Page 12 of Tending Our Omega (Saved by the Alpha Pack #1)

Heath

James prepared a potato salad. Seth baked an apple cobbler.

I wasn’t allowed to cook anything, so I chose to bring a bouquet instead, which wasn’t easy in this small town. There was no florist, so I settled for flowers from the market.

“They’re beautiful.” Romi took them from me then ducked her head. When she lifted it again, rosy pink filled her cheeks and spread out down her neck. Damn. I wondered if she would blush like that when we took her for the first time. And when we knotted her.

“They wouldn’t let me cook anything,” I informed her.

Snorting, she waved us in. James leaned down and kissed her cheek. That was new.

“It’s okay. Gram-Gram and I have been cooking all afternoon, and someone has been sampling the dishes. If you see a spoonful or two of anything missing…it’s the munchkin’s fault.”

Maddox stomped his foot. “I hungry.”

While she picked up Maddox and settled him into a chair, I took a look around.

The cabin was small but, inside, it was fit for a female wolf.

There were mini nests all over the place.

The chairs. Cushions on the sofa. Blankets draped over the back of everything anyone might sit on.

A fireplace. Candles lit. The table set with care.

Romi and Gram-Gram, the woman who owned the cabin and was like a mother to her, they had a home. It reminded me of my own home growing up.

“I’m here. We can eat now.” An older woman came out of the hallway, touching her hands to her hair. “Oh, my. A house full of alphas. Hot ones too.”

“Gram-Gram!” Romi admonished.

“What? They might be yours but I have eyes. Good thing we made all this food too. I’ll bet these boys can eat.”

We helped put the dishes on the table then sat down.

And then no one moved an inch. Maddox was already eating, since he was starving, it seemed, but everyone else was at a standstill.

Gram-Gram took the lead.

Romi looked at each of us. “Are you three not hungry?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Gram-Gram patted her on the arm. “They aren’t going to eat until you take the first bite.”

Romi’s mouth fell open, and she leaned forward a bit. “Is that true?”

“Yes,” I answered. “Where we come from, an alpha doesn’t eat until the omegas at the table start. It’s just good manners.”

“Old school,” Romi murmured. “Okay.”

Gram-Gram laughed. “Sometimes old school is good. Like me. I’m the oldest school around here.”

Romi filled her plate, not taking nearly enough, but at least she got some food, and then took a bite. Game on. We all filled our plates and instantly were in heaven.

“This meal is fantastic. Really. You two did a lot of hard work.”

Even Gram-Gram blushed at that one.

“Thank you,” Romi said. “I made all my favorites. Thank goodness it’s my day off.”

I felt like shit. She spent her day off working and cooking for us. Probably cleaning as well since there was a hint of lemon-and-lavender cleaner beneath the rest. “You two outdid yourselves.”

I also took note of her favorites. Meat loaf. Roasted vegetables. Green beans cooked with onions and bacon. Yeast rolls. That meal would be on rotation when we had a home.

“This potato salad is great. Who made it?” Gram-Gram asked.

“I did,” James answered. “Glad you like it.” His eyes flicked to Romi. I knew my bond brother. While he was glad the older woman approved, Romi’s opinion mattered more. “Do you like potato salad, Romi?”

She nodded. “I do. I’ll have to get the recipe from you.”

“No need. I’ll make it anytime you want.”

Gram-Gram laughed. “I’ll bet he will.”

Romi shook her head. “You’ve got to stop.”

“It’s true. These three are looking at you like you’re the dessert instead of that apple cobbler.”

Romi’s blush got deeper. “There’s a child in the room.”

Gram-Gram looked down at Maddox who had meat loaf in each fist and was putting it away. “I suppose I need to simmer down a bit.”

“Please.” Romi’s tone was firm, but she smiled the whole time.

We ate the rest of the meal making small talk. Gram-Gram told us how long she had been in this town and how she came to live here and own the cabin. Maddox ate almost as much as the rest of us but was soon yawning.

“It’s his bedtime. I have to give him a bath first. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Don’t worry about it. Take your time,” Seth offered. “We’ll clean up.”

“You will?” Romi and Gram-Gram shared a look.

“Of course. I’m sure Gram-Gram will tell us where everything goes so we don’t mess up the order of your kitchen.”

Romi, with Maddox on her hip, opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She stopped and turned around and then moved a bit more. We’d stupefied her.

Her scent was all over the place. Trust. Comfort. Concern. Fear. Confusion. Adoration.

I walked over and put my hand on her shoulder and took Maddox’s hand in mine. “Nothing is wrong. We are just doing dishes and helping out.”

“Everything about your pack is so different than what I’m used to.”

“Different good?” I asked.

“Yes. Yes, I think so.” Awe colored her tones. Her scent calmed to her normal honey and vanilla.

“Go on, then. Get the pup cleaned up and in bed, and we’ll be waiting. Would you like some tea or coffee when you finish up?”

“Tea would be great. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome. Good night, Maddox.” We all wished him good night, and he said it back a million times, giggling hard.

Once the dishes were done and put away and the leftovers were in the fridge, Gram-Gram faced us. “She deserves to be treated right. Like the sweet, kind, and caring omega she is. You’ll do that for her, right? Be the pack she needs?”

“We are going to be the best we can for her.” James was right. We were already making plans. Buy a home here. Move our work. Take leaves of absence. Whatever we needed to do.

“She works so hard. Sometimes I worry. Won’t make a nest, either. Says that’s for omegas in books only. That those things don’t happen in real life.”

“Our home will have a nest for her.”

“Her favorite tea is the wild apple mint. It’s in the corner cabinet. I’m taking these old bones to bed. Good night, you three. I’m trusting you with her.”

“Thank you.”

To my surprise, Gram-Gram hugged us all before she retired for the evening. I could hear Romi speaking to Maddox somewhere in the back of the cabin. Probably reading him a story or telling him one she made up. Because she was a good mom like that.

When she came back to the living area, she had all of our attention.

All of it. She was wearing those jeans James told me about from the bar.

The ones that fit her as though they were painted on.

She’d changed her shirt probably because Maddox had splashed her.

Some water noises had made me think he’d been playful in the bath.

“Sit down,” James said. “I’ll get your tea. Wild apple mint, right?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

She sat down and accepted the tea, adding no honey or sugar or milk.

“You don’t have a nest?” Seth asked. We really needed to work on tact.

“What? Oh, no. I’m not one of those omegas.”

James shut his eyes. “Please explain, Romi.”

She took a breath. “Thomas said nests were for omegas who were weak. They needed comfort their alphas couldn’t provide. My parents certainly didn’t encourage anything related to my designation. I’ve never had a nest.”

The three of us shared a look, plans would be made as soon as we left here. Because I’d be damned if our omega didn’t have a proper nest.