Page 43 of Bound By Song (Evie Quad Omegaverse #1)

“Come here,” he repeats, his hand reaching out. “You’re shaking like a leaf, and I can feel your fear from here. Can smell it. Taste it even. Need to fix it.”

Before I can protest, Blaise pipes up, grinning. “Wow, look at you, Dane. I didn’t know you had it in you to be so nurturing.”

“Fuck off, Blaise,” Dane mutters, flipping him the bird.

Despite the tension in the car, the corner of my mouth twitches. But I’m still frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

“Evie,” Dane says again, his voice lower now, almost a rumble. “Come here. Trust me.”

I hesitate for a moment before finally undoing my seatbelt and crawling over the armrest in the middle seat.

Dane’s arms wrap around me as he pulls me into his lap, tucking me against his chest. The warmth of his body envelops me instantly, his scent – particularly the comforting amber – washing over me in waves.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs, his voice vibrating through me. A low, rumbling sound follows, and I realise he’s...purring?

Wow. I’ve never heard that from an alpha before. It’s…really nice actually.

The sound is soothing, natural, and my body instinctively relaxes into his hold. My cheek rests against his chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat grounding me.

“Christ,” Blaise says from the front seat, feigning shock. “That’s the worst purr I’ve ever heard. No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend, mate.”

“Fuck off, Blaise,” Dane says again, but there’s no heat in it.

I can’t help it – I giggle. It’s small and shaky, but it’s there. Dane’s arms tighten around me slightly, and I feel the rumble of his laugh through his chest.

“Shut up, Blaise,” I mumble, surprising myself. “I think he’s doing just fine.”

“See?” Dane says, shooting Blaise a look. “She appreciates the effort.”

Blaise grins, unbothered. “Yeah, well, I’m still taking notes. You’re setting the bar real low, mate. I’m gonna woo the fuck out of our omega. You losers don’t stand a chance!”

This time when he calls me their omega, no panic flares through my chest. Instead, his words feel…right. My inner omega nods and smiles as if to say to me you’re finally getting it.

The banter between them eases some of the tension in my chest, even if every time they refer to me as theirs I tear up a little, and I find myself snuggling closer to Dane without meaning to.

My cheek brushes against his collarbone, and before I can stop myself, I nuzzle him slightly, rubbing my cheek against him.

It’s instinctive, unthinking, but the moment I realise what I’ve done, my face burns with embarrassment and I pull away.

What the hell am I doing?

“Thank you,” I whisper, barely audible over the storm.

Dane doesn’t respond right away, but his arms tighten around me again, his chin brushing the top of my head. “Anytime, wildflower.”

Wildflower? Honeybee? I like. My omega nods and purrs in response. We like a lot. We were made for pet names.

After a moment, Xar starts the engine again and pulls off, but Dane keeps me in his arms the entire ride home.

By the time we make it back to the house, the storm seems to be at its peak.

The wind howls through the trees, rain slashing sideways, soaking us as we hurry to unload the car.

The guys tried to make me go inside and let them take care of it, but I refused.

Bags of blankets, pillows, bedding and other supplies are dumped unceremoniously in the lounge, the only room in the house that doesn’t feel like an icebox.

“We’ll sort it later,” Xar says, his voice steady as he surveys the room. “First, we need to make sure you’re comfortable. Let’s get a fire going. It’s too bloody cold. Do you want to get changed into something warm and dry? We have some new jumpers in one of the bags…”

It’s a flurry of movement after that, the guys working together to build what can only be described as a den…

okay, it’s a nest. And they do it because I don’t have a clue.

Pillows and blankets are stacked and arranged with care, creating a nest-like space in the middle of the lounge.

Blaise even drags in a mattress from one of the bedrooms – which makes my cheeks heat.

“Looks cosy enough,” Blaise says, stepping back to admire their handiwork. “What do you think, Evie?”

I glance at the makeshift nest, my throat tightening. It’s ridiculous, really. A pile of pillows and blankets shouldn’t make me feel like this, shouldn’t make my chest ache with a mix of gratitude and something I can’t quite name.

“It’s...perfect,” I whisper, my voice catching.

I’ve never had a nest. Never really had a space to call my own.

Even when my sisters left and Grams passed, I never made the house my home.

I just kind of continued to exist in the small space I carved out for myself, letting the rest of the house around me simply be.

I certainly never had anything that would bring me comfort like this.

Well, nothing outside of my hobbies anyway. And even then, I only have the recording studio downstairs in the basement because my sisters clubbed together to install it for me before they left.

The nest, my nest , looks so warm and inviting. Perfect. Too perfect. My omega wants me to dive into it and not come out for days, but I’m more reserved. I don’t want to mess it up or do something wrong. And I’m still soaking wet.

The power flickers suddenly, and then it goes out completely, plunging the house into darkness.

“Great,” Dane mutters, already moving to light candles.

“To be expected,” Xar replies cheerily. “At least we’re prepared and Evie can be comfortable now.”

The guys move with quiet efficiency, checking windows and doors, ensuring the house is secure. Within moments the room glows with a soft, flickering light as the fire in the hearth is stoked and the candles lit, casting long shadows on the walls. It’s weirdly cosy and maybe even a little romantic.

I quickly banish that thought, grateful there’s not enough light to show my blush, and make for the door in the dark.

I need to get changed and banish ideas like that from my head.

These alphas may be mine but they’re still strangers and we need to get to know each other before I can even contemplate things like… that.

Maybe it’s their presence or the way they instinctively take care of everything, but the house doesn’t feel so cold anymore. And neither do I.