Page 80 of This Pack of Ours

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“Fuck. Off,” I gritted out, turning away from him and tugging the shark cushion into my arms, tears finally pouring down my face.

KIT

I woke up in a pile of delicious-smelling blankets, my hair plastered to my face, and I had one moment’s happiness before the memories came back.

I scrambled out of the pile and lurched to my feet.

The disaster that had been our apartment was now tidied. Vander was on the couch, and I nervously avoided his eyes. I stopped outside our nest room, heart hammering. I hadn’t seen inside earlier, but I knew it was gone. There was too much of it in the bags lined up along the wall.

There were footsteps inside and some voices. I cracked open the door, finding a bright, empty-feeling room where our nest had been. The rugs were spread out in a path that led to the bed.

“Hey,” Adrian said kindly, coming over and rubbing my back.

“Oh! Kit, come see this, we made it for you!” said Ez, bounding over. He tugged my hand toward the bed, and I realized I was wrong—it wasn’t empty. They’d made a nest; or the beginnings of one.

“Oh, wait, hang on.” Ez scrambled over to the window and pulled the curtain, getting rid of the daylight.

There were fluffy pillows and blankets arranged on the bed, and some glowing lamps on the wall that gave off a warm light. I walked over, trailing my hands over the soft pillows. They all smelled new. The blankets were ours, having largely escaped being torn apart, but I noticed they were ones where Juni’s smell was fainter.

I swallowed. It was a new nest. And it was just for me, with the soft, fluffy, airy parts and none of the heavy, smooth, squishy parts that Juniper preferred.

”I know it’s probably rubbish, but we had to do something,” Ez said.

“Where’s Juni’s stuff?” I asked.

Adrian glanced towards the door. “She said… she would make hers in the other room, and that we should all move into here. But, we made this for you, Kit. We can sleep in the living room, if Juniper is okay with that.”

“But please, please let us stay here,” Ez piped up. “Because I’ve been dying to have, like, proper cuddles and it’s been torture sleeping in your room without you?—”

Adrian cut him off with an elbow to the ribs.

“Don’t pressure him,” he muttered.

Juni was setting up a separate nest? Without me?

The rejection stung, a sharp pain that dug right into my heart. She must be panicking and not thinking straight. She couldn’t sleep alone. When we first moved in together, I'd routinely find her sitting on the couch in the middle of the night, trembling with fear. I’d started camping in the living room with her so she could sleep until I just suggested we sleep in the same room. I’d convince her to move back in with me, I was sure. But in the meantime, I didn’t want them all sleeping on the couches. Maybe I could even convince her to share with me while the pack was here? Maybe that would be a long shot, but I could try. I realized Ez and Adrian were both staring at me, waiting for an answer.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” I said. “If you’re sure you want to stay with me, that is.”

“Yusss.”Ez punched Adrian in the shoulder and then tackled me back onto the bed, sending a pile of pillows toppling to the floor. I had a moment to look up into his yellow-green eyes, to take in his delighted grin, before he leaned down and kissed me.

His lips met mine, his warm tongue pressing hungrily into my mouth. It obliterated every other thought from my mind except this: Ez’s watermelon lemonade scent filling my nose, his hand slipping under my shirt, skating along my navel. I kissed back, my fingers tangling in his golden hair, as I welcomed his touch. Pleasure sparked along my skin, and I pouted as he broke off the kiss, giving a bright little laugh and resting his forehead on mine.

“You’re perfect,” he said, gazing at me, and then Adrian was yanking him back by the neck of his t-shirt.

“Ez, you can’t just do that,” he said, shooting me a horrified look. “What if he didn’t want to kiss you?”

“He wanted to kiss me,” Ez said smugly, winking at me. He looked like a naughty cat being held by the scruff of his neck.

“Uh, it’s okay,” I said, propping myself up on my elbow and giving a sheepish grin. That had been areallynice distraction from my depressive thoughts.

“Don’t worry, Kit, he’s just jealous. Right, bro?” said Ez, yanking his shirt free from Adrian’s grip. Adrian had gone bright red, his eyes darting to me. His mouth opened, but he wasn’t sure how to answer the impossible question.

“You’re welcome,” said Ez, sticking out his foot and shoving Adrian, who yelped as he fell forward onto the bed.

He managed to avoid crushing me, his arms landing on either side of my head. His scent, the crisp, warm mix of cinnamon and pear, washed over me, as I gazed up at his bright brown eyes.

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