Page 40 of Verses and Blooms
No matter what it takes.
Chapter Fourteen
Ansel
Almost as soon as the alphas and our omega disappeared into the bedroom, the deliveries started.
Then they didn’t stop.
Trucks and guards came and went in a steady stream, bringing in enough bags and packages to fill the front porch.
There was one guard who was permanently stuck outside, a beta who seemed perfectly content minding his own business, at least. He’d knock once on the door before retreating, probably not wanting to risk getting mauled by an alpha.
Kane was singing softly to himself as he tore open the packages, stacking them into neat piles to make it easier for us to put everything away. I was bringing the necessities into the room: sheets for the bed, soft wall hangings that made it feel like a cozy little nest, light-blocking curtains to keep it dark, and string lights to give it a gentle glow.
I didn’t expect my omega to react beyond being happy that our mate was getting what she deserved. Yet, with each new addition, my omega seemed a bit happier, more content. I foundmyself wondering what little touches I could add… and then I stopped myself.
I’d never really wanted a nest of my own. Even now, I’d much rather share Audrey’s. But that wasn’t something I could ask of her.
An omega deserved a nest of their own.
My chest ached at the thought of having one by myself. It seemed so isolating and lonely.
Maybe something was wrong with me. I shouldn’t be this damn needy.
Kane brought in another handful of pillows, placing them gently around the room.
“I think it looks great,” he observed, taking in our hard work. “But I’m not an omega. Is there anything else we should do?”
“Our scents should be in here,” I said. “She’s going to want every single one on every surface.”
“Then we can start with ourselves,” he said, placing the final pillow against a pile of soft blankets. He laid down and started rolling around on the fabric, and I couldn’t help but laugh softly.
It was nice seeing Kane not lost in his usual daze. Though, even when he was, he was more observant than he realized. Even before she came to Arc, he always kept us together.
Keptmetogether. A calm force among the confusion and fear of that place.
Knowing our time was limited, I joined him, rubbing my scent across every surface. It was weird, but my omega was loving this, especially with Kane’s scent in here, too.
Sharing with Audrey would mean it would have all of our pack’s scents. My omega wanted them close, too, just not their knots.
Fuck.I knew I was a complicated omega, but every time I had those thoughts, I couldn’t help but wonder if it would alwaysbe this way. Was I missing out on something by only choosing Audrey?
Yet, the moment I imagined touching an alpha, my body physically recoiled. Sometimes trauma ran too deep, changed us in irreversible ways. I could tolerate these alphas but I despised the thought of them touching me in that way.
“Hey,” Kane said. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
I blinked, realizing he was no longer scent-marking the nest but focusing on me. I had his full attention now.
There was no fighting it. The words just spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them.
“Is it wrong that I don’t want an alpha?”
Kane didn’t look surprised. “Would you ever shame someone for being gay? For having any kind of sexual preference?”
“Of course not,” I said quickly, confused where he was going with this one.
“Then how is this different?” he demanded. “You wouldn’t shame two alphas who chose to love each other. Two omegas is the same. You deserve to be happy in whatever context you choose.”
