Chapter 26
Oriana
T he house was unnaturally quiet when I walked back inside. I’d been on the back porch, bundled up and enjoying hot tea and a new book that just released.
They didn’t need to know it was pure, glorious smut.
Then again, Cameron knew damn well what I liked to read, that hadn’t changed in the past thirteen years.
The kitchen was clean after our big brunch and it seemed the guys all went their separate ways.
“Anyone around?” I asked, voice barely over a whisper as if I was afraid to break the silence.
“In here!” Roman’s voice came from one of the extra rooms down the hall. I’d been in all of them but was confused.
“Did you decide to snag an art studio final—” My words cut off as I entered the room, eyes going wide.
“No, Stormy, we wanted you to have a warmer reading space. I hear you like a certain type of book,” Roman teased as Cameron gave me a sheepish smile.
“How?” I breathed out as I looked around, taking it all in. The walls were already a dark green. It had matched the aesthetic of this extra sitting room. They’d kept the plush, charcoal gray couch, but the rest was emptied out and replaced by walls of bookshelves.
The space above the couch was filled with art of fantasy worlds, some of which I could easily recognize. On the hanging shelves were a few small antiques that fit the vibes. Bronze bookends and knick-knacks that completed the look.
Then there were the vines, creeping from one shelf then wrapping their tendrils around the shelves, perfectly placed and secured.
The work alone that went into the small details had my chest swelling with happiness.
After not being seen or cared for in so long, this gesture was monumental. They saw something I didn’t even know I needed, and made it a reality. Not only that, they ensured it would be the reading room of my dreams.
“I still had your old books and the others are out getting you new ones to fill the shelves. I’m not sure how well it’s going with Lane involved in picking out smut, but you may have to share after this,” Cameron said.
The way he stood there, looking so nervous he might puke, had me moving forward. I stopped to kiss Roman, pushing my lips to his.
“Thank you for always knowing me so well, Roman,” I whispered. His silver blue eyes were shining with excitement.
“I’m just happy that you’re getting what you deserve,” he said. “Honestly, I had no idea I needed a pack as bad as I did. My family was big but everyone was always so busy.”
The vulnerability filling our bond had me hugging him close.
“Go to your alpha, Stormy,” he whispered as he released me, blinking his misty eyes as he urged me forward.
Roman busied himself filling the shelves while I walked closer to Cameron. He watched me, looking so uncertain that I wished for a moment I could see him, unburdened, as he was before.
But there was no going back. This was Cameron, my Cameron despite the separation that’d changed us both.
“Thank you for doing this,” I said, reaching out and putting my hand in his. His fingers wrapped around mine even as his hand shook slightly.
“I’m trying so fucking hard not to mess this up, Ori,” he admitted.
“You’re doing fine. Don’t overthink it, do what feels right. I don’t need some fancy things to fix this. I need you, genuine and honest, facing hard stuff without running away.”
He closed his eyes and took a breath, absorbing the words and nodding lightly. I could feel the depths of his self-loathing and I wished I could help ease it. That would take time and healing on both sides, though.
My wrist tingled, the place where we bonded seemed to be slowly mending, giving me small insights of this man I’d grieved over for so long.
“Over here I put the rest of my letters. You can read them if you want, or just ignore them, throw them away. Do what you need,” he rasped as he tucked a strand of my copper hair behind my ear.
We stood there in that moment, absorbing the presence of the person we’d missed for far too long.
“Depression is hard. Sometimes it tells me that I don’t deserve this chance and threatens to sabotage me. I promise I’m fighting it with everything I have.”
My fingers wound around the back of his neck and pulled him down so our foreheads were touching.
“You never gave up on us, did you?” I asked, letting the realization sink into me. I’d seen it in the letters that dated back thirteen years and continued on. I saw it in the antiques he collected just in case. And now in the sorrow he let burrow in but didn’t let take hold completely.
“I didn’t, but I failed you, Oriana. You never deserved that.”
“No, I didn’t. You also didn’t deserve to have your world wrecked and to experience grief to that extent,” I said gently.
A tear slowly fell down his cheek and I swiped it away before kissing him, trying to send every ounce of my feelings to him. Not just the good, but the hard ones, too, so he could understand the depths that I held within me.
And also the forgiveness. I didn’t want to spend more years hating him the same way, blaming him. I wanted us to heal and thrive. Together. With our pack.
My wrist burned and we both jumped at the same time, glancing down at it and back up. A wave of confusion that wasn’t my own hit me. It wasn’t as strong as it once was, but enough I could read it.
His hazel eyes were full of awe now, and the depths of his love for me opened the connection further.
“So fucking perfect. You always have been,” he whispered. I ran my hands through his shaggy dark hair and pulled him in.
“Kiss me, Cameron,” I said, demanding he show me how much he wanted this now that I felt it.
This kiss wasn’t sweet or gentle, it was hungry and desperate. My lips tingled at the rough contact and the slight brush of his stubble. All of it grounded me in this moment with him.
The front door closing had us pulling apart. I spun around to face them, excitement bubbling up at what they had found.
“No, I bet it’s monsters. You can’t tell me women don’t love that. Have you seen fanfic sites before?!” Lane asked as their voices got closer.
