28. Gabe
Chapter 28
J acks took Candice home this afternoon, she collected the rest of her clothes, since we’re not sure how long she’ll be staying with us. It just feels right having her here, like some piece was missing, but now everything is how it is supposed to be. Her scent is already all over the house, and I can’t help but smile watching her and my pack together.
She likes helping Jacks out in the kitchen. She says she does better at baking dessert stuff than dinner, but the way they bounce off of each other, or I guess don’t bounce off of each other while both working in that small area makes no sense. They seem to just move around each other without saying anything, almost like a dance, and I like it.
Jacks and Xan have set her up in the spare room, right next to the nest, and while it works for now, I think we are gonna need to rearrange a few things, maybe move the nest downstairs, and convert the den. Not like we use it anyway, I never did understand the need for a den and a living room, but the house had it, and right now it is mostly just storage. I’ll talk to the pack later tonight and get their ideas. I think it might be better for her heat since the room is bigger, and downstairs, closer to the kitchen, but not as secure as upstairs.
Even now I’m wondering if it’s too soon to ask if she wants to move in here permanently. I can safely say that all of us want her here, but I don’t wanna push her to do something that makes her uncomfortable, especially so soon after this shit with her house. All I want is for her to feel safe, and make sure she is comfortable here, but I fuckin’ hate waiting.
Xan and Leo are cleaning up the kitchen now. Xan’s already had 6 people contact him about the mechanic positions, so at least we have some place to start. I should probably go over the applicants with him tonight, but we spent a lot of time the last couple days doing catch up with Trey still out sick. This is the first time he’s asked for time off since we hired him, so I don’t feel comfortable saying no, but his timing could’ve been better.
All I want right now is to cuddle up on the couch with a sweet little omega in my lap until she falls asleep again, then carry her into the nest, and sleep for a full 8 hours. Another point in favor of moving it downstairs, no fear of her tripping going up or down the stairs.
Why the hell did we buy a two story house anyway.
If we have kids that’s something we will need to worry about too.
I wonder if the guys will be ok turning the old nest room into a nursery, or if we should consider Xan’s idea of adding on.
What the hell is wrong with me, when did I start thinking about kids. Shit!
I shake my head to dislodge the wild thoughts that are swirling around in there, better just go grab a shower for now, I can sort all this out tomorrow. Heading up the stairs I pull my shirt off as I go. The sooner I can get under the hot water the sooner I can get these damned muscles in my neck to relax. I know Candice is safe here, but whoever the fuck is after her has a lot of pain coming their way if I get ahold of them.
I hear talking coming from the end of the hall, what used to be the guest room, and I walk that way, just a quick check in to make sure everything's ok. But when I pass the nest the door is wide open and hot damn…it smells like Candice, Jacks, and a lot of sex.
Smells like they weren’t just busy going back to her old place today.
Fuck, smells like a fucking holiday coffee shop…and now I’m hard. Well, fuck.
Turning around, I can take care of this in the shower. There’s no reason for her to feel awkward just cause I can’t control how my body reacts to her, but I draw up short when I hear the voice break with a loud sob. I rush back to her room, I don’t wanna intrude, but I need to make sure she’s ok.
Looks like Jacks and Xan cleaned up as much as they could. Hell, those two probably already have a 12 step fuckin’ plan to get her to move in, starting with getting all her pictures fixed or replaced and hanging them up here .
When we were kids, Xan insisted on trying to teach me how to play chess. Unfortunately, his attempts included thinking seven steps ahead, bullshit, was just confusing as hell. Nope, he and Jacks like to play it together, and Xan most often wins–but not always–and I think that’s cause Jacks is a crazy fucker who never plans for anything and so Xan can’t predict his moves. But I tried a few times, and I just can’t think that way, I can’t plan ahead like that.
Also got tired of the two of them handing me my ass when I tried to play. No real point in it if you lose every damned time.
Candice sits on the floor, beside a stack of torn and beat up old photos. Some of them are in decent shape, she seems to have them scattered around her on the floor in various piles, depending on how badly damaged they are. She is holding one to her chest, her head bent over it, big tears rolling down her cheeks, and before I know what’s what, I am sitting behind her, arms around her, and pulling her into my lap. I’ve never purred before Candice, but now I can’t seem to stop the one that rumbles out of me. It’s not as smooth as Leo or Jacks, but her body softens against me despite all that.
