Page 16 of Nesting With My Three Alphas (Hollow Haven #1)

Micah

T he Monday morning rush at the bakery had been busier than usual.

Apparently word was spreading about Kit's integration into our little community, and everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the omega who'd managed to charm Charlie Maddox and her notoriously protective father.

I'd fielded at least six not-so-subtle questions about "that sweet girl from the duplex" while boxing up muffins and pouring coffee.

Small towns, I thought with fond exasperation. You couldn't sneeze without it becoming community news.

But it was the good kind of gossip, the kind that came from genuine care and curiosity rather than malice.

Mrs. Carrington had stopped by specifically to tell me how lovely Kit seemed, and how nice it was to see "young Jonah smiling again.

" Even gruff old Mr. Peterson had asked if I thought Kit might be interested in joining the community garden committee.

Not all the morning's conversations had been so welcoming, though. Around ten o'clock, Jake Morrison from the hardware store had stopped by with a troubled expression that immediately put my alpha instincts on alert.

"Hey, weird question," he'd said, glancing around the empty bakery before leaning closer. "Someone was asking about that new omega yesterday. Wouldn't give a name, but the description matched your friend Kit perfectly."

"What kind of questions?" I'd asked, my protective instincts sharpening.

"Where she lived, how long she'd been in town, whether she was seeing anyone. Said he was an old friend trying to reconnect, but something felt off about it." Jake had shrugged apologetically. "Might be nothing, but figured you'd want to know."

I'd thanked him for the heads up, but the conversation had been nagging at me all morning.

Kit had been careful not to share much about her past, but the few things she had mentioned suggested she was running from something.

Or someone. The contrast between the genuine warmth of the community's interest and this stranger's probing questions left me unsettled.

Still, most of the morning had been about genuine care and welcome.

They were already claiming her as one of ours.

The thought made my alpha purr with satisfaction. Pack expansion was always delicate, but Kit was fitting into Hollow Haven's rhythms like she'd been born here.

I was just pulling the last batch of cinnamon rolls from the oven when the bell above the door chimed, bringing with it the vanilla-and-honey scent that had become my favorite part of any day. Kit stood in the doorway, looking uncertain despite the small smile on her face.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked. "I know you're probably busy..."

"Never too busy for you," I said, meaning it completely. "What brings you by?"

"Coffee emergency," Kit said, her smile becoming more genuine. "I forgot to buy coffee yesterday, and I'm pretty sure I'm not safe to be around until I've had at least one cup."

"Well, we can't have that," I said, already reaching for my best beans. "Medical emergency calls for serious caffeine intervention."

I watched her settle at the small table by the window, noting the way the morning light caught the auburn highlights in her dark hair. She'd pulled it back in a messy bun secured with what looked like a pencil. Artist habits already reasserting themselves after yesterday's supply shopping.

"How are the new art supplies?" I asked, starting the espresso machine. "Find anything inspiring yet?"

"Actually, yes." Kit's face lit up in a way that made my chest warm. "I stayed up way too late last night sketching. It felt... God, it felt like remembering how to breathe properly."

The poetry of that statement, the pure relief in her voice, told me everything I needed to know about how long she'd been suffocating.

"What did you draw?"

"You'll laugh."

"Try me."

Kit hesitated, then pulled out her phone, scrolling through what looked like photos of sketches. "Charlie. About fifteen different studies of Charlie, actually. She has the most expressive face. I couldn't stop trying to capture all her different emotions."

She showed me the screen, and I felt my breath catch.

Even in the quick phone photos, I could see the life she'd captured.

Charlie's wonder as she examined a flower, her concentration while reading, her pure joy mid-laugh.

Each sketch revealed something essential about who she was, the bright spirit that had helped heal all of us in different ways.

"These are incredible," I said, meaning it. "You captured her perfectly."

"She's easy to draw. There's no pretense with her, no walls. What you see is exactly who she is." Kit's voice was soft with affection. "I'd forgotten how much I love drawing children. They're so... honest."

Unlike the adults in her past who'd taught her to hide.

"Charlie's going to lose her mind when she sees these," I said, handing her a cup of coffee that I'd made exactly the way she liked it. Strong but not bitter, with just a hint of cream and vanilla syrup. "Have you shown Jonah yet?"

