Absolute Devotion (An Omega’s Preference #3)

20. Nala

twenty

NALA

The walk back to Montgomery’s house feels shorter than the walk to the park and by the time I crawl into my nest, I’m worn out. Despite how short my heat was, my limbs are still weak and I need one more day before I’ll feel normal again. I also know that this is the last night my mates have before the investigation becomes their main focus. And I hate it.

Bear and Xylo are already on either side of me, stripping me of my jeans and sweater so that I’m more comfortable before pulling a blanket over me. I try to protest when they cuddle up around me, knowing that the combination of all five of us in my nest still has to be figured out.

“Angel, you keep sighing. Do you need something?”

“I want to sleep. I’m so fucking tired but I can’t. It was so peaceful at the park and now…”

Xylo barks out a laugh as he sits up, pulling me with him. “Then maybe we do something to tire you out. Not like that, love. As much as I want to go another round, you’re not the only one that is sore. I was actually referring to something else. Give you something of us to hold onto.”

“Like what?”

“Like a little part of our past.” Xylo’s grin turns sinister as his gaze darts to the doorway, Zahria and Montgomery both entering like deer caught in headlights. “I vote that Zahria goes first because she’s a ball of mystery,” he teases.”

I laugh along with them as Zahria sheds her shoes and then her pants as well. She scoots into the nest beside Bear, Montgomery entering a few seconds later. I glare at the extra clothes present in my nest and immediately hate them. Not that I want them naked but the scents entering my nest aren’t all theirs.

When my nose turns up, they all look to me and wait for me to speak. They’ve all told me that I need to tell them what I want so here goes nothing. “Pants off, please. There’s other scents in here and I just want yours.” I don’t get to finish my explanation as they comply, shedding more clothes and then returning to the nest in just undergarments.

None of them look uncomfortable with my request, Montgomery pulling my hands into his. “This is your space and as such, you are allowed to ask for anything you need.” When I nod, he then looks to Zahria. “I think we were waiting for a little story, Zahria.”

I snort, realizing the seriousness of the situation despite the muscles staring back at me. Part of me wants to lick and touch and caress. The other part is just happy to have this view and the fact that it’s all for me. My tongue darts out to lick my lips before I catch the reaction.

Zahria leans back on her hands, her chest pushing out as a result. I can see the faint outline of her nipples beneath her lacy bra, a deep purple that brings out the rich golden undertones of her dark skin. Bear and Xylo on either side of her, their rich olive tones accentuated by their dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. Tattoos cover their chest, almost identically where Zahria and Montgomery’s are bare. Where my other three mates are toned, muscles lining each and every limb, my biggest Alpha isn't. He still boasts a strength the others don’t have, but he’s thicker than they are, his belly a little more prominent.

He’s just as handsome, if not more with his close-shaven facial hair, those stormy gray eyes solely focused on me. “Nala, you’re perfuming, and as honored as I am to be in your nest, I will have to excuse myself in a few minutes to take care of something.”

My gaze dips to the bulge between his thighs, a whine tearing from my throat. Being an Omega in these moments is highly inconvenient but I just nod and focus back on Zahria. It’s her fault. She just shrugs. “Alright, alright. There’s not much to tell about my story. Yes, I’m a small Alpha. Yes, I weathered my share of bullying but my record speaks for itself. My parents taught me that real strength isn’t about power—it’s about compassion, about standing up for those who need it most,” she says softly, her gaze meeting mine. “That’s how I became who I am today.”

I know a little about her background when it comes to the range, the police academy, and then her psychology studies. It’s how she was able to briefly help Kieran and then me over the past few weeks.

It explains more of why she’s always concerned about me and why my feelings mean more to her than anything else. The question ‘how are you feeling’ isn’t just because they feel they have to ask but because they truly want to know. They each share pieces of themselves, stories that make me laugh, that make my heart ache with empathy, that deepen the bond growing between us. When it’s Xylo’s turn, he hesitates for a moment, his usual carefree demeanor hardening as he speaks. “We grew up moving around a lot, Bear and I. It was always us against the world in a sense. We always knew that we’d end up in the same pack after Bear presented as a Zeta. We probably only found out about five or so years ago.” There’s more hanging off his tongue as if there’s something else he wants to share. His gaze darts between Bear and Zahria, neither one of them speaking.

“What’s going on?”

Bear clears his throat, his shoulders falling as he meets my gaze. His expression is tight, a foreign emotion flitting through his usually calm eyes. “Nala, before you there was another Omega. She wasn’t a scent match but she became our entire world. We promised her a forever. It just didn’t last.”

I don’t know whether to pull away or comfort my Zeta with how heartbroken he looks. “What happened?” Even as the words fall from my mouth, I’m not sure I want to know. The strengthening bonds between us are still fragile and if they tell me that they rejected her, I’m not sure what I’ll do. Still, I wait.

“Angel, she left us. We weren’t what she needed but it broke the both of us. We kept to ourselves for the most part after that. And then when the Omega Centers found out I was a Zeta, most Omegas passed on our scent cards. They wanted an Alpha. I’m part of such a rare designation that they didn’t want to take the chance.”

My brows furrow at the thought that people didn’t want these beautiful men. “That’s stupid. And I can’t be mad at you for what happened before you met me. I love you just the way you are. Fuck.” Bear tilts his head to the side and I fumble for the right words. I wasn’t ready to say that four-letter word but it slipped out. It’s crazy to think about love but my Omega wants more than I’m already giving. I just want to make sure that I protect my heart. “Yes, I love all of you the way that you are, regardless of your past. They’re what brought you to me. I’m not ready to say all of it yet but know that I want you.”

Bear grins as he blows me a kiss he leans back to add to the discussion. "We've been an odd pair for a while but when they made my designation official as a Zeta, I found it comforting to understand some of my desires but also infuriating living in a world where I don't quite fit in. Somehow, I stumbled upon the perfect pack, though." His gaze moves to rest on Montgomery, a spark much brighter than before my heat. "I think I want to see where it takes me. I know you said it was okay, but Nala—"

"Bear, knowing how it feels to accept you all, I would never keep you from what you need. It's like a pleasure you can't get enough of, that you silently crave. I wish I trusted all of you sooner because this feeling, I want it forever." Bear's cheeks are probably as red as mine, Montgomery's deviant smile telling me that he not only accepts Bear's confession but wants to explore it too.

I turn to Montgomery as he delivers a piece of himself that I can hold onto, to feel closer to all four of them. "Having you here Nala, knowing that fate wanted us together means more than you can ever know. If I was more sure of myself, I would have kept you at my side but neither of us was ready. And now, I have more than I thought was possible." He shares a knowing glance with Bear before jumping right back in. He talks about the weight of responsibility he’s always carried, the pressure to be strong, to be reliable, and the moments when it felt overwhelming. “With you all, I feel like I can finally relax and let the walls down. It’s been a long fucking time I didn’t have to make the right decision all alone. It’s nice.”

“I know that feeling, Alpha,” I purr at him, crawling over to sit in his lap. He holds me tight against his chest, rubbing his cheek along my forehead. A few weeks ