Broken Dreams (Unhingedverse)
Broken Dreams: Chapter 13

LINUS

I have two warm alphas on either side of me, and a soft omega curled up in my lap as we all talk. Quinn is relaxed as she listens, not appearing to be overstimulated by conversation. There’s music coming from the computer, soothing and soft. It’s weird to have complete silence around me after years at the club with pounding music.

Funny enough, the crooning of Frank Sinatra doesn’t bother her at all. It scratches the happy places in our brains, feeds us the dopamine we crave but aren’t always sure how to get. Quinn and I secretly have dance parties in our nest simply to move and keep our muscles happy.

Too little movement hurts.

Things have been an adjustment for Quinn and I here with Callum and Duncan. The alphas are so good to us, but that doesn’t make everything go away. The memories are too fresh.

I wake up hoarse every night from screaming, yet don’t remember it or the dreams causing it. Quinn doesn’t mention anything either, making me wonder if we’re both trapped with our own demons at night when we shut our eyes, unable to help the other fight them off.

The very thought is terrifying after so many years of being each other’s lifeline. It makes me feel disappointed in myself. I’m supposed to keep her safe, even though I’ve spectacularly failed at it many times due to our circumstances.

In the morning, the same scent that’s curling around me of blackberries and coconut is in the air of our nest and on our bedsheets. Are our alphas fighting our dragons while we sleep, holding us tight in an effort to soothe us?

The thought of how self sacrificing these men are makes me rub my chest absently as I nod along to whatever Callum is saying to me. Quinn has a pad of paper and a pen in her lap, stringing together a few words here and there to remain a part of the conversation.

She’s regressing somehow. It wasn’t difficult before for her to say a word or two to me, at least I don’t think it was. I’ve never thought to ask her before, and now I can hear the distress in her vocal chords as she forces out words to say to me.

As grateful as we both are to be away from Bret and the club, it was our home. It’s fucked up to say that, and I’m certain there’s a form of Stockholm Syndrome we’re still suffering from.

“I’ve definitely lost you,” Callum says, stopping abruptly. “What’s going on, Linus?”

Startled out of my thoughts, I gaze at him with wide eyes.

“Huh?” I ask. Stretching my muscles, I can tell I’m sore from not using them the way I typically would every morning dancing with Quinn. It’s making me feel detached in a really odd way from the world.

“What’s going on in here?” he asks, his thumb rubbing against my temple. I can’t help but lean into his touch, sighing.

“It’s really dumb,” I sigh. “I think I’m going to have to start running for exercise or something. I’ll be out of shape before I know it otherwise.”

Quinn leans against me harder, her head dropping back to gaze up at me. Her baby blue eyes feel as if they’re searching my soul so deeply, I can feel a physical sensation. My lips brush along her forehead, trying to tell her I’m fine.

I know I’m not. There’s all this bullshit bouncing around inside of me. Negative thoughts, a feeling I don’t deserve this somehow, and they’re loud. The lack of movement is threatening to pull me into a foul mood.

I’m also really sad I haven’t felt the earth shattering connection of biology snapping into place yet. It’s there, just muted due to Bret playing at being a mad scientist. I’m just going to have to do the footwork of getting to know my alphas without it for now.

My thoughts are floaty and disconnected as I hug Quinn, my eyes dropping on the cutting shears that came in. Neither of us have got the courage to pick them up, but we have been looking at different hairstyles. She even pulled up some fashion colors to streak the front of her hair.

Freedom means being able to make your own decisions about your hair.

“Sounds like a little more,” Duncan says sagely.

“It’s so dumb after leaving the club. The routines Quinn and I had were important to us, and we’ve fallen away from them. We used to dance every morning, I worked out when I woke up with pushups and sit ups. I thought I could break away from them, but my body hurts, reminding me that I’m not taking care of it,” I sigh.

“So do it,” Duncan says. “There’s room here in the living room to dance, or the backyard has a paved area that would be perfect. We don’t have any neighbors, either.”

“Fuck, and we have a weight room,” Callum says, shifting as if in embarrassment. “We still haven’t given you the full tour.”

“This house is insane, I still get lost in it,” I remind him with a smirk.