"Not yet. I wasn't sure if it would be weird, drawing his daughter without asking permission first."

The uncertainty in her voice made my protective instincts flare. Someone had taught her to second-guess her own generous impulses, to doubt whether her gifts would be welcomed.

"Kit," I said gently, settling into the chair across from her, "Jonah's going to treasure these drawings. Trust me."

She took a sip of coffee and sighed with relief. "God, that's perfect. How did you know exactly how I like it?"

"I pay attention," I said simply. "Part of the job."

But it was more than that, and we both knew it.

I'd been studying Kit since the moment she'd walked into my life.

Learning her preferences, her moods, the small things that brought her comfort.

It was what alphas did when they were falling for an omega, even when that omega wasn't ready to be fallen for.

Especially then.

"Micah," Kit said carefully, "can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Yesterday, when you said I 'fit' with you all... what did you mean by that?"

The question I'd been hoping for and dreading in equal measure. I could deflect, keep things light and safe. Or I could trust her with the truth and risk scaring her away.

Truth, I decided. She deserved honesty, even if it complicated things.

"I meant that you feel like the missing piece we didn't know we were looking for," I said quietly. "Like our pack was always supposed to have five members instead of four."

Kit's coffee cup paused halfway to her lips. "Pack?"

"I know it's fast. I know you're dealing with a lot, and the last thing you need is pressure from us." I leaned forward, willing her to hear the sincerity in my voice. "But Kit, what we're all feeling, it's not just friendship. It's not just attraction. It's recognition."

"Recognition?"

"Of our omega. Of the person we're supposed to protect and cherish and build a life with." I kept my voice gentle despite the intensity of what I was saying. "I can't speak for the others, but I knew the moment you walked into this bakery that my life had just changed forever."

Kit set down her coffee cup with trembling hands. "Micah..."

"I'm not asking you to decide anything right now," I said quickly. "I'm just... being honest about where my heart is. Where I think all our hearts are."

"All of you feel this way?"

"All of us." The certainty in my voice seemed to surprise her. "We haven't had some big discussion about it. We didn't need to. When you know, you know."

Kit was quiet for a long moment, her scent shifting through a complex mix of emotions I couldn't quite parse. Fear, yes, but also something warmer. Something that made my alpha sit up and take notice.

"What if I'm not who you think I am?" she asked finally. "What if I'm too damaged to be anyone's omega?"

The vulnerability in her voice made my chest ache. What had that bastard done to her?

"Then we'll love the damaged parts too," I said simply. "Kit, whatever you've been through, whatever scars you're carrying, they don't make you less worthy of love. They make you human."

"You don't know what happened."

"Tell me."

Kit shook her head immediately. "I can't. Not yet."

"Then I'll wait," I said. "However long it takes."

"What if it changes how you feel about me?"

"Impossible," I said with complete conviction. "You could tell me you'd burned down half of Chicago, and all I'd want to know is if you were safe and whether you needed help rebuilding."

That earned me a watery laugh. "That's not even close to what happened."

"Good to know. Chicago's architecture is too beautiful to lose."

Kit laughed again, more genuinely this time. "You're impossible."

"I prefer optimistically persistent." I reached across the table and covered her hand with mine, noting how small and cold her fingers were. "Kit, can I make you something?"

"Make me something?"

"A tea blend. I've been experimenting with scent-based teas, combinations that can help with anxiety, sleep, emotional regulation. It’s something I’ve always been interested in and how I could incorporate it into my baking eventually.

Elias who runs the apothecary has been helping me learn.

I think I could create something specifically for you. "

"Scent-based teas?"

"It's a newer practice in the omega wellness community. The idea is that certain scent combinations can trigger positive emotional responses, help reset your nervous system." I studied her face, trying to gauge her interest. "Think of it as aromatherapy you can drink."

Kit looked intrigued despite herself. "That's really a thing?"

"Very much a thing. I've been studying it for the past year, ever since..." I paused, then decided to share. "Ever since I realized that traditional healing wasn't enough for me. I needed something that addressed the alpha-specific aspects of loss."

"The mate you had before."