They held me close, murmuring reassurances as I cried in the driveway. I didn’t understand why this felt like heartbreak. She hadn’t been my mom for a long, long time, and yet seeing her leave me, cash in hand, felt like reopening a raw wound.
* * *
Iran my hand along the bumpy rows of Cam’s newest knitted blanket. It had bright yellow and orange stripes and was somehow more lopsided than his previous projects. But it was soft and smelled like him, and having it in my nest was a reminder of his love, that he would take the time to make something just for me.
After my mother left, I needed some alone time and retreated to my nest in the attic. Most omegas wanted to nest in windowless rooms because they felt more secure. The guys had offered to transform the basement into my nest, but I told them they should use it for a gym, and I claimed the attic instead. The main attic room had a vaulted ceiling with exposed beams and two windows on either side. It made me feel like I was in a tree house. I never wanted to feel locked in again.
We laid new hardwood floors and had plans to add a large bathroom and kitchenette so we wouldn’t need to leave during my heats, but so far, there was just a massive mattress on the floor. We’d decided to spend my upcoming heat at the cabin, so we had some time to finish this space.
I waited for my emotions to overwhelm me after my mother’s visit, but the tidal wave never came. Maybe I was numb… or perhaps I’d come to terms with not having a mother a long time ago. I had my own family now, and while that didn’t erase the suffering I’d experienced at the hands of my parents, it meant I was no longer waiting for them to give me love that would never come.
The stairs creaked and I looked at my phone to check the time. Cam’s face appeared in the doorway.
“Can I come in?”
“You made it all of seventeen minutes before tracking me down. Might be a record,” I said with a small smile.
Cam moved to stand in the doorway and leaned against the unfinished frame.
“I can leave if you still need alone time,” he said gently. I knew he meant it—my guys were getting much better at giving me space. But I wanted him here.
I opened my arms and he grinned, flopping down next to me and pulling me on top of his chest.
“You messed up my pillow configuration,” I said, voice muffled in his shirt.
“Sorry, baby, you want to fix them?” he asked earnestly.
I fought my omega nature for a split second before capitulating. I reached over and rearranged a couple of the pillows until they felt right. Then I stripped off Cam’s shirt for good measure. He chuckled as I placed the shirt in my nest before settling back on his chest.
We lay quietly for a few moments. I closed my eyes, running my fingers down his bare skin and soaking up his scent.
“Are you upset with my decision?” I whispered.
“I’m not upset, sweetheart,” he said, holding me tighter and kissing my forehead. “Well, not upset atyou. I’m pissed at her.”
I hummed, nuzzling his neck.
“Do you think…” I trailed off, a lump forming in my throat. Cam waited, his hand working its way under my shirt and stroking the skin on my back. “Do you think she meant it? That she was sorry?”
Cam hesitated, his hand pausing its movement before starting back again.
“I think she did,” he finally said.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. She did help you escape Glen,” he said begrudgingly. Then he muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, “Fucking bare minimum.”
I pressed my smile against his neck, letting the scent of cinnamon rolls surround me.
“Thanks for supporting me,” I whispered, snuggling in closer.
“Always.”
He ran his hands up and down my body as he gently massaged me. My muscles slowly released, leaving me boneless. The last thing I noticed before falling asleep was the dip on the mattress as Theo and Ben joined us for an afternoon nap.
ChapterSixty-Five
Ben
