Absolute Devotion (An Omega’s Preference #3)

13. Nala

thirteen

NALA

It’s nearly evening by the time I wake back up, stuffed under a few layers of blankets and propped up on pillows that were definitely on the floor earlier. The silence in his room is suffocating but it’s the safest space I’ve known in a long time. All their scents are lingering in here, settling around me like we belong together. I reach up to my neck and run my fingers over the bare skin of my gland, unable to remember a time when I went without a patch. The fear of what strangers would do to me has kept me in my safe little bubble until today.

I snuggle farther into the sheets, wanting to do nothing other than lay here. My heat will probably start tonight and even though I’m not ready, I’ll have to be. With each breath, the room fills more with my scent—that sharp lemon and lavender aroma that is wholly mine. My mind whirls with each worst-case scenario of my mates’ instincts overtaking them, painful fragments of memories trying to resurface.

They’re not like that, I tell myself. They won’t hurt me. Both my brother and Kieran have told me that I need to trust them, that they’ll protect me in a way that I didn’t even know I needed. Still, I curl into myself, tucking my knees under my chin, and bury my face under the covers to hide myself from the world. The mix of fear and raw emotion burns in my chest as the heat spreads through my limbs. I want them so fucking bad but what if something happens?

What if they can’t keep their promises?

A gentle knock sounds on the door, Montgomery’s voice seeping through the silence. “Princess, can I come in?” His voice is soft and tender, the Alpha waiting for my permission even though I’m in his room.

I suck in a shaky breath, trying to find my voice. “Yes, it’s okay.” My voice barely reaches a whisper beneath the sheets.

The door creaks open, Montgomery filling the frame with his broad, reassuring presence. It feels like everything has changed in a matter of hours—my need to hide away morphing into my desperate need for comfort and reassurance. He takes a single step inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click. The concern in his gray eyes is so gentle, it’s almost painful to look at. There’s no doubt he can sense my fear and uncertainty as I peek out from under the covers.

Montgomery approaches slowly, a warm smile spreading across his lips as he takes a seat by me on the bed. He leans down to press a kiss to my temple, brushing my hair from my face before speaking. “It’s alright, Nala,” he says, waiting until I uncover more of myself. I’m still in the shirt I snatched off the floor earlier and shorts that have to be Zahria’s. Where she found them, I have no idea but I’m grateful.

The warmth of his hand brings me comfort as he caresses my cheek, my Omega purring in delight from the safety that comes with his presence. “You are so strong, princess. So much stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

Those aren’t the words I expected, my cheeks flushing with heat. “I just don’t want to go back to feeling like… I can’t do it. I want to be more than just an Omega with a scent.”

A deep chuckle rumbles through his chest. “Nala, we see you as so much more than that. You’re our Omega—strong, courageous, and gorgeous. If you give us a chance, we’ll show you just how much you mean to us. And until then, we’ll work at your pace. However long that takes.” I don’t know what to say to that. Having people who would wait for me is a new experience and yet I can see the love in his eyes, a look that’s probably always been there but I told myself wasn’t possible.

There’s another knock on the door that disrupts the conversation, my other mates filtering into the room and spreading out around the bed. They each reach forward to lightly brush a hand along my head and arms, a purr falling from my lips in response. Xylo and Bear are silent, Zahria observing me as she tries to gauge my comfort.

“There’s no expectations for your heat, Nala. Whether you want us to sit outside or stay in here, for us to touch or just hold you. Unfortunately, we do have to figure that out because your heat is due much sooner than we thought.” Zahria bends down to run her nose along my temple before placing a kiss there. “What do you need, sweetheart?”

My heart stammers in my chest, torn between the urge to tell them to sit outside and the need to have them in this room with me when I undoubtedly lose my mind to my heat. Several moments of silence pass as they touch and caress, my Omega whining for more than they’re giving. I can’t do this without them and I’m beginning to not want to.

So, I let out a deep breath and slowly sit up, making sure to meet each of their gazes, one by one. Soft, reassuring expressions stare back at me, none of the aggression and Alpha bullshit I used to deal with present. “I’d like you all to stay,” I say, a bit more confidently than anything else I’ve managed today. “But there isn’t enough room.” As big as Montgomery’s bed is, it’s not big enough for us. I glance around, trying to find something to improve the issue but unless we sit on the floor—which is uncomfortable as fuck—it won’t work. My brows furrow as a growl of frustration tears from my throat, Zahria laughing at me. I turn to glare at her when the brothers rescue my Alpha.

“Angel, we had a few things to do but thought a quick shopping spree might be in order.” Bear holds out his hand for me to take, Xylo offering his as well. I reach forward as they pull me off the mattress and guide me into the hallway. It isn’t until I see the living room that I’m both confused and worried that they bought a bunch of unnecessary items. Everything looks so… fluffy.

My nose scrunches up at the display, my mates gathering around my back as they try to suppress their laughter. Zahria wraps her arms around my shoulders, lowering her lips to my ear. “Sweetheart, I told them it was too much. However, we thought you might be a little more comfortable with a nest of your own.”

“A nest?” They all know why I haven’t entertained the thought of a nest before but seeing all the blankets and pillows, I’m mildly intrigued. Mildly. Unfortunately, my scent gives me away, rumbling growls and purrs filling the room as my scent strengthens. Out of habit, I slap a hand over my gland but no one charges or points out the change in my scent. They’re just here, their own scents filling the room and mixing with mine. It smells like a warm, summer evening. I don't even know how to truly describe the feeling but it's like sitting around a campfire, leaning into the comfort of their presence as the evening air whistles through the trees.

What it is, is perfect.

The fear isn’t gone but it’s slowly beginning to fade, replaced by a foreign warmth, one that I’ve fantasized about for years. After seeing how happy Joel was, I wanted it for myself even if I thought it was unattainable. The safety they’re offering isn’t just the house or the bedroom door that locks but the quiet patience in their touch, the silence that asks for nothing, and the soft promises they don’t have to say aloud.

“Thank you,” I whisper. None of them respond but I don’t need them to. Their presence here, willing to work together for me is everything I need.