Page 70 of Fresh Ice
Alonso had been trying to do some weights in the spare room, but obviously Levy had other ideas. “It’sfine. This always happens.”
“That’s not as comforting as you think it is,” Levy retorted.
“It’s fine.”
“Olive,pleaselie down. You look like you’re gonna topple over. Have some painkillers, okay? Come on.”
Alonso had capitulated—he felt like shit, and weight training sounded like torture.
The cramps came next, squeezing the life out of him, pain leaving him breathless. He stayed curled up on the couch for almost two full days, Levy barely leaving his side even though Alonso insisted he could go out and hang with his friends.
“And leave you here like this?” Levy scoffed. “As if. Have some of this, I made it special.”
And then, out of fucking nowhere, came the urge to nest.
Alonso hadn’t nested inyears.It was an Omega instinct to build a soft, safe space to have their heats, but it was a foreign concept to Alonso. He’d tried it the heat after he presented, but his dad had gotten so, so angry.
What if someone saw his nest? They’d know immediately. Was he so weak to need one, like an animal?
It had felt wrong to cycle without a nest, but Alonso had gotten used to the hollow, anxious feeling after a few years.
Trust Levy to ruin that. Alonso wasn’t even aware he’d been doing it until Levy left the apartment for the first time in days only to come back with a few massive bags filled to the brim with blankets.
Levy placed them proudly in front of the couch, chest puffed up. Alonso uncurled himself on the couch, sitting up slowly. “What’s this?” He brushed his hand across one of the blankets and almost gasped.
It was the softest thing he’d ever touched.
Before he knew what he was doing, he pulled it out of the bag and rubbed his face all over it.
“You like them?” Levy asked, smile clear on his face.
Alonso froze. What was hedoing? He jerked the material away from his skin. “What are these for?”
“For you to nest,” Levy said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Alonso blinked up at him. “I don’t nest.”
Levy frowned and looked at where Alonso was sitting questioningly.
Alonso followed Levy’s eyes, mortification building at what he saw.
He’d started nesting. There were two pillows from the bed, a blanket, some of Levy’sshirts.
“Oh, God,” Alonso croaked, stumbling up. “I’m so sorry.” He pulled at all the things he’d collected, taking the nest apart even though something inside him was screaming at him to stop.
Levy jumped in, grabbing Alonso’s hands. “Whoa! Whoa, whoa, hold up. What are you doing?”
“I-I shouldn’t…I don’t nest,” Alonso repeated. His goddamn hormones were so out of whack, tears burning his eyes. He was so stupid. He was so, so stupid.
“What do you mean? I thought all Omegas nested during their heat?”
Alonso shook his head vehemently. “No. Not me. My dad said—” he clamped his mouth shut, but it was too late.
Levy’s face darkened, his scent turning sour like smoke at the back of Alonso’s throat.
Alonso shrunk away, brain processingangry Alphaand not much else.
As quickly as it had exploded, Levy’s scent calmed again. “Sorry, sorry. Fuck. Okay, let’s go to the bedroom, yeah? Let’s just lie down for a bit.”
