CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

HENLEY

“D o you think Cam would want a blue teddy bear?” River asks, picking it up.

Hiding a smile, I watch as he shrugs and tosses it into the shopping cart. We’re at a shopping center that specializes in home goods to help Camden replace the items he lost in his nest. It was Brooks’ idea and we are working secretly before heading to the house.

We also already swung by a clothing store because all of his things were destroyed. I don’t know who is fucking with my omega, but they won’t survive for long as soon as I find out. It pisses me off that his happy bubble after his heat was burst so abruptly.

I let my alphas throw in things until I have to stop them.

“Brooks, he’s not going to need wind chimes in his nest,” I say gently.

“They’re pretty though,” he frowns, running his hand down it so it’ll tinkle.

“They are, but I think blankets may be a better option,” I suggest.

“Ah, man,” he sighs, putting them away.

They’re adorable, but need some serious guidance. In fact, I find myself pulling out a shoe candle, a bubble lamp, and a plant that looks like a penis when they’re not looking.

They’re a little clueless, but they mean well.

“Why does the cart look so empty?” River grumbles as I walk toward the blankets.

“Cam needs things that he can use to burrow under in his nest,” I tell him. “I need you to do the touch test.”

“What?” Brooks asks. “Why are you talking in riddles, Lee? What the fuck is a touch test?”

Taking a deep breath, I nod. “Do you see this blanket?” I ask, pulling one off the shelf. “It’s a pretty purple, but when I run my hand over it, it has a rough texture. See?”

Brooks grimaces as he touches it. “Oh that’s gross,” he mutters. “Our omega can’t have blankets like that.”

“Let’s look for the best ones,” River says, his fingers already running over another. “What about pillows, Lee? Can you help us find some?”

“Yes,” I say with relief. “I’m going to go to the next aisle to look.”

River nods, already forgetting that I’m there as he starts hunting through different materials. I’m just glad I was able to redirect them both. When they get fixated on something, it’s typically game over.

Walking over to the next aisle, I pick up different pillows and squish them to see if they have enough give. I noticed that Camden likes a variety to support his body. This way, he can do homework with the firmer pillows, and nap with the softer ones.

“Why are you molesting the pillows?” someone asks.

Turning, I see someone with a name tag looking worriedly at me.

“How else am I supposed to know how they feel?” I ask. “I’m shopping with my pack for my omega’s nest.”

“Oh,” she says, blowing out a breath. “You just looked really focused and angry as you squished pillows.”

Smirking, I shrug. “Sometimes, that’s just my face. I’m just on a pillow mission.”

“If you decide you need a candle mission, that’s two aisles over,” she suggests helpfully. “Giant support water cups with a handle are across the way, and then mattress toppers are on the other end.”

“I appreciate you supporting the mission,” I chuckle as she leaves with a nod. Ugh, going anywhere with my alphas is like trying to get squirrels to go in the correct direction.

Finding a few more pillows, I almost bump into River as he comes around the corner to find me.

“You’re already done?” I ask. I thought that would keep them busy for longer.

“It doesn’t take two alphas to find blankets,” he says, looking at me as if I need my head checked.

“You’re right,” I agree. “Can you help me find Cam a body pillow please?”

“Why does he need that when he has our bodies?” he asks.

My alphas are adorable. Coughing to cover up a laugh, I end up inhaling as well which causes me to actually cough.

“Woah there,” River says, patting my back very enthusiastically.

I don’t think I’m going to survive this shopping trip.

Wheezing, I struggle to get my breath back.

“They’re to support his body when he’s doing homework,” I croak out. “This way I can get more soft pillows for him.”

“Oh. Well why didn’t you say so?” he asks.

Turning away, I roll my eyes as I go find Brooks so I can put the pillows in my arms in the cart. I can’t let them see me roll my eyes or I’ll end up on my knees behind the building sucking their cocks as punishment. While I think that’s a reward, we don’t have time for them to face fuck me.

I’m a little sad about that to be honest.

As I walk into the aisle, I find the cart has been abandoned.

“Fuck me,” I groan. “It’s like they do this to me on purpose.”

Dropping the pillows into the cart, I grab the handle and begin pushing it so I can find Brooks. It takes a few minutes, but he’s in the middle of a bedsheet aisle trying to find a set for Camden.

“We’re going to need a king sized set,” I say, coming up behind him.

Glancing at me, he nods as if he knew I was there the whole time. Knowing him, he recognized my footsteps.

“We need to get him a mattress,” he muses. “Bamboo or silk sheets, Lee?”

“Both,” I immediately decide. “Bamboo wicks away sweat for when he’s hot, and silk sheets feel nice on the skin.”

“Perfect,” he murmurs, selecting a set of black silk and teal bamboo sheets. I’m actually impressed by the color choices. “Now what?”

“Cam really likes candles,” I say. “Let’s get a couple, because he doesn’t need a ton of them, and then we can look at mattresses.”

“Dude, did you lose River?” my alpha asks.

Gritting my teeth together, I force a smile.

“You left the aisle, Brooks. I had to come find you. Now, let’s go find River,” I suggest.

