32. Lyra
As it turns out, I hadn’t been the only one to consider finding a local therapist. Tanner reached out to his therapist and explained a little about my situation, hoping he’d have a suggestion. The following morning I was presented with a list after we cleared up breakfast.
“Lyra, whatever you decide to do with these names is completely up to you,” Tanner prefaced before handing it over. “My goal was to help by giving you a place to start if you feel up to finding a new therapist. I know you’ve been with yours for years, and the trust you’ve built together is invaluable. Hell, send the list to her and see if she knows any of them.”
I read over the four names listed, and one stuck out to me. “I actually reached out to Dr. Barnett last night asking for suggestions. She sent me two names, one of which happens to be this doctor.”
“Dr. Hadley Mann,” Zachary read aloud, peering over my shoulder. “Seems like it’s a good sign if both people recommended her.”
“Looks like she has her practice here in the city. According to the address listed on her website, her office is located in one of the high rises off Thirty-Second Street. Hmm… the parking garage is across the street. I’m not sure how I feel about that,” Pascal shared, mumbling that last part to himself.
“Is there a contact number on the site?” Eli asked, phone in hand.
“Wait,” I snapped, as my anxiety shot through the roof. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell, and I know you’re only trying to be helpful, but you’re all moving way too fast. It took me months to find Dr. Barnett after I was too old to keep seeing my previous therapist. This isn’t like seeing a normal doctor once a year for a physical. I have to be comfortable talking to her about my deepest, darkest secrets.”
The room fell silent as everyone considered what I’d just said. Fawn watched the whole interaction cross-legged on the counter, munching out of a bowl of the leftover fruit from breakfast.
Pascal was the first to break the tension as he slid his laptop over to me. “Here is her website. I’ve got two other tabs open with a background check and another searching for any disciplinary actions that might be on her license to practice.”
Fawn immediately started to cough, choking on whatever he’d just tried to swallow. Tanner slapped him on the back until Fawn gave him the all-clear. “Passie, I’m not a lawyer, but looking up those two things might not be legal.”
“It’s my duty as an Alpha to make sure my Omegas are safe. How can I know that unless I have all the information?” Pascal countered.
Raising a hand, Fawn started to say something but changed his mind and shrugged. “I got nothing.”
Tuning them out, I looked over the website and found the tab that showed me her picture. Dr. Mann appeared to be in her forties, had been practicing for twenty-two years, and specialized in panic disorders and those suffering from PTSD. Dr. Mann’s hair was cut short with an edgy pixie cut, warm green eyes, and a kind smile. On her ‘About Me’ page, I discovered she was forty-six and a bonded Beta with a pack she’d been with for twenty-four years. She even had a few clinical papers published and won an advocacy award for her work with abused women.
After looking at the background check and not seeing anything flagged, the information matched what was on her website. Nothing showed up in the search for disciplinary action which made me feel better. Back on her site, I saw a free thirty-minute session was offered to new clients. I clicked on the page and found the only opening she had was tomorrow before noon.
“Take it,” Zachary encouraged, resting his hands on my shoulders. “It’s better to find out sooner if things will work out or if you need to keep looking. The moving company will be dropping stuff off tomorrow, so there’s nothing exciting you’ll be missing.”
“I still need to pick a room,” I reminded him.
“Which we’re going to do as soon as you’re done here, so book the appointment, honey bear,” Zachary countered, then kissed my head.
He was right. It’s better to just bite the bullet and see how things go. I’m sure I could get Dr. Barnett to provide a refill this time since I’d just moved if needed. Letting out the breath I’d been holding, I clicked the appointment and filled in the information needed along with the patient intake form. Then I sent one more email to Dr. Barnett, letting her know I was reaching out to Dr. Mann should she need any of my files.
“Done,” I announced, closing the laptop. “Now, onto something more fun.”
Zachary offered me his hand to help me off the stool, causing me to grin at his chivalry. “Where would you like to start? There is one room left on the fifth floor, three rooms on the fourth, and one more on the second after Eli claimed the other.”
“Hmm,” I considered, knowing the second floor would feel too crowded, so that was a no-go. When I thought about being on the top floor, I liked the idea, but I feared I’d feel bad for encroaching on Fawn’s space. “Fourth floor,” I decided.
“I know just where to start,” Pascal said, smiling as he settled an arm around my hips. “There was a second space we thought about setting up the nest on that floor, but Fawn made the final call.”
