Page 183 of Ashley & the A-Listers

She was sad, and he could tell, because he was an omega tuned into an alpha’s need, much in the same way an alpha was tuned into an omega’s need. The cuddles were helping.

The couch swallowed them both, and then dipped on her right as Dylan sank into the vacant seat, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She sloped into him, pulling Cameron with her.

The only one missing was…

She lifted her gaze from a distant point over Cam’s head to the beta, who joined them, approaching cautiously.

“Get in here,” she said, wiggling the fingers of the arm around Cameron.

Instead, River sank to his knees in front of them and laid his head on her knee. “I’m sorry,” he sighed.

She ran a hand through his hair, too, just as silky as Cameron’s.

“It’ll be okay,” she said. “It’ll work out.”

And despite the gym-sized hole in her chest, with her pack surrounding her, she started to believe it.

Ashley would just have to find something to do with herself. What hobbies did she enjoy?

Crickets sounded in her head.

Well, you’ve got plenty of time to try some stuff out!

“Fuck. This sucks. I’m sorry,” Cameron said.

Ashley pulled back and stared down at him. “Don’t be. It’ll be fine,” she said.

Cam released her, standing from the couch and holding out a hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her up and over in the direction of the… nest.

“This calls for nest time,” Cameron said. “And you’re going in the middle.”

Ashley scoffed. “There’s no need for?—“

“No arguments. This omega has declared it. Dylan, you can come, too.”

“How gracious,” he mused from behind them, and Ashley’s lips twitched.

The deep blue of the nest was much more forgiving than the harsh white of the rest of the apartment. It made her miss her house. As she melted into the cushions, with Cameron and River to her left and Dylan to her right, she allowed herself to think of the future.

If they were a pack, where would they all live after filming?

Her house wasn’t big enough for a pack. Neither was this apartment.

What would a pack house for them look like?

There’d be a reading nook for Dylan, a writing room for River, the most colorful nest they could create for Cameron. A home gym for her.

A beautifully huge kitchen, so they could all dance around and annoy each other as they tried to cook together.

A sun room or a porch so they could smoke outside.

Maybe once everything settled down, they could talk, and find a perfect house for them all, something with enough room for them all to spread out, to find themselves amongst the pack.

Ashley sighed, and it slipped into a purr as Cameron nestled up to her.

She didn’t think everyone meant to fall asleep, but it was cozy and comfortable and it had been a stressful day.

A while later, Ashley was still staring at the ceiling and… Dylan shuffled next to her.

---