Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
VAUGHN
A ll I can smell is Clover.
Lemon and Cherry mixed together in a fairytale world of Shirley Temple scent.
I’m so lost in this fantasy that I can feel the weight of her against me. The feel of her legs tangling with mine. Her fingers curled against my neck, a thumb pressed to my scent gland. Another hand curled into my chest, right above where her head is resting.
Holy hell.
I’m in her nest.
“…and I don’t think it’s as bad as you originally thought. Obviously, she’s allowed one of you into her nest so it can’t be that bad. I do think that her emotions the other day may have less to do with everything going on and more to do with her approaching heat.”
A voice is speaking close by.
I can scent my pack. Something different, but familiar with them.
Mama Joy.
Wait, did she just say heat?
My eyes snap open and I see everyone looking at us. Clover is still asleep against me. Oblivious to everything as she uses me as her own stuffed animal.
I don’t remember the last time I’ve slept so well.
Griffin is bouncing from foot to foot. He’s like a toddler being left out of playtime. I know that he wants to crawl into the nest and curl up with the Omega between us. Not being invited into her nest first must be driving him crazy.
Can’t let wonder boy get all of her firsts.
Apollo looks happy. His arm slung around McKinley’s shoulders, staring at Clover and I together with a look of contentment on his face. He’s seemed stressed since we had formed the pack. Carrying a lot of responsibility for us so we could just focus on making it to the show with him.
He was the one that registered us as a pack, got us housing, made sure that he talked to Coach about future plans, and he was also playing his rookie season as a professional hockey player on top of it.
Seeing him finally looking like he has room to breathe is nice.
A soft humming sound makes me look away from everyone, back to Clover. She squirms her hips, bumping against mine. I know she can feel my erection. I know the exact moment it happens because her breath fans against my neck in a short gasp. Before she rocks against me again.
My hand grabs her hip, under the blanket to stop her. The way her lips purse in a pout feels like a kiss against my pulse.
If there wasn’t a crowd of people in here…
“Sleep well, little weed?” She looks positively grumpy as she glares up at Griffin.
Seems like she isn’t always all sunshine and smiles. I kind of like that she’s grumpy about being woken up with people in her room. It means she’s feeling more comfortable to show her emotions around us and less likely to bottle them up.
Her eyes snap from Griffin to Mama Joy.
I see the look on her face of fear. As if she is about to get in trouble for something. Her body stiffens for a second and she’s about to rush out an apology.
“I am so tired from traveling. I thought we could just do dinner here and maybe go out for dessert after. Is that okay with you, Clover? I know tomorrow you have your usual Omega study class, but I reached out and got approval for this week to teach you. If you like, this could also excuse you from university classes for the week so we have more time together.” Mama Joy rushes in to prevent her from feeling bad about her nap.
Apollo’s Mama is an actual angel.
Clover relaxes and nods her head.
“That would be great! I just need to change and then I can meet you downstairs, if that’s okay?” As if she needs to ask for her own space.
Everyone leaves us alone for a second and I’m thankful that Clover melts back into my arms, letting out another one of those sweet hums of contentment. A yawn follows and for a second I think she is going to fall back asleep.
If she did, I’d get up to lock everyone out and curl back up in the nest with her.
“Is it bad that I’m excited not to go to classes and it’s only my second week? Maybe. I don’t know. I do like Omega studies, but this week will be nice with Mama Joy. I’ll be able to ask questions and have answers in person. I always have a lot of questions. It’s a bad trait or at least that’s what Grammy used to say. I think Grammy told me a lot of things that weren’t true. It’s hard to unlearn the lies that you grow up on.”
I swirl a curl around my finger, my thumb stroking it as I shake my head at her and she sits up, taking her golden hair with her.
Wrapping her arms around her legs, she rests her head against her knees and lets out another yawn. I take the time to appreciate the way her eyes squeeze closed and how her nose scrunches up at the movement.