I haven’t even thought about touring the house. How can I when this feels like a dream, and someone is going to rip it all away from me?

Quinn’s gazing off, lost in thought, making me realize we must do this more often than I’ve noticed. We’ve been on someone else’s schedule for so long, it’s a luxury to be able to just daydream.

Blinking, she writes out something on the pad.

I want to work.

She’s right, we’ve been in a bubble here, maybe that’s why we feel so unsettled.

“What would we do?” I ask her. The alphas are silent next to us. I can feel their worry, but I don’t think they’ll begrudge us this. “Our skills are a little limited.”

I need to dance too, she admits. Maybe a club?

“What kind of dancing are we talking about?” Duncan asks, swallowing hard. His hands are fisted so tightly I can see that his knuckles are white from here.

God, he’s trying so fucking hard. It’s such a fine line between wanting to give someone the world and knowing there’s boundaries written on your soul. You want to let the people you care about fix themselves, yet you want to keep them safe.

I understand because it’s my everyday life with Quinn. This woman makes me fucking insane.

“Quinn and I can dance to anything,” I say, knowing that’s not what he means.

A bratty part of me wants to mention all the different kinds, but the poor guy is on edge. Should I put him out of his misery?

Nah. Fuck it.

Hiding my smirk, I glance at Quinn’s addition to the conversation.

I guess that would depend on the work available, right?

The growls from that single sentence make me hide my face in her soft hair, which is being contained with a pair of braids down her skull before being left loose to curl down her back. It keeps it off her face, but is still a delicious middle finger to all of the times we’ve had to put it up into ridiculous hairstyles.

Quinn unleashed is one of my favorite things. She’s playful here, despite our setbacks.

“I’ll call around to see if any of the clubs in Minneapolis are hiring,” Callum rumbles. “Are we including strip clubs in this search?”

Smart man. He’s attempting to give the option, while probably screaming, Please God, say no.

I think both Quinn and I have danced in that capacity for long enough to last multiple lifetimes. I also doubt that’s what she meant, she’s just having some fun with them.

No, she says, lips rolled in to attempt to hide her smile.

Without thinking, Callum’s fingers tickle her ribs, her squeal loud as fuck as she writhes. My soul sings as I loosely hold her as they fuck around, and he gives up pretty quickly, kissing her soundly.

“Such a brat,” he says affectionately, rolling his eyes. “So what we need is a job dancing. I’m also down to go running with you, Linus, if you want. What else?”

It’s so odd to be continually asked that, and have someone mean it. My trauma growing up must really be catching up to me. My parents didn’t give two fucks about my sister or I, so that’s the kind of care I’m used to.

I think it breaks my brain and heals my heart each time it happens.

“Ah,” I stutter, shaking my head.

“Hmm,” Callum says, leaning forward to pull some paperwork. “That’s okay, let’s just talk about something else. Whatever pops into your mind, tell us before it begins to be a problem so it can be addressed, okay?”

Relaxing, I nod. I can do that. Being on the spot makes it hard to think about what I need. It’s as if the thoughts evaporate in my mind.

“Those are the legal documents to change your last names to Kelly,” Duncan says. “It’s added protection to keep you hidden while building your lives. Eventually, we’ll need to submit paperwork to the Healthy Pack Organization stating that you’re our omegas.”

“It makes it more difficult for Bret to say you’re runaways from his workplace,” Callum grunts. “While owning omegas is illegal, people get around it through fear and intimidation all the time. If he says you’re his wards despite the fact that you’re both in your thirties, it makes it easier for the government to look away.”

That’s fucked up, Quinn practically growls.

I thought it would be more difficult to remember to call her by this name, but it suits her better. It’s soft and sweet the way she is, and has a whisper of strength associated to it.

This girl could have crumbled so many times. She hasn’t.

“Yeah, it is, sweet girl,” he sighs. “We don’t want to push and we won’t.”

“We don’t need bond bites to submit that paperwork either,” Duncan adds.

“You’re two of the best alphas I know,” I confess. “Why wouldn’t Quinn and I want to be yours?”

Being an alpha’s omega isn’t about possession and ownership when you’re with the right one. It’s about safety, love, and adoration. I understand why they’re moving slowly. I just met them, while Quinn is working through being reunited with these alphas.

