Page 33 of A Pack of Cozy

Eating side by side seemed like a good solution. If we're facing the TV, she can eat happily without worrying.

Cali's stomach grumbles and I chuckle as she turns an adorable shade of pink. From the corner of my eye, I see her expression melt into one of knee-shaking pleasure as she takes the first bite.Jane Eyre'sopening scene begins to roll.

Calliope

TheRochesterPackstartsexpressing interest in Jane, and my heart flutters. Pack courting was much wilder back then. If you had scent sensitivity with a pack, you could engage in courting, but there was no physical contact allowed, even for heat breaks. This often left the omega in pain while the men brooded over it. It also meant that many omegas were touch-deprived and undiagnosed, as nobody bothered to study omega-specific health issues until the late 1970s. After all, why would they? We're only the most biologically essential members of our packs. It's absurd, but I admit that it intensifies the sense of longing, so long as you don't delve too deeply into the real-world consequences.

The alphas of the Rochester Pack were forced into a marriage with an omega they didn't even have a scent match with. And poor Bertha. Today, she'd be hospitalized, and no one would be allowed to bond with her if she was deemed a danger to herself or others. Back then, omegas had no rights. While things aren't perfect now, and a lot of work still needs to be done, we've made some progress. I'm not just property to be handed over to the first scent-matched alphas who come along. However, some fringe groups still practiced the custom of match-made bonds created by families instead of the individuals getting married.

In the books and movies, since the alphas of the Rochester Pack were bonded to another, they couldn't bond with Jane. I always cry at the scene where she runs away to the moors.

Connor had tossed the dishes into the sink earlier, promising to clean them before leaving. As I cry over Jane's separation from her fated mates. Connor holds me close and purrs softly to comfort me. By the time the movie reaches its climax, where the characters reunite, and two of them are blind, I find myself smiling through my tears.

I turn to him when the end credits roll, but he just stares at the screen. "That was insane."

"Wait." I stare at him wide-eyed. "You've never seenJane Eyrebefore?"

"No. That lady was in the attic the whole time? That really got me." He eyes the stairs leading to my nest.

I laugh. "There are no angry omegas in my nest," I assure him. "But wait, if you've never seen it, how did you get the DVD?" It's not like finding a DVD is easy anymore. Most people stream, but it's hard to get a signal good enough to stream out here in the woods. I know for a fact that the Library doesn't haveJane Eyre.

"I called everyone I knew until I found someone with a period romance movie on DVD that wasn't at the Library. That way, I knew you hadn't watched it recently. This is actually John's copy. He's an alpha who works at our Traverse City location. I paid him for the hours to meet me halfway between here and Traverse City to let me borrow it." I stare at him. He'd gone through so much trouble just to get a DVD for me.

"I also brought you these," he says, pulling another bag out from behind the couch that he must have brought in when he took the dishes to the sink since I hadn't noticed it before. In the bag is bath stuff. Bath bombs, salts, essential oil diffuser, a clay face mask, candles. "I was planning on giving you a massage, while I drew you a hot bath. I forgot that your bathroom is connected to your nest, so you have to walk through the nest to get to it. I can just leave these here."

He won't ask or expect to be allowed into my nest. It's a huge step. Nests are more private than underwear drawers. I lean forward and wrap my hand around the back of his neck. Connor slips his arm around my waist and pulls me closer as our lips meet. The kiss isn't demanding, but it's firm. When we break apart, I search his face and find only caring.

"Or you could come up and draw my bath," I whisper. His eyes widen in surprise, then darken with desire as he presses his forehead to mine, our breaths mingling in the warm air. The heat between us is palpable, a tantalizing hint of what's to come.

"Are you sure? You don't have to rush, Baby. I can wait as long as you need."

Deep in my soul, I know this isn't just a platitude. They've all done so much to show how much I mean to them. Connor organized an entire date night to ensure I felt comfortable and could recharge. I didn't even know that was possible on a date. I want these alphas to be part of my nest, where I can feel safe with them. I nod.

