Chapter 22
Twenty-Two
Vivian
T he house feels emptier now that Nina is gone. I know the goal is to permanently have her leave once she’s packed up, but I didn’t realize the weight her presence has.
It doesn’t take long before I’m standing in her room, frowning. She didn’t make her bed or put anything away. It doesn’t matter that I have a housekeeper for this, I begin picking up things and tossing them into the hamper.
“Miss Vivian?” Colleen asks from the doorway. Scents usually can get muddled in an omega’s space, but Nina’s sense of smell is ruined.
I was reassured that it was probably irreversible due to her therapies at Weeping Willow. I don’t think she knows that I know this. I should feel bad, but I don’t. It doesn’t seem to be affecting her ability to keep Packs Mayor, Tremaine, Nisim, or Alston from courting her.
It will, however, always keep her away from her scent matches. Even if they ever find her again.
There’s a lot that my actions have done to mess with Nina’s body, but I don’t give a single fuck.
When I went to pick her up when she was discharged, Dr. Kind mentioned that some of the injections they gave her kept her heat away, which would make it unpredictable now that she wouldn’t be on them anymore.
That’s why it's so important to make sure she takes the heat blockers that she’s currently on every day.
“Colleen, can you take these clothes to be washed please?” I ask her. “I’m going to spruce Nina’s room up while she’s gone.”
What I actually mean is that I’m going to rearrange everything and make her insane. My daughter likes things a certain way the way any omega does, and now her instincts are going to ride her even harder because she doesn’t have doors or curtains.
It’s the perfect time for a bit of motherly love.
The housekeeper rushes forward to take the hamper of clothing while I move on to her bed. Pulling off the sheets, I decide I’m going to remake it myself with a substitute that isn't as soft.
Humming to myself, I dump the bedclothes at the doorway for Colleen to take and then walk down the hall to grab all of the rags that were used to dust with. Snapping the rags in Nina’s room, I fill the air with the dust so it doesn’t disperse.
I want her stay in this room to be as uncomfortable as possible. Granted, it makes me cough uncontrollably, but I’m willing to deal with it. If she thought her sinuses were terrible before, let’s see how they fare now.
Stepping into her closet, I wrinkle my nose when I find things I didn’t sanction. I am very particular about what she’s allowed to wear. Pulling out a pair of sweatpants, a slouchy sweatshirt, and any kind of snarky shirt, I toss them behind me.
I am doing a complete overhaul of the closet so only acceptable clothing, footwear, and makeup remain.
“Miss Vivian?” Colleen asks tentatively. I think I scare my staff with my manic moments, but I can’t help myself. “What would you like for me to do with this?”
“Donate it,” I snap, glancing over my shoulder at her. “My daughter doesn’t need it anymore. ”
“Yes ma’am,” she murmurs, picking up as much as she can.
I may have gotten carried away.
There’s a bag on the floor, as if Nina left it on her way out. I vaguely remember that Silas told her he had everything she needed. Opening it, I begin to rifle through it, cursing as I find her heat blocking pills.
For how expensive they are, these pills don’t remain long in the blood stream. Lifting the packet of pills, I sigh when I see that she didn’t even take today’s pill. My lie about her heat may be coming back to bite me if she actually goes into heat while she’s with Silas.
Well, that’s one way to get bitten and bonded. As much restraint as Pack Mayor has been exhibiting, I don’t know if they’ll be able to keep it together during what will be Nina’s first heat since the other doesn’t really count.
She’ll be working off instincts, and she may end up biting them. Ha, won’t that be funny?
Putting the pills on a shelf where she’ll be able to easily see it, I smirk as I pick up the bag she left behind. Clearly, she doesn’t need any of this either. I haven’t worried about birth control, because if any of these packs impregnate her, they’ll be forced to keep her.
That’s the reason her father married me after all. God rest his soul.
Whistling under my breath, I step out of the closet only to sneeze. Ugh, she’s going to fucking hate her room so much.
I can’t wait.
Nina
“So we’re serious about this game?” I ask, once the kitchen is spotless. Riley and Ethan work together really well.
“Oh yes,” Ethan says as Cooper rolls his eyes .
“I’m too old for strip anything,” he grumbles, pulling up the shirt he put back on for dinner, showing off his stomach muscles.
My mouth waters at how delicious they appear, while Cooper raises his brow as I perfume.
“On second thought, I guess I’m in,” he smirks.
“You guys,” I sigh, taking his hand to hop off the stool. I swear, they were all made for giants. I let him lead me to the couch, and watch as they make sure I have enough pillows and blankets.
I suppose it’s not going to really help if I end up naked during this game though, will it?
