“Yeah, she’s a volunteer we had while you were in Heat. Fitting name. She’s a little quirky, like you. You’ll like her.”
I love meeting new people, and the possibility of gaining another friend makes me almost smile.
“Okay,” I say. “I think I’ll take the day off.”
“With a caveat,” Blair adds. “Don’twallowfor the next day. Spend time with the people that care about you. If you want me to come over, I will. But I think your pack would be happy to see you. Let them be there for you and offer you support.”
I nod, even though she can’t see it. “I’ll try.”
“If I find out you didn’t, I’ll be pissed. I won’t let you use my sparkly eyeshadow anymore.”
“That’s…really mean and unnecessary,” I argue.
“Well, then you better go hang out with your pack. I’ve got to go but call me whenever. It’s feeding time for the cats.”
“Wait.” I check my phone. “You’re feeding Mervin, Marlin, and Ash at eight at night?”
“It’s their third meal,” Blair sighs. “They bullied me into it. I don’t want to talk about it.”
I chuckle. “Fair enough.”
“Remember what I said. Don’t hide from the people that care about you. We all love you.”
“I love all of you, too.”
After we hang up, I heave a deep, heavy sigh.
Then, I grimace at the mess in my bedroom.
Even if I wanted to nest for comfort, there’s no way to do it, now.
My fitted sheets are ruined. The nesting blankets Ivan gifted me are intact, but it feels wrong to put them on a bare mattress.
I rub my achy eyes, tired from crying so much.
Blair is right—Fang, Ivan, and Logan would do anything for me. I feel that in my heart, and I know it’s been true since my Heat.
My inner Omega recognizes it as a universal truth.
Yet that doesn’t stop the shame and embarrassment for the thoughts in my head.
That doesn’t stop the voice that sounds far too much like my mother reminding me of what a crybaby I am.
I open up a text from Logan, and my stomach aches at his tenderness.
Alvin is doing great.Please take care of yourself.
Sweet Logan.
I can’t even imagine how he feels right now—that look of confused concern on his face stays burned into my brain.
He wants me to take care of myself.
How can I do that when everything feels so heavy?
I manage to get up and head into the front room.
The Alphas’ scents still linger, bourbon, apples, and leather all creating a delicious, perfect aroma.
