Chapter 22 Jack
Jack
Aspen and North were going to be the death of me. Not only were they so fucking cute looking at all the nesting supplies, it just did something to my alpha to see them genuinely happy like this.
“Aren’t we lucky bastards?” Cole rumbled as he stood next to me, watching our omegas climb into about the twentieth display so far. They were full of easy smiles and giggles, North sinking into his designation with grace.
“Beyond,” I agreed.
“Just think, if she hadn’t come along and plopped herself down in your lap wearing a Santa suit, none of this would have happened.
He shook his head. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m just not sure how to fix things.”
“Fix what?” I asked, trying to figure out where his mind went.
“Our pack. Pine Ridge. Pack & Co. Take your pick.”
“I can’t believe I’m the one to say this, but I think we need to let it play out. See where this holiday takes us.”
He stared at the omegas for a moment before turning those dark eyes of his on me. “I’m getting the feeling that Aspen isn’t going to want to leave.”
“Is there anything you can do to bring your business here to Pine Ridge?”
“Maybe,” my brother sighed, but from the way the wheels were turning in his mind, I knew he was genuinely considering it.
The Cole I knew was never unreasonable. He did what he had to do to get out of here, and I was learning to accept that.
I could never fault him for the success he had found for himself.
He put so much work into Pack & Co., and despite never telling him, I was incredibly proud. He hadn’t just made a name for himself, he created a legacy.
“You know… I haven’t said this often enough,” I hedged. Something in my voice must’ve caught him off guard because he looked at me, eyebrows raised, bracing himself for whatever I was about to say. “I’m proud of you, brother.”
I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed Cole shocked before, but right now he was stunned into silence. “I know I was a dick when you came back, and I, apparently, had some abandonment issues to work through. But that wasn’t just on you. What you did with Pack & Co. is really impressive.”
“Wow,” he said. “Thank you, Jack.”
Adorable giggles had the conversation falling away before things could get awkward between us. Aspen and North were crawling into another nest, but something was off with him.
From the look Aspen shot our way, desperate and practically begging for help, she noticed his drop in his mood as well.
Before either of us could say anything, Cole stepped forward, crouching down, studying the two omegas burrowed into the makeshift nest.
Cole grunted as he took it in, then looked at North. “Isn’t there anything less colorful and bright?”
With the way North sagged in relief, Cole had nailed the issue right away.
“I’m so dumb,” Aspen said, smacking her forehead.
All three of us, including our brand-new omega, glared at her in protest.
“Okay, breathe. I don’t think I’m actually stupid. I’m just mad at myself for not realizing sooner,” she clarified with a shake of her head. “A lot of these nesting stores are geared toward female omegas. Of course, you’re not going to find what you’re looking for over here. Give me a second.”
Cole started to protest, but she was already rushing out of the nest and across the room with zero fear. I loved that she was so independent, but she was going to give me a heart attack one of these days.
She nearly barreled into a group of alphas waiting for their omega, making Cole and I let out a growl. They held their hands up and shook their heads, giving us a look that clearly said, ‘Can’t you keep a handle on your omega?’
My eyes narrowed, and they must have seen something on our faces, backing away quickly and letting it drop. There was no controlling an omega like ours, and I wouldn’t want to.
She was chaos incarnate and perfect.
Despite the annoyance on our faces, Cole, North, and I followed on her heels. She stopped an employee
“Does your store have supplies geared toward male omegas?” she questioned.
“Oh, of course,” the beta said easily. “Knotty Nesters has something for any omega. “You’re going to want to head for the third floor this time.”
Aspen grinned back at us, looking about as relieved as I felt.
On the escalator ride up to the third floor, I noticed Aspen’s eyes light up on the second. I wasn’t the only one who noticed, either. Cole clocked it, his eyes narrowing, and so did North. The moment we got on the top, I watched North turn toward the down escalator to climb back on.
“What are you doing?” I questioned, confused.
Instead of answering me, he looked at her. “You are just as important as I am, and I understand that you’re trying to give me the chance to come into my omega side, but I’m still your mate, and I need you just as happy,” he said.
I swear my heart nearly burst out of my chest. It was one reason I fell in love with North. His heart was huge. He didn’t just see the best in everyone, but he took care of those he loved with a single-minded focus.
He was genuinely kindhearted in a way that you didn’t see often enough in this world.
Unfortunately, it also meant that he was never afraid to put himself on the back burner, but if there was anyone that was going to make sure he didn’t neglect his own desires, it was Aspen.
She looked ready to protest, but he shut her up with his lips on hers.
Their scents swelled together, and I was hard in seconds, my cock straining against my pants.
Cole’s pained groan told me that he wasn’t as unaffected as he liked to pretend.
Even if there was no attraction for North, Cole was not immune to Aspen’s tantalizing scent.
“Omegas,” he warned as the escalator neared its destination.
She seemed too dazed and glassy-eyed to protest as North pulled her off.
“Now, are you going to show your pack what caught your eye, omega? Or are we going to have to take our guesses?” Cole demanded.
She narrowed her eyes at the challenge, but it seemed her instincts couldn’t be resisted.
Her eyes flickered toward a particular display full of midnight blues and golds.
The velvet curtains were dark enough to block out most of the light, with tiny pinhole constellations cut into them that replicated the night sky.
There was a soft string of lights woven through the top of the canopy, and the bedding at the bottom was more of those dark, rich colors.
