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Dane moves around the car, opening the door before he speaks. His voice is low and steady, cutting through the tension.

“Eviana, it’s okay. We’ve got you. Let’s just get what you need and get back before the worst of the storm hits.”

I want to argue, to say no, but the words don’t come. I can feel their presence, urging me to move. I shake my head, trying to clear the fog in my brain. I feel lost, exposed, out of place. I never asked for any of this.

“Evie? Are you okay?” Xar asks, his face full of concern when I still don’t move.

Somehow I manage to nod. “Yeah, I just…can you…give me a minute?”

“Of course.”

“Can you all…wait outside again? I need to make a quick call.”

If they’re surprised by my request, they don’t let on, giving me nods before stepping back once more and closing the door. They even stand with their back to the car to give me privacy, but the way they fan out around the vehicle feels oddly protective and comforting.

It’s ridiculous really. They’re standing outside in the rain – in a storm – just patiently waiting for me.

I’m the worst.

A rush of anxiety crashes through me, and I pull my phone from my pocket, my hands trembling.I can’t do this. I need someone to talk me through it. I need her.

I quickly dial Evangaline’s number, praying she’ll pick up. The phone rings once, twice, before she answers, and I immediately feel a sense of relief hearing her voice. It’s grounding, familiar, but also full of concern.

“Evie?”Her voice comes through clearly, cutting through my panic like a lifeline.“What’s wrong?”

“I—” I swallow hard, trying to push down the rising tide of panic. “I don’t know what to do, Eva. Everything’s happening so fast, and I can’t breathe. The guys— They—” I break off, unable to explain properly. “I think my omega’s reacting. I-I didn’t think it would happen now, but it’s all hitting me at once. And I thought I was okay with it but then they brought me here and now I?—”

There’s a beat of silence on the other end, then a sharp intake of breath from Evangeline.“Wait. What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

The words tumble out, faster than I can control them. “I can smell them. They’re mymates,Eva. My alphas. I didn’t know, I didn’t understand until now. But I–I don’t know how to deal with it. The storm, the neutraliser – it’s all too much. I feel like I’m losing control.”

There’s a long pause before she speaks again, her voice softening.“Oh, Evie…”She sighs, a sound heavy with understanding.“You’re okay. Just breathe. You’ve always known deep down that this day would come, haven’t you? You can’t pretend to be a beta forever, Evie.”

I try to steady myself, gripping the phone tighter as I try to make sense of it all. “I don’t know how to handle it. I’ve been so isolated. I never learned how to be an omega. I didn’t even know what it would be like.”

Eva’s voice shifts to something calmer, more directive.“Eviana, listen to me. You are an omega. Suppressants don’t change that. I know it feels like this is all new, and it’s scary, but you’ve always been one. Suppressants don’t make you any less of an omega, Evie. Denying it doesn’t change who you are.”

The words hit me like a wave, and I take a sharp breath, trying to hold it together. “I–I don’t know how to be whattheyneed though, not when I don’t even know how to beme. I’ve never done any of this before.”

Her voice softens, but there’s still that firm edge to it.“You don’t need to know how to do it all at once. You’ve already been living as an omega, even if you didn’t realise it. And right now, your omega knows what she needs, even if you don’t. And that’s okay. You’re not alone in this. Listen to your omega. She will tell you what you both need. And by the sounds of it, these alphas are going to support you too, Evie. They sound good.”

I feel a tight knot in my chest at her words. There’s truth in them, but it doesn’t make this any easier. “I don’t even know where to start.”

Eva exhales slowly.“Start with a nest.”

“A nest?” The word feels so foreign on my tongue, absurd and ridiculous. She doesn’t need to know about the pathetic den in the attic that I crawled into. My omega scoffs thatthatwasn’t a nest. I’ve allowed myself to dream of having a nest – a real one – but Grams’ voice inside my head always stopped me, so I repeat her words now. “Eva, I’m not a bird.”

She lets out a short laugh, but there’s warmth in it.“No, but you’re an omega. A nest will make you feel safe, grounded. It’ll help you through this. Just let yourself embrace it, okay? Ignore Grams’ voice. She did the best she could, but she was wrong about a lot of things. Especially when it came to omegas, and us. I’m starting to think she may have been wrong about alphas too…”

I swallow hard. Grams always made me feel like being an omega was something to hide, something to be ashamed of. “It’s hard to think about it like that. Grams was everything to us. She was our rock.”

“I know, but Grams was scared, Evie. She didn’t know how to raise four omegas by herself. She didn’t get it all right. But you don’t have to carry that with you. You’re not Grams, and you’re not her mistakes. You are you. And you’re allowed to bean omega. Your body’s doing exactly what it needs to. It’s not something to hide, fight or be ashamed of.”

I close my eyes, trying to absorb everything she’s saying. It feels like a lifetime ago that I was in that house, feeling trapped and uncertain. “I don’t even know how to buy this stuff, Eva. I don’t know what I’m doing. What do you even use to make a nest?”

“Go shopping,”Eva urges.“Buy whatever feels right. Blankets, pillows, soft things. Touch everything and you’ll know. Your omega knows what she likes and what she wants. Listen to that voice inside of you. And if you don’t want to go in person, order it online. But you need to start building your nest. If you don’t, your omega will keep telling you she’s missing something.”

“Shopping?” I whimper, picturing myself in the middle of this huge, imposing department store, feverish and on the verge of falling apart. Surrounded bycrowds of people. “I can’t?—”