“Only because the room I picked didn’t have as many windows, making it cozier,” Fawn interjected. “When you’re in heat, you need to feel protected with dim lighting.”
“No one is saying you picked the wrong room, cub,” Zachary assured Fawn, snatching him up in a hug. “You’re the Omega and the only one who knows what will work best. We Alphas are a lost cause when it comes to stuff like that.”
Fawn was pacified by Zachary’s response and the toe-curling kiss that had my pussy clenching just watching. Although it might also have something to do with our bond, the way Fawn was smirking. That had me thinking as we all made our way up the stairs. Did Fawn feel Eli and I having sex last night? Would I know when he was having sex? There was still so much to figure out with all that, and I wasn’t sure how I’d handle feeling all five of them as clearly as I do Fawn.
Once on the fourth floor, Pascal took my hand, leading me down the hall past the double doors to the nest and two more doors on either side until we reached another set of French doors. Pascal released my hand to block the door with his body. “Close your eyes.”
“What?” I questioned.
“Please, beautiful, close your eyes,” Pascal urged.
If it had been anyone else, I would have said he was pouting to get his way. I gave in and covered my eyes with my hands as excited butterflies churned in my stomach. With a gentle grip, Pascal guided me forward, came to stand behind me, and pulled my hands down to reveal the room. Straight ahead was a pair of glass French doors that opened to a small balcony. Large windows on either side of the room let sunlight flood the large space. All the walls were white but accented with beautiful crown molding. Looking up, I found a tray ceiling that gave the illusion it was vaulted, giving the whole room a spacious feel.
“Holy shit, this room is as big as my apartment,” I blurted.
“Like we said, at first, it was considered for being the nest so we left the room the whole width of the building,” Tanner explained. “I believe that’s what this room was being used for when we bought the place. In fact, other than updating the windows, new carpet, and painting it white, we didn’t do a whole lot in here.”
“It’s stunning,” I said as I slowly twirled, taking it all in.
Pascal snuck up behind me, causing me to bump into him. “You should really check out the balcony,” he whispered after brushing my hair off my shoulder so he could kiss the skin behind my ear.
That kiss made me weak in the knees, but I managed to wobble my way over to the glass doors. Using both hands, I grasped the golden door latches, twisted up, and pulled them open. The doors swung easily, and a rush of fresh air blew in, making me smile. The balcony railing was black wrought iron with an intricate filigree pattern. It wasn’t all that deep, but there was enough space to place a chair or two. Gripping the railing, I looked down and found it provided the perfect view of our neighbor’s garden. Unlike this building with its small patio, their home had lush green grass, a fountain, and tons of beautiful flowers starting to bloom. When they were all in full bloom, I’m sure I would be able to smell them if the breeze hit right.
Spinning around to face the guys, I smiled so wide it hurt my cheeks. “This is perfect.”
Fawn let out a whoop and darted forward to grab my hand, drag me back inside, and dance in celebration. The rest of the morning was spent planning what I wanted to do with the space and most of what I had would work, but the guys insisted I get a few new things.
“Come on, starlight, you’re gonna need some chairs that are safe to go on the patio,” Tanner reasoned.
“Guys, what’s the rush? Everything I need right away is going to be delivered tomorrow. Besides, according to The Snuggery website, there’s no way we can get stuff delivered any sooner than three days with rush shipping,” I pointed out. “Right now, what I want to focus on is getting the room painted so we don’t have to fight the furniture once it arrives.”
“All right, then go get your shoes on,” Pascal directed.
Confused, I sat there in hopes he’d explain himself.
“You want to get your room painted, right?” Pascal asked, and I nodded. “Then we have to go buy paint and everything else we need. It’s only a little after one, and with all of us working on the project, we’ll have it done in no time.”
“You’re serious?” I questioned, getting up from the couch. “And everyone’s going to help?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t we?” Tanner challenged. “Did you think we’d just leave you to do all that work yourself?”
“Well, I, ah…” I said, stumbling over my words. “I just assumed it was my room, so whatever I did to it was my problem.”
Zachary scoffed. “Let me guess… that’s what your ex-pack told you?”
Fidgeting, I tucked my hair behind my ear and nodded.
“Douchebags,” Fawn muttered. “Guess what, angel? Now, you get a crash course in what it means to be part of a pack. Let’s go get everything you need to make your room amazing.”