It takes twenty minutes to find River, choose two candles, and then I had to go find both of them again because they’re fucking Houdinis!

Poor Camden is in for a surprise because I’m going to tackle him when I get home. I have some frustration to work out.

Lifting a candle to my nose, I inhale deeply, finally able to appreciate the scent now that my alphas are arguing about the right kind of mattress. It smells like caramel and butterscotch, while the other one smells like chamomile and cinnamon. My lips twitch in amusement as I realize that Camden had a candle that smells like chamomile and cinnamon.

I wonder if he got it because it smells exactly like me.

Cam has so many layers of personality, and I’ve been enjoying learning all of them. Some of the quirks that he has are to protect himself, and I hope that one day he won’t need to lean into them as much. That day won’t be anytime soon though if people are going to fuck up his things.

“Guys,” I call out as Brooks punches River in the arm over something he said. “Cam likes to be lower to the ground. The mattress to the left would be best for that.”

“Our omega can’t sleep on the ground,” River growls. “What the hell is wrong with you? Let’s go by the home improvement store and I’ll build him a platform for it.”

“You’re absolutely right,” I agree. God, they can be so goddamn sweet sometimes. It’s enough to give me a toothache. “I think we have everything?—”

“Curtains,” Brooks growls, looking for the right section. “He likes to hide. Our omega needs curtains.”

“He does.” Fuck, how could I forget that? “We need twinkle lights too. He likes those.”

Blinking, I find that they’re gone, already hyperfixating on those two things.

“Sir, can I take your cart and bring you an empty one? I think that one is full,” the same shop associate says. I think she’s been keeping an eye on our insanity.

“Yes please,” I say, pushing the cart toward her. “We’re going to need a mattress too…”

“Just tell me which one,” she says with a smile. Wow, she’s really perky.

The girl calls someone on her radio to help, and I thank her before hunting down my alphas.

Passing an aisle, an arm wraps around my throat and pulls me in. A hand necklace is exchanged for the arm, and River shoves me against the shelves before kissing me hard.

“You found us,” he growls.

“I did,” I grin.

My fingers push into his black hair and pull him back for another kiss. I can definitely get behind making out and shopping. Yum.

“What about me?” Brooks asks, dropping an armful of curtains to attack my lips. River grinds his hard cock against mine and I gasp.

“Wait, wait,” I say. “We can’t fuck in this store and get kicked out. We actually need these things.”

“True,” River says calculatingly. “So we go home, surprise Cam, and then fuck him because he’ll be so happy about his gifts.”

“I like that idea,” Brooks says, leaning down to pick up the curtains. “Shit.”

“What?” I ask, glancing at him.

“I want to set up his nest and then fuck him,” Brooks pouts.

Chuckling, I shrug. “Cam and I will suck you and River off before sending you off to do that.”

Grinning, Brooks nods excitedly.

“The things we do for this pack,” River sighs dramatically, picking up the fairy lights from the shelf he’s dropped them on.

I’m just glad he didn’t break them at this point.

It takes an act of God for us to find our cart and dolly for the mattress, pay for it all, and get it to the SUV. We manage to find room for it all by strapping the mattress to the roof, and finally drive home. Cam is waiting in the living room looking sad and lonely.

I managed to convince my alphas that they’d need to take an extra trip to the home improvement store for the wood for the bed’s platform because I knew our omega would be missing us.

“Cam,” I call out as we bring everything in. “I’m so sorry we took forever.”

“We wanted to replace what you lost for your nest,” Brooks says, slightly out of breath as he carried the mattress in with River.

“You… what?” Cam asks, eyes wide as he walks out to fully see what we have. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“You’re a full fledged member of this pack and the center of it,” I say, grabbing his chin and pulling it so he’ll make eye contact with me. “We’re making you a nest. The room is cleared out and hasn’t been used for anything. It’s yours.”

“No more guest room?” he asks.

“You’re not a guest,” I grumble. “You live here now.”

Tears shine in his eyes as the weight of my words settle upon him.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“Now,” I murmur. “Our alphas want to set things up for you, but they need to go to the home improvement store to get wood to make you a platform. They refuse to let you sleep on the ground.”

“Why? I used to do it all the time,” he says, his forehead wrinkling.

“It physically hurts me to think about you sleeping on the ground,” River grumbles. “I can’t handle it. Please, Baby Boy. Let us do this for you.”

“Okay,” he whispers, moaning as I kiss his lips.

“Good boy,” I growl. “I think we should thank our alphas, don’t you?”

Taking his hand as he stares at me in a daze, I walk him in front of our alphas and drop to the ground.

“They’re going to get all sweaty,” I purr, opening River’s pants. My alpha groans as I wrap my hand around his cock and stroke it. “I think they deserve an early reward.”

Grinning wide, Cam follows my lead. Together, we pull out our alpha’s cocks and drop our tongues to lick up the shaft. River and Brooks groan as they fist our hair, watching as we take our time.

“This is because I edged you, isn’t it?” River asks as he watches me swallow and suck on the crown of his dick.

“I’ll never tell,” I say around a mouthful of alpha cock.

It’s fun being a brat with my omega. Needless to say, they don’t leave for a while.