Absolute Devotion (An Omega’s Preference #3)

11. Zahria

eleven

ZAHRIA

Curious to check on our Omega, I step into the room, greeted by Bear and Nala’s mixed scents. It’s been a few hours sifting through paperwork and connections, finding little more than the Alphas gathering in Cane Lake. By Bear’s count, it’s four total. None of them have interacted with each other. There’s no reason to think they’re connected and yet we all know that coincidences don’t exist.

Nala stirs, Bear sitting up with her as she pulls her hands into her lap, eyes moving along the room in confusion. I’ve only ever seen one other Omega in this state—that blissful state of ignorance during their preheat while studying psychology at the ranger academy. It had only been a video, Nala’s current predicament much more real than I could have imagined. Those green eyes are wide as they fall on me, her nostrils flaring as she reacts to my scent.

“Hey, sweetheart. I just came to check on you.” Her head tilts but she says nothing, Bear frowning at the state of our Omega. He gently drags her into his lap and she curls into his chest, rubbing her nose along the bare skin of his collarbone. “Nala, how are you feeling?” I step closer, kneeling at the edge of the little space she carved out. There’s only one of Montgomery’s pillows and a sheet that’s still hanging off the bed but they’re smothered in the Alpha’s scent.

Nala peeks over Bear’s arms, a sloppy smile playing on her lips as she reaches for me. I gladly give her my hand, the Omega drawing it to her lips.

“Why isn’t she talking, Ria? Is she okay? I didn’t hurt her. She…” Bear rambles on in his panicked state, his hands running up and down her sides until Nala starts purring for the both of us. I have to hold back a laugh as Bear sports the same confused expression as our Omega.

“Bear, calm down. She’s fine. Some Omegas fall into this headspace because it’s comfortable. They’ve found a safe space where they can let their instincts override everything else. She’s acting like this because you made her feel like she can finally take a breath in this crazy world.” Bear visibly relaxes as I extract our Omega from his arms. “However, sweetheart, you need a shower and then we need to get some food in you.” Her cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink as I lead her to the attached bathroom and sit her on the closed toilet.

She continues to watch me as I turn on the shower and wait for the right temperature before crouching in front of her. “Nala, baby, do you want me in here with you?” None of my psych training prepared me for my own Omega. Speaking to Nala and Kieran after the incident with Michael a few weeks ago had been one thing. They were in shock, confused, and wary of the violence that had unfolded in front of them.

Nala is leaning into her instincts and trying to rip her back to reality could ruin everything we’ve built thus far. She feels safe in that headspace but I also need to know that she’s okay with what happened, with what is going to happen in the near future. I tap her thigh, waiting for her to react and that’s when I catch the terror in her eyes.

“I don’t want to get hurt,” Nala whispers as she leans forward. “Alpha, I didn’t think it could feel like that. I wanted it and Bear was gentle. You and Xylo too but I’m so fucking scared of getting hurt.”

I reach forward, pressing lightly at the edge of her gland. Nala freezes beneath my touch before her shoulders fall, tears filling her eyes before running down her cheeks. “Sweetheart, I know you’ve heard it from all of us but you’re safe here. If you need space or you need us all in one room, that’s where we’ll be.” I brush her tears from her cheeks, Nala closing the distance between us to kiss me.

It’s the first kiss she’s truly initiated and it’s everything. “You taste like summer,” she muses as she pulls back. “I really like summer.” Nala stands and pulls off the shirt that’s entirely too big for her before shedding her bra as well. Just after she steps into the shower, she peeks around the curtain. “Can you stay?”

I nod, taking up where she was sitting on the toilet, content to wait for her. My heart hurts for how vulnerable she’s been on her own all these years and what she’s had to experience. Did she have to have someone guard her shower so that Alphas wouldn’t try to come in? Did she forgo college experiences because of what she thought might happen—because of what did happen?

Montgomery didn’t even truly explain what happened the night he found her. I suspect there would have been blood despite his badge had those Alphas attacked her but Nala’s skittishness is more than just a few scares in the alleyways. There’s pain that runs so fucking deep in her every expression that the horrors from the academy I’m sure will have us all raging on her behalf.

I grab a towel and hold it up as the water turns off, Nala stepping out onto the rug. She steps up into my arms as I wrap it around her and then use another towel to start on her hair, Nala offering her lips up again. I’ll never get tired of these quiet moments when she’s mine for just a little while. “Do you want to curl back up with Bear or come out to the kitchen for something to eat?” I ask after granting her a quick kiss.

“Can we eat in the living room?”

I swallow back a laugh. “Nala, do you need all of us? Is that what you’re asking?” I might be wistfully reading into it but I hope that’s the direction we’re taking.

“You all smell like summer. Together. It’s comfortable. Safe. ”