Chapter 40
Flora
“Iheard someone could use a little sugar!” a sweet voice called out from the hallway.
I was lying in my nest, attempting to study, but it was more like moping.
My mother’s visit had put me in a mood. And I’d been unable to get it off my mind, replaying the conversation over and over again instead of comprehending what I was reading.
And Bear had been so kind to buy all my textbooks.
It felt terrible that I was just lying around and not using them to study.
As I looked up, Mable appeared in my doorway, holding a box of what looked like baked goods.
“What have you got there?” I questioned, poking my head out of my nest, curious and hungry, despite my foul mood.
An easy smile spread across her face. “I had one of my alphas go out to this fancy bakery that makes chocolate croissants that are to die for. Can I join you?” she asked.
“Fuck, yes,” I groaned, closing my textbook and tossing it aside, though careful not to mess up the pages of the brand-new edition Bear had bought me. I was supposed to have had some greasy fried food at the diner, but my mother’s visit had distracted us.
Another reason she was currently on my shit list.
“This is amazing. I need this after my mother’s impromptu appearance.”
Mable winced as she clambered into my nest, box of goodies in hand. “Eesh, that makes it sound like you and your mother are not on the best of terms. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong. I love my mother,” I started, staring off into the distance, “but she has a very specific idea of how she wants me to live my life. She’s the kind of omega who thinks that all other omegas should be bonded and having babies as soon as they turn eighteen, that there really isn’t a point in us pursuing higher education. ”
“Oh, I see. And how has she taken your choice to move away to college, then?” Mable enquired, opening the box and presenting me with the baked goods.
“You know what? Forget my alphas, I think you’re my favorite,” I declared, plucking one of the chocolate hazelnut pastries out of the container and taking a bite. “Oh, fuck, this is glorious.”
The taste momentarily distracted me, but then I refocused, considering Mable’s question. “My mother doesn’t really understand it, but she accepted it. Begrudgingly. At least, that’s what I thought. Did my guys tell you the stunt she pulled today?”
“Umm, no, they didn’t,” she sighed, grabbing one of the raspberry pastries for herself.
“My mother, who lives in the Midwest, turned up here randomly. She made a whole scene at my old apartment. It’s probably my fault because I didn’t answer any of her texts while I was in heat—but as far as she knew, I’d never even had a heat.
Worse, she didn’t come alone. No, she brought an alpha from my hometown who she wants me to date. ”
The other omega’s eyes widened comically. “Wait, she came because she was concerned about you, but brought you a date?”
I nodded, raising my brows. “Yup.”
Mable stared at me for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Oh my gosh, I shouldn’t laugh, but that’s so bad. Who would do that?”
“Oh, no, you can laugh. It’s definitely ridiculous,” I agreed. “Anyway, I should be asking how you are.”
“I’m doing amazingly,” she beamed. “Maggie is getting so big. I can’t believe she’s already three months old. Being a mother is wonderful, but sometimes getting out of the apartment and talking to someone who isn’t a member of my pack is a godsend,” she added, looking at me pointedly.
“So, what you’re saying is my family drama is highly entertaining and gets you out of your ever-present baby bubble?” I smiled, cocking my head as I gave her a knowing look.
“Exactly,” she exclaimed happily. “And I am not above bribing you with treats.”
“Well, I’m never going to say no to treats, given that Spencer keeps trying to make me eat healthy. Gross.”
Mable’s nose scrunched adorably. “Yeah, he does seem like the kind who’d make you eat a lot of veggies.”
“Yep—and protein shakes. Lord knows, I’m in love with the grumpy bastard, but would it kill him to let me have some chocolate once in a while? I cannot survive on rice cakes alone.”
“So you are in love with him,” Mable cooed, looking at me with a knowing expression that made my cheeks heat.
“Unfortunately,” I grumbled, even as a smile spread across my face.
She grinned at me, taking my hand from across the nest. “I’m glad they found you. You seem like a really sweet omega, Flora. I’m sorry about your mom, but I’m sure all of this will work out.”
“I appreciate that. The guys have made it pretty clear that they feel the same way, but I just…” I trailed off.
“You just what?” Mable tilted her head, squinting at me.
I bit my lip. There hadn’t really been anyone I could discuss my situation with. Mable seemed like a kind, trustworthy omega. And I didn’t realize how much I needed to have another one of my kind to talk to, especially now.
“What did Bear tell you about our bonding?” I asked.
“Not much. He just said that you guys bonded during your heat, which is why he needed to take a bit of leave to be with you. Trust me, I remember when I bonded with my alphas. It’s so hard to separate from them.”
“It is,” I agreed. “Today was my first day going to class, and he couldn’t come with me. It was not pleasant. Chase was with me the entire time, though, which was a relief. But I guess it’s the fact that we didn’t plan the bond.”
