Chapter 36 – WRAITH
Chapter
Thirty-Six
WRAITH
The alpha is downstairs.
My phone vibrates on the desk for the twentieth time in ten minutes. Pack chat exploding with updates. I ignore it. Focus instead on Ivy, who's rearranging my bedding with intense concentration while the action movie on the TV provides background noise. Drowns out the sounds in the loft.
She moves with purpose, taking my shirts from the closet, my blankets from storage, arranging everything in careful layers. Her scent has changed since last night. Sweeter. More urgent. The first knotting has eased her heat, but not ended it. Just bought us time.
Time that's now being spent with a threat in our territory.
Valek.
Prowling around downstairs. Circling. Hunting.
My skin prickles with awareness. Territorial instinct grinding against the need to stay hidden with her. Every protective impulse screams at me to confront him. Drive him out.
But I can't leave her side. Won't.
Ivy pauses her nest-building, one of my black hoodies clutched to her chest. "Your phone keeps buzzing," she says, nodding toward the desk. "You should check it."
I shake my head. Don't care about messages.
She raises an eyebrow, that perfect curve of skepticism. "It could be important, Wraith."
Something uncurls in my chest when she says my name. Can't help it. Years without hearing it spoken with anything but fear or disgust. Now she says it easily. Casually. Like it's something precious instead of terrifying.
Her ocean eyes watch me, patient but expectant. With a resigned sigh, I cross to the desk and pick up my phone.
Fifty-six new messages.
Might as well be five thousand.
I hate typing. The screen is too small for my huge, scarred hands.
I scroll through anyway, scanning for anything actually important.
WHISKEY
Valek is DEFINITELY suspicious
He keeps asking about the third floor
Fucker knows something's up
PLAGUE
Redundant updates are unnecessary, Whiskey.
THANE
Just focus on keeping him away from the loft.
WHISKEY
He's asking about Wraith too
I told him Wraith sleeps outside like a wild animal
No offense
Hey
Wraith
Uh
It’s kinda menacing when you don’t reply to shit
Give me SOMETHING
Even the usual thumbs up
You there bro?
Broooooo
PLAGUE
Of course he's there. Where else would he be?
THANE
Wraith, is Ivy okay?
WHISKEY
Yeah how's our girl?
Our girl.
My grip tightens on the phone.
She's not ours.
She's not mine, either.
She's her own.
But she chose to be with me.
Me.
For now.
I glance over at Ivy, who's resumed building her nest. She's dragged every blanket I own onto the bed, along with most of my shirts. Arranging everything in patterns only she understands. Her movements are careful and instinctive. Omega nesting behavior.
Beautiful to watch.
My phone buzzes again.
THANE
Update?
Please, Wraith?
I sigh and type a one-handed message, watching Ivy from the corner of my eye.
WRAITH
fine
WHISKEY
HE SPEAKS! It's a miracle!
Or types. Whatever. I wasn't referring to you being mute, bro. Sorry. You just never really use the pack chat. This is a big day man!
PLAGUE
stfu Whiskey
I just checked and Valek is making himself comfortable in his room. Door closed.
THANE
Does Ivy need anything?
I look up from the phone. Ivy has stopped her nest-building to watch me. "Pack chat?" she asks knowingly.
I nod, showing her the screen. She reads the messages, smiles slightly at Whiskey's antics.
Her presence beside me feels right.
Warm.
Safe.
"They're worried," she says, sighing and reaching for her own phone. Her delicate fingers tap quickly across the screen.
IVY
I'm good. Thanks for checking.
The responses come instantly.
WHISKEY
THE QUEEN HAS SPOKEN
PLAGUE
Hello, Ivy.
THANE
Do you need anything? Food? Supplies?
Ivy bites her lip, considering. She glances at me, then back at the phone.
IVY
I'm, ummm, still in heat. I could use some heat supplies.
My chest tightens.
Still can't believe that happened.
That she wanted me.
That she still does.
WHISKEY
Yes ma’am! Heat supply run activated! What do you need?
Ivy's cheeks flush as she types.
IVY
Nesting blankets, electrolytes, protein bars, pain relief patches?
PLAGUE
I can procure these items.
WHISKEY
Not without me! I call shotgun on emergency omega run!
Ivy, we could bring everything to you in DISGUISE
I'm thinking fake mustaches, sunglasses, trench coats, the works?
