Willa’s breath catches. “Oh my god.”
“Surprise,” Jake says from the back.
She twists to look at all of us, and I can see the exact moment she realizes where we are. Her eyes go wide.
“You’re taking me to a nesting store?”
“The biggest one in the state,” Beau confirms.
“But these places are—” She swallows hard. “They’re really expensive.”
“Good thing we’re not worried about that,” I say, pulling into the parking lot.
“Charlie, I can’t let you?—”
“Yes, you can.” I kill the engine and turn to face her fully, cupping her face in both hands. “Today is about spoiling you, sweet girl. About giving you everything you deserve. Everything you never got. So let us do this. Please.”
I need her to understand that this isn’t charity or pity or obligation. This is us wanting to provide for our Omega. I want to see her happy, comfortable, and safe.
“Okay,” she whispers.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
I kiss her then, pouring years of wanting into it. She melts into me, her hands coming up to grip my shirt, and I can’t help the answering hardness of my cock.
When I pull back, her lips are swollen, and her eyes are hazy.
“Come on,” I murmur. “Let’s go build you a nest.”
The store is exactly as I remember from my scouting trips—overwhelming and perfect.
Willa stops just inside the entrance, her mouth falling open. I watch her take it in—the twenty-foot ceilings, the rows of shelving, the staged nests in the showroom—and my chest swells with pride.
“Holy shit,” she breathes.
“Right?” Jake grins, appearing at her side. “This place is insane.”
The Beta sales associate I spoke with last week approaches. “Welcome to Sanctuary! Are you folks looking for anything specific today?”
“Everything,” Beau says before I can.
She blinks. “I’m sorry?”
“Everything she wants.” He nods toward Willa. “We’re building a nest from scratch.”
The woman’s face lights up exactly like I knew it would. “A new nest! How exciting. Is this your first one?”
Willa nods, still looking unsure. This girl. I have to stop myself from pulling her into my arms. The urge to hold her, to keep her close, is becoming almost ridiculous.
“Well, you’re in for a treat. Let me grab you a cart—actually, several carts—and we’ll get started.”
She disappears, and Willa turns to me, eyes wide. “This is too much.”
“No such thing.” I cup her face, making sure she’s looking at me. Really hearing me. “You deserve this. You deserve everything. And we’re going to give it to you.”
Her scent floods the space between us—sweet and warm and wanting and mine.
