When I open the door, it’s absolute chaos.
Every blanket, pillow, rug, literally anything that easily absorbs a scent, is in a pile on the floor while Shiloh takes a brush, scrubbing the tile raw.
Mack looks to me for help as he rubs Shiloh’s back.
When I get close, she holds up a gloved hand at me. “No. Get out,” she says with more intimidation than I’ve ever heard from her.
“Shiloh, sweetheart, I just want to help.”
“Straight to the shower, I can’t,” she says, her eyes full of fury as she scrubs harder against the floor. “I need his scent out of here. It was perfect. You know it was perfect, right?”
“Baby, why don’t we all get in the shower together, hmm? We’ll have someone come up here and clean everything out. You don’t have to fix it,” Mack says, rubbing her back.
“It’s my mess. I brought this mess here,” she says, sounding near hysterical.
I’ve never used it before, never thought I’d need to. But at this moment, I realize the purpose of an Alpha bark. It’s not to control someone you care about or lord over someone’s free will. It’s for moments like this where scents dominate us all and we need some rationality in the mix.
“Shiloh, come,” I tell her in my Alpha voice.
Her eyes go wide, but she follows directions immediately. Her big brown eyes are full of unshed tears as she looks at me.
“We’re going to get this cleaned up. The next time you come up here, you won’t smell him. Nothing is ruined. Your nest is still perfect.”
“I don’t want someone who isn’t a part of my pack in my nest,” she says quietly, looking at the floor.
“We’ll take care of it. This isn’t your mess. You didn’t do anything wrong. We’re going to take a shower and get rid of the scent, okay?”
She takes a deep breath, nearly gagging when she does so, but nods, taking off the cleaning gloves, tossing them onto the floor before taking my hand.
We go to my bedroom, in an effort to make sure that none of that motherfucker’s scent is anywhere near Shiloh’s room. I also thought with how concentrated my scent is in here, it would help with her spiral.
I’m proven right as her shoulders slouch and she seems less frazzled when we enter my bathroom. Mack and I waste no time, as I turn on the faucet and Mack helps her undress and removes her boot. He kisses her ankle, which makes her smile.
“How’s it feeling?”
“So much better,” she says, and her voice sounds far more even and less panicked.
If I see that guy, I’m probably going to end up in a jail cell…again.
I’m undressed and lead Shiloh in the shower as Mack bags up all the offensive clothes before following suit. The warm water, along with all my soaps and products, seem to wash away the remnants of his scent and bad memories as she melts against my touch.
“You’re our Omega. I won’t let him hurt you. You’re right where you belong,” I tell her, kissing her temple.
“Show me,” she whispers.
She needs a claim, it’s evident. I almost want her to let go of this notion that the nest needs to be done before we bond, but she’s hyper fixated on it and I want her to have her dream nest and bonding.
Shiloh has had a hard life, and I’d do just about anything to make her happy.
Her back is flush against Mack’s chest as I grip her chin, looking deep into her eyes.
“You know I’ll prove that you’re mine whenever you need it, sweetheart. Remember what I told you when we first met?”
Her brows furrow.
“I protect what’s mine. You’ve been mine since that moment and that shit ain’t about to change right now,” I tell her, giving her a brutal, claiming kiss.
“What do you need, baby?” Mack says, sounding far more sane than me right now.