“Shhhh, it’s ok, little omega, what’s wrong? I bet we can fix it.” Fuck, I don’t know if I can fix anything but a car, but I damned sure aim to try. Anything to help her be happy again. Her sniffles slowly die down as I rock us both back and forth, holding her and rumbling like I need my muffler replaced.
“It’s just...It’s my grandpa, or his picture…and my parents' pictures. They’re all I have to remember them by. I kept meaning to scan ‘em in, make digital copies, you know…but stuff kept happening, and I never had time, and now…” She lets out a loud sob, shaking in my arms again.
“It’s ok, sweet girl. It’s ok. Shhh.” I continue to rock, and rub my jaw along her hair, catching the fine strands in my stubble. “I can guarantee you that if Jacks and Xan don’t know how to fix these already, then they’ll figure it out right quick. They’re the two smartest bastards I know, this is nothin’ for ‘em. Don’t you worry, we’re here now, ok?”
I wish I still had my shirt on, as she rubs her face against my chest…it feels hot and sticky in my chest hair and now I really need that shower.
But, hey, bonus, no more boner.
My involuntary shudder startles her and she pulls back. “Oh my god, I am so, so sorry. That is really gross.” She stands up, pulling me up and trying to wipe my chest off with her sleeve.
“That’s not really workin’, but I sure do appreciate the effort.” She sniffs loudly, before she starts giggling. “Fuck, that is so nasty. Let's get you cleaned up.” She runs into her bathroom and turns on the shower to warm up, then brings back a handful of toilet paper that she tries to wipe me off with again. It works marginally better than her shirt.
“It’s ok, sweet girl. Get yourself cleaned up and get a change of clothes on. I was headed for my own shower before I heard you anyway, so it’s all good. Wash off, get into some comfy PJs, and meet me in the living room for a movie, alright? ”
She sniffs again, but nods, takes her handful of tissue back to the bathroom, and closes the door behind her. I wipe at my chest without much success, and head back to my own room. After I get cleaned off, I’ll talk to Xan about the applicants we got today, and about fixing these pictures for her.
Things’ll settle down soon… hopefully .
Leo
J acks smells like my Kitten, and while part of me wants to thrash him in jealousy, the other part just wants to stand in the kitchen and sniff him.
Yes, I realize I sound psychotic.
But my Kitten makes me feel that way, out of control, lost from my normal sense of logic and structure. My own mind no longer makes sense when she’s around. That is hardly a complaint, I’m enjoying every moment of the madness, however, I often feel out of sorts whereas before I felt…if not happy, at least content. Now I think about her constantly. I worried about her safety before she was staying with us. Now I know it was for good reason .
Even before my Kitten, I was a firm believer in the strength of the fairer sex. True they had to work twice as hard to build muscles, but that is simple biology. Even I will readily admit that several of my female colleagues are more intelligent than myself, or at least they have more worldly experience and insight into our work. That may be partly due to my specializing in exotic animals as opposed to a general practice, but it holds true nevertheless.
Now, I just want to bundle her up in her nest and care for her, bringing her shiny things and sustenance. I still feel that most women are more than capable of taking care of anything that comes their way, but with her, I can’t help this damnable primal urge to not let her do anything for herself and it is beyond madness.
Logically, I know she’s lived alone for the last three-plus years. I know she can feed and care for herself, but my fucking alpha is not listening, and the feeling of being cleft in two is disturbing, to say the least.
She arrives downstairs, looking simply delectable in a pink flannel nightgown, and I can't help but wonder what she has on under it. I was never a sex maniac before. I have enjoyed the company of women, mostly while I was in college, but I never felt like the raging pervert I feel I have become. Never felt the desire to be with anyone the way I want to be with her.
Getting off the couch, I walk over to her, wrapping her in my arms and just breathing her in. She is so tiny. Yes, she is an omega, I understand that they are, as a rule, small. But I am also the tallest of our pack, and her head barely comes up to my nipples. Though I suppose even that would be useful for some things.
