Page 21

Chapter 21

Ava

My night with Garrett was amazing. I wake up feeling refreshed, feeling warm and safe… no, feeling more than all of that.

I feel content.

But once I get up and start my day, the feeling fades.

Everything’s irritating me. It’s too cold, then it’s too hot. Nothing tastes good. I’m hungry, but I’m not hungry, and I don’t want to eat. I can’t find anything I want to do. I prowl around the house like a ghost or a restless cat.

Finally, I start rearranging my room.

I know that I put things in a particular place, in a particular way, already. Caleb helped me. But now none of it looks right. It doesn’t feel right.

I move furniture around and rearrange pillows. I’m not sure I like the wall color anymore. The rug needs to be in a different spot, but I’m not sure what spot.

“Fucking curtains,” I mutter. I reach up to try to take them down, tugging, tugging, tugging…

“You need a stool?” Caleb asks.

I jump, nearly tearing the curtains. “They’re not right .” My voice hitches into something close to a sob.

Behind Caleb, I see the other three Alphas at the doorway. All four of them have worry in their eyes.

I tug at the curtain again. I know that this isn’t how you take a curtain down, and yet, I can’t seem to stop myself.

“Here.” Caleb gently uncurls my fingers from the curtain. Ethan walks over and reaches up to undo them from their hooks. “We’ll take it down for you.”

“I don’t understand, they were fine the other day.” Tears start to stream down my face and there’s a hiccup in my voice. “I don’t… but they’re not right anymore. I hate them. I want to burn them.”

“We can burn them,” Garrett says, sounding perhaps a little too eager about it.

“Ava.” Dante steps forward. “Would you like different curtains?”

I nod. “I… I don’t know why they just don’t work anymore.”

“You’re nesting,” Caleb says gently. “That’s all. It means your heat is coming on.”

That’s probably supposed to soothe me, but instead, it makes me burst into tears.

Ethan’s still undoing the curtain and taking it down, but he deftly moves out of the way at the same time so that Caleb can scoop me up and take me to the bed. Once I’m inside the literal nest of blankets and pillows, I feel a bit better.

Being cradled by one of my Alphas helps too.

Garrett climbs into the bed on my other side, the two of them curled around me like they’re shielding me from an attack. They purr, not out of pleasure, but to soothe me.

“I’m sorry,” I sob. “I know it’s not a big deal, I know that I should just be fine.”

“Don’t apologize,” Garrett growls. “We’re not mad at you, are we?”

I shake my head. I can tell they’re not upset. Marcus used to play games with me, but that’s not what’s happening here. I can smell my Alphas’ scents and there’s nothing there but concern.

“Ava.” Dante crouches down in front of the bed to get eye-level with me. “Would you like me to take you shopping? We’ll find the perfect pair of curtains. I promise.”

“Are you sure?” I don’t want to interrupt his day. This is silly, I should be fine. I already picked out these curtains. I know that I should still like them, in theory. But I’m just so upset about it. I can’t make myself calm down.

“Of course I’m sure.” Dante reaches out and takes my hand. “Come on. It’ll be great to get out and get some fresh air. Stretch your legs.”

I wipe at my eyes and nod. Dante pulls me to my feet, then keeps me going, until I’m in his arms and held against his chest.

I breathe in his scent. It soothes me and helps me stop crying.

I’m so glad that I have these four men. I don’t know what I’d do without them. My heat isn’t even properly here yet and I’m already so upset about such little things. I feel irrational and out of control. I can’t imagine how bad it would be if I didn’t have these men and their scents to soothe me and take care of me.

“Thank you,” I say, still sniffling a bit even if I’m no longer fully crying. “You’re all so kind and understanding.”

“We love taking care of you,” Caleb points out. “Don’t forget that.”

Ethan finally finishes getting the curtains down. “There we go. You’re all set for when you come back with new ones.”

“This is what we like to do,” Dante says softly. “We’re going to take care of you no matter what.”

With the four of them around me, enveloped in their scents, I believe him.