“Five dollars on my mate,” Raphael says, though he sounds incredibly resigned.
“No one’s gonna bet on me?” Andras calls out before Damien grabs him in a headlock, cutting the words off.
I lean against Jin’s side, watching their antics with fondness in my chest. Jin kisses the top of my head and I let out a sigh. As much as I’m enjoying this, I’m looking forward to when everyone leaves so I can properly make my nest. My instincts are making the back of my neck prickle with restlessness.
The doorbell goes off before I can say anything to Jin. He runs off to collect our pizza. At the prospect of food, the trio rolling around on the ground call for a truce.
Everyone sits around the coffee table as Jin piles the boxes on top. No one grabs a plate, content just to eat straight from the box while being careful not to let any sauce spill onto the floor. Everyone’s scents mingle together, creating something altogether new and lovely. It smells like safety. It smells like pack, or in my case, flock.
I lean my head against Jin’s shoulder, doing my best to ignore the prickling happening at the back of my neck. I try to concentrate on the conversations happening around me but all I can think about is my nest. I need to clean that room. I need to get the bed set up. I need to get a proper nest started. The sooner the better.
“Are you okay?”
I startle, looking to my right and finding Bren watching me. He narrows his eyes. I don’t want to lie to him but I also don’t want to kick everyone out, especially after they spent the day helping Jin and I move. Instinct wars inside of me.
“I’m okay,” I tell him softly. “Just have some really heavy nesting instincts going on.”
“Ah,” he says, nodding his head. I knew he’d understand. Bren might be an alpha but he’s still a phoenix. Nesting is incredibly important for us, not only for comfort and mating and babies, but also because our nests are where we regenerate. It’s the pyre with which we are reborn again and again and again.
Bren looks around at everyone, clapping his hands to get their attention. “I think it’s time we clean up our shit and head out. We don’t have to go home but we can’t stay here!”
“What?” Damien asks, looking over at me and Jin. “You guys kicking us out?”
I shake my head but Bren jumps in. “Phoenix business,” he says in explanation.
Everyone looks at each other before Gadreel shrugs. “Makes sense to me.”
As they all shuffle out, Bren stops and hands me his sweater. “Do you want it for your nest?”
“Yes, please. Thank you, Bren.”
Bren gives me a quick hug before shuffling everyone outside. I grab Jin’s wrist, tugging him deeper into our new home, pulling him into the room that will hold my nest.
“Okay, we need to get to work.”
“What’s going on?”
“Nest. Nesting time. I need it and I need it now!”
Jin grins at me. “You got it! I’ll find all the best blankets and pillows and bring them to you. You get to work constructing it.”
Before Jin can leave the room, I snag the front of his shirt. He raises his brow at me. I pull him forward and kiss him, my stomach ramming into his.
I love the way he’s always on board for whatever I have in mind. He makes me feel so many things, all of them good.
“What was that for?” Jin asks with a light chuckle.
“No reason. I just love you.”
“Oh,” Jin breathes out, his red eyes widening. “Oh. Okay. Wow.”
His reaction makes me realize this is the very first time I’ve said that out loud. Real nice going! Instead of doing something romantic, leading up to a grand moment where I confess my adoration for my mate, I just blurted it out when he offered to help me make my nest? I can be so hopeless when it comes to romance!
I wince, looking sheepishly at Jin. “Was that bad timing?”
“What? No! It was perfect. You’re perfect, Leo. Everything you do is perfect.”
“Okay, now you’re just being ridiculous. Just last week I burned dinner so badly we had to air out the apartment.”
