Page 24 of Broken Alpha

“That’s not what I said. If you like it, put it in the cart. We can go to a larger department store this weekend if you’d like. They have stores specifically for nesting Omegas. If you feel safe in my apartment and want a place, we can ensure you have a nest; I won’t move it when you’re not there.”

Aidyn looked at me before turning to the decorations. Hesitantly, he grabbed the throw blanket again and put it into the cart, watching me to see if I’d tell him no. I smiled at him, encouraging him, while he began to study the shelves, finding the perfect items, and finally letting his Omega instincts take over. I wondered, and not for the first time, if he had ever given in to his Omega. He had told me he had grown up with Beta parents, so I was curious how much his lineage impacted his life like mine did. I couldn’t imagine resisting what I was or feeling that every instinct I acted on as a dominant Alpha might be wrong.

With each item he put into the cart, I could see a sense of contentment change the expression on his face. His shoulders lowered, slowly releasing the tension he was holding, and it occurred to me that I had been a shitty Alpha. I hadn’t noticed how stressed and worked up he was, how he was pretending to be okay so he didn’t come off as high maintenance and a burden. He would be staying with me until Monday evening, since it was a holiday, which meant he had already told Harllow that he was seeing someone and didn’t need to hide the fact that he wouldn’tbe home for a few days. The Halloween decorations also signaled that we were halfway through the school term, meaning we would spend his first unmedicated heat together at the end of it. I couldn’t imagine the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty he must be experiencing. Nests were places where Omegas could decompress and feel safe and protected. It bothered the fuck out of me that he didn’t have one in his own apartment, so he was just carrying this weight around with him every day. I needed to do better.

Glancing at the cart, I noticed that Aidyn had added two throw blankets, string lights with mesh bats on them, and two candles and was currently looking at the plushies again. He had moved a squishy ghost beside a squishy bat together, eyeing them both as he decided which one belonged in the cart, his eyes dancing between the squishy creatures as if the others on the shelf didn’t exist. Only these two were making the cut, apparently. He reached out his hand, letting it hover above the bat before it darted forward quickly and grabbed the ghost instead, making its way into the cart. He began to walk toward the check-out lanes but stopped long enough to cast a second eye at the bat, now sitting alone on the shelf, smiling it's weird, soulless smile. He shook his head, tugging on the front of the cart to wheel it toward the lanes.

Jesus fucking Christ, could he be any more adorable?

As I moved past the shelf, I grabbed the bat, settling him beside the ghost on top of the groceries. Aidyn watched its movements; his eyes zoned in on the plush like a cat, and I could see the fight in his eyes. He was worried it was too much, that he was too much, and he would put it back if I gave him the option, which is why he didn’t have it.

“We can’t leave his friend behind. That’s rude. He’d be lonely,” I reasoned.

Aidyn raised those beautiful green eyes to me; the battle was still there, but the large smile that spread across his face was fucking worth it.

Aidyn

Iwasn’t a crier. It wasn’t really something I did, so why did I feel like crying now? Something felt off, and I couldn’t place what it was. We arrived at Luke’s apartment, and I helped him put away the groceries before he instructed me to start on my nest while he worked on dinner. I deposited the plushies onto the corner of Luke’s U-shaped sectional before taking the blankets and lights into the bedroom.

The last time I was in this space, I don’t remember seeing a nightstand on the right side of the bed. It was a different color than the one on the left, which led me to believe that he had gone out of his way to purchase one for me. My heart melted atthe idea, but the fact that the color was different from the other made me itchy. I would try to ignore it since Luke went out of his way for me. I placed the candles on the nightstand and found a phone charger plugged into the wall on this side for me to use. I couldn’t help but smile.

