Chapter 5 Of Peace and Guilt
Of Peace and Guilt
Sandra
I’m trapped. Nero and Emilio press in, their scents suffocating, their hands all over my body. I scream until my throat goes raw.
“Sandra! Wake up! You’re safe. Wake up!”
A voice cuts through the nightmare. Deep, firm. An Alpha command grabs hold and pulls me out. My eyes snap open.
Air floods my lungs. My heart thuds so loudly it drowns out everything else. Sweat slicks my skin. It takes a few seconds to place where I am. The familiar scent: sage, honeysuckle, and marshmallow; they settle my inner Omega. Then it hits me. I’m in Oli’s nest. I’m safe.
Jethro kneels beside the nest, hands steady on my shoulders.
His hazel-green eyes scan my face as his jaw tightens.
Ross, Caleb, and Oli stand behind him, tense and alert.
The four of them fill the room, and for once, the closeness helps.
Their scent surrounds me, blocking out the last of the nightmare.
I gasp for air and my body shakes. Tears spill down my face as a sob rises from my chest. I’m so thankful and yet still so terrified at the same time. As if those awful men will come out of the shadows and tear me away from here.
Jethro’s arms pull me into a tight hug as he makes light shushing sounds.
His palm moves in slow circles along my back.
I cling to him, pressing my face against his chest. The steady thump of his heart beat eases my panic.
My Alphas are here and I’m safe. I know they won’t hurt me or let me be taken again.
“You’re safe now.”
A small nod is all I can manage. My breath catches in my throat, but I focus on the strength in his arms and the warmth radiating from his body.
“Please,” I croak. “Don’t leave. Stay. All of you.” The idea of being alone terrifies me. “You calm my Omega.”
He shifts me so he cup my face, thumbs brushing away tears.
“We’re not going anywhere.”
Oli steps forward and climbs into the nest on my left side, slipping his hand into mine. Ross moves in closer, eyes steady. Caleb follows, quiet and unreadable.
Ross nods. “We’ll stay.”
“All night,” Caleb adds.
Jethro glances at the others. A silent exchange passes between them before he climbs into the nest.
He lies on my right, close enough for warmth without crowding. Oli settles to my left. Ross stretches out beside Oli, and Caleb finds space beside Jethro.
Their scents deepen in the enclosed space. Smoke, ginger, dates, and marshmallow create a blanket of comfort I didn’t know I needed. I breathe it in.
The tension in my chest eases. A soft rumble replaces my sobs. A purr. It slips out before I can think to stop it. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before.
Is this what it feels like to be a content Omega?
Jethro leans in. “Try to sleep, sweetheart. We’ll be here when you wake.”
I hesitate, then rest my cheek against Jethro’s chest. Part of me braces for rejection.
Instead, his arm runs along my back, his hand settling on my hip.
I reach behind and find Oli’s. Linking our fingers, I guide it across my waist. His deep purr joins mine, vibrating into Jethro’s arm and my spine.
Whatever tomorrow brings, it can wait. For now, wrapped in their warmth, something unfamiliar stirs.
I don’t want this feeling to end.
The first rays of sunlight slip through the curtains, bathing the room in a soft, golden glow.
Warmth lingers under the blankets, and my body stays curled into Jethro’s side.
My head rests on his chest, where the steady beat of his heart whooshes beneath my ear. Oli’s arm stays looped around my waist.
Jethro shifts beside me. His movements are careful, slow, as if trying not to disturb me. My eyes blink open.
“Morning.” His voice is a low rumble. He smiles down at me and his eyes soften. “Were you able to get some sleep?”
I nod as I sit up a bit, allowing him to free his body. “Yeah. Best I’ve slept in weeks.”
He presses a kiss on my forehead. “Good. Get some more rest, it’s still super early. I have to head to the bar, but Oli, Ross, and Caleb will be here. They’ll look after you.”
My brow pulls together. I don’t want him to leave. My body tightens with the thought, a small pang of anxiety stirring deep in my chest. He brushes a strand of hair from my face.
“I’ll be back soon.” Another kiss to my head. “Just rest.” He slips out of the nest, mindful of not jostling Caleb. I watch him walk to the door and steps out, closing it quietly behind him.
I sigh and turn under Oli’s arm and onto my other hip. He shifts, pulling me closer, and tucks my head under his chin. His scent envelopes me again. A soft purr vibrates from my chest, and he responds with one of his own. The sound fills the quiet room. My face nestles into the crook of his neck.
When I stir again, white sunlight fills the space. The scent of bacon drifts into the room, and my stomach growls. Oli’s arm has moved, but his hand draws lazy paths along my spine.
I turn my head to look at him. A smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. I return it.
