Page 46 of Knot Their Valentine

“We didn’t want to make any assumptions or choices without you, Fireball. We want to give you what you need. Lachlan is willing to move into the pack master bedroom with us, and give up his space, so you can use his room as a nest. Your room was originally supposed to be the pack’s nest. When we knew youwould be coming to stay with us, it felt right to put you in there.” Cae’s voice is soft from behind me.

“A nest?” I gasp, turning to face the others. Quin steps up beside me, lacing his fingers with mine. The smaller, intimate size of the room makes so much more sense now.

“I've never made a nest before. Not a real one. In the beginning, when my hormones were all over the place, and I didn't feel safe at home, I never bothered. Then we moved here after forming the pack.” Quin shrugs. “I wanted to build one. It's not that I didn't… I just wasn't sure how. And I felt silly asking someone. Like, how does an Omega not know how to be an Omega?”

I really hate the way his voice trembles as he speaks and the way that his hand shakes in mine. He should feel free to be himself.

He should be able to follow his instincts wherever they take him and know that no matter what, he's not alone.

I don't think that it's the Alphas’ faults that he hasn't. I think that he was scared and that he needed someone else instead.

Maybe someone like me…

“My room. That feels like the right place to build our nest. But I don’t want to wait that long.” I smile, looking up at the guys. “Let's build it out here, just this once.”

“Okay, Harlow.” Quin nods.

“Let's do it together,” I offer, pulling him into the living room. “I've always liked to have massive piles of fluffy pillows and blankets. Lachlan, can you go grab your blanket and pillows off your bed? Cae, you do the same.” The Alphas quickly dash down the hall to get what we need.

I drop to my knees and tug Quin with me. He kneels at my side, watching me with a look I can't quite read.

Is that admiration again?

“Anything else you want me to grab, Omegas?” Lachlan asks as he steps back into the living room with his bedding.

“Actually, yes, can you please grab the blankets and pillows off of my bed as well?” I ask sweetly, giving him a pouty look. Lachlan smirks back at me but nods. “Oh! And the stash that's in my closet.” I haven't had much time to add any other blankets to the start of my nest there, but the blanket that I borrowed from Quin, Cae’s soft blanket, and the hoodie and plushie dragon from Lach had to be included.

“I feel so off balance. I just feel like I'm gonna fuck this entire thing up. Maybe you should do it, and I'll watch.” Quin shakes his head and moves like he's about to get to his feet and try to run away. I snap my arm out, wrap my hand around his wrist and keep him pinned beside me. He's stronger than me, so if he wanted to, he could probably fight my hold, but he doesn't.

“Absolutely not. Building a nest is about instinct. You don't have to know how to do it. There is no knowing. You just do what feels right to you. No one ever showed me how to build a nest either, I just made one. Just do what feels right.” I sit back on my heels, wanting him to make the first move. I don't want him to simply copy my actions. I want to see what his instincts drive him to do. Quin winces. He looks slightly uncomfortable, and he's very clearly unsure.

I watch as he carefully grabs one of the fluffy cream blankets off the top of the pile, items that the guys either already had on hand or went out and purchased special for this occasion. I'm not entirely sure which. They had to go buy the lantern lights as well as the rose petals, so it's possible they went to the store before looking for me.

Quin lays the blanket down on the floor in front of us, then grabs me by the waist before spinning me quickly. With a gentle push, I land on top of the blanket with a startled huff. I can't holdin my giggle, though, as Quin climbs on top of me and starts to scent mark me.

I let the full force of my scent meet his, scent marking him right back.

When the Alphas join us, Quin sits back up, releasing me.

“That was a good start. It doesn't matter how you make your nest. All that matters is that you do it exactly how you want it to be. I don't really know how it works, sharing a nest with another Omega,” I add, murmuring. I've never shared anything with another Omega before. Well, other than my mother, but that does not count at all. She raised me, so of course I had to share things with her.

“I've never shared anything with another Omega, either. I… I don't think I would have wanted to share with anyone but you.” Quin frowns, shaking his head. “Actually, no, there isn't another Omega I would ever want to share anything with. Just you, Harlow.” Quin reaches for my hand and helps me up off the blanket, pulling me into his arms.

“Good.” I smile but get nervous and start nibbling my bottom lip. “I have something I want to tell you. I've had a crush on you for a while now. I had a crush on Cae in high school. Before he went and ruined it, that is,” I tease.

“Really?” Quin looks so shocked, and I nod.

“Yes. I really liked your scent. I always have, something that only got worse after I perfumed as an Omega. After we both did. Then you were always so kind to me… It's pretty easy to fall for you. The hardest thing to do was resisting, honestly.” I shrug. “Part of the reason why I didn't want to move in was because I thought it would make everything harder. I thought you guys would figure me out, that I would give myself away and be super obvious about my feelings.” I cringe.

“Am I the only one you've never had a crush on, then?” Lachlan asks with a smile, but I can see by the look in hiseyes that he's slightly hurt by the idea. Both he and Cae wait impatiently.

“Oh, no. I've had a crush on you the whole time as well. But you had a girlfriend. Another Omega…” I growl those last words, and Quin tenses beside me. His scent spiking with jealousy, just like mine. “And then you joined this pack. Mating with Quin.” I shrug. “You were just as off limits as these two.”

“If it makes you feel any better, she cheated on me because I never really gave a shit about our relationship. We were teenagers, after all. I started losing it after that because I thought something was wrong with me. I was incapable of loving someone else, the way they deserve to be loved. But it's easy to see now what was really happening. I was already falling for someone else.” Lachlan glances at Quin. “And definitely had feelings for someone that was not my girlfriend…”

“Quin,” I nod, but Lachlan shakes his head. Quin flinches, but Lachlan throws his hands up, cursing.

“Fuck, that's not what I meant. Yes, I was falling for Quin, but he wasn't the only one. Every time I went over to Cae's there was another little Omega running around. She also happened to be at our school.” Lachlan smirks. “So everywhere I turned, there she was.” Lachlan and Cae sit down on the couch facing us, staying just far enough out of the way that Quin and I can put together this nest without their interference.

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