She giggles and squirms happily. "Okay! Let's make a nest."
As I expected, she doesn’t question the sudden shift in Blaze from murder-mode to eager playmate. She doesn’t flinch at the memory of his stalking or the disturbing things he’s said.Doesn’t remember the flash of a knife or a cruel Command. None of that matters right now. Not to O-space Halley.
To her, Blaze is her Alpha. Their bond, though strained, is intact. Threaded between them like an uncut line, humming quietly beneath the surface.
That’s the thing about Packs, the relationships aren’t linear. They’re layered and overlapping, constantly shifting depending on instinct, need, and connection. When those bonds are strong, when each thread is tended to, the Pack thrives.
And according to my research, Pack Betas aren’t just background players. We’re far more important.
Betas are the ones who feed, fix, soothe, and stitch everything back together when the Alphas break things and the Omegas spiral.
It’s more than logistics and babysitting wayward Alphas. Halley makes me feel like I matter in a way that’s primal. Like I’m designed for her to lean on. And damn, it feels good to fulfill that purpose.
Let Viper be her silent sentinel, Knox her protector, Blaze her friend. I’ll be the one who holds her steady.
I’m her Pack Beta, and I’m not pretending to be anything else anymore.
"Where do you want it, baby girl?" I smile down at her, bouncing her in my arms.
She giggles and points to the empty space in front of the crackling fireplace. "There, Daddy!"
My cock jumps as she mimics Blaze’s word.
Fuck.
I'm so rut-damn screwed.
Blaze shoots me a knowing smirk, the kind that curls with mischief and a hint of arousal. Then he springs back into action. He grabs the nearest cot and yanks the mattress off with a grunt.It hits the floor with a satisfying thump before he’s already moving to the next.
He works quickly, dragging the two mattresses into the center of the room, piecing them together to make one large bed. He then flings the pile of gathered blankets and pillows on top with a flourish.
He spins to look at Halley with a proud, puffed-up chest and a grin so wide it could split his face.
“Ta-da!” he crows, throwing his arms out dramatically. “A nest fit for a princess.”
Halley laughs and wriggles until I put her down. I take the time to remove her snow-damp boots, sitting them beside the door next to Blaze’s. They’re tiny compared to his, almost half the size.
She picks her way over to Blaze’s attempt at a nest and smiles brightly up at him.
“Thank you, Alpha,” she says, voice lilting, sweet, and filled with pure adoration. “I love it!”
I stifle a laugh behind my fist. The ‘nest’ is a mess. Blankets twisted into tangled knots, pillows scattered in defiance of any pattern or logic. Chaos. Blaze-style.
But Halley doesn’t care. Not one bit.
Her Alpha made it for her, and that’s all she sees.
Blaze’s eyes go soft in a way I haven't seen in months. He crouches beside her, brushing a curl from her cheek, and murmurs, “Only the best for you, Sparkles.”
"Blaze, can you get some food? We'll need water and snacks."
"Aye, Aye, Cap'n!" he shouts, snapping off a salute so flamboyantly he nearly topples over. In a flash, he bounces to his feet and launches himself toward the kitchen.
He breaks into song, something wild and tuneless about sandwiches and heroic snack missions, belting it out like he's performing on stage in front of thousands. The words are purenonsense, the melody nonexistent, but his voice is loud and gleeful and so completely Blaze that I feel my chest ache with relief.
He’s back.
I’ve missed him. I missed the chaotic spark in his eyes, the ridiculous jokes that land more often than they should, that cheeky grin that always promises trouble, and even the bursts of wild energy that make me flinch and laugh at the same time.
