I kissed him before he could complain, the frosting making it sweet.
“Here I thought you found me so delicious you couldn’t resist,” Cole said, shaking his head.
“I mean, you were delicious.”
When I started to walk away, he snatched me back, hands wrapping around my waist and pulling me into his lap. He buried his face in my neck, taking in deep breaths of my scent, the way I’ve done to him every time.
I wanted to suggest that we take this to my nest, but a huge yawn had the words dying on my lips.
“I think it’s time to get our omega off to bed,” Jack said.
“Can’t complain,” my voice almost slurred with how tired I was. I swear it hit me like a ton of bricks the moment I relaxed into Cole’s embrace. “But we can’t go in my nest.”
“Why not, baby girl?” Jack asked, amused.
“Doesn’t smell like you.”
He looked at the others. “I think we can fix that. Why don’t we take our omega to her nest, make it smell all like us and we can just sleep. Nothing else.”
I started to protest, but yet another yawn cut me off, and he laughed.
“We have the rest of our lives to make you feel good, omega. Tonight’s just about resting. You barely got any sleep last night, and neither did we.”
“He’s right,” North sighed, my yawn spreading to him.
It was the last thing I wanted to do, but he was, unfortunately, right. Not wanting to hear any more protest, Cole scooped me up into his arms, carrying me like I was a princess up to our wing.
The common room smelled like all of us, the way my nest should smell. I wrinkled my nose when we reached the new nest that was still drenched in professional de-scenting spray.
My alpha laid me right in the middle before stripping down to his boxers and joining me. My omega perked up at that but he gave me a stern look.
They were going to stick to their word, even if it killed me.
A long suffering sigh was my response to that, though I didn’t protest any further as Jack and North stripped down to their boxers and joined us. Every one of their scents filled my nest, chasing away the industrial scents that were there moments ago.
I burrowed into the sea of blankets, my pack moving closer so they were all touching me in different ways. A hand on my ankle, someone’s arm across my chest, and Cole’s fingers trailing up and down my arm.
This Christmas could truly never be topped. I was the luckiest omega in the world and I had a pack that adored me, constantly making sure I was content and taken care of, even in ways that I didn’t realize I needed.
Pine Ridge was where our pack belonged. I felt it in my bones. Every day here only solidified that.
Now I had a pending job and a home.
There might be sacrifices to get us here full time, but that was what made this connection real. We didn’t care what it cost, as long as our pack was settled and happy at the end of the day.
Aspen
“Ihad a thought,” Cole announced as we all sat around the table. Even Karina joined us, finally done with avoiding her own house, I suppose.
“Oh?” Karina was the first to speak, raising a perfectly styled eyebrow.
“I’ve considered remote working since half of our pack lives and works here, but I think I’ve decided to go a different route,” he said, giving me a look. My pulse picked up, hope blooming even though I was afraid to let it take hold.
Karina’s eyes were bursting with questions, but she didn’t interrupt her son.
“I’m thinking an extension office might be a good idea. It could be my new home office. It isn’t like the things brought to me aren’t done via email or upload most of the time anyway. I could add in conference rooms and a few other things to make sure it’s worthwhile.”
“And that would be here, in town?” Karina asked carefully, her voice so strange, like she was locking down her emotions tight, afraid to hear his answer.