“Oh, and I’ve sorted things out with The Snuggery. Your things will be here tomorrow,” Eli shared with a smug smile.
“How do you do shit like that?” Tanner demanded.
“Let’s just say I’ve got a rather close connection with someone who can expedite things,” Eli answered cryptically.
Tanner shoved to his feet, shaking his head. “So not cool, man. You make impressing our Omegas impossible.”
Everyone laughed as we headed to the garage, but no one even tried to deny the truth of his accusation. We had to take two cars—Zachary’s SUV to fit everything in and Pascal’s hatchback since he hadn’t driven it in a while. Thankfully, the lunch traffic had died down so it didn’t take us too long to get to the Design Warehouse. Like The Snuggery is for all things Omega, the Design Warehouse is pretty much what it sounds like but with packs in mind.
At the Design Warehouse, you could find beds, couches, and tables of all shapes and sizes to accommodate your pack’s needs. They also had everything under the sun for interior design in whatever style you might possibly want. This company understood that one size would never fit all and tried to offer something for everyone. My theme for this room would be blush, sage green, gold, and various shades of tan. I planned to paint the walls a super soft cream color with one wall sage green. Then I’d paint all the crown molding on the walls and ceiling gold to make them pop. It was going to look amazing.
Fawn helped me pick out a set of sheer gold curtains for the balcony doors and a blush option for the other windows since they already had blinds to darken the room. As we passed the lighting area, I spotted a gorgeous gold chandelier with crystals, but what made it extraordinary was the light pink and white flowers and delicate ivy that wound its way around the limbs. The lights appeared to bloom from some of the flowers, and I simply couldn’t take my eyes off it.
“Can I help you with something, sir,” a store clerk asked Zachary.
“Yes, could you please have one of these chandeliers waiting for us at checkout?” he answered, causing my jaw to drop.
The clerk took out a handheld device and scanned the barcode. “What name should I put the hold under?”
“Zachary Evans.”
The man paused upon hearing the name and glanced at me, then at Fawn, holding Zachary’s hand. “Thank you, sir. Just give the person checking you out this barcode, and they’ll bring it out.”
Finished with us, the man headed off down the aisle in the opposite direction at a rather quick pace.
“Did he seem a little odd to you?” Fawn asked.
“Yeah, once Zachary gave his name,” I agreed.
Zachary caught me, tugged me close in a half hug, and kissed my temple. “Please don’t think I’m at all arrogant when I say this, but on occasion, people know who I am if they follow my company’s social media. They like to film us working to promote new products and things like that. Sometimes people notice I’ve been in a bunch of them and get awkward.”
“He keeps life interesting,” Fawn teased. “Come on, our paint should be ready to pick up.”
In fact, it was ready and the last thing we needed before checking out. The cart Tanner was pushing had been filled to the brim with things I don’t remember picking out. Then I spotted a set of pillows I’d been admiring but knew I had more than enough, so I didn’t grab them.
“Have you all been picking up anything I stopped to look at behind my back?” I accused, looking at the five men, hands on my hips.
Four of them had the decency to look guilty, but Eli simply raised a brow as if daring me to challenge him. I wasn’t stupid enough to fall for the bait, but I did narrow my eyes in a subtle warning. From now on, if I’m out shopping with the guys, I’ll be more careful as to what I pay attention to.
“What if I looked at it and decided I hated it?” I challenged.
Eli shrugged. “That’s why you keep receipts. Pretty much anything can be returned.”
I blew a strand of hair out of my face and gave up. There was no way I’d win this battle. “You win, Eli, but promise me you’ll take Fawn shopping.”
“Yeah, about that, angel,” Fawn cut in, rubbing the back of his neck. “Remember last night when he handed me a tablet and said there’s no limit? Well, it was my favorite clothing store, and I took the man at his word. Good thing I have a spare room to turn into a secondary closet.”
“I would have done the same thing for you if I thought you’d see it as a gift,” Eli added, a glint of humor in his eyes. “With you, I have to be a little more… creative.”
Unsure what to do with that information, I gaped like a fish out of water, turned on my heel, and headed for the checkout. Quick footsteps followed behind me, and Fawn appeared at my side, looping his arm through mine, grinning.
