Page 64 of Bound By Pain
My brows raise higher the longer he speaks. I haven’t seen Shiloh outside of the one night he took Bea to dinner, so I assumed he was thinking similarly to Lex and wanted to avoidbecoming her mate. If he’s told his building’s security team about us, though, maybe I thought wrong.
With shiny new badges in hand, we’re directed to an elevator slightly behind the desk. “What the fuck is going on?” Lex questions as we ride to the top floor.
“I have no clue, but I think we’re about to find out.”
The elevator opens onto a small hallway. A door to the stairwell sits on our left, and a trash chute to our right. Fresh paint covers the walls around the single door across from us. I slip my new key into the lock, curiosity growing when it opens.
“Well, look at that! You convinced him to come!” Ridley shouts.
“I was unaware of where we were going; otherwise, I would have resisted,” Lex retorts, glaring at me as Ridley laughs. I shrug at my friend, slipping my shoes off before I join the others.
“Welcome, Mr. Barrett, Mr. Ferguson, or Creed, and Lex. I suppose we can drop the formalities now that we share an Omega mate.” Shiloh stands at his kitchen island, sleeves rolled up and a drink in his hand. The faint scent of something cheesy and herby fills the air.
“So, what’s with the keys?”
“Shiloh bought the units below him and is renovating both floors into a house for us and our Omega,” Orion chimes in from his spot on the couch.
“Well, damn. I guess I don’t need to grease palms to get her into this building after all!” Which is great, because pulling strings means going to Porter. And I’d never hear the end of it if I asked him for help.
“Would you like a tour? The construction crew estimates another week to complete the remaining bedrooms, and a month for the entertainment spaces, but it should be move-in ready by the time Sabine’s lease is up.”
We follow behind the older Alpha as he shows us the Omega suite built on the top floor, including an empty nest, massive bathroom, and walk-in closet. On the floor below us, he walks us through where each bedroom is, as well as the home gym and several smaller pocket nests for Bea to enjoy on this level.
It’s perfect. Messy because it’s still a work in progress, but seeing the potential in this place for all of us… My mate is going to love it.
Back in the kitchen, Shiloh pulls a bubbling pan of some type of pasta from his oven and sets it aside to cool. “I have paint swatches and furniture catalogs for each of you to pick what you would like to decorate your rooms with. Just use the catalog numbers here,” he points to a small number in the top corner of each image before continuing, “to fill out the request form with your name on it.”
“What about sunshine’s room?” Ridley asks, settling onto a stool and pulling a book of furniture over to flip through.
“I will take Bea to lunch when we return to work on Monday, where I will officially ask her to move in. She can choose the decor for her suite then. Though I think it would be beneficial for all of us to take the time to go nest shopping with her instead of ordering everything online. A pack date of sorts.”
Fucking hell, the thought of helping my Omega pick out things for her nest makes a buzz grow beneath my skin. Instincts roar back to life, demanding I lay eyes on her to ensure she is safe with all her mates away.
Ridley must feel the same, because he quickly opens the camera app on his phone and watches her talking with her friends in the living room. He leaves the volume muted, respecting her privacy as much as his Alpha urges will allow him.
“I won’t be staying here,” Lex cuts in, arms crossed over his chest as he scowls down at the paper with his name on it. “Not until we are both in the headspace to risk a rut.”
“Yeah, you have little choice,” Ridley replies breezily, not taking his eyes off his phone screen. “I put in a notice that we’ll be vacating our apartment at the end of the month.”
“You motherfuck-”
“Mr. Ferguson,” Shiloh snaps, drawing Lex’s ire his way. “I do not know the reasons behind your reluctance, but I have witnessed you interact with Sabine enough to know your inner Alpha craves the peace she offers you. Even if you aren’t here full time, use the room I have given you to learn to accept the bond between you.”
“And go see a fucking therapist,” Orion growls from the couch, sounding so unlike the usually somber but polite Alpha I’ve grown to know that I do a double take.
“Not that it’s any of your fucking business, but I already am,” Lex growls back, stalking toward the door.
I call after him. “She needs you as much as you need her. The sooner you work out your shit and accept that, the sooner you can start making it up to her.”
The door slams behind him, leaving us all with scowls and sighs of frustration. As much as we would love to force Lex to open his eyes, he has to make that decision for himself. He’s missing out on a beautiful life, because our Omega is a fucking goddess. I can’t wait to return home so I can worship her properly.
Saturday morning, we all leave Shiloh’s. Ridley heads to his former apartment to pack up the rest of his and Lex’s stuff to bring here. I plan on doing the same. I’ve made it a point to stop by my place once a week, just in case something happens whileI’m gone. Coming back to find something like a burst pipe and a hefty repair bill would suck ass.
“I’m headed back to the apartment,” Orion tells us, eyes still heavy with sleep. I’m momentarily jealous knowing he will get to slip into the nest with our mate and enjoy her sweet body all to himself, but it fades quickly. The faster I finish packing, the sooner I can join them.
My house is quiet, empty. A shiver crawls up my spine as I take the pictures from my walls and wrap them in old newspaper to pack away. Being here without my Omega and her other mates feels weird now. Lonely.
Not that I spent much time at home before I met Bea. The FCDA has been my home for the last seven years. After six years in the military, I needed the camaraderie of the agency to keep me sane. Transitioning from a life as structured as one in the service to the free-for-all that is civilian life was jarring.
