Page 30 of Omegas Need
"I know I didn't ask either of you if you even wanted to come with me," I started. "But I hope that you'll stay."
For a moment, they didn't move, then Wren smiled softly, and Usman took his hand first, before scooting forward in his seat so he could reach me and touching his lips to mine.
It was the first kiss he'd given me, and it was soft and chaste but my entire body warmed up, especially when he drew back enough to look me in the eyes.
"I think we can get behind that arrangement," he said.
I let out a breathy laugh, feeling the tension and anger sift away. I glanced at Wren who nodded in agreement.
"Alright then," I said. "Welcome home."
If anyone I knew could see what I was doing, they would probably think I was crazy, but I didn't care. I led Usman and Wren into their new house with nothing but sureness inside me.
They were both wide-eyed as we went inside. The entrywaywasa bit extravagant. Ariana had liked glittery things and I had let her do what she wanted, including having the large crystal chandelier installed.
As I walked them through the rooms, showing them where everything was, it became apparent that Ari's presence was still in every room. Her pictures were on the walls, her makeup still next to the sink, and her slippers were still on her side of the bed.
I hadn't changed a thing since I'd lost her and I hadn't seen how unhealthy that was until I was walking through with Usman and Wren on each side of me.
I didn't say anything about it, but when my gaze caught on her hairbrush next to the sink, golden strands still woven into it, Usman's hand found mine and held onto it. I looked up, realizing that he was watching my face in the mirror. Then Wren took my other hand and the frown on my face fell away completely.
I shook my head, watching their compassionate expressions in the mirror.
"I guess I should clean up Ari's things."
They both started to argue, but I shook my head.
"No. I need to make room for you both and... it's not healthy. I need to start to move on."
They didn't argue, which I appreciated. And they didn't let go of my hands, which I liked even more.
I still couldn't believe that anyone else's presence could make me feel so peaceful again and I wanted to cling to them both. I wanted to claim them both... if only there was a way to have two mates at once...
I pushed the thought away and led them back downstairs to the kitchen.
There was food in the fridge, and frozen meals. I used to like cooking, but now I did takeout and ready meals almost exclusively.
I heated some of it up while they watched.
The three of us were mostly silent. I knew we didn't know each other that well yet, but it was more that none of us knew what was to come next. We hadn't said any of the important words, we hadn't figured out how to move forward together and none of us wanted to breach the subject. So instead, we spoke about light things, like where I worked, how long they'd known each other, things like that. Then, when they were eating, I excused myself to deal with the heavy issues.
My bedroom seemed like it had to be the first place to start and I needed to do it now. I couldn't sleep in the bed with other omegas while Ari's picture was on the wall next to me.
And they needed to feel like they finally belonged somewhere. I wanted to give them that.
So, I started with the pictures, taking them all down. There were some with just me in them, but it was all from our mating week. The photographer had posed us like we were having a romantic picnic together and we hadn't been able to stop laughing. We'd loved all the pictures and now I could barely look at them anyway. Still, it made my chest ache taking them off the walls.
When I went to Ari's bedside table, I found the book she'd been in the middle of and added that to the box along with her phone charger and chapstick.
By the time I got to her slippers, the bedroom door opened behind me.
I couldn't bring myself to look at them, not even when they both came into the room and sat down on the floor next to me.
"You really don't have to do this," Wren said gently. "We don't mind, right Manny?"
He rested a hand on my arm and nodded.
"I don't mind," he agreed.