“No, fairy porn is a whole thing, I’ve seen it,” Hudson argued as they turned the corner, hands loaded with bags and boxes from several different bookstores.
Had I been reading that long?
“Look, our omega is here, she can chime in and stop this ridiculous argument,” Tate said, rolling his eyes before giving me a smirk. “Plus, we all know age gap is her favorite now.”
“Why choose?” I said. “I’ll read them all.” I was practically bouncing in my spot as I waited for them to deposit all the boxes at my feet.
Cameron sat and pulled me down with him so I was in his lap, giving me a throne to sort through my offerings. More and more as we reconnected, I could feel the bond waking up. It was nice. Familiar. Yet so much more than it was back then.
“As far as first courting gifts go, I think we killed it,” Lane said proudly. His lemon, apple, and vanilla swelled in the air, filled with happiness that made it even sweeter, like fresh apple pie.
“Agreed,” I said, giving them each a glance. “Thank you.”
“We’re just getting started, Love,” Hudson promised as he sat on the couch to watch. Roman had abandoned his own sorting and sat next to him, Lane taking the other side. Tate leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he observed.
“Open them,” he ordered. That had me ripping open the first bag. I pulled them out one at a time, appreciating my growing hoard properly.
Which was driving my guys insane. Except for Cameron who just soaked in having me in his lap, his comforting heat and small waves of contentment coming through our shaky bond.
“Come on, Princess, you’re killing me,” Lane groaned. “This bag next.”
“What he means is, he found a collection he wants to read with you,” Tate translated.
Lane’s grin widened and he nodded enthusiastically. I swear this man looked like a german shepard, but was really a golden retriever at heart. I loved that about him.
“I’ll save it for last,” I said, voice serious as I set it aside. Watching his face fall nearly broke me and I burst out into laughter. “Just kidding.”
“Ugh, you’re evil, omega,” he grumped but still smiled widely as I pulled it out and gasped.
“Oh my god, I’ve been dying to read this!” I gasped, dancing on Cameron’s lap until he stilled me with his hands, his cock hardening under me. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he husked, sounding pained but amused. “What’s it about?”
“This omega falls through a portal and right into the middle of an elven war. They didn’t even have omegas and are completely thrown for a loop but all fall in love with her and form a pack in their own way. Apparently, they have magical knots.”
“So, she saved the elven world with her magical pussy?” Hudson asked, sounding incredulous.
“I mean, I bet our omega tastes magical. I get it,” Tate joked. It was funny how he’d seemed so serious when he first walked up to me, but when he was with us like this, his face was open and full of laughter.
I loved that they were all easy to read. It never felt like I had to fight to guess, they didn’t hide things from me, and that was exactly what my omega and I needed.
“So, what I’m hearing is that I can dress up as a sexy elven god and fuck you?” Lane asked.
“Wait, I can get on board with this. Do we get to chase you through the woods?”
My mouth was dry now as need pulsed through me. A burst of my scent perfumed in the air, telling them all just how much I wanted that to happen.
No. Needed.
“Shut up and let me appreciate the rest of my book hoard,” I grumbled, making them all laugh, though they let me dive back into the bags and boxes.
They were quiet as I finished, gushing about each title before stacking them up. When I finally finished, Tate and Hudson whisked away all the packaging while Roman, Lane, and Cameron let me boss them around, filling the shelves by genre so I could live my best mood-reader life.
“Can we spend all day at home? Like order in and just nerd out?” I begged.
“Absolutely,” Cameron said, already pulling me closer. As the day passed he’d been doing that, holding himself back less. It was exactly what my omega needed.
The shrill sound of a phone ringing broke the moment and he winced, pulling it out.
“One sec,” he said, answering as he stepped over a pile of books. “Hey, Avery, what’s wrong?”
I froze at the sound of her hysterics. She was obviously crying and I was following behind him, worried now.
“Hey, hey. Take a breath, I can’t understand you,” Cameron said, trying for gentle and soothing but it was laced in a bark. She gulped in a big breath.
“The triplets are teething and barely sleeping, it’s freezing in here and the guys home with me can’t get the heat running. Something’s wrong and I don’t know what to do,” she wailed.
He turned to me, face pained as he responded.
“I’ll be there in a second,” he promised before ending the call. “Baby.”
The regret in his voice was deep but he was still going to go.
As he should. I wasn’t in heat and plans could change.
“I have to go help,” he started, and I knew he was about to go into a full explanation, but I didn’t need it. I pressed a kiss to his lips, stopping him.
“Let’s go change. I think they need a good rest, too,” I said. “This isn’t you abandoning your omega, this is you showing your omega that you’ve grown and changed, that you prioritize those you care about. I’ve been dying to meet those sweet babies anyway.”
“God, I’m a lucky alpha,” he said, closing his eyes and taking a breath.
“You are,” I agreed before peeking my head back in my reading room. “Hey, we’re on baby duty, anyone else coming to meet my sweet nieces and nephew?”
“All of us,” Roman said, but it was unnecessary, the other three were already moving.
“Change into fresh clothes, the dust from working on the room won’t be good for little lungs,” Tate said as we all headed for the stairs.
Seeing my pack step up like this had me swooning.
Just wait until my pre-heat self saw them holding babies.
Talk about an ovary exploding scene.