“Probably.” She shrugs and Silas nods before shutting the door.
She wastes no time plopping on the bed, and I follow, trying to calm my racing mind. The back and forth is making me sleepy.
“Why aren’t you jumping at the nest? You love nests!” She asks as she takes the pillows from the bed and starts laying them in a circle for me.
Her question shocks me a bit, but I should have seen it coming. My nest at home is my space, my safe space. I sleep there most nights, but now… now it’s been destroyed.
I wasn’t ready to touch the nest, even though they offered multiple times. That should be for a bonded omega. Their bonded omega. “I’m not—I can’t.” I see her nod in what I hope is understanding.
“It’s not mine.” I finally spat out.
“That’s fair, and don’t letthemtell you otherwise.” She points a finger at the door, and I nod, knowing they wouldn’t push me.
That’s the difference between them. The Fallon Pack dumped my stuff in the living room and locked me in the nest our first day and didn’t let me out until it was time to cook dinner.
The Gray Pack didn’t push me. They let me, let me be me. Move at my pace, not theirs.
Cause at the end of the day they asked me to move in. They didn’t force me into their car; and they didn’t have my parents to give me to them.
They found me; they courted me, even if it’s only been a short time; they chose me.
I smile as I look around the room, my new room, once more. Seeing my one singular tote and purse sitting neatly on top makes my smile dip a bit, but I try my best to hold it since I know Ollie’s watching.
The Fallon Pack ruined almost everything. I was down to four outfits from my entire clothing collection, two pairs of shoes, and my bathroom necessities because, thankfully, they forgot to raid the bathroom.
My eyes meet hers, and I know I have a lot to catch her up on.
It only took us an hour to unpack my stuff, and now we are lying on the bed as Ollie links my streaming accounts to the TV.
“Just cancel your subscription and use their account. Let’s add your profile here. But you've gotta name it something cool, okay? What about BallsDeep69? I’m sure they won’t mind.” She grins.
“I can’t assume they’d be okay with it,” I say, trying to yank the remote from her hand, but she’s fast.
“Right, what do you want to watch? We've gotta make this a party after everything you’ve been through, so we can watch a home makeover show just this once. But I’m only doing it for you.” She points at the TV with the remote, and I can’t help but stare at my best friend. I can’t even imagine where my life would be without her. I’d probably run again. I feel the itch every now andthen, but I have so many people who make me stay. I have Ollie and Luke. Now I also have Havoc, Silas, and Thorne. I have Cozy Bear Blankets, and my customers. I have so much, and to leave it all behind, I can’t physically bring myself to.
But I don’t know what to do. Moving in with the Gray Pack doesn’t solve all my problems. It won’t make the Fallon Pack back off or my parents give up. Their text messages come through like clockwork, and I know it’s only a matter of time before I run into the Fallon Pack again, and yet, I can’t be sad.
Not when I have such a big support system.
“Ollie,” I say, which makes her stop flipping through shows and look over at me.
“Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
Ollie cracks a laugh as she bounds across the bed to swallow me in a hug. I could almost cry with the emotion stuck in my throat.
I also felt bad. So bad. Like the worst friend ever. Because while I’m up here hanging out with her, I miss them. My Pack. And all the times I dragged her away from her Pack, including right now, slam into me like a semi truck, and I could drown both of us in the tears I’m doing my darndest to hold back.
“No need, Noa, I’d do anything for you. I chose to be here, plus I needed to vet the guys a bit,” she murmurs and then pulls away. Her hands lock on my shoulders asshe peers into my eyes before cackling. “Including letting you get back to your scent matches. Just remember, I’m one SOS text away. I’ll be texting you randomly, but not after midnight.” She winks, “and you better answer or me and my Pack are storming in to save you. What happened withthemwill never happen again. Not on my watch.”
Tears slip past my defenses, and I hug her hard again. Ollie really is the best friend an omega can ask for.
I slowly shutthe front door of the Gray Pack house after I see Ollie get in her alpha, Timber's car. Before I turn around, I can feel them hovering, and I most definitely want to turn around and jump into their embrace, but my anxiety keeps me pinned in place.
“So,” I mumble, willing myself to turn around, but I can’t. Trying to imagine how I want this night to go, I assume,risky move there, that it’s up to me. And as sweet as the guys have been, my core tingles with want, and I want.Wantthem, want them. Am I being too forward?
Why is this so hard?
