Page 69 of Talk About… Secrets
“I heard you bought that place! I love that. I have respect for people who redo old buildings and give them new life. That’s what this town needs,” Mama Whitaker said, giving me that winning smile of hers.
Then I yawned again, and she looked at my pack. “You get this girl home and to her nest. She needs a nap. Pregnancy fatigue is no joke.”
Avery nodded along. “She’s not kidding. Make sure she has lots of fluids, too.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they said to both of the omegas in front of us before sweeping me into the car and heading home. I think I was out before we even got off Main Street.
I woke several hours later to the sun dipping down and feeling well-rested for the first time in weeks. The only problem was I’d chosen my nest over my bed, and the guys hadn’t gone in yet, so when I woke to the lack of warm bodies next to me and no scent, my omega was not pleased.
I could hear them somewhere downstairs. The urge to fix the lack of scent had me crawling out of my bed and fishing through a wall of luggage and the pile of dirty laundry, snagging shirts and pants and whatever else my omega decided was necessary before putting them in the nest.
Then I went to Drew’s room, doing the same. I was just stepping out of the door when I heard a low chuckle.
“What do we have here?”
I gave Beck a defiant look. “Making my nest smell like my pack, because no one has been in there and it doesn’t smell like anything and I woke up alone.”
God, I sounded like a petulant, whiny child. Even I cringed, but my Alpha just laughed before cupping his hands around his mouth.
“Get your asses up here! Our omega needs something!”
The footsteps were thunderous as the other three hurried up the stairs and stopped in front of me.
They took in the pile of clothes in my hands, Drew raising a single eyebrow before looking at Beck. “What can we do?”
“Her nest doesn’t smell like anybody, and her omega is pouting because she woke up alone.”
“Sorry,” Spencer winced. “We tried to give you your space so you could have a good nap while we got some things done downstairs.”
“It’s okay. I forgive you.”
“No, she doesn’t. Everybody take turns rolling around that nest. Take your sweaty shirts off, stuff them in there, she’ll love it,” Beck said easily.
Drew nodded. “There’s a lot of correlation between heat nesting and pregnancy nesting, and since she missed out on a heat, I have a feeling it’s going to be even worse for our girl.”
It was so funny, the way they talked about pregnancy like they’d read a whole library of books. Then again, knowing them, they probably were all reading different ones and sharing knowledge. I swear, for a pack that took so long to get to me, they went all in the moment they knew I was pregnant. It was like we’d been together for years.
One by one, my pack dutifully went into the nest, doing exactly as Beck said, rolling around, and adding their scents. Cade even went as far as running the pillows up and down his chest and neck, scent-marking them for me before tucking his shirt under a few of the throw pillows.
Spencer handed me his glasses before doing the same, taking care to make sure that they were hitting every part and pointing out when the other guys hadn’t scented it well enough.
When they were satisfied, Spencer took back his glasses before urging me toward the nest. It was my opinion that really mattered. Or my omega’s, at least.
I took my treasures, tucking them here and there and arranging the pillows among the blankets and mattress. It wasn’t complete yet, I still wanted my things from the storage unit, but for now, this was perfect. Their scents were so strong in here that I let out a happy sigh, sinking back against the pillows.
I wasn’t tired anymore, I just wanted to soak in my pack.
“We were just about to start a bonfire out back. It’s beautiful out. Join us, omega?” Cade urged, holding out a hand.
“Absolutely,” I agreed easily, letting him help me up. I snagged a book from the stack in the corner of our room and one of my favorite blankets before following them down.
Cade had also grabbed his sketchbook, so we settled down around the fire in the patio chairs that the guys had brought from their own things. I curled into my seat, blanket around me and book in my lap. Between the crackling of the fire and the gentle scratching of Cade’s charcoal over his sketchbook, it was relaxing.
The guys were content to let me read, talking amongst themselves in low voices. It wasn’t until I heard random names being thrown out that I tuned back in.
“I always liked dignified names,” Beckett was saying. “You know, like Henry, Atlas. Strong ones.”
“If it’s a girl, I’ve always loved the name June,” Cade said without even looking up.
