Page 27 of Where There's Smoke
“I’m so sorry!” she sobbed. “I couldn’t help myself. I started with the things in this room, but they just weren’t enough, and I tried to stop myself. Honestly, I did. My skin was on fire, and if I didn't get the things I needed, I felt like I was going to go insane. Hell, I probably did go insane.”
She raked a hand through her hair, the waves tumbling around her face as her eyes darted around the room, taking in her squishy little haven.
I grimaced. That sounded exactly like nesting to me, and I couldn’t deny that a small part of me was happy that she’d chosen our clothing to steal and no one else’s.
Apparently, we’d both been in a bit of denial about our situations, and Melody wasn’t the only one who’d gone off the deep end. Because here I was, standing in front of this woman, who looked gorgeous all tussled and fresh out of bed, and when I should have been demanding that she pack all that stuff up and get out, all I wanted to do was jump in there with her. Tell Melody that she could stay forever if she wanted.
Goddamn it. This was such a mess.
Instead of thinking, I simply reacted. Her sobs pained me, and I needed them to stop. Wrapping an arm around her, I tugged her into my chest, letting her sob all over my shirt.
Sweet melon that now coated every surface in the room intensified as I pulled her to me. It was almost stifling, but not in a bad way. In a very,veryappealing way.
If not for the fact she was sobbing, I would have doubted my ability to keep myself in line. I was an alpha, after all, with the biological imperatives that came with it, and having a nesting omega in front of me, covered in the combined scents of my pack, thanks to the nest, was a test of my restraint.
“Hey, it's okay,” I soothed, rubbing one hand up and down her back as she cried into my chest.
“You must think I’m a mess!” The tears rained harder. “Ugh, this feels so stupid. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s like I can’t make it stop.”
“No. I don’t think that.”
I just thought she was an omega.
“It’s normal to have massive mood swings when you’ve been through so much,” I said, resting my chin on top of her head. I didn't want to admit how good it felt having her in my arms. Maybe I really needed to go on a date. I mean, hell, if I was going mushy over a crying omega, who had invaded my bedroom anddidn’tbelong to me, it had to mean something.
Then again, I would be lying to myself if I said she was just any omega. She was Melody. Unique in a way that was oddly infuriating and highly amusing.
And there was no way I was getting my T-shirts back.
Chapter 14
Samson
Melody was going through it.
When she had eventually surfaced for breakfast, her eyes had been red and puffy. Elliot had come into the kitchen before her, giving us a rundown on what he had witnessed.
She was nesting, and she had stolen our clothing to add to her space. When he had first mentioned her taking items of clothing, an insane rush of jealousy hit me, thinking she had stolen clothing items from other firefighters from the station. I had no right to be possessive of her, but…I was.
Elliot quickly assured me that the only scents in her nest were ours, which made me irrationally happy.
Fuck, could she be any more perfect?
What did we need to do to make her believe she was an omega? She was obviously overwhelmed and struggling with her emotions, and the last thing I wanted was to make the situation worse. But by god, I wanted her to embrace what she was.
So that she could embraceus, Elliot be damned.
As soon as she accepted it, it would make everything so much easier, and I wouldn't feel like going insane every time another alpha looked at her.
Actually, I probably would still go a little crazy anytime another alpha looked at her. Who was I kidding?
Melody’s stare was vacant, her mind clearly distracted, and her scent was slightly charred, indicating distress and sadness. Scents weren’t simple for most people, but it was easy enough to scent when something was wrong with an omega. They often wore their emotions on their sleeves at the best of times, and for a newly emerging omega, that would be intensified tenfold.
“Hey, Melody, do you want to join me for a coffee run?”
It wasn’t the most thrilling expedition, but it would get her out of the firehouse for half an hour. And out of her head.
Her eyes met mine, and the sight of them all red and puffy was like a punch to my gut. The others had noticed as well. Fitz kept looking at her, his brow knitting together in concern. A few times, he had opened his mouth to say something and quickly closed it when Elliot threw a glare his way. That pack lead of ours needed to get on board with all this, and fast.