“You can ask us questions first,” Cooper decides, ignoring the way that the other two glance at each other, bemused.
“Our omega is going to get everything she wants from you, isn’t she?” Ethan asks.
“Of course,” his father says, sitting next to me. “Why wouldn’t she?”
“Gone are the days where you’d spank her ass red and then refuse her orgasms I guess,” Ethan sighs.
Squeezing my thighs together, I bite my lip. I mean, I guess that wouldn’t be too terrible, would it?
“We’ll revisit that,” Cooper murmurs, breathing deeply because I’m slicking everywhere. “I still need to spend some time between your thighs eating your pussy, Nina.”
“Okay,” I squeak, enjoying their dark chuckles.
“Ask away then,” Riley says. “The floor is yours.”
“Okay,” I murmur. “So where are we living in this mysterious future?”
The three of them hesitate before cursing and ripping off their shirts.
“We need to go house hunting,” Riley says.
“We’ve been living from moment to moment, and haven’t thought that far,” Ethan says sheepishly.
“Wherever it is, it needs a decent room for a nest, Princess,” Cooper says firmly. “A place just for you, and we’ll only come in when you want. Privacy and safety is important.”
The way this alpha makes me melt is ridiculous. I think being feral may just be a five letter word for being a simp for your omega. He’ll snap your neck for looking sideways at me, or be completely down to cuddle.
My dopey smile is interrupted by three alphas excitedly staring at me.
“Your turn,” Ethan says, smirking.
“Bring it on,” I tease him.
“Do you want to go back to college?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say immediately, remembering the way my mother tells me that there isn’t a place for smart omegas with an education in the world.
“What do you want to do?” Riley asks interestedly.
“I really don’t know,” I sigh. “I’ve never been allowed to explore things. I just wanted to be able to get a decent job at the end of it.”
“Well, money isn't an issue anymore,” Cooper rumbles. “We all have it, and it’s yours too now.”
“Simple as that?” I ask.
“Yep,” he grunts.
Okay then.
“Who’s next?” I ask smugly. After all, I'm still wearing all of my clothes. Even if my panties are ruined from all the man chest on display.
Damn, Riley has some really gorgeous ink work.
“Me,” the alpha I’m admiring says. “Are you on birth control?”
My brain short circuits as I focus on the fact that I’m missing another type of pill.
“Fuck,” I gasp.
“What?” Riley asks. “I was only half joking. I’m sure at least one of us brought condoms. ”
“I did,” Cooper grunts. “One of us has to be an adult. Hey. Nina. You look like you forgot something. What was it?”
“My heat suppressant pills,” I wail. “I wasn’t thinking. I’m so…sorry. I can’t believe I didn’t bring them!”
“Why do you need those when you’re with us?” Ethan asks. “You’re ours. If it happens, we’re here. It really isn’t the end of the world.”
“Doesn’t it feel like I’m tricking you or something? I should have thought of it,” I gasp.
Cooper lunges forward to grab my hands. “Why should you have to be on heat suppressants, Princess?” he asks.
“When you have alphas, it’s a moot point.
Our job is to take care of you during it.
Don’t complicate things. My only concern is how long it’ll take to stop working.
I don’t want you to go into heat on your way back to your mother’s house, though I’d prefer to simply kidnap, bite, and bond you. ”
“Um, yes please?” I ask, blushing. “Well, there goes my filter.”
“Filters are for boring people,” Cooper replies.
“I don’t know how long the suppressants are supposed to stay in my body,” I sigh.
“Those things can’t be legal,” Riley groans. “It’s probably for the best that you stop taking them. We’ll figure it out.”
“Does this count as hesitating?” I ask teasingly, squeezing Cooper’s hands before reclining back.
“No,” Ethan says, chuckling. “Your turn.”
“Do you want kids?” I ask, running my nails over my palms. It keeps me in the moment, even though I’m worried about their answers.
The three of them appear to swallow their tongues, making me laugh. And to think, Ethan thought he was going to win this game. This is kind of fun.
“The thought of you barefoot and pregnant is very attractive to me,” Cooper growls. “There are a number of reasons why I also want it. It would tie you to us in another way, I’d have another piece of you that exists in the world, and it would be an excuse to spoil you rotten.”
Riley and Ethan stare at Cooper in shock. “Those are inside thoughts, Dad,” Ethan hisses.
“I like them,” I shrug. “Pay the toll.”
Riley and Ethan stand, unsnapping their pants as I watch. Not to be outdone since he also hesitated, Cooper rises smoothly from the couch.
“I’ll take the spoils of war here, please,” I announce, pointing next to me.