The pathway to making that decision is riddled with potholes, most of them our own making due to the mess in our minds. They’re being sensitive to that, but I need reassurance of why we’re waiting.

“It’s all we want,” Callum admits. “As toxic as Slick Dreams is, it was your home for a lot of years. Duncan and I want to give you space to figure things out, know what you want. We’ve waited twenty years to replace Quinn, and found you as well in the same fell swoop.”

“Relying on just biology isn’t our style, either,” Duncan says. “We want to court you both. It doesn’t have to be anything officially submitted to a stuffy organization who doesn’t know us or you. However, we’ve been giving you time to get acclimated.”

“Is our omega tired of us playing it safe?” Callum asks, breathing into my ear.

My entire body shudders with desire, going from casually talking to extremely turned on in welcome time. Fuck, being an omega is strange.

My arms tighten around Quinn, and her arms wrap immediately around me, my perfume and arousal affecting her as she wriggles her ass against my hardening cock. Releasing an embarrassing whimper, I can feel the color flood my cheeks.

Not fair. The words are desperately scrawled out, hurried and messy.

“No, I think the time for fair is passing very quickly, Quinn,” Duncan murmurs, his teeth nipping at her jawline. “We’ve been holding back, being really careful. We’re just waiting for you two to release us from our shackles of control.”

I watched them both while we moved through the darkened hallways of the club, sex and arousal heavy in the air as we made our escape. Even when they killed and removed Saxon from our path, their control was tight enough to keep to the plan.

This entire time, I’ve seen the banked desire in their eyes while they’ve spoken to us. I have a feeling that Quinn and I would both be lit up with flames from the inside out by these men.

Are we ready for all of that?

The moment is interrupted by a growl as a phone begins to ring, and Duncan pulls his cell out.

“It’s him again,” he mutters.

The guys told me about the calls they’ve been receiving, and Quinn confirmed in writing that it’s Alpha Sanchez. I didn’t hear him on the phone when I followed Quinn at a distance to the office. Something was pulling her there, and I was content to see what it was. I did, however, see the phone get tossed to the floor, and later was filled in about who the caller was.

“Alpha Sanchez was always good to us,” I whisper almost hesitantly.

“Why did he never try to get you out?” Callum growls angrily.

Callum spares not a thought to the possible consequences if the alpha had. We may never have found the Kelly brothers, or we could have been killed if we’d made a run for it.

There were a lot of reasons why they were successful, and part of it was luck. It could have gone pear shaped.

Helplessly, I shrug, because the phone is still ringing and I don’t know the answer to that. I can’t put words into Alpha Sanchez’ mouth for why he’s done anything.

Does he just miss free access to us, or is there a deeper reason for why he’s calling? I never got the feeling that he was this⁠—

That’s a lie, though, isn’t it? His touch always felt as if he was branding things he couldn’t say onto our skin. Quinn actually let herself go more with him than she ever has, and he treated us with a respect we never received from anyone else.

Confusing, fuck, I’m so at a loss on how to deal with him.

“Answer it,” I rasp. The sound of the rings as they cut off and then restart are jarring on my senses.

Quinn must feel it too, because she shifts on my lap to curl her legs up and turns to wrap her arms around me. If I thought it wouldn’t be seen as odd, I’d move her so that she’s straddling my thighs, and every inch of her was pressed against me.

It’s about comfort, not sex for us, because neither of us knows how to feel about Alpha Sanchez.

Hesitantly, Duncan finally accepts the call, but remains silent. Not everyone can sit in silence, because it makes them uncomfortable. That’s untrue of the Kelly brothers.

This is a power move for them.

The quiet stretches out, though I can hear Alpha Sanchez’ soft breathing.

“Makayla?” he asks, his voice ragged with sounds like grief. Oh my god. “Look, I will replace them. I don’t know what you’re playing at or who you are, but I will figure it out. Linus and Makayla are my scent matches. Being away from them makes my skin crawl.”

Quinn hides her face in my neck, deciding to clamber into my arms in the way I originally wanted her to. Her koala embrace helps my racing heartbeat, but my breathing is ragged. I doubt that Alpha Sanchez can hear it.

