Page 71 of Their Perfect Omega

Tate sat up and looked back at me. “And where’s that?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” I left the door open, knowing Tate wouldn’t be able to resist having his questions about where I went several times a week answered.

Alvaro went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “I’ll pack us some drinks.”

“I have drinks there.” I usually started my nights with a few beers when I went and had a fully stocked fridge.

I ran up the stairs and jogged down the hall to where Avery should have been playing video games. The TV was on, but Avery and Gizmo were nowhere to be found.

My eye caught on the slightly ajar door to the primary bedroom and my chest started to pound. What the hell was he doing?

We’d spent countless hours preparing the room for us and Kara. If he was messing it up, I was going to fucking kill him.

“Avery?” I pushed the door open, and Gizmo made a sad whimper from the bed.

The bed he shouldn’t have been on. I rolled my eyes and grabbed his collar, pulling him off the custom-made mattress that was big enough to fit all five of us comfortably. The thing had cost a small fortune.

“Where’s Avery, Gizzy? Did he climb out the window?” If we had to chase his ass down, I was not going to be happy.

Gizmo went to the French doors leading into the nesting area and looked back at me. I couldn’t say I was surprised Avery had come in here; I’d been tempted to as well. But it wasn’t like it smelled like Kara; Pack Health had taken all of her nesting stuff as evidence.

Fuckers.

I knocked gently and opened one of the doors. The area had once been a small sitting area that was part of the main bedroom, but we’d walled it off and put doors in. The ceilings were high, just like the bedroom, and we’d constructed a tent-like structure to hang lush draperies from.

Right inside the doorway was a little area where there was a half-sized refrigerator and freezer and a cabinet to keep things we might need.

I pulled back the curtain door and peered inside. Avery was lying in the dark in the center, the Squishmallows and pillows surrounding him.

“Hey, man. Can I come in?” I wasn’t sure if he was going to be irritated by me or not. We’d just started to heal our bond with each other when shit had hit the fan.

“No.” He grunted, rolling to his side and hugging the Squishmallow he’d picked out. “Leave me alone.”

“Well, too bad.”I looked back to check that Gizmo wasn’t about to come into the nest, but he was back on the bed again. Damn dog, but I guess he deserved some comfort after trying to protect our omega and beta.

I let the curtain fall shut and we were bathed in darkness. The area was about the size of two full beds, and I flopped down to the right of where I’d seen Avery.

“So, what’s up? Just hanging out in the dark?” I itched to turn on the fairy lights we’d strung with the drapery, but I was already pushing it with Avery.

He didn’t respond, and I reached over and poked him in the back. He let out a low growl but didn’t move or speak.

“We’re going to my secret spot. Want to come? It’ll be good to get out some of that angsty alpha energy.” I poked him again.

“Stop fucking poking me!”

I poked him in the ass, and that was apparently the line I shouldn’t have crossed. He growled and grabbed my wrist, his grip brutal.

“Ow!” I sat up and tried to yank my arm away. “I was just playing around. Fuck!”

He shoved my arm away. “Get the fuck out of here before I make you.”

I sighed and rubbed at my wrist, which would probably have marks. “Maybe Pack Health is right and we shouldn’t be around omegas.”

“Ishouldn’t be around omegas.” His voice was muffled like he had his face buried in a pillow. “Just leave, Cal.”

“You know what? No, I’m staying right here until you agree to come with us.” I reached over and pressed the button to turn on a strand of lights.

The nest was just as epic as it had always been, but seeing it now made me sad. We’d been so sure things would work out for us.

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