Chapter 21 #2
Our luggage and bags were piled high on the beds. I think Ares bought more even after the nesting supplies.
“Alright, let’s see what’s next,” Caspian said as he walked to the next room. His old room had been turned into a makeshift sitting room, plush couches filling the space, squishy and soft to the touch.
A comfortable place for our pack to sink into.
The changes were nice, but they felt too good to be true. It was almost as if I was afraid to be happy about it, because everything good so far in my life had been yanked away.
My pack was the only thing that could never be taken from me now. I had the mate marks to prove that.
“Why don’t we get your nest set up?” Rydell offered. He could feel my unease and he was right, that was one thing that could settle an omega. Maybe it would help me accept all of this.
Kane and Ansel had done such a beautiful job of setting up my nest for my heat, but I hadn’t gotten to truly appreciate it until after it was over. This would be the first nest that was ours, and I’d get to help put it together.
The entire pack got to work, carrying bags full of nesting supplies in to us omegas. I could smell the faint hint of latex gloves from whoever had to search our things when they were brought in.
Our pack scents were stronger and the rest would fade soon enough.
Once it was fully together, I was going to make our pack roll around in it. Even for Ansel, who only wanted to be with me, our pack still smelled safe.
Ansel and I tore into the bags, spreading things out and putting everything in place. We didn't need words half the time as we worked in perfect synchronicity. He’d place something, and I’d place another, until it was starting to take shape.
“What is this?” Ansel asked, surprise coloring his voice.
I turned from where I was tucking a sheet into place and blinked down at the adorable stuffed dinosaur in his hands.
It had a velvety green body and rainbow spines made of corduroy.
It was big enough to hug as you fell asleep.
There was a matching set of throw blankets and pillows with the same soft textures and deep, vibrant colors.
They were perfect additions to the black backdrop I’d chosen… except I hadn’t chosen those.
I looked at Ares, who was smirking.
“Well, you didn’t think I was going to only get one omega nesting supplies. I knew you’d never ask, so I paid attention when you were helping pick things out. Any time your eyes lingered on something but you passed it up, I snagged it. You deserve the nest of your dreams, even if it’s shared.”
Ares paused, trying to find the right words as I tried to keep it together. The fact he took Ansel on as his omega in every way but romantic made me so fucking happy.
“You deserve it. We needed you to know that even if our pack looks a little different, we’re still your alphas. We need you safe, happy, and settled. Your needs should be met just as much as Audrey’s. We won’t accept anything less.”
Ansel swallowed hard, blinking back tears while I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Watching my pack take care of my omega was everything.
“I’m kind of jealous I don’t have a cute stuffed animal to cuddle,” I teased.
“Why do you need a stuffed animal when you have six of us?” Caspian protested.
“Sometimes a girl just needs a stuffed animal,” I argued with a huff, loving every minute of our playful teasing.
He snorted as he pulled me in for a hug. “Well, seems you and Lilly are one in the same. If that hasn’t changed.”
“No way,” I said. “Once a plushie girl, always a plushie girl. They were my favorite when I was little, too.”
“Oh my god, have you felt those big, squishy pillow stuffed animals?” Ansel said, his eyes practically rolling back at the thought, which had the alphas cracking up. “We need some now.”
“Typical omegas,” Ledger said as he leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching us. He could play it off but he was loving every second of this. The bond never lied.
“Hey, let the omegas be omegas,” Kane said. “It’s the first time they’ve had the chance.”
“Exactly,” Ares said, tossing a pillow at Ledger, who easily caught it.
“They know I’m teasing,” Ledger protested. “I think Audrey would go crazy if all of us were sweet to her all the time.”
“You’re right about that,” I agreed. “I need a little variety in my life.”
Ansel snorted. “I’d say you’ve got some variety here.”
“Yes, I do,” I said with a smug smile.
“Well, thanks to your variety,” Ares teased, “I found a whole set of those adorable stuffed animals for you guys. There’s the dinosaur, of course, but also a fluffy alpaca, a koala, a little strawberry cow, and a seal. Which one do you guys want?”
He looked up at us expectantly, and Ansel and I shared a look before answering at the same time.
“All of them.”
“All of them it is,” he said, shaking his head as he made the purchase. “We’ll have to make sure the house we buy in the future has a nice big nesting room to hold all of these stuffed animals.”
My pack acting all jealous about plushies were cracking up. The alphas were scowling at the idea of sharing me with stuffed toys, watching as Ares added more to the cart.
Ansel and I shared a look before we lost it completely, laughing until our stomachs hurt. I didn’t think I’d ever laughed that hard before.
But mostly, I just felt relieved.
The bond we’d formed as a pack wasn’t left behind in that house. Even as we reintegrated into life here at ARC, it remained strong and reassuring, prominent enough that we could truly be carefree in moments like this.
It gave me hope for the future.
Yet, there was still that little voice in the back of my head reminding me that good things never last.
Not for an omega like me.