His hand doesn’t stop moving. “Morning, sleepyhead.”
I stretch. “Morning.”
“Ross has been cooking all morning. Said he’s making you a welcome buffet.” He pauses. “Even if you’re not technically part of the pack. Yet.”
The word hangs in the air. Heat rises to my cheeks. The thought of Ross cooking for me, of them caring like this, tugs at something in my chest. Just as fast, guilt follows it.
I sit up. The warmth between us fades. “Oli, I can’t stay here.”
His body shifts as he sits up, more alert now. “What? Why not?”
“It’s not safe for you guys.” My arms wrap around me. I grip the edges of the hoodie tighter. “My father, Sergio, they’ll be looking for me. If they find me here.”
He reaches out and takes my hand. “Look at me.”
I meet his eyes.
“You’re safer here than anywhere else. No one knows you’re in town. They’d never think to look here. You blend in. They won’t find you.”
Logic says he’s right, but fear doesn’t listen. I nod anyway and lean into the pillows behind me.
The door swings open. Ross enters with a large tray stacked with food.
“Breakfast is served.” He grins.
Caleb trails behind, balancing another tray with drinks. “We weren’t sure what you like, so we made everything.”
They carry their trays to the small table beside the nest. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, waffles, fruit, toast, sausage, oatmeal with berries; it all looks incredible. The drinks tray has coffee, juice, milk, and soda.
Ross climbs into the nest on one side, Caleb on the other. Oli picks up a plate and looks at me. “What do you want?”
I glance at the trays, overwhelmed by the spread. “A bit of everything, I guess. Ross went to all this trouble.”
Oli grins and starts loading the plate with a mix of everything: eggs, bacon, pancakes, and fruit. Once it’s full, he hands it to me, then pours a glass of orange juice and passes it over, too. I accept both as he reaches for lap trays tucked in a corner near the pillows.
He places one across my lap. I settle the plate and glass on it. “Thank you.” My voice cracks with emotion. “This is amazing.”
Ross straightens, his chest puffing out as a pleased look settles across his face. “Only the best for our O... guest.” He glances toward Oli and Caleb, a question lingers in his eyes.
Oli clears his throat and shifts to sit up more on his knees. His gaze drifts toward Ross and Caleb for a beat before settling on me again. “Our very special guest.” He holds my gaze for a brief moment.
Caleb adjusts his glasses and gives a small nod toward the tray. “Eat up. You need your strength.”
I take a bite of the pancakes, warm and fluffy; the syrup sinks into every crevice. They melt on my tongue. My worn-down body welcomes the carbs like finding an oasis in the desert. The quiet builds as everyone eats. Chewing and the clinking of forks fill the room.
Ross shifts beside me and glances over with a curious tilt of his head. “So.” He draws out the word. “What do you think of Willowside so far?”
I finish my bite before answering. “I haven’t really seen much of it. Just the bar, the clinic, and here.”
“It’s not exactly Pueblo.” Oli grins. “But it’s got its charms. Good people, quiet, and safe. It’s all here.” He puts weight behind that last word, looking right at me.
Ross nods. “And the best bar in the county.”
Caleb rolls his eyes and reaches for his coffee, his mouth twitching like he’s trying not to smile. “He’s biased.”
“Am not!” Ross gives Caleb a playful shove. “It’s objectively true. Jethro’s a genius with cocktails. And the food there is awesome. Just not as good as the food I make.” He gestures at the spread between us. “You’re tasting brilliance.”
A laugh bubbles out of me and warmth spreads through my chest. “It really is good.”
Ross throws up his hands like he’s just nailed a winning shot. The satisfaction rolls off him in waves. “See?”
“We’ll have to take you on a proper tour of the town.” Oli nudges my shoulder with his. “The lake, the park, the...” He trails off and looks at the others.
“The library?” Caleb offers, dry tone as ever.
“Hey, the library’s nice,” Oli insists. “Big windows. Prairie views.”
“And Luca’s bakery,” Ross adds. “Best donuts in the state, I could eat a dozen by myself.”
I poke at the scrambled eggs, fluffy and perfectly seasoned. “How did you guys end up here? I’ve lived in Pueblo most of my adult life, and I’d never even heard of Willowside. I knew of La Junta, but not this place.”
Ross leans back and stretches out his legs until he’s settled against the pillows. “It was kind of random. We were on a road trip. Just tired of the city, the crowds, the hustle.”
Oli sips his coffee. “We wanted a place to breathe. To build something together.”
Caleb slices into a sausage link. “And Jethro always had this dream of opening a bar. He’s big on mixology. Calls it an art form.”
Ross snorts. “He gets intense about it. Homemade bitters, strange infusions, ingredients I can’t even pronounce.”