PLAGUE
Why would that even be necessary?
Beside me, Ivy laughs. The sound kicks through my chest. She shows me Whiskey's messages, eyes crinkling at the corners.
"He's ridiculous," she says, but there's fondness in her voice.
Something uncomfortable twists in my gut.
She likes him. His humor. His easy way with words.
Things I can't offer.
WHISKEY
Or we could dress up as pizza delivery guys. Or missionaries.
PLAGUE
Absolutely not. A hard no to any of that.
WHISKEY
BORING.
Ivy hands the phone back to me, her fingers brushing mine. "They're sweet," she says, returning to her nest-building. "Trying to help."
I watch her for a moment, that twist in my gut settling into something sharper. Not jealousy. Not exactly. But awareness that she'll soon know them better. The entire pack. Her matches.
And then what?
Will she still want the monster who can't speak?
She has to have a better idea of what I look like.
But feeling my face through fabric isn't as terrifying as seeing it. I know this because I can stomach touching it with my mask on, but I can't stomach looking.
And it's my own fucking face.
"What do you think?" she asks, dragging me out of my thoughts.
I look up. Her eyes are bright as she tucks one of my shirts into a corner of the nest. She gestures to her work.
The sight hits me harder than expected. My bed transformed. My shirts and blankets woven together with her few possessions.
A home.
Not just mine anymore.
S-L-E-E-P… T-H-E-R-E? I sign, pointing to the nest.
"With you," she says without hesitation. "If you want to."
Want to?
I've never wanted anything more.
But the thought of Valek downstairs pulls me in two directions. Need to protect her. Keep the threat away.
I pick up my phone again. Find the app for a nearby omega supply store. Download it. Show her the screen.
Her eyes widen. "We can place an order?"
I nod, then start fingerspelling before realizing it would be easier to just type something that complicated. Can send others to pick up. Safer. Thane and me. Or Plague and Whiskey.
"Which would you prefer?" she asks.
I hesitate, then type, Plague and Whiskey. Can stay with you. Protect.
Her gaze softens. She pats the bed and I sit beside her, careful not to disturb her nest. She shifts closer to me, leans against my arm, rests her cheek on my shoulder.
"You think Valek is dangerous," she says. Not a question.
I nod. Then sign what's been weighing on me since she revealed who she was running from.
V-A-L-E-K… C-O-U-L-D… K-N-O-W… W-A-D-E... K-E-L-L-Y.
Her expression darkens. "He might. Wade knows people everywhere."
Another nod. Danger all around us.
"It's okay. He can't get me up here," she murmurs, pulling me down into the nest. Curls into my side like she belongs there.
Maybe she does.
My arms wrap around her automatically.
Protectively.
She purrs, nuzzling against me.
I pick up my phone with my free hand, opening the pack chat again and typing out the most bare bones message possible so I can get back to cuddling.
WRAITH
placing order for supplies. plague and whiskey pick it up.
WHISKEY
MISSION FUCKING ACCEPTED
PLAGUE
Good idea.
THANE
I’ll keep Valek occupied.
Ivy builds the list on the app, adding things I wouldn't have thought of. Special soaps. Specific brands of protein drinks. Soft blankets with particular textures.
When we finish, I send the order details and set the phone aside. Ivy nestles closer, her small frame fitting perfectly against mine. Her scent wraps around me, honeysuckle with an edge of another approaching wave of heat. Her body temperature slightly elevated.
But she seems comfortable.
Content.
Happier.
Less stressed.
"You have nice hair," she muses abruptly. Randomly. Her fingers trail up to my hair, combing through the choppy strands. "For some reason, I can't really picture you going to a barber. Do you cut it yourself?"
I huff a laugh. She's right. But I can't respond. Too blissed out by her fingers massaging my scalp. A sound escapes me. Not quite a growl, but I can't purr. Throat's ruined.
But it's close enough.
I hope.
"You like that," she observes, a smile in her voice.
Another nod. Words feel unnecessary with her.
"Will you hold me?" she asks. "Just while we wait?"
I pull her closer in answer, cradling her against my chest.
She fits so perfectly.
Soon, Whiskey and Plague will return with the supplies.
Her heat will intensify.
Decisions will need to be made.
But for now, she's nestled against me in a nest built from my shirts and blankets, a soft purr building in her chest as I stroke her hair, her arm, her back.
Wish we could stay like this forever.