“You had plenty of chances to prove yourself,” Duncan rumbles. His voice is dominant and powerful, making it clear he doesn’t give a shit about Alpha Sanchez’ plight. “You don’t deserve them. Lose my number, let them build their lives.”

“Happiness is a toll paid for every day, and sometimes moment by moment,” Callum says, the skin around his eyes pinches with fury. “When have you ever felt compelled to pay your share?”

Alpha Sanchez is silent now, though I can hear his breathing and the way it sounds shredded and chaotic. If I were to close my eyes, I might be able to see the way his chest would heave with exertion, though the reasoning behind it back then was very different.

Now that the truth is out there, things are beginning to fall into place. He didn’t want to be pulled to us. I imagine it’s why he would stay away from us for long periods of time. Sometimes months.

His absence would hurt if I’m honest with myself. I’d pretend I didn’t care, because he was just a client, a mark I was supposed to milk for his money. However, I didn’t have to act with him. Alpha Sanchez let me be myself. He would give Quinn and I time to love each other, write our feelings on the other’s skin as he watched like a voyeur.

The pieces of shattered moments are coming together, yet I don’t know how I feel about it. A part of me feels betrayed by destiny. So many years, and Quinn and I have been in the presence of our scent match for that long and never knew.

Unbidden, a tear escapes my lash line as my eyes fill with them. It feels as if I’m saying goodbye to something that could have had potential. I don’t know how he would fit into our lives now. I’m not interested in a constant tug of war between my alphas, and Quinn and I are people, not children to squabble over in a custody dispute.

Goodbye.

Quinn raises her face to show me her own reddened eyes and tears tracking down her face. I gaze down at her as if to ask her what she wants. I won’t make decisions for her. I just don’t understand how this could ever work. Alpha Sanchez has rules, a way of doing things, and structure.

Quinn and I are getting used to living in a world where we get to choose. I can’t imagine that being ripped away from us. I don’t understand what to do, how to tell Alpha Sanchez that it’s too little too late. Scent bonds are something I’m still trying to wrap my mind around, and I’ve begun searching for podcasts on the topic since I can’t ask Callum and Duncan.

It feels too personal, something everyone should know about or their families should explain to them while they’re growing up. Quinn even struggles to explain it, and led the charge in an internet search.

I don’t know how these bonds work, if they simply fade over time if we decide to never see Alpha Sanchez again. Will it hurt him?

We have been in our nest replaceing our way, enjoying Adira’s generosity, though she hasn’t come by again. Hopefully we’ll get to see her soon. I think Quinn is curious about this omega that has so much of our alphas’ affection. I know I am.

So much goes on in my mind in a short time, all while I think about what Callum is saying. Happiness is difficult, joy needs to be sought after years of being abused.

Alpha Sanchez never bothered to pay the toll for our happiness, he merely came to see us when it worked for him, while we drifted in the seas of misery. He doesn’t deserve us.

Quinn searches for her pen, the notebook long tossed to the floor, facing me. Grabbing the back of my shirt with one hand, I pull it off so I can be her vessel to speak. I would do anything for her.

Anything.

Callum and Duncan turn to face us as she writes on my chest, whatever excuses Alpha Sanchez has are falling on deaf ears. Here, we’re united in our bubble.

No. Too late. Say goodbye.

“It appears, one of our omegas—” Duncan cuts himself off as I gaze down at Quinn’s words and decide I feel the same, raising two fingers into the air. “I spoke too soon and out of turn. Both of them have decided that whatever paltry excuses you have aren’t enough. Your advances are rejected, as are you.”

The choking sound on the other end is short-lived as Duncan flips up his middle finger at the phone and hangs up. Quinn curls her hands around my biceps as if she’s going to blow away, the pen pressed between my skin and hers.

“What are the odds that he’ll accept that?” Duncan sighs.

“You know rejections have to come from the omega,” Callum says, his head dropping back onto the couch.

“I didn’t know that,” I rasp, emotion thick in my voice.

“My mistake,” he says simply, though he was speaking to his brother. “The scent match, if he’s telling the truth, will not affect you or your heat until it snaps into place for you. You know that to be true, Linus, because of our unique situation. If you wanted to, you could walk away at any time, without any issues.”