He smiles, and it takes my breath away. He grabs the bag he'd given me, and I lead him up the stairs. Just as we reach the top, I start to get nervous. There's nothing special about my nest. It's just a mattress on the floor with blankets I'd found on clearance and a ton of books. Would Connor or any guy want to be in such a cheap, shoddy nest?

I take a deep breath and move to allow him the rest of the way to into my room. With the sloping ceilings, he has to hunch even more than usual. I brace myself for the rejection, but he tucks me into his side, kisses my forehead, and says, "Thank you. I'm so glad you trusted me with your space." I relax, point him to the bathroom door, and he walks in. The bathroom is something I love most about the cottage. The claw foot tub is so deep and comfortable that I sometimes have difficulty not falling asleep.

Connor gets to work immediately. He kneels next to the tub and begins filling it with water. He sets up the incense burner and arranges some candles around the area. Their flames dance as he turns off the lights. Then, he adds a bath bomb and some bubble bath, resulting in purple, shimmering bubbles.

While he's distracted, I quietly slip into the bedroom and remove every piece of the outfit he so thoughtfully picked out for me. When I return, I find him focused on checking the temperature of the water, and I pause in the doorway, simply admiring him. A wave of warmth washes over me. His concern, care, and reassuring presence overwhelm any barriers that I keep up. The way he looks out for me, his familiar scent, and my omega's reaction all feel so overwhelming in the best possible way. I know I'm cherished, and I feel deeply loved in this moment.

"I love you," I whisper. I mean it so much that saying it feels like a relief. Connor's still touching the water when I say it, and I wouldn't have thought he'd heard me if he hadn't frozen. He turns back to me, and my heart breaks to see his eyes glassy and tears threatening to spill from them.

He rises to his feet with an intensity that takes my breath away etched across his face. He moves toward me with such swiftness that I fear he might slip on the cool tile. My arms instinctively wrap around his neck, pulling him closer. Connor's kiss sends shivers skittering across my skin. His jeans press against my lower stomach, and I can feel the undeniable proof of his desire beneath the fabric.

With effortless grace, he lifts me into his arms, and I instinctively cling to him, feeling the strength and warmth of his embrace. He cradles me, carrying me bridal style. The world around us fades as he focuses solely on me. He lowers me into the tub without a care in the world for his soaking wet shirt sleeves.

Once I'm in the water he raises his hands to cup my face and kiss me. "Cali," he says, and I hold my breath. This is the moment I'll either be shattered forever, or loved forever. In my heart, I know what it will be with this alpha… this pack. There aren't any more doubts. And that feels so insanely amazing.

"I love you. I have always loved you. I will love you until I'm dead, and even beyond that, my love will be with you."

Our foreheads press together, breaths mingling as we hold each other's faces, feeling the heat radiating from our skin. Then, he kisses me, and it ignites something primal within me. His shirt is wholly soaked, but I grasp at it, fisting it in my hands.

Connor pulls back, and I let go. My heart drops, but I realize he's just taking it off. He shucks it and throws it in the corner. Then he stands and removes the rest of his clothes. When he pulls his boxers down, his cock springs free. It's long and straight, and the head is practically purple. The veins along it strain with need. I can't breathe. I'd never get used to that.

I thought he'd join me in the tub, although that might be physically impossible given his size. Instead, Connor grabs a bottle from his bag, opens it, and squirts some clear liquid into his hands. There's enough space between the back of the tub and the wall for him to squeeze in. He applies gentle pressure to the spot where my neck meets my shoulders, and I instantly relax. It feels so good, and he's just started.

I realize he's making a point. No matter what, my comfort and pleasure come above anything else for him. I want to tell him I understand and want to make him happy too, but the words are drowned in a moan when his hands knead my shoulders harder. They work lower, and finally, they're at my breasts, kneading the flesh there and tweaking my rock-hard nipples. I perfume hard and moan again. Connor's face is pressed against mine, and I bring my dripping arm up to snake around his neck and pull at his hair.

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