Dear god, what is wrong with me?
Bad alpha, stop being a pervert!
As I pull her close my body relaxes, taking in that she is safe and among my pack, and no one will harm her within these walls. I would trust my packmates over anyone else in the world to protect our omega, but having her settled against me just lets me breathe easier. I lift her up, and she laughs as she reaches over my head to touch the ceiling fan when we pass it.
“Sorry, I need a ladder for everything. How does it feel to be so tall…this is so cool.” She laughs in my arms, breast pressed against the side of my face as she flails her arms in the air. “Wow, if I could get a saddle for you, I could just ride you around like a horse and look down on everybody.” she slides down my chest, kissing my cheek in passing. I don’t think she realizes the double meaning in her words, and I groan at the thought of her riding me anywhere.
I fold myself onto the couch, settling her into my lap so I can breathe in her heady scent. Jacks comes to sit on one side, rubbing his hand along her spine, while Xan sits on my other side and pulls her feet into his lap. We discuss movie options, I want something romantic, something I can enjoy with our omega cuddled in my lap, possibly Shakespeare in Love. Jacks and Xan groan, at my suggestions, but agree wholeheartedly when the omega suggests a cartoon with a walking trash-heap, Howl’s Moving Castle. I haven’t voluntarily watched a cartoon in years, but for her, I will try to pay attention. I may even enjoy it, I suppose there are romantic cartoons.
Twenty minutes into the film and I am pleasantly surprised that yes, they do make romantic cartoons. At least, I hope that is where this is going. Gabe finally makes it downstairs to join the rest of us, and sits in the chair beside Xan, talking quietly about applicants and work. I know he feels the need to rush everything along with Candice’s heat coming up so soon, but I dislike when they talk about work at home, it means they don’t relax, and if they don’t relax, then Jacks won’t relax, and if he won’t relax, then I can’t either because everyone around me will be keyed up and just…shit.
I’m working myself up over nothing. Take a deep breath of my Kitten, yes, that’s it.
My muscles relax and I turn my focus back to the television…where we have a talking fire. Strange, but ok. My Kitten is curled against my chest and my purr is a quiet rumble, lulling her to sleep. She blinks a few times, trying to stay awake, but after the stress of the last few days, I don’t think it will be long before she is out for the evening.
I turn to Gabe, he shares my recent stress about her, my fear of what might happen when she is away from our protection. Now he’s asking Xan something about photos, ahh, it must be all the family photographs they retrieved from her house. I pet her hair, half-listening to their conversation. Gabe wants Xan and Jacks to look into photo restoration, since several of the damaged images were of her now deceased family. I pull her close to me, mentally dissecting the bastard that invaded her home and destroyed her sense of safety, and she lets out a weak grumble and thrashes lightly until I loosen my grip.
Of course Xan and Jacks will work on it, he says, but they should start calling in applicants tomorrow with her impending heat, or look at closing up the garage for the duration of it. I have rescheduled all of my appointments for the next two weeks, just in case. I have four coming in tomorrow, and then more on Friday. After that I will work as needed and be on call to assist with providing time off for the doctors that have to cover my shift while I am out.
My gaze wanders back to the television, and yes, as it turns out, this is a love story. I'll need to watch it again sometime then, with my Kitten, but for now, I would rather get her to bed.
“Kitten, Kitten wake up. Do you want your nest or your bedroom?” I stroke her hair gently.
In truth, I would rather her go to her nest, so that I might snuggle with her there. Thus, I am not trying hard to wake her up. But I don’t want to take away her choice if she would be more comfortable in the bedding that Jacks brought back from her home.
She burrows her face against my chest. “Leo,” she murmurs, and my heart melts more at her gaining comfort from my scent. I guess that means we’ll go to the nest again tonight .
Oh no, how awful.
I don’t even try to hide my smile as I leave Xan and Gabe to their discussion. Jacks slides over to my now vacant spot, probably to discuss more about our omega’s photos, as I slowly take the stairs, reveling in finally having time alone with her, even if it is just to sleep wrapped around her soft, warm body, and drift off to the sound of her breaths.