* * *
Thirty minutes later, we arrived at the cabin, which was nestled in the trees away from the road and any other houses. It was small, only two bedrooms and two baths, but it was cozy and enough space for the five of us short-term. Anya and Jonathan would be staying with Gizmo on the bus to give us privacy.
After moving everything we needed from the bus to the house, I wrapped Kara in a blanket and carried her to the main bedroom. We’d pushed the furniture to one side of the room and brought all the bunk mattresses in until the ones Cal ordered specially for nesting arrived.
“Al...” Kara muttered, holding onto my shirt as I lowered her onto the makeshift bed. “Don’t go.”
I didn’t care for the name Al, but I would let her call me Alvie if she wanted. I had to have something that belonged to me, and my family’s nickname for me was one of those things. But I guess she was family now.
“You can call me Alvie.” I lay down on my back and wrapped my arm around her as she situated herself by laying her head on my shoulder and throwing a leg over mine.
“But you said in an interview that you don’t like that.” She yawned and started petting my shirt. “So soft.”
“I only let special people call me Alvie, not people I don’t know.” I kissed the top of her head. “Are you hungry? We saved you a sandwich, but if you don’t want that, Jon and Anya will be back soon with more food.”
“I’m hot... and horny.” She moved against my leg and her scent blossomed to life. “But I feel really gross.”
“There’s a really nice clawfoot tub looking out over the trees. I can run you a bath and bring you your sandwich.” I sat up, bringing her with me.
“Where is everyone else?” She finally seemed to be waking up and looked around the bedroom with a cringe. “It’s too bright in here and...” She sucked in a breath.
I purred, pulling her into my lap and against my chest. “I’m sorry this isn’t what you expected for your first heat with us.”
She looked at me and took my face between her hands. “It’s been perfect considering the situation. You’re four amazing alphas, and don’t let anyone else make you think otherwise.”
Shit. Why was I feeling emotional all of a sudden?
“Life on a tour bus is not for an omega. We should cancel the rest of the tour and-”
She kissed me, and I swallowed my words. I should have been comforting my omega, not letting her comfort me and reassure me I was good enough. It was hard not doubting myself and the pack after everything.
I pulled away. “I’m sorry. You don’t deserve to have us keep bringing up the past.”
She brushed her thumb across my bottom lip, her bright blue eyes drowning me in their depths. “The past shapes who we are. We experienced disappointment and sadness when we had prepared for happiness with a match.”
“We never touched her.” I felt the need to reassure her because we never talked in great detail about anything other than being separated from her the first night.
“Even if you had... it doesn’t matter now. If she showed up here today and told your pack she now wanted you as hers, would you kick me to the curb and let her into your hearts instead?”
I reeled back, shocked she’d even ask me that. “No fucking way. We had no attachment to her other than the idea of her as an omega.”
“And if Omega Match told me today that not matching was a mistake and there was still a pack from my list that wanted me...”
I growled at the thought of her leaving us for another pack. “I’ll kill them with my bare hands before I let them take you from us.”
She put her hand on my chest, over my heart. “I’m glad we’re both on the same page. Nothing will keep us apart. Not Omega Match, OPS, the Pack Health agents. No one.”
Her expression was fierce, and my cock instantly sprang to life because, fuck, that was sexy. She gave me a knowing smirk and then wiggled out of my lap.
“You are asking for it.” I adjusted myself in my shorts as I got up.
“I’m always asking for it, Alvie.” She dropped her blanket. “I’m ready for lunch in the tub.”
I rubbed the corners of my mouth. On one hand, she needed food and a relaxing bath, on the other, she was practically begging to choke on my cock.
“That ass is mine as soon as you’re done.” I couldn’t help but give her a love tap as she turned to head to the bathroom.
“Hey!” She shielded herself with her hands. “What if I did that to your dick?”