“Will this hurt Alpha Sanchez?” I ask, biting my lip.

“The fact that you’re still calling him that instead of Christian shows the imbalance between you,” Duncan grunts. The easy way the brothers pick up the thread of conversation just serves to show how close they are.

I have no idea what that familial bond feels like.

Alpha Sanchez, even though he showed us kindness, was a client. He never acted as if we were his that I can recognize. It’s time to move on. I have a heartsick omega curled up against me, and Duncan presses a tissue into my hand to dry her tears.

They still defer to me when it comes to these things, and I’m trying to wrap my head around that. No one has ever really looked to me as if I know more than them since college. They’re paying attention, learning what Quinn needs, and when.

It’s as if they’re studying us so they don’t fuck up. God, I’m completely inept at relationships.

“Words, Linus,” Callum murmurs.

“I don’t know how to feel about him, except that he didn’t do enough. Quinn and I deserve better,” I finally say.

The warmth and weight of their bodies press against me like really gorgeous bookends, and they purr for me. My mind is fucked up about a lot of things, but that’s okay.

I’m safe and I have the space to figure my shit out. That’s enough.

There’s no reason not to sign this paperwork to give Quinn and I both safety and move forward in this life we’re building together with Callum and Duncan. Reaching for the paperwork on the table, I sign my name in the important places and then hand the pen to Quinn. Defiance sparks in her eyes as she ruthlessly signs her name without hesitation.

For us, for our budding pack. We don’t need Alpha Sanchez, and it’s clear he doesn’t need us with his lackluster actions.

Sometimes, there’s no second chances.

QUINN

Alpha Sanchez’ calls rocked me. Everything today has been a roller coaster of ups, downs, and crashes. Now, I’m feeling a little numb, which I’m sure is a symptom of disassociation.

It’s later in the day now, and Duncan and Callum just stayed with us as Linus and I said goodbye to something that didn’t even have a chance to start because of a failure to launch.

That’s the only way I can think of it. We’re just… done, and Duncan blocked his number.

Curled up in the nest now while Linus is downstairs getting us a snack, I look around the room. The gauzy cream curtains around the nest are soft and give the feeling of cutting off the world when needed. The sheets on the bed are creamy soft cotton which I’m replaceing that I prefer after years of having to deal with cold satin fabric, and there are so many blankets and fluffy pillows in different textures and nude colors that feel cohesive.

Running my hand over one, I sigh happily at the fact that it stays cool at all times, despite how overheated you may feel.

The windows have blue blackout curtains with lace overlays to block out the light, twinkly fairy lights are strung along the ceiling and placed throughout the curtains surrounding the bed. I love it, but want Linus to pick something out for the room.

If he insists, so will I. Maybe a candle or two.

Underneath the sheets in very specific places, Linus and I have been hiding articles of clothing that belong to Duncan and Callum. T-shirts after they’ve worked out, sweatshirts as they hang out in the living room, items that smell like them that allow us to breathe in their scents.

Together, Linus and I steal their clothes and place them in places that feel right. When the scent begins to disappear, we replace it. Rinse and repeat, like the greedy omegas that we are.

He told me he didn’t want to be away from me and wanted to share the nest. It makes sense to me, as I feel the same way. Maybe it’s co-dependent, but I don’t care.

Opening the laptop, I search for podcasts that may help explain if what I’m feeling is normal. It leads to therapist blogs that attempt to tell me I should work on replaceing myself, while Alpha Psychology Today says that co-dependency is expected for omegas, but only for their alphas.

Gag me with a knife, please.

Switching gears, I search for omega specific podcasts. A few come up, one is through the Regional Omegas Women’s association, which frankly just sounds pretentious. The other that catches my attention is someone who is obviously trying to remain anonymous and called themselves: The Little Rabbit.

Smirking at the name, I shrug and cue it up on my screen. There’s several months of posts, and I choose the first one. While they’re labeled with cute little names, I want to make sure this person’s voice isn’t going to sound like nails on a chalkboard before I fully commit to scrolling through.

Her voice as it comes through is soft and strong, her words halting at times as she gathers her thoughts.

