Chapter 27
Twenty-Seven
Nina
I ’ve never had a say in decorating any kind of space before. My cheeks hurt as I smile while I walk through the furniture store holding Riley’s hand. My fingers trail over different material, and I stumble to a stop when I see a giant module type of couch.
“This reminds me of a nest,” Riley says. “All the pieces can move to create a giant bed or it can open up to offer more individual seating.”
“I’m afraid to touch it in case the material is a letdown,” I whisper, eyes wide. “It’s so pretty.”
“Pretty and functional,” a store associate says as she passes by. “The material is stain resistant while still being soft. Everyone’s tastes are different, but you may like it.”
She bustles off again, and I bite my lip as I lean down to pet the material. Sighing in relief, I find that the material feels like butter.
“There’s only one way to fully test a sofa, Little One,” Riley says with a smirk before he’s picking me up as I gasp.
He gets up on the couch and flops onto it, allowing me to snuggle against his side.
“Oh my God,” I sigh. “This is amazing. It’s like a hug.”
“I’m almost jealous of a fucking couch,” Cooper murmurs as he sees us, smirking. “Is it love at first sight, Princess?”
“Why don’t you move the couch pieces around so you can see?” I suggest, laying my head on Riley’s chest.
His hand comes up and rubs the fuzz on my head, but instead of feeling unsettled by it, I relax even more. I’m out in public for the first time without my wig, no makeup, wearing shorts and a tank top.
And my pack only sees me.
Cooper moves around the couch pieces, untrusting of them almost.
“It’s complicated,” he grunts before he lays down and closes his eyes. “Nevermind. It’s amazing, Nina. This is coming home with us.”
Ethan chuckles as he watches us, crossing his arms in amusement.
“Is it really that good?” he asks.
“It is,” Riley confirms. “There’s so much room, come join us.”
Ethan lays down as well, and as a pack it’s almost as if we take a full breath. We’re not just trying out furniture, we’re creating our life together as we fill our house with things we love.
Before coming here, they brought me to the house to walk through it. My alphas insisted that I have an idea of what all the spaces looked like and they were excited for me to see the house.
I love it. They took everything that I told them I wanted in a house and found the perfect place. I feel as if I’m living in a fairytale.
“Fuck, this is the couch,” Ethan groans. “I’m in love with a non-sentient object.”
Giggling, I see a manager hurrying over .
“I think we may be a little obsessed with your couch,” I tell him before he can say anything.
“This is the only way to test furniture,” he says, with a nod. “How else can you see how it’ll work within your life? Someone mentioned that people were sleeping on one of the modular couches, and I told her just that. I don’t care if she left the store.”
“Oh wow,” I say, surprised. “I wish I could say I’m surprised, but I’ve met way too many people who behave badly.”
I was birthed by one.
“Nevermind her,” the manager says warmly. “I’m George, and if you need anything, just let me know.”
“We’re going to need one of these couches,” Cooper rumbles. “Please.”
George blinks at Cooper’s deep voice, but doesn’t flinch as he meets his gaze. I appreciate him even more that he treats my feral alpha with respect and not fear.
“Yes, Alpha,” George says immediately.
“Cooper, not Alpha,” Cooper replies, sitting up. “That’s a really good couch. How fast is delivery?”
Standing, Cooper talks to George, excited enough to ignore the fact that he hates people.
“Well that’s different,” Ethan murmurs. “Let’s go look at beds next.”
Riley sits up with me with a smirk. “You just want to get us into bed.”
“No, I don’t want anyone to sleep on the floor,” Ethan retorts. “I also don’t want to be the one who has to sleep there. I got lucky last night when I got the bed with Nina.”
Riley snorts as we get up and begin to walk through the store toward the bedroom sets. As we do, I see a section that appears to be nests as well, and I can feel my lips parting in surprise.
Am I allowed to drool over this?
“This is a full service furniture store,” Riley murmurs in my ear. “They have fabrics here, and everything you could ever want for a nest. We’re in no hurry or rush for anything today, Nina. We can design your nest if you want and take our time.”
“Holy shit,” I whisper, blinking rapidly.
I will not cry over this. Except, it means so much because I’ve never had a nest before. It comes with the territory of having had a mother who controlled everything.
Abbott called Riley earlier to confirm that the fire had been extinguished, and my mother was found in the basement. The fire burned so hot down there that they only found her ashed remains. He also mentioned that it was ruled out to be a freak fire incident.
