Page 36 of A Pack of Cozy

"What if we all stayed in the same room tonight? In the omega bed?" I suggest. They all turn to concentrate their full attention on me.

"Are you sure, Baby?" Connor asks.

I shift from one foot to the other, tucking my hair behind my ear. "I'm very sure if you all still are?"

Seth, of course, rushes forward, wraps his arms around my upper thighs, and hoists me up onto his chest so that, for once, I'm looking down at them.

"Raindrop," Bax says from below me, standing beside Seth. "We've always been sure and we always will be."

Connor takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. The gesture perfectly captures the love I feel for these three men. Seth expresses it with big, sweeping grins and gestures, Bax through verbal affirmations and a steady presence, and Connor with his intensely sensitive heart.

Seth eventually lets me slide down his body, and we head upstairs to the omega suite, which is still bare.

"We'll get bedding," Connor says, and the three enter their rooms. When they return moments later, they have armfuls of pillows and blankets for the bed. Considering how big their arms are, that's saying something. Their individual scents are all over the bedding, and I can't wait to leap into a pile of them.

I don't have to wait long because the guys quickly create a cozy little nest for us all. Soon, I find myself lying between Connor and Seth, with Bax snuggled up on the other side. The warmth of their bodies surrounds me, and there's a gentle silence for a moment. I take a deep breath, feeling the comfort of their presence and summoning the courage to share what has been weighing on my heart all night.

"My heat is coming up in a few weeks," I say into the dark room. Actual heats, not mini heats, occur every six months. They're intense and require an omega to be cared for by their partner or partners. Alternatively, omegas can visit heat clinics where anonymous alphas provide care. A perfectly legitimate practice, but it often feels sterile and, unfortunately, isn't always ideal. Incidents do happen. Another option is for the omega to take sedatives and use toys. However, from personal experience, that isn't an actual solution. I still endure significant pain, leaving me emotionally drained afterward. I remember crying for days after my heat.

The silence feels like it's expanding, wrapping around me like a heavy blanket I can't shake off. A small part of me begins to spiral into panic. Did I misread everything? Were they actually not ready to share my heat with me? No, that didn't add up. They'd been so open with their intentions. More than once, they'd made it clear that they wanted to keep me. So why are they hesitating?

Finally, Bax breaks the silence. "Raindrop, we're ready for your heat. The guys and I have discussed it, and we want to take you to The Nest Store to outfit your suite with whatever you want. The Cafés are independent enough to run smoothly, so we can take heat leave anytime. Of course, we want to be with you during your heat." I let out a sigh, feeling my muscles relax. "But…" Connor starts and I tense back up again. He begins smoothing his hand up and down my back. "But we also want to talk about bonding."

Bonding? They want to talk about bonding? With me?

Of course, they do,my omega chastises me internally.They've made it clear that they want us.An intricate part of the omega's role in the pack is to bond with them.

Bonding involves the guys claiming me with a bite somewhere on my body, and then I would do the same to each of them, one at a time. This process creates a psychic link between us, allowing me to sense their feelings and some of their thoughts while they gain the same connection with each other. This bonding brings the pack together on the deepest, most spiritual level.

This is another thing I've only considered seriously since I met them, and only have the most basic understanding from texts and books. Before, I'd never thought I would be in a bond.

"I've been thinking about bonding," I admit. Seth twitches as if he might tackle me on the bed but stills with a quelling look from Connor. I can't hide a smile. Seth has absolutely no sense of subtlety.

"We've been reading some books about bonding and omegas, and it seems that the best time to bond is at the end of the heat. It's a lot of medical terminology, but it would provide you with the most health benefits," Bax admits.

They're worried about whether it would help me the most? I tackle Seth, rolling onto him and pinning him between my body and the bed like a sandwich. I need someone to hug me wild, and I can feel him practically vibrating out of his skin. They're all so caring of me. Seth laughs, and Connor and Bax join us in a group cuddle.

"I'd like to think on it more," I admit. "But I'm open to the idea, and edging into consent territory."

Bax laughs. His voice is rich and velvety. "We want you to think about it. If you're not ready, we will understand and back off." We've all come apart, and Bax is very pointed in his words toward the others, who nod. I know that they'd never pressure me.

"Precious, this is real for us. I know you're meant to be part of our pack. It's not just the scent sensitivity. You fit with us so seamlessly. Everything is so much better when you're in the room. Even when you're just in our office, and we're getting work done, our lives are lighter," Seth says.

"But, will you move into the suite? If it's not your regular living area, having your omega here for the heat might frighten and confuse her," Seth says.

I know that that's right from my own research and experience. My omega subconscious would take over when in heat, making conscious thought difficult, if not nearly impossible. My first heat after moving in with Nick had only been a few days later, and my omega had broken many things in her confusion and fear of an unknown place that she hadn't considered her nest yet.

"I'd like that. To move in," I say, nodding. I feel them all relax into the bed, their presence warming me like a gentle embrace. I let out a soft yawn, unable to fight it. The week had weighed heavily on my shoulders, and now, with them all with me, I can finally let go. As they settle in closer, their soothing purrs wrap around me.

I'd thought our first time in the suite might lead to some play, but they understand the depths of my exhaustion better than I do. As the gentle vibrations of their purrs resonate through the air, a sense of calm washes over me. Their quiet companionship promises safety and affection. I find it nearly impossible to keep my eyes open and drift into the most blissful sleep I've ever known, cradled by love and utter contentment.

Calliope

TheIceFestivalisin full swing. My alphas mentioned they might see me, but may have to cover at the Café due to the tourist crowd. They'd text me if they got free. I scolded myself for feeling pouty over the absence of my alphas. It's been three days since our conversation at their house, and we'd agreed to go nest shopping. Tomorrow was the day, and I couldn't wait to decorate my space and spend an afternoon with them as a pack out doing things. Since that talk, we've been sleeping in that bare room with no curtains, but I haven't wanted to sleep without the pack again once I started.

The ice sculptures are incredible. I thought I knew what to expect. I imagined the kinds seen at weddings of people wealthy enough to not know how to spend their money.I was wrong.

These ice sculptures are more like ice buildings. Some are literally bigger than my cottage. Some depict things the Peninsula is famous for, like cherries, honey, and wine. Some are commissions by the town and different companies, like a car by General Motors, a competing vehicle across the street by Ford, a large open book for the Library, and an extra-large cup of hot chocolate by the Evergreen Café. It looks suspiciously like the cup of hot chocolate that Connor and made me the first night I'd met all of them.

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