I must have dozed off because I started awake some time later. Josie was shifting around, fluffing one of the couch pillows and rearranging her blanket, letting out a frustrated sigh. I glanced at my watch and saw it was three o’clock in the morning.
“Josie, precious, what’s wrong?” I murmured.
“I didn’t mean to wake you up,” she said with a whimper.
She looked so small and lost sitting next to me. I itched to pull her close to me, but I knew I needed to be careful.
“It’s okay. I would rather be awake so I can take care of you. Do you want to go back to bed and make a nest?” Her heat was settling in more strongly and I guessed she wouldn’t feel relaxed outside of a nest.
“No,” she said. “I’m not in heat. I don’t need a nest.”
I looked pointedly down at the pillow she was currently fluffing and re-fluffing.
“I’m not ready,” she whispered.
I caressed her face, my thumb catching a single tear at the corner of her eye. Feelings of inadequacy resurfaced, causing me to hesitate for a moment. I reminded myself that I had grown up in a house filled with omegas. I could do this. I could help her.
“I have four sisters and they’re all omegas,” I shared.
Josie’s eyes widened. “That’s a lot of omegas in one home.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, it was. I loved it.” A pang of sadness gripped me at being separated from them, especially my youngest sister Lilah, who I’d been closest with. I pushed it aside. “I know from talking with my sisters that first heats are intense. You’re in a new environment and don’t know us well yet. It’s a lot to handle.”
She nodded, resting her head on my shoulder. “I wish I wasn’t an omega.”
Her whispered confession broke my heart. My mate had never gotten to experience the joys of being an omega, had never been lavished with the care and affection she deserved.
“I guess we’ll just have to spoil you enough that you change your mind,” I said, gently brushing my fingers through her hair. “Now, what do you need to feel more settled?”
Josie tensed up again. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not ready to nest yet.”
“That’s okay. Do you want anything else to eat or drink? Do you want to stay here or go back to bed?”
Her stress increased with my questions and I cursed inwardly, remembering that omegas didn’t like to make decisions during their heat. She needed alpha dominance right now to make her feel secure.
“Never mind, precious. I’m going to take care of you so you don’t have to worry about it.”
She looked relieved, her green eyes wide with vulnerability as she gave me a nod.
“Come here,” I said before pulling her into my arms, not giving her a chance to overthink it. I held her firmly to my chest, forgoing a blanket when I felt how hot her skin was. She immediately pressed her nose to my neck, where my scent was the strongest, and inhaled.I hope she likes my scent because I want to fucking drown in hers.
I arranged her so she was lying on top of me, my arms encircling her waist. Slowly, the tension melted from her limbs. I hoped my dick wasn’t bothering her—it was fully hard, pressing against her perfect, soft stomach—but then I saw she’d already fallen asleep.
My cell vibrated and I cursed the timing, trying to pull it out of my pocket without disrupting my mate. I wasn’t surprised in the slightest to see who it was.
Cam
Is Josie with you?
Ben
We’re in the den. She’s sleeping now. Her heat started.
I knew it would be a matter of moments before Cam was down here, and I was sure Theo would join us before the morning. Josie was already pulling us towards her like a magnet. For a moment, I felt frustrated, wanting to have more alone time with her, but the feeling passed as I heard Cam’s footsteps on the stairs. I had dreamed of this for years—sharing an omega with my brothers—and I couldn’t have imagined anyone more perfect for us than Josie.
ChapterSeventeen
Josie