“Have you ever noticed how big the world can feel at times?” The Little Rabbit asks, as if she’s in the room with me. I replace myself nodding, because simply sitting here in my nest, scrolling through the internet as I attempt to catch up on the past twenty years of my life has felt overwhelming.

I’ve searched the internet for my well loved bands that have now long since broken up, or someone overdosed, to trying to replace brands I used to like that no longer exist. These things may seem small, but they matter to me. The world has continued to soldier on without my presence within it.

I’ve been caught up in time, despite the life I’ve lived within it.

“I have,” The Little Rabbit muses. “It’s the real world experience I don’t understand, or how to be an adult. I didn’t get to date before I was ripped from my home, and I don’t understand the closeness between girlfriends.”

Glancing at the date, it appears as if this was posted earlier this year. The sorrow flows from her voice, making it clear this isn’t rage bait or a podcast made simply for views. Laying back on the sea of pillows on the giant sunken mattress, I continue to listen as I nod.

“There are so many people who will tell you who you should be or how to feel. Fuck them. Being an omega is an intensely personal experience. We’re special, and none of us are the same. Each of us will react differently to different circumstances, or will want different things,” she says. “Embrace your individuality, please. Go for that job that’s been plaguing you, travel the world, or hole up in your nest on a bad day. Productivity is a lie when your world is imploding around you. Just be yourself.”

The podcast ends, and I blink slowly, tears irrationally stinging my eyes. It feels as if I just lost a friend, which is incredibly naive. We don’t know each other, she’s an anonymous voice on the internet, yet I resonated with her words.

“Are there more of those?” Linus rasps, surprising me. He’s so quiet, which is something we’ve both perfected so we can move as undetected as possible.

Dragging in a breath, I nod, motioning him over. My pen and paper are within reach, but it’s easier to just do this.

Linus smirks, bringing a tray of cheese, salami, crackers, hummus, and more. My lips part as my mouth waters, very impressed with his work.

“It took longer than expected because Duncan wanted to help,” he says with a chuckle. I can see him offering to do that. “Tell me about what you’re listening to.”

Her name here is The Little Rabbit, I write out. I can’t explain why I’m drawn to this podcast, so I make a face at him and then the computer.

“She doesn’t sugarcoat the bad shit,” he says, as if I’d said something.

I’ve become very expressive with my facial features when I want to be. If you’re on my shit list, I’ll stone wall you as a blank space. It’s why Bret would unravel in anger with me.

Yes. I agree. Before we listen, choose one thing you want to add to the nest.

“Add?” he asks, frowning as he looks around. “I don’t know, baby.”

How does it feel to you? I ask, trying again.

“Very girly,” he says finally with a light chuckle. “That’s not a bad thing, though. It’s comforting and the colors aren’t uncomfortable to be around.”

I understand that completely, and hum under my breath. At least I can make that much noise. It’s as if my vocal cords froze from all of the change. Hopefully, it’ll relax enough that I can say a word or two.

It feels as if I’ve lost something important now that I can’t speak at all.

What can we add? I ask instead. He’s always been someone who is happy with anything.

It feels so odd to have an option to change our space. We’ve slept on hard floors, without a pillow, or long drives in a panel van for years. When I was with Alpha Miles…

No. We aren’t going to go there. I’ll need to tell them about him soon, but I don’t want to do it with paper and pen. I’ve never wanted to have access to my voice more than I have lately.

What began as a safety net has become a crutch I no longer want.

The room is large enough that we can do whatever we want with it, and that’s where I’m going to focus my thoughts and efforts right now. It’s something I can control.

“This is kind of ridiculous,” he mutters.

Shaking my head, I tap on his arm to tell him that’s not possible.

“Alright, it’s you so I’ll confess this,” he says. “There are porch swings, but what if we could fit one in that corner over there? It would be big enough for the two of us to read or watch movies? Sometimes it’s nice to sit in a space that isn’t the bed.”

Agreeing, I nod again before my fingers fly over the keyboard in another window. Duncan and Callum told us we could buy whatever we wanted, and I’m going to take it to heart because it’s not for me. I know that’s hypocritical, but I want this for Linus.