I unboxed the lights and opened the package of small Command hooks, placing them in a loose zig-zag pattern above the headboard on my side of the bed. Once that was plugged in, I unpacked the throw and placed it on the right side of the bed to avoid disturbing Luke. Luke assured me that I could do what I wanted, but it still felt wrong, like I was an intruder. This wasn’t my home, and I shouldn’t act like it was. If I gave in to my Omega, it would be too much, and he would think it was stupid. My Omega struggled because I didn’t feel comfortable here. Not really. I could feel the desire to build a nest, but also insecure about doing so. The only reason I was comfortable here was because he was here. I was safe with Luke, but my Omega was unsure if he was safe in his Alpha’s space. Maybe that’s why everything looked wrong. I tried researching other nests, but mine looked nothing like the one on the internet. Maybe it was the way the lights were strung. Maybe it was the one Halloween blanket I didn’t wash before putting it on the bed, so it smells faintly of the spiced candles that were around it at the store. Maybe it was the mismatched nightstands. Maybe it was because I was defective and had no idea how to build a nest because I had never had the instinct to make one before. The ones online looked beautiful and were put together in a round, nest-like shape made up of clothing and blankets, and mine looked like someone just decorating for the holidays.

This is how Luke found me, kneeling on the bed, tears running down my cheeks, as I berated myself for being totally stupid and defective and having zero idea what the fuck I was doing. He crawled onto the bed behind me, wrapping his arms aroundmy waist and pulling me against his body. The second his citrusy scent hit my nose, my body released the tension it held. I sagged against his chest, brushing the tears from my face as embarrassment flashed through me. God, I was pathetic.

“What’s wrong, little fawn?” he asked, nuzzling the side of my face.

“I don’t know. Something feels off, and I can’t place it. Maybe this stuff doesn’t belong here. Maybe I don’t belong here.”

“That’s nonsense. If I had my way, you would be moving in, not staying a weekend. You belong here. Maybe it feels off because there are only a few items, which we’ll fix tomorrow. We’ll go to a nesting store and find the perfect items.”

“Luke, I can’t afford it.”

“Let me take care of you. I thought you said you would give in to your Omega a little more. Doing that means relying on your Alpha to care for you, no matter what it is.”

“No offense, but teachers don’t get paid that much. If you keep trying to buy things, you’ll go broke.”

“Is that what this is about? You’re worried about my finances?” he chuckled softly. “Sweetheart, I own this building. I also own several commercial buildings, both for businesses and residential. My parents didn’t like me becoming a teacher and openly informed me that they would not support it. Teaching wasn’t the family business, so I started saving and investing before I started college. I teach because I want to, not because I have to.”

“Oh.” What else was I supposed to say to that? Even if he claims to be financially better off, my anxiety would still tell me that he’s spending too much, and what if he grows tired of me? Fated mates, be damned.

“Now, I know it’s your nest, but would it be okay if I changed a few things?”

I could only nod and allow him to drag me off the bed. I stood where he instructed so that I could watch him attempt to fix my mess and correct him if something didn’t seem right. My Omega, however, was over the moon. We were building a nest together. He was thrilled that his Alpha was changing what we had and wanted to actively be a part of its construction. I watched as Luke unstrung the bat lights, removed the hooks, and applied new ones to hang the lights in a swooping design above the headboard instead of a zig-zag. Once that was done, he moved the throw to the middle of the bed as if it were a centerpiece on the comforter. He opened the other throw and folded it over the foot of the bed so that both had a home in his space.

He looked at me then, seeing what I thought, and I nodded, feeling as if things were finally clicking into place.

“Are the lights too bright for sleep?” I asked, tilting my head.

“If they are, we can pick up some of those plugs that will turn lights on and off with a mini remote or an app on our phones. You can keep it by your nightstand. But I don’t think they’re too bright.”

“Speaking of stands,” I glanced at the two nightstands, and Luke must’ve caught me looking because he started laughing, a rumbling sound that started in his chest.

“Yeah, I was in a hurry and couldn’t find one like mine on short notice. I hate them. They need to match.”

“They do.” I smiled, relieved.

“But is this a little better?”

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