32. Shiloh
Chapter 32
Shiloh
I’m irritated.
There’s drilling all throughout the house while I’m tucking away all the properly washed and then re-scented blankets away in the nest. It’s nearly perfect. Jonah’s going to install the curtain rod and my blackout curtains tonight, and then I think it’s time.
Holy shit, I’m going to bond with Alphas.
That is, if the incessant drilling doesn’t stop.
Having had enough, I step out to the hallway and see the man I met at the fundraiser placing a security camera in the hall.
He’s handsome, with light brown skin, greenish colored eyes and silky soft curls on the top of his head.
He smiles at me and holds up the drill.
“We should be done soon,” he says politely, like he knows he’s getting on my last nerve.
“Thanks for setting this up.”
“Anything for the S?rensens. Jonah’s like a brother to me. My team will monitor any activity on the cameras and we’ll have a guard stationed in front of the home for the foreseeable future. Jonah will probably introduce you to the team later today.”
I scrunch my nose. “Doesn’t that seem like a bit much? It’s not like I’m famous.”
Elliot laughs and shakes his head. “Doesn’t mean you’re any less important. You’re the most important thing to Jonah. Can you blame him?” he asks.
My heart swells when I think about the fact that I have three men who care so much about me and my safety.
“Well, thanks again,” I say, but he looks like he has more to add.
“Have you spoken to Claire since the fundraiser?” he asks, and I nod my head.
We don’t speak per se, but we do send each other memes and videos every day. Honestly, Claire is becoming the closest friend I’ve had in a long time, even though we barely actually talk.
“Just a little,” I admit, and he nods. “Do you want me to have her reach out to you?”
“Oh, no, was just checking in,” he says and I note that for later.
I’m not sure if Elliot is the type of Alpha who could lock Claire down, but if we’re going based on looks, she’d be crazy not to be interested.
Feeling needy and grateful for Jonah, I find him in his office. He’s on the phone, but he pats his lap and I take the invitation easily.
His fingers rub my thigh as he speaks words I don’t even process. I just stare at the cut of his jaw and his handsome face.
When he hangs up, he kisses my forehead.
“Sorry for all the noise. They should be done soon. But while you’re here, why don’t I call the guys up,” he says and I just nod.
Really, I came here for kisses, but if we need to get business out of the way first, I can do that.
He shoots off a text on his phone, and then his full attention is on me.
“How’re you feeling?”
“Good,” I say, nuzzling against his chest, absorbing his scent. “I have the okay to take the boot off tomorrow,” I tell him excitedly.
When I pull back and look at the way his face lights up, I can’t help but to mirror the same expression.
“Also, once my curtains are up, I think the nest is just about perfect.”
He swallows thickly and looks at me seriously.
“Really?”
“Really. No boot, the perfect nest, the perfect guys. I’m ready.”
He wraps his arms around me and squeezes me so tightly that I can’t breathe for a second and as he pulls back there’s a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Jonah says, not a single care that I’m still on his lap.
He introduces me to the team of four. Dana, Odessa, Henry, and Clyde. They’ll be on rotation for guard duty and Jonah puts all of their numbers in my phone and creates a security group chat.
They all seem nice enough, and I’m also pleased to have two women on the team. Once they leave, I have Jonah’s full attention again.
“Is there anything else you would like for our bonding? I want it to be everything you want it to be,” he says.
“I don’t want rose petals or candles, nothing that will mess up our scents together. I just want uninterrupted time with the four of us. I don’t want anything fancy, I just want it to be an engrained memory in my nest,” I say, my cheeks heating, wondering if I sound ridiculous that I made them wait till the room was perfect.
“I’d wait however long you were ready, Shiloh. You’re sure this is what you want?”
“It’s the most sure I’ve been about anything,” I say, squeezing him tight. “I’ve never been happier, Jonah. You’re a big part of that. I want it to be official.”
He holds me like I’m his world and I know that I’m making the right choice; I don’t have a single doubt in my mind. They’ve shown me what it’s truly like to be in a pack, what it means to be cared for and depend on one another. They would do anything for me, and I’d do anything for them.
I’m 100% ready. No more boot, no more exes lingering over my head. Just me, my perfect guys in my perfect nest, it’s all I want.
“Then it’s a date, now…where should I mark you?” he asks, while peppering kisses all over my neck making me laugh.
“I want people to see it all the time. All three of them,” I tell him honestly.
I want to wear my bond marks loud and proud. His thumb rests by where my pulse is thudding.
