo,” he murmurs, voice smooth as silk.
I nod and glance at the guys, who’ve been watching us. “Come on,” I tell them, tipping my head toward the bed. “Cuddles, then snacks. I’m starving.”
Kai and Lincoln settle onto the bed, and I crawl on top of Lincoln before dropping down to hug him. When he wraps his arms around me, tight as a bear, I hum in approval, rubbing my cheek over his chest and telling him everything I told Vic. He’s mine. They all are.
“Aw, bunny, you’re going to make me cry,” he says with a chuckle, but I don’t think he’s joking.
I brush my lips over his and tug on his ponytail. He groans, and I take advantage of the moment and slide my tongue over his, stroking and coaxing him until he’s completely relaxed.
“That’s better,” I tell him, running my nose over his. “You’re pretty all right, for an alpha,” I tease him, knowing he won’t take it to heart, and he swats my ass.
“That mouth will get you into trouble someday.”
I grin and move to nip his neck, tugging his skin between my teeth and leaving a little mark, like the one I left on Vic. “I’m counting on it,” I say as I straighten.
Lincoln reluctantly lets me go when I move for Kai, and as I settle on top of him, I glance over at Vic and Lincoln. There’s no jealousy. No hints of envy. No uncertainty. Only adoration. This is how a pack should feel about their omega. Before I focus on Kai, I grin at both of them, and they return the gesture, happiness dancing in their gazes. They’re content.
Good.
I face Kai, feeling his hardened length beneath me, and run my hands over his chest. “Hey, alpha.”
“Omega,” he purrs.
“You take care of everyone else.”
He nods.
“Who takes care of you?”
His eyebrows lift, like the idea of someone taking care of him never crossed his mind.
Sighing, I lean down and nudge his head to the side, exposing his neck. Softly, sweetly, reverently, I trace my lips over his pulse point. I leave a trail of caresses over every inch of his throat before finding the perfect spot to gently bite down.
He gasps, his purr erupting in the space between us, as loud as an engine. “Mate,” he rasps.
“Yes, my love?” I ask, kissing my way up his neck and pressing my lips to his.
“Mine.”
I shake my head and kiss him again. “No, silly alpha, you’re mine. You all are mine.” I look over at Vic and Lincoln. “And don’t forget it,” I warn, narrowing my eyes on them, which only serves to make their grins widen.
I’ll have to work on being more threatening, but for now, I’m going to get in as many cuddles as I can before I find out how well stocked their pantry is.