Page 81 of Mating With My Grumpy Alphas
"She wants me to go first," I said simply. "She trusts my medical knowledge to guide her through the initial bonding safely."
"Makes sense." Wes was quiet for a moment, watching me add dried nettle to the blend. "What about after?"
"She wants to take it one step at a time," I said, measuring chamomile flowers with extra care. "See how she feels, how her body responds. No pressure, no predetermined schedule."
The relief that crossed Wes's face told me he'd been worried about logistics and expectations. None of us had experience with pack bonding, and the uncertainty was affecting all of us differently.
"She say anything about what she needs from us?" he asked.
"Patience," I said. "And trust that she'll communicate what she wants as things progress. She's not the same omega who was afraid to voice her needs."
"No, she's not," he agreed with obvious pride. "She's incredible."
"She is," I said, feeling my own anticipation building. "And tomorrow, we get to remind her exactly how incredible we think she is."
"Think we can handle that?" Wes asked, echoing my thoughts.
"I think we have to," I said simply. "She's trusting us with something that's been weaponized against her. We don't get to fuck that up."
Wes nodded seriously, and I could see him already shifting into the methodical planning mode that made him so good at his job. "What do you need from us?"
"Help me set up the nest room," I said, gesturing toward the bag of supplies I'd gathered. "But more than that, I need you both to trust that Willa knows what she wants. She's learning not to be afraid to ask for it."
"Of course. That’s always going to be the most important thing for us," Wes said.
"That'severything," I said firmly. "She's not the same omega who was too scared to voice her needs. She'll tell us what she wants as things progress."
We spent the next hour transforming Wes's walk-in closet from the temporary space we’d shown her into a proper nesting space ready for her heat. It was larger than most omega heat rooms, with good ventilation and temperature control, but it still required careful arrangement to feel safe rather than claustrophobic.
Blankets here," I said, directing Wes as he hung soft fabrics from hooks I'd installed earlier. "She'll want to be able to adjust the privacy level depending on how she's feeling."
"What about scent?" Wes asked, testing the security of a blanket hook.
"She already has what she needs," I said with satisfaction. "The shirts we gave her yesterday, plus whatever comfort items she wants to add."
"She seemed happy with those," Wes said, remembering how she'd clutched the scent-marked clothing to her chest.
"More than happy. It’s probably something that she was always made to feel like she couldn’t have before," I pointed out. "She understands now that she can ask for what she needs. That wewantto provide comfort, not control."
We worked in comfortable silence, both of us focused on creating a space that would feel safe and nurturing. This wasn't just about meeting biological needs. This was about provingthat vulnerability could be rewarded with love instead of exploitation.
"There's something else," I said as we finished arranging the final details. "Are we ready for this? Really ready?"
Wes looked up from the nest padding he'd been adjusting. "What do you mean?"
"I mean this makes us an official pack," I said carefully. "Not just three guys who love the same omega, but family. Are we ready for that?"
"That's a lot of pressure," Wes said quietly.
"It's also a lot of trust," I said. "She's choosing to bond with all of us, which means she trusts us to work together. To support each other, not just her."
By the time Rhett arrived an hour later, the nest room was ready and Wes and I had been processing the magnitude of what was coming. Rhett took one look at our careful preparations and the serious expressions on our faces.
"This looks like a therapy session," he said. "Everything okay?"
"We were just talking about pack dynamics," I said. "About what tomorrow means for all of us."
"Ah," Rhett said, settling on the floor beside us. "The 'holy shit we're actually doing this' conversation."