How did I think I was going to avoid falling for her?
It’s easier now that I told her about Terry. Not easier in the sense that she knows about my greatest failure, but it feels better knowing that there aren't any secrets now. That she knows what happened and why I haven’t treated her how an Alpha should.
It doesn’t absolve the guilt I feel, but McKinley is right about Clover. She’s perfect for our pack.
We just need to start being perfect for her.
Growing up there were a lot of stray cats in our neighborhood. My mother always told me to make sure that the trash was covered and never to leave out food for the strays or we’d never get rid of them.
Griffin is a stray that I fed a little attention to and never got rid of. Which was fine because he was my best friend. My best friend who doesn’t know how to whisper and speaks in the weirdest raspy soft shout voice I’ve ever heard.
“You slept in the nest!” I glare at him, watching the way Clover’s cheeks turn pink from the couch she is sitting on with Mama Joy.
She definitely heard him.
It’s amazing he lasted a whole meal without talking about this. It should be considered an act of some higher being that he didn’t blurt out something inappropriate when we were all eating.
“Shut up.” I actually whisper and he makes a face.
“What? I can’t hear you when you talk like that!” He hisses out and then yelps.
McKinley withdraws his fingers from Griffin’s forearm. A pink mark from where he had pinched him is visible.
He’s about to ask why he got pinched when Apollo literally shoves a popsicle in his mouth, making Griffin gag out. His hands fly up, ripping the stick out of his mouth, and looking at us all like we’re the ones who are insane.
My best friend is an idiot. But he’s my idiot and I love him.
“I don’t like the mango ones!” He snaps.
Clover appears and plucks it from his hand. She trades him for the strawberry one. His eyes watching as she licks the popsicle that was just in his mouth with rapt attention.
Honestly, we’re all being pervy on a high school level watching her lick that popsicle.
“Mhhh, I never had mango before.” Her eyes turn to Apollo as the popsicle slides back between her lips. His parents just went to make a video call to his mother since the internet at the hotel was spotty earlier. This gives us a few minutes alone with her, “Your Mama says you have a game tomorrow night. I’d like to go, but I didn’t know if that would be okay.”
The popsicle swirls around her mouth and she has no clue that we’re all harder than hell wishing we were a popsicle. The way her tongue comes out and then her top teeth drag over it because her mouth is getting too cold is so attractive.
She slides it back into her mouth and then it comes out with the most pornographic pop.
I’m thankful Mama Joy said we could have dessert here.
Apollo takes the two steps over to her, his hand fisting around the ponytail she had done up before coming downstairs for dinner. The way he tilts her head back to look at him before his mouth descends over hers, stopping just before their lips touch, and licking those orange colored lips once.
“Mango is my new favorite flavor.”
“I’m willing to try it again.” Griffin pipes up. “You know. For science.” He shrugs and then groans as Apollo properly starts kissing the Omega now.
I should have kissed her earlier.
I had over-thought it. My mind spinning out at the fact I had told her about my past. It had all overshadowed everything in my mind and I made the mistake of not kissing those perfect lips.
Maybe that’s why Griffin was my best friend. We were both idiots.
“Of course I want you at the game. My parents rented a suite for the game. You can sit with them or I can get you tickets to sit closer.” He sits down, gently pulling her into his lap.
The community popsicle gets sucked into his mouth and now I have to make sure that Griffin got tested before the Omega came into our life or we’re all going to get a case of Mono.
“I like your family. I’d like to sit with them.” If there was anything to secure Apollo’s heart it would be what she just said.
He’s a big family guy. His family means a lot to him and he cares about keeping a good relationship with them. The only reason that he didn’t try to get drafted closer to them is because we were finishing school and also our Beta has a very close relationship with his family.
I think Griffin and I are the outsiders with the lack of family.