“Angel, you should have seen your face when you figured it out. I was the first to do it to see if you’d notice, and then the others played along. How could you not guess what was going on when Zac made his big move with the chandelier?” Fawn inquired, bumping me with his hip.
He made a good point. They weren’t trying to be sneaky. I was so distracted with how much fun I was having that I didn’t notice. “Let’s chalk it up to hyper-independence. I’m used to having to do it all on my own and don’t expect others to bother paying attention to things like that.”
“Look, I never want to upset or make you feel bad, but the more you tell me about this old pack of yours, I’m relieved they found their Omega when they did,” Fawn admitted. “I’m afraid if you’d been with them much longer, they would have whittled you down to the point you’d appreciate a sliver of attention.”
“You might be right, but without knowing anything different, I’m not sure I’d have left if they didn’t make me,” I shared honestly as we watched the cashier emptying our cart. “Better to trust the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”
“A true angel,” Fawn said with a sigh. “Seriously, after everything, I’m not sure I’d have a kind word to say. I might look all cute and innocent, but you cross me, and I’ll cut a bitch.”
I chuckled and squeezed his arm. “Careful, your claws are showing, my sweet strawberry prince.”
Fawn smirked and cupped my face with a hand. “Strawberry prince… I like it.”
“Come on, love birds, let’s head home,” Tanner called as a man rolled a cart with a large cardboard box with the picture of my new chandelier on it.
“Whoa, not so fast, angel. Your prince demands a kiss first,” Fawn said as he stopped me from heading after Tanner.
Rolling my eyes, I gave him a quick peck, which only caused him to pout and give me the biggest puppy dog eyes. Leaning in, I kissed him for real, tongue and everything, knowing he wouldn’t let it go until I played along. Then the flash of a camera broke us apart.
“Lyra, how do you feel about Fawn being a stripper?” a woman asked, shoving a recorder in my face.
More flashes went off as three more photographers appeared.
“Fawn, do you plan to give up selling your body now that you found Lyra?” a man demanded.
“Hey, is that a mark on her neck?” a voice shouted.
“Lyra, who did you bond with? Why is there only one mark?”
“Are you really matched to the whole pack, or was that a lie?”
Chaos grew as people kept yelling, and flashes blinded me from seeing a way out.
“If you don’t want to spend the next five years in jail, I suggest you back the fuck away from my Omegas,” Eli’s voice boomed, cutting through all the other noise. “This building is private property, and you have no right to be here. The cops have been called, so I suggest you run while you still can.”
Arms grabbed me, and I was hoisted up. Instantly, my brain began to panic until the scent of rich cedar told me it was Pascal. I hid my face against his shoulder, letting my hair fall forward to shield me. Pascal practically jogged out of the store and clutched me to his body until he had to pass me off to Tanner. “Take her. I’ve got to get my keys out of my pocket.”
My body started to shake as the adrenaline coursed through my veins. I reached out through my bond to make sure Fawn was here, too, and I knew he was right beside me. Fawn was just as panicked as I was, but I felt a sense of relief when he felt me checking on him. Tanner settled me in Pascal’s car, buckled me in, and took a moment to brush my hair out of my face to study me.
“I’m okay, just rattled,” I said, guessing he was trying to determine my mental status. “Once we’re home, I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t worry, starlight, that’s exactly where we’re going,” Tanner assured me, then kissed my forehead before getting into the front seat.
There is no explanation for the drive home other than in another life, Pascal had been a stunt driver or worked as a special operative who knew how to evade being followed. I’m fairly positive the last turn into the driveway was made on two wheels, but as long as we made it home alive, I didn’t care. The guys left everything in the cars and hustled Fawn and me up into Fawn’s bedroom. Once there, we were both swaddled in blankets with four purring Alphas surrounding us. I think they needed reassurance as much as we did after what had just happened.
“Let me make myself clear. No Omega in this pack is going anywhere without one of us or at least two bodyguards,” Eli announced, then stepped out of the room, presumably to hire said bodyguards.
“That settles it,” Fawn stated. “Eli would absolutely be the sexiest supervillain known to mankind if he decided to take over the world.”
I tried to hold back my laughter at the absolute certainty in Fawn’s voice, but it was impossible. Soon, I was laughing so hard I started to cry, and my stomach hurt, yet it seemed to be the emotional release I needed. Maybe I should see if Dr. Mann had a full hour to meet with me. I certainly had more than enough to process in a full session.