Josie grinned as she instructed me on which blankets and pillows she wanted to keep and where to move them, making small adjustments to their position until somehow everything came together, creating a cozy nest with space in the middle to cuddle and little walls around the sides to give a sense of protection. My perfect omega had made the perfect nest and hopefully, when she felt more comfortable with me, I would fuck her in it for hours on end.
I was lost in my fantasy when I noticed Josie kept adjusting and re-adjusting the same throw blanket, her movements growing more unsettled.
“What’s the matter, love?”
“Something’s not right and I can’t figure it out,” she said in a small voice.
“It looks beautiful to me. You did such a good job,” I praised.
“No, I didn’t. It’s wrong!” Josie grabbed a pillow and threw it across the room.
She turned to look at me, eyes wide in shock, like she couldn’t believe her outburst. I thought her tantrum was cute and would have smiled, except I was afraid she might cry again. The paperwork Angie left said one of the side effects of suppressed heats was “volatile mood swings.”
The door opened and Ben walked in with a sullen, sleep-deprived Cam on his heels. Ben immediately threw himself onto the bed, apparently not giving a fuck about nest rules. He lay down on his side next to us and placed a firm hand on Josie’s thigh.
“Looks like you two did some rearranging to my masterpiece of a nest,” Ben said cheekily, clearly not reading the room. Josie’s bottom lip trembled and Cam stood frozen by the door. I felt his anguish through the bond. My brother was always so worried about causing anyone harm, of turning into his asshole alpha father.
“Gorgeous, what’s wrong?” Ben asked, finally catching on.
“The nest isn’t right,” Josie whimpered.
The three of us looked over the nest, and I could tell none of us had a fucking clue what was wrong. In fact, my inner alpha preened that we had such a beautiful, clever mate to build a perfect nest. Ben pulled Josie out of my arms so she was lying half on top of him. I growled my displeasure at him stealing my mate before lying down and sandwiching Josie between us.
“This is better,” she mumbled. “Need all your scents in the nest.”
“We’ll get you some of our clothes if you want them,” Ben said.
“Yes, please, but not right now. This is good. Except…” She lifted her head and locked eyes with Cam.
“I should go,” he said gruffly, reaching for the door.
Josie whined and the three of us stiffened.
“You don’t want me?” she asked.
“What? Of course I want you, but I never want to do anything to hurt you. And I did that last night. I failed you,” he said, hanging his head in shame.
Josie shifted out of my and Ben’s grasp, crawling to the edge of the bed. I tried and failed to look away from where her oversize t-shirt—one of mine, I thought smugly—had ridden up, revealing the creamy, soft thighs I wanted to bury my face into.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. I was overwhelmed. I’m sorry I hurt you,” Josie said, tears starting to fall.
Cam growled and quickly covered the ground between the door and the bed, tenderly gripping Josie’s face with both hands.
“You never apologize for telling me what you need. Do you understand?”
“Yes, alpha.”
Arousal shot through the bond as my brothers and I groaned.
“Will you come into my nest?” she asked sweetly. I could feel Cam’s stress and trepidation melt away.
“I would be honored, little omega.”
Josie beamed and Cam moved onto the bed, lying between Ben and me. He pulled Josie on top of him, pressing a gentle hand to the back of her head. I cupped her thigh and gave it a squeeze, causing her to let out a whimper.
“You belong here,” Cam murmured.
Josie sighed and made a contented noise, snuggling deeper into Cam’s chest, her eyes drifting shut.
