Chapter 27 Kady
TWENTY-SEVEN
Kady
“We’re almost there,” Riven chirps as the truck wobbles from side to side along the uneven surface of the road.
I still don’t know how we managed to make it in one-piece. Clearly, Janice is a trooper.
As we drive along the side of a busy harbor, I see boats bobbing idyllically in the crystal-clear water, and a few people raise their hands as we pass.
“Small town, huh?” I say.
In New York, I could go days without speaking to anyone. Despite my father’s fame, it’s easy to get lost in a huge city and not attract attention. Here, I bet everyone knows each other.
“You get used to it.” Ezra laughs. “It’s a nice place.”
“It’s really pretty.” I spy adorable, multi-colored houses.
“The town square is up that way.” Riven’s finger is directed to my right. “That’s where all the restaurants and stores are.”
“There’s not much here,” Hale says. “But we do have one of the best pancake houses in the state.”
“Fuck yeah.” Ezra licks his lips. “I need some of Pearl’s pancakes stat. Since Delilah’s muffins, I’ve been craving something sweet.”
The pack devoured her muffins in one bite apiece within the first hour of the journey with zero difficulty at all.
“Maybe later,” Hale replies.
“So where are we heading?” I ask as we continue past the buzz of the harbor, swapping the kitsch streets for denser woodland. “I assumed you lived in town.”
“We live in a cabin just outside of it.” Hale continues driving. “It gives us a little space from the townsfolk.”
“If you think the SVU rumor mill works fast, Rose Harbor is on another level,” Calder chimes in. “By now, everyone will already know we’ve come home.”
“Did you all live here together before coming to SVU?”
“Yep. It’s close to the city, so we could easily commute for work,” Calder answers my question. “We all liked being here.”
“Look up there.” Riven gestures toward a break in the woodland as we climb higher. We’re surrounded by tall trees, rolling hills, and aside from an apple picking farm that I spotted some miles back, I haven’t seen any other houses for ages. “See?”
I squint, unable to determine what I should be looking at until a rooftop emerges from out of nowhere.
“I thought you said you lived in a cabin.”
I watch in awe as a sprawling building comes into view.
I expected something similar to the cabins close to SVU that you can rent during heats, not this.
The front of the house is a glassy architectural feat with windows that wrap around its edges.
It’s set over two floors with solar panels on the roof and an extensive outdoor seating area.
It’s a blend between a Beverly Hills mansion, a mountain retreat, and a greenhouse.
“Well, it started as a cabin.” Hale grins as the truck rattles up a gravel drive before coming to a stop. “We might have made some improvements.”
Ezra winds down the window then inhales deeply. “Smells like home.”
Riven hurries around to open the door for me, fallen leaves drifting around my ankles as I step out. The air smells amazing, of wet earth and fresh leaves after a rainstorm.
“Let me take that for you.” Riven takes Larry from my hands. The little guy is still asleep in his carrier, lulled into a deep slumber during the drive.
Calder’s already busy removing my luggage from the bed. After refusing his help to put it in, apparently, he’s not letting me try to remove it myself.
“I’m going for a walk.” Ezra stretches, bending from side to side in a way that shows off his lean muscles in his light tee. “Check out the fungi.”
“Already?” Hale frowns. “But we just got here. We need to show Kady the house.”
“I’m sure three alphas can handle a house tour,” Ezra replies, striding away into the ferns.
I fiddle with the hem of my coat. “Are you sure he’s okay with me being here?”
“Of course.” Hale is quick to try to reassure me. “We invited you. Ezra just likes his own space. He spends most of the time hiking and looking for plants when we’re home.”
I chew on my inner cheek, still wondering whether I’ve made a mistake.
“Come on.” Calder nudges me toward the door, lugging my bag behind him. “This way.”
We walk into a spacious hallway, where there are a row of coats hanging and muddy boots lined up.
“Let me take that.” Riven helps me out of my jacket, hanging out with the others before leading me into the living area.
My jaw drops. Despite its cavernous size, the interior is as impressive as the outside.
The humongous living area with plush sofas, a hammock, theater-size TV, and fireplace create a cozy space.
There are a few blankets messily slung over the furniture, game controllers abandoned on the floor, and books left propped open on the table.
It looks lived in, homey. The high ceilings and tremendous views from the windows make it feel like we’re sitting in the forest.