“A lot of bonds aren’t planned,” Mable pointed out.
“Yes, but I ended up here because someone was stalking me, and then I accidentally went into heat because my stalker swapped my heat suppressants with sugar pills, and then during said heat—when the guys so kindly offered to help me—I went ahead and bit Bear,” I said in a rush, the words spewing out of me.
“Oh, dang. Wow, umm… Do you feel like you’ve been pushed into this at all?”
“Oh no, not in the slightest,” I insisted.
“Sure, it’s been weird at times, a little fast, but honestly, I’ve grown so attached to them all.
I just don’t want them to resent me one day for pushing them into this.
I mean, we started this because they saw I needed help.
It wasn’t exactly what I’d describe as a meet-cute. ”
The omega stared at me for a moment before bursting into laughter. My face flushed, burning from cheeks to ears.
“Oh, Flora, you don’t have to worry. They are obsessed with you,” Mable assured me.
“Now, I adore all three of those guys, and they are absolutely amazing with my daughter, but let’s be honest—they can be a bit emotionally constipated at times.
My alphas have known them for years and said they’ve never seen them so happy. ”
“Really?” I asked in a small voice.
“Oh, hon. You are not a burden or a task to them whatsoever. You’re their pack.
I still think they could do with a few therapy sessions—but I think that about most alphas.
Flora, you’ve got yourself some kind, loving, protective alphas who are obsessed with you. In my opinion, you’ve hit the jackpot.”
“Despite everything, that’s kind of how I feel as well,” I admitted. “Which is why my mother upset me so much, talking badly about Bear.”
Her eyes widened. “She didn’t. When he was standing right there?”
I bobbed my head, tearing off a bite of pastry to distract myself. “She did. But on the upside, I think Bear can truly see how much I care about him now. He looked so cute and proud when I stood up for him.”
Mable beamed. “Good. Now we need to eat these goodies and talk about something other than men! A little birdie told me you were low on clothing, so grab your laptop—we’re going online shopping. Look what I have.” She smirked, pulling a bank card out of her pocket.
“Mable, I can’t let you buy me clothes, no matter how rich you and your alphas are.”
She shook her head, biting back a grin. “Oh no, this isn’t my card. This happens to be Spencer’s card. When I turned up here, I told him I needed it to buy you things, and he handed it over without a word.”
“He what? He actually…” I trailed off again, and a little fire ignited behind my ribs.
I quickly learned that Mable could shop. In only half an hour, she had a cart full of an obscene number of essentials.
“You can never have too many pajamas,” she said. “I get that wearing the guys’ items is nice—I practically live in Devin’s T-shirts—but sometimes you need cute, comfy jammies of your own,” she added, scrolling as I ate my third pastry.
I was about to grab a fourth when the door to my room opened, and Spencer came storming in, a pissed-off look and a scorched scent accompanying him.
“Phone,” he growled, holding out his hand.
“Well, hello to you, too, Spencer,” Mable said grumpily.
He ignored her, looking directly at me and holding his hand out. “Phone,” he instructed.
My mind started running a mile a minute. Was he pissed about us buying clothes? Should I give him his bank card back?
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, grabbing the card and offering it to him.
His brow furrowed. “I don’t give a crap about that. There’s as much money as you want. I need your phone.”
“Spencer, you need to use your words like a big boy,” Mable insisted. “You’re scaring your omega.” She crossed her arms and glowered at him.
“Chase has just told me that you got a text today,” he growled in a hard voice.
Crap.
“With everything that happened with my mother, I genuinely forgot,” I admitted, picking up my phone.
“What’s the big deal about a text?” Mable asked.
“It was from the guy who trashed my apartment,” I admitted gingerly.
Realization dawned on her face, and she nodded, patting me on the hand. “Yeah, I think you need to give him the phone, sweetheart.”
I agreed, handing my phone over to Spencer as I ducked my head.
“I’m going to get Chase on this, see if we can find where the text came from, which tower it pinged.” He turned to leave but paused and looked back at Mable, sighing. “Umm… make sure she buys plenty.”
“Help her spend your money? Of course I can do that, Spencer. Anytime.” She beamed happily when he strode out of the room. “He is intense,” Mable said. “That’s gotta make for some hot-as-fuck sex.”
I turned to her in shock, staring for a moment before I burst out laughing. Interactions with Spencer were often like this. He’d come storming in and then be gone in the next second. If I were honest, though…
“Oh, it does.” I bobbed my head, rolling my lips between my teeth before I looked up at Mable again. “Don’t tell anyone, especially Spencer, but he’s got this thing he does when he stares directly at me during… Oooof.”
We stared at each other before breaking out into another fit of giggles. Something about having Mable there to talk to made everything a little easier, mother and stalker aside. I had a friend to lean on. And sometimes, that was what a girl needed.