A snuggle swing sounds heavenly, and will fit perfectly in here.

Duncan’s credit card is already loaded into the platform I’m searching on, making it easy to add what’s basically a porch swing to the cart.

“Wait!” Linus says, holding his hand up as he pops a piece of cheese into his mouth. “If I’m adding something, then so are you.”

But I like everything, I admit. The colors are soothing, light and airy. They lean toward neutrals though, with the curtains being one of the only pops of color.

I know I joked about getting a new candle, but there are three on the low table next to me, and they smell like fresh linen, a cozy campfire, and chamomile. They’re perfect.

Lips pursed, I look at an area of the room that doesn’t have much light at all.

Is a chandelier ridiculous? I ask.

Linus gives me the world’s sexiest smile, one that makes my core tighten and pussy clench. He inhales deeply, appearing really satisfied for some reason.

“For that dark spot in here?” he asks. “I always expect to trip on something when I’m walking to the bathroom. We aren’t vampires.”

A huff of laughter escapes, something else that makes bubbles of happiness float through my veins. He has a sweet way about him.

At my nod, he twists the computer toward himself and searches for chandeliers until he replaces one. Turning it toward me, he smugly awaits my reaction.

Wow. I think my lips may even mouth the word as I stare at a candelabra chandelier that’s a black matte color. It reminds me of candlelight sconces on walls and the perfect amount of light.

“It’ll give a small hint of masculinity,” he teases me as I grin. “Should I add it?”

Leaning forward, I kiss his lips in answer before picking up a cracker and loading it up with cheese.

“Perfect,” he says, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth as if tasting me again on himself. “Now, let’s see if this Little Rabbit has anything on scent matches, or any advice. I want to learn more about this.”

Together, we search through her podcasts until we replace what we’re looking for. It’s just her voice, no video, but I’m sucked in just the same. She doesn’t hold back from the tough topics, and she seems to hint at an organization that doesn’t have omegas’ best interests at heart.

I’ll need to dig further into that one day.

Tonight, Linus and I are going to mindlessly listen to this podcast to answer the questions that are uncomfortable for us to ask. Alpha Sanchez’ calls are sitting badly in my mind. I need information to help work through the chaos of my mind.

I know I’m a mess. My muscles are tense in the morning, and I’ve noticed Linus rubbing his throat, his voice raw. When we fall asleep that night, it takes me longer due to all the paths my mind takes, so I’m awake when Duncan and Callum crash through the door when Linus screams from his nightmare.

I’m hovering over him, unsure if I should wake him up or not, wishing I could soothe him with my voice. My gaze meets Callum’s as I make a strangled sound of frustration.

“I know, Quinnie,” he murmurs, getting into the bed while Duncan stands next to me with his fists clenched as he watches Linus.

“It’s every night,” Duncan whispers. “We try really hard not to come in here because this is your space, but you’re both typically in your own private hell when he starts to scream. You never wake up. All we can do is help calm you down and hold you through the night. We leave around six in the morning.”

God, these men. Holding our boundaries when we weren’t even aware of it. I thought they were giving us space to get acclimated to our nest, I didn’t realize that they were avoiding it completely.

Silly, amazing alphas. Callum is wrapped around Linus, whispering in his ear until he settles with a whimper. This explains why his voice sounds rough every morning.

Grabbing his hand, I slowly spell out a word as I gaze at him.

O-U-R-S.

Duncan looks as if he’s stopped breathing as I tug on his hand, pulling the blanket to the side for him to get in. They’re both shirtless, only wearing sweatpants I’ll probably steal off their bodies at some point because they’ll smell like the alpha they’re wrapped around. His large body curls around me in a way that speaks of routine and ease, his hand on my thigh, and his other wrapped around my chest in a perfect bear hug.

I’m in a very not sexy set of pajamas, but this man couldn’t care less as he shoves his nose against my neck and breathes me in. His chest is plastered to my back, and I’m facing Linus who is being cuddled in a similar fashion.

My lids grow heavy as I’m lulled to sleep while Duncan purrs against my neck. It feels as if we’ve been doing this for our entire lives, instead of a couple of short weeks.

They’re screwed now, I never want to sleep without them again.