“We probably should have cleaned up a bit before we left,” Hale mutters while plumping a cushion.
“No,” I quickly respond. “I like it.”
Growing up, all of the places I stayed looked like they belonged in interior design magazines.
I was always afraid to really get comfortable.
The furniture often resembled strangely shaped pieces of art and often gave me a back ache, not to mention how much trouble I’d get in if a housekeeper caught me eating while sitting down.
Living in that environment was exhausting, constantly feeling on edge.
Looking around the Valen Pack’s home, I notice the little personal touches they’ve added—the selection of cacti in a mini vivarium by the window, newspaper clippings strewn over the table from whatever Calder must have been researching, a stack of puzzle books for Riven resting on the arm of the sofa, and Hale’s sweater thrown over the side of a chair. Best of all, it smells of them.
Calder leads me through to the kitchen where there’s a giant island, walnut cabinets, and white marble countertops.
“We stocked up, but we can go to the store tomorrow, if there’s anything else you need.” Hale opens a cabinet to reveal shelves stuffed with food.
Judging by the look of it, there’s more than enough food to get us through a few days here.
Leaving the kitchen, I follow them back through the living area to the staircase with steps that look like they’re floating. On the landing of the next level, there’s a telescope positioned in front of a window.
“This is one of the best views at night.” Riven points straight over the treetops. “There’s no light pollution out here, so we can see everything.”
As we make our way down the hall, Calder shows me each of the guys’ rooms. When we come to a final door at the end, he pauses, a hand hovering over the door handle.
“We kept this room.” His eyes pingpong around the hallway. “Just in case.”
He pushes it open to show me inside but doesn’t step in himself.
“You can sleep here while you stay with us, if you’d like?” Hale offers from behind me.
Hale continues talking, but I don’t hear what he’s saying, too busy surveying the gorgeous nest. Every fiber of my being wants to fling myself across the room and dive onto the huge bed in the middle of the room, covered in the most comfy-looking blankets.
The space is very elegant. It’s painted in a soft cream, and drapes hang from the ceiling, like rippling waves of fabric, creating a calming vibe.
There are very few changes I’d make if this were my room.
It’s the perfect balance of minimal meets cozy.
Some omegas like their nests to be completely stuffed full of soft objects, but I prefer quality over quantity.
I’d take one amazing blanket to ten subpar ones.
I don’t like a nest to feel too cluttered, which makes this one pretty much perfect.
So why does it feel like a bowling ball has dropped to the pit of my stomach?
“I-I c-can’t.” My words get caught in my throat as I step backward, bashing into Calder and causing him to stumble. “I can’t sleep in there.”
As perfect as this one is, an omega’s nest is a deeply personal space.
We don’t even know what’s going to happen over the next few days.
What if they think they’ve made a mistake by bringing me here?
And worse still, what if they find another omega in the future?
She’d hate knowing that I’d slept in there.
I push aside the flash of jealousy that ripples through me at that thought.
Riven’s face falls. “Don’t you like it?”
“It’s not that,” I murmur. “It just wouldn’t be appropriate. I’ll be fine sleeping on the sofa.”
“Appropriate?” Calder chuckles. “You’re not sleeping on the sofa when we have a perfectly good bed, Kady. It’s only a room.”
A nest is more than a room. A nest is an omega's safe haven. It’s a source of comfort. It’s home. It’s the place where an omega can fully be themselves.
I look at him, my stare penetrating into him. “Is it?”
“Look, we always kept this room in case we found an omega.” Hale pushes past Calder. “But he’s right. It’s just a room, and honestly, it’d be nice for someone to make use of it instead of it just sitting empty. There’s no pressure, though.”
I cast a glance back at the nest then shut the door. Despite how lovely the nest is, my decision has been made. “The sofa will be fine.”
“You could take my room?” Riven offers. “I’ll be camping out on the landing with the telescope anyway.”
“Are you sure?” I tilt my head, watching him for signs that he’s uncertain. “The sofa is fine.”
“Of course, and I have the cleanest bathroom.” He nods enthusiastically. “I’ll show you, if you’d like?”
My heart sinks as we get farther from the house nest. I made the best decision, right? Sleeping in their nest would feel like I was fully accepting that I’m one of them. Their scent match.