Apollo nuzzles her neck, kissing her softly on her scent gland. He’s gentle with her. Out of all of the Alpha’s he is the most steady with how he acts with her. Everyone is acting like they’re courting her but he acts like they’ve been dating forever.
It’s nice.
“You’re going to need to go to bed soon, sweetness. My Mama is going to want to spend all day spoiling you tomorrow.” Apollo swallows and shifts, his hand holding her back steady as he moves.
Wait, is he blushing?
What is he doing?
“I know that you have your own funds from The Omega Academy, but since our pack is courting you it would make me feel better to provide for you. This is a credit card. You can buy anything you wish. Spend money at the spa with my Mama on yourself. Buy new clothes. Anything you want, cherub.. It would please me, sweetness, if you accept this.”
He’s giving her an unlimited credit card. This is a crazy advancement. Even though we all have access to our joint account, Apollo would never trust us with something like this. Griffin would do something crazy like buy a sloth of something irresponsible.
His instincts to take care of Clover and provide for his pack has us all watching, waiting to see how she reacts.
Clover still hasn’t mentioned Marcus or the incident at lunchtime. I had glanced at her phone that had been buzzing beside me in the nest when she showered. He had reached out to her pretty much nonstop.
I wonder if she replied yet?
“If I take this card, what does it mean? Do I owe you anything?” She was nibbling that lip, looking worried about things she shouldn’t have to worry about.
The crease between Apollo’s eyes furrows together as he looks almost hurt that she would think that of him.
“Clover, there is never any expectations. You are your own person. None of us would ever do anything or feel like we were owed anything from you. My way of showing affection for people is to take care of them. This is my way to show you I’m serious about courting you.” Her fingers tug the card from his hand and then she stops, pushing it back towards him.
Her lip is between her teeth again.
“What’s wrong, little omega?” McKinley leans in close and I love how she reaches for him, bringing him to sit on Apollo’s other knee.
Fuck .
Why does she have to be so perfect? It makes it harder not to want her when she accepts my pack for who they are.
The way Apollo looks absolutely smitten as Mick curls up into him, dragging Clover’s legs over his own legs so they’re just a tangle of bodies. Griffin makes a sound, forever the needy one. He grabs my hand tugging me so that we’re on the floor in front of them. His head rests on the side of her thigh and her hand comes down to run her fingers through his hair. Clover smiles down at me before she swings one of her legs off of Mick and uses it to nudge me so I’m holding it.
Every one of us is touching the Omega and I can feel the satisfaction humming in the room. This is what it feels like to have our pack centered.
“Oh, we were just coming to say goodnight.” Mama Joy has a smile on her face as she looks at us. Her eyes went to Clover and beam at her with such affection. She’s always wanted this for us, “Your mother is going to try and come out for a day or two this week. I think it’s important we all talk.”
That's code for Mama Joy wasn’t happy about finding out we had been told Clover wasn’t for us. She had probably just told Martha she had to come apologize in person. It didn’t matter that she had known about it when it happened. Now that she saw us together and saw how it had upset Clover she wasn’t going to stand for it.
I loved that she was so strong and that she was going to be such a positive influence on our Omega.
“Clover has the pack card. I’ll let the dads know too. Can you make sure that tomorrow is our treat?” Apollo asks.
If it’s possible, Mama Joy looks even more ecstatic by this. She knows her son and how he shows his affection. She knows what a big deal this is.
Her eyes flick to Clover, who is laying against Apollo’s chest, letting him stroke her lower back as she gets all the touch therapy an Omega could need.
“We’re going to have so much fun tomorrow, Clover. I’m so happy to be here with you.”
She just smiles as Mama Joy finishes saying good night and finally leaves us all alone. It’s clear now that Clover isn’t going to open up and talk to us anymore. The mood has shifted too much.
Instead she invites us back to her bed. Not to her nest. I shouldn’t feel such pride over being the only one that’s been in her nest, but I do.
If she wants to be in her bed tonight, so be it. As long as I get to be close to her.