“Oh, this is like you described,” Cole started, but she shook her head.
“It’s so much better,” she breathed out.
Needing to make sure that my omega got what she wanted and could be comfortable at the house with us, I quickly sought out the closest worker.
“Excuse me,” I asked the male omega who was walking around with a tablet. His name badge read Franklin. He gave me a warm smile as I approached.
“Can I help you with something?”
“Actually, yes,” I said quickly. “What do you have in the way of professional decorators?”
“Actually, we have a whole team of them,” he said easily, tapping away on his tablet. “Is it the Elegant Skies collection that caught your eye? The one those two omegas are testing out right now?”
“Yes,” I confirmed after glancing back. They were snuggling inside, her smile blinding even from here. She loved it and her excitement had perked North right back up.
“They have good taste,” he mused. “That’s one of my favorites.”
“We just found each other as a pack, and I want to spend as much time together as possible. I’d love for somebody to be able to come in, scent-neutralized so that we can make sure it doesn’t come in with any scents, and set it up for her. We’ll also be searching for his nest upstairs.”
The omega nodded carefully as he tapped away, turning the tablet toward me.
“Would you mind giving me some information so we can create a quick account for you?”
I filled it out as quickly as I could. The urge to be closer to my pack was so strong that I didn’t want to spend long here.
He mumbled something into his radio quickly, and a few moments later another worker joined, handing over what looked like a smartphone.
“Is this what you’re looking for?” she questioned. I swear she almost simpered at this man.
He gave her a tight smile. “Yes, thank you, Cynthia.” With that, she was dismissed. It seemed pack drama was everywhere.
He handed the device over. “This will let you pick out just about anything, and I’ve already set up the scheduling option at the end. It should be pretty straightforward from there,” he promised. “If not, come find any one of us and we can help.”
“Thank you, I really appreciate this.”
“Anytime,” he said easily, customer service smile in place.
A few moments later, after a quick explanation, I had the device in hand and was rushing back to my pack. He said I simply had to take a picture and they would handle the rest.
I snapped a picture and the device started pulling up product after product, adding it to the cart for me to review later. I really didn’t need to review it. It was perfect.
She deserved it all.
“Well?” I questioned my omega. “How do we feel about it?”
I swear they both looked so full of life right now that I wanted to capture this moment in time.
“I love it,” Aspen admitted.
“Good, because it’s yours,” I said. “I already set it up for them to bring it to our suite at the estate.”
“I’ll help,” Cole said, giving me a look that said he’d make sure I allowed it. I nodded once, not wanting to fight. The money didn’t matter, they did.
“It’s not my house—” Aspen started to protest, but all three of us narrowed our eyes. She rolled hers, but somehow didn’t protest any further.
Cole was a smart man. He quickly pulled them back toward the escalator before they could argue.
“Come on. We have another floor to check out.”
Upstairs was a different world. This floor was dedicated to male omegas and it showed, no glitter or bright colors in sight. Here, the nests had masculine undertones, more plaid, and dark wood and leather.
Even the air up here was artificially scented with pine and cedar, adding to the effect.
At first, I worried everything was too simple or plain in comparison, but the deeper we moved into the displays, the more North’s eyes lit up. He took the lead, tugging Aspen behind him now. She looked equally as happy about the turn in his mood.
This was why she wanted us to come. To give his omega a fighting chance to settle.
A soft gasp escaped his lips as we neared the end of the first row.
He practically pulled her into the nest. It didn’t have the same canopy as hers, but there were fake walls around it, overlaid with dark wood and black fittings that made it appear darker.
Not in a gloomy way, the kind that a single fireplace would bring to life with dancing shadows and comfort.
Large bookshelves framed a pack bed, arching over the top before melding into the other side. They were loaded with fake books, but I could easily see my omega filling every one of those shelves.
Hell, I’d buy him every one if he let me.
His fingers danced reverently over the covers, a wistful smile on his lips. No one wanted to break the spell as he touched and took in every single aspect of the display.
Soft blankets and throw pillows in an array of dark shades of navy blue and deep emerald green, mixed with the dark leather and wood. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything scream ‘North’ more in my life.
“It’s amazing,” Aspen said as she studied it.
“You really think so?” he questioned. “It’s not too… I don’t know. Nerdy professor aesthetic?”
“First of all, that’s not a thing,” she laughed. “Second, no. It looks inviting. A place you could go to relax and get away, forget about the stress of the world and just exist,” she said, an almost dreamy quality taking over her voice.
“Exactly,” he agreed, frowning as her smile fell.
“I don’t think I’ve ever really given myself the chance to do that,” she admitted quietly.
“It’s a shame that your other pack never made you feel like you could,” North said, anger lacing his words now. He’d always been a bit of a romantic, something I was afraid I couldn’t live up to.
He wasn’t kidding about loving those sweet holiday movies that were sugary-sweet and painted a picture-perfect world that I couldn’t dream of giving him. It was stupid now, looking back, to let that stop me.
She looked up at him with a crooked smile and let out a breath that felt very much like release. “I don’t really have to worry about them anymore, do I? I have an actual pack who cares about me. And I know I never have to worry about walking in on you with another omega.”
“Except for North, never,” I vowed, not even having to put thought into it. I wanted to give this omega the entire world, to spend the rest of my life making both of them feel loved.
That started with building nests and spending this holiday together, letting our pack form without stress so that we were strong enough to handle anything life wanted to throw at us.