The water heater of all things exploded, and ignited a fire. I can tell the entire thing is fabricated. I should feel guilt or shame that an entire group of people came together to not only kill my mother but also cover it all up.
Right?
Except, I don’t. I feel light and free, as if the tether that chained me to her is finally cut. I think there’s only so many different times you can kick someone to keep them down before they get sick of it.
“We’ll come back to the nest,” Riley says, lifting my chin to kiss my lips. “I know you already know where you want to put it.”
I do. When I saw the attic with its low ceiling, I knew that’s where I wanted it. It’s the perfect size for a nest, and Cooper told me he’d install any lighting that I may want. Apparently, he used to enjoy do it yourself projects until he married my mother.
She wasn’t a fan of his creativity or anyone else’s.
“I may have been really vocal when I saw the attic,” I admit with a dreamy smile.
“I love seeing you excited,” Riley says, tugging me into motion. Ethan is ahead of us, already checking out the different bedroom set options.
“Are they going to have?— ”
My words cut off as I see the huge pack bedroom sets that they have available.
“Woah,” I rasp.
“See? Full service,” Riley teases me. “We could drive all over Savannah to find what we need, but even I know Cooper doesn’t have that kind of patience. If we can find everything under one roof, so much the better.”
Numbly, I nod as I look around. There are mattresses that are pallets meant to lay on the ground, as well as giant bedroom sets that will allow us all to sleep spread out if we want.
“There’s so many choices,” I say, not knowing where to look next.
Together, we get lost in the possibilities, and Cooper finds us laid on a bed to see if we can touch each other’s hands while laying out spread eagle.
“Well, that’s one way to try out a bed,” he says, amused. “George said everything will be delivered by tonight.”
“Do I even want to know how that happened?” Riley asks, brow raised as he sits up.
“Nope. I have my ways,” Cooper smirks. “Someone give me the highlights on this bed, other than it’s really fucking big.”
“It’ll charge all of our appliances,” I say. “I also really like the fact that the top allows for fabric to go over it and curtains.”
Cooper crawls up onto the bed, and we barely have to move to make room for him since the bed really is ginormous. Flopping onto his back, he looks up at the wood panels over the bed.
“I think we could mount a swing off this thing,” he muses. “What do you think, Nina?”
“A swing?” I squeak. “Like for sex?”
“Oh that would be fun,” Ethan agrees. “Weightless fucking is always a good time.”
“A father and son who share their kinks, that’s somehow unsurprising,” Riley mutters. “I’m definitely down for a swing, though. This bed set is sturdy and probably weighs a ton. Are we going to a sex shop next? ”
“Your mother is dead and gone, and she’d be so upset to see you like this,” a voice says snootily. Ugh, of course one of my mother’s friends would be here. Glancing over, I see she’s with a group of women who are all wearing black.
It’s like a cult of Stepford Wives. How wonderful. I’ve always hated my mother’s friends, and I realize that the snooty one is Carli.
“God, what’s wrong with her hair?” Toni asks. “Did it all fall out? Nina, wigs exist for a reason.”
My mother’s friends titter and laugh as if that’s the funniest thing ever, while my cheeks burn. Sitting up, I gaze at some of the worst people I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet.
“My mother did this,” I state, looking them in the eye despite their veils of mourning. Stupid fucking posturing. “I’m shopping with my pack, and I would appreciate it if you went away. I don’t care what a dead woman would think either.”
Cooper sits up and glares at the group of women, and Toni gasps as she recognizes him.
“Nina, why are you here with him?” she asks. “Your reputation will be in shambles.”
“Don’t care?—”
Riley and Ethan sit on either side of me like bookends and they each take my hand as Riley interrupts me.
“Actually, Nina has a wonderful reputation in Savannah, and is friends with several packs that have higher status than you do,” he says. “We are scent matched to her, ladies. The best way to piss off her pack would be to continue to insult our omega.”
“ Or end up six feet under too,” Cooper whispers through the bond to me.
It’s a struggle to keep myself from smiling, but I manage.
“It’s hard to mourn someone who never loved you,” I add. “Please go away before I have you removed by the manager.”
I know that the cold, clipped words are something my mother would say, and one of the women flinches as if I had slapped her. I can channel with the best of them .
“Ladies,” George practically growls from behind the women as he stalks up to them. He’s a beta, but he looks pretty pissed off right now. “Can I help you, or do we have a problem?”