“Right here, I think,” he says, with a wide grin. “Are you going to change your last name?” he asks.
He acts nonchalant about it, and part of me wants to fuck with him, but I can’t put him through that.
“I never felt like a Hansen, anyway. I’d be honored to be a S?rensen.”
“Shiloh S?rensen, it has a pretty good ring to it if you ask me.”
“Do you think Mack and Cole want to change their names, too?” I ask.
Jonah kisses my shoulder and nods. “I’ve been trying to get those assholes to do it for forever and finally drop their father’s name, but I don’t think it felt right without an Omega.”
His phone rings, and he grumbles, but I kiss him on the cheek. “You’ll put up the curtains tonight?” I remind him and he grabs my throat softly, kissing me multiple times.
“As soon as I’m done with work.”
“Okay,” I say breathlessly as I prepare myself for the best day of my life. I’m not sure how the hell I’m supposed to sleep knowing that tomorrow’s the day.
Legs—shaved
Coochie—pristine
Nerves—fried
I could barely eat today. Granted it’s only lunchtime. Thank fuck they aren’t making me wait till tonight to bond.
I have the lights in the nest set to just the right amount of warm glow. It smells like a combination of the four of us in here. I’d be lying if I said this nest wasn’t an Omega’s wet dream.
It’s more than I could have ever asked for. My old nest was something that I just moved my shit into.
But this one?
It’s so me. With all the soft florals, delicate pinks, and blankets and pillows that are just me. It looks like a perfect sunset in the late spring and I nearly get choked up as I look around.
Cole and Jonah built my bed, Jonah put up the curtains last night. Mack helped me with the floral wallpaper behind the bed and everyone helped scent all the items in here.
I just know my next heat is going to be perfect. Not only is this nest the most comfortable place I’ve ever stepped foot in, but I’ll be bonded. I’m in love, I trust them, and I’m finally getting everything I want.
I’m truly not sure how I pulled this off. Instead of panicking even further, I go get dressed in the lingerie I bought for tonight.
It’s a simple set, but it matches my nest, and even if I don’t wear the light pink lace for long, at least they get to see me in it.
“Shiloh?” I hear Mack’s voice from the doorway and I shyly slip out of the bathroom, leaning against the door frame.
“Hi,” I whisper as he gives me a handsome grin.
I’m not sure I’ll ever get over how devastatingly beautiful he is, especially when he smiles or blushes. Probably because I know they’re mostly reserved for me and that makes me feel loved.
“I thought we said 1:30?”
“I uh, wanted to talk to you first, if that’s okay?”
“Okay,” I reply, my heart beating out of my chest, wondering if he isn’t ready, if he’s going to back out. Jonah and Cole have both been so sure Mack has been slower at accepting everything.
“You’re making it real hard wearing that,” he says, his neck flushing.
I grab the silk robe hanging over the door and put it on, cinching it tight on my waist as we sit on the bed.
If he backs out, do I bond with just Jonah and Cole? In my dreams, it’s always all my Alphas at once, but I would obviously need to respect his decision.
He grabs my hand and my heart sinks.
Mack swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing dramatically with the motion as he toys with my knuckles.
“I wanted to talk before bonding because I needed you to know how I felt beforehand. I didn’t want you to think I felt this way just because we were bonded. I’ve never said it to a woman before and to be honest, I’m scared, Shiloh.”
I furrow my brows, and he shakes his head.
“I’m fucking this all up. What I’m trying to say is that I’m in love with you and it was important that I said that before we bonded. I felt like I was on autopilot before you came into our life, just living because that’s what you’re supposed to do. You make me smile more than anyone ever has. You’re fuckin’ funny, and sweet, and I love spending time with you and I just needed you to know that before we do this big, amazing thing. I love you, Shiloh.”
I barely have a moment to process his words before I’m wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezing him tightly.
“I love you too. You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were coming in here to tell me you weren’t ready to bond,” I say, pulling back and lightly hitting his shoulder before wrapping my arms around his neck again and kissing the side of his face. “I love you too. Now go get the others. I can’t wait any longer.”
He laughs, kissing me quickly, his light-green eyes meeting mine.
“We’re really doing this?”
“Yeah, we really are.”
With one last kiss, he’s out of the room, and I hang the robe back up. Alright, it’s time to finally have everything I’ve wanted.
A family.
People who care about me.
Stability.
And for the first time in a long time, I realize I deserve it, that I’m worthy, and I think it might be the best gift they could’ve ever given me.