Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Brooks
We’re sitting around the dinner table a couple days later when Vee’s eucalyptus scent sharpens, and she clears her throat to gain our attention.
“Sage,” she says, eyeing her carefully. “I did some research about the missing person’s poster and how we can best protect you.”
Sage sets down her utensils and I cringe, wishing Vee had waited until she was done eating to bring this up.
“Okay,” Sage says, her voice hesitant.
“I found an omega safety hotline where we can report the poster as being false, and get on record that you left intentionally to escape a dangerous situation.”
My eyes scan Sage’s body, taking in her tense shoulders and shallow breaths, the fact that her hands have disappeared beneath the table. I hope she’s not picking at her nails.
“I was wondering if you’d call with me,” Vee continues, reaching out to grasp Sage’s hands in hers. “If you’d rather talk to them alone, of course that’s okay, but I’m happy to help. I really think it would be good to be proactive, and this is one of the only ways we can.”
Sage nods, her eyes downcast.
“Petal?” I say.
She wrinkles her nose, and my eyebrows shoot up when she darts me a quick glare from under her lashes.
Surprise lights along my nerves and my worry lessens.
The fact she feels she can glare at me during a serious conversation is definitely growth.
A pleased hum rumbles in my chest because that means she must feel safe with me—with us.
“Okay,” she says, turning to Vee. “Can we call just me and you? Later? I’d rather it not be a whole thing.” She waves her hand around, scrunching her nose again.
“Of course, sweet girl.” Vee drags her knuckles down Sage’s jaw, then lightly brushes her thumb over Sage’s lower lip. “How about we put that on the task list for this weekend?”
“Yeah, okay,” Sage sighs, pouting as she picks up her fork again and pushes her food around the plate.
“Keep sticking that cute little lip out,” Vee says, leaning forward and lowering her voice. “And someone might bite it.”
She nips Sage’s lip, and Sage gasps. Her eyes fly wide and her fork clatters on the plate, then flips and clangs onto the floor. Her perfume explodes around us and I groan.
“Aw, no fair,” Riley says. “I want a piece of Sage’s lips.”
Vee smirks as she leans back in her seat, legs spread wide, tongue darting out to lick the corner of her mouth with her eyes still locked on Sage, who is now panting. And that reminds me… I clear my throat, knowing I need to bring up a topic that’s been on my mind more and more lately.
“Not to interrupt or throw too many hard conversations at you at once, but I do think there’s another thing we should address. You said your heat would be here soon, right?”
She tenses again as her eyes lock onto mine, and I offer a reassuring smile.
“We have no expectations of you, but I think I speak for all of us when I say we want it to be a good experience for you. I get the feeling your previous heats… haven’t been.” I stumble over the words, putting lightly how horrendous her previous heats must have been for her.
Her brows pinch and she frowns, eyes fixed on her half-eaten food.
I glance at Vee, and she nods for me to continue, but I get the sense pushing the heat topic will send Sage running.
We haven’t talked about this, but I’m glad to see Vee and I are on the same page in understanding that we need to.
I’m sure she’s been counting the days, just like I have.
I pivot though, focusing on something that will hopefully settle our omega, help her feel more safe and secure.
“We’ve got a week until you said it might start. We’d like to take you shopping for your nest.”
Sage freezes, and the knife she was poking her food with screeches on the plate. Then she looks up at me with wide eyes.
“My nest?”
“We noticed you’ve started stacking blankets in your closet,” Vee says.
My eyebrows go up. I hadn’t noticed that, but I’m glad she did. Definitely time to get her settled in a proper nest then.
“We actually have a nest room here, at the back of the house. I didn’t show it to you before because I didn’t want to put too much on you or freak you out, but I think it’s time. Would you like a real nest, Sweetling?”
Sage’s scent perfumes in the air as she stares at Neveah. Then she leaps up, her pupils blown, eyes locked on Vee.
“Yes, alpha,” she says, voice breathless.
I’m tempted to tell her to finish eating, but we can come back to it. This is more important right now, clearly.
We all stand and follow Vee upstairs to the second floor, then down the hallway to the back of the house.
Riley throws an excited grin at me, causing my own lips to pull into a smile in return.
Vee opens a door that I had assumed was a closet, revealing the bare bones of what will be a perfect nest.
A recessed floor filled with a fluffy mattress and cushions, wide windows, low benches along two walls, and an adjoining bathroom.
Sage halts in the doorway, though, her face falling and her perfume fading.
“It’s white,” she says.
I frown, unable to decipher what her flat tone means, then look back inside the room.
“We can paint it whatever color you want,” Vee says. “We left it white so it would be a blank canvas, but I don’t care if it stays that way or not. I want it to be whatever will make you happiest. Whatever will make your omega feel safe and cozy.”
Sage loosens at that, her scent brightening again as she steps tentatively into the room.
“We can go shopping tomorrow if you want,” Riley says, looking between me and Vee as though we would dare deny either of them.
“Get all sorts of fluffy, comfy blankets and pillows, pick out a different color for the walls. Maybe even some twinkle lights or glow in the dark stars for the ceiling or something.”
I’m about to tell him not to pressure her, but she turns big, excited eyes his way.
“Twinkle lights and stars?”
“Sure,” he shrugs. “Whatever you want.”
“Can we go today?” Sage has wandered into the room, but she spins around to face us as her pleading gaze strikes me right in the chest.
Vee is the one to answer, thankfully. I think my brain got lost in Sage’s big brown doe eyes.
“Stores are all closed by now, Sweetling, but we’ll go first thing tomorrow.”
“Why are you all being weird in the doorway?” Sage tilts her head, eyeing the three of us crowded at the door.
“We won’t come into your nest without being invited,” I say.
Riley nods, looking hopeful, and Vee remains stoic as she watches the emotions flick across our omega’s pretty face. Confusion, bewilderment, hurt?
“This is your safe space, Sage,” I say. “We’d love to be a part of it, but an omega’s nest is sacred. We won’t enter unless you expressly tell us we can.”
“Oh,” she whispers, looking around the space with new eyes.
I try to contain the anger flooding my system at the fact she didn’t know this. I can only imagine how the alphas she lived with violated her omega instincts, and I try to turn my thoughts away from that. I focus on the pack in front of me, settling on Sage’s excited gaze.
“We can do some online searching for inspiration tonight if you want,” Riley says, practically bursting with excitement.
Sage’s eyes light up, and she scurries toward us.
“Yes,” she says. “Let’s do that!”
We spend the rest of the night on the couch, Riley’s tablet projected onto the TV as Sage scrolls through pictures of nests. We all take note of which items she ooh’s and aah’s over, what colors catch her eye, the styles she seems to gravitate toward.
I’m eager to spoil my omega, and I sense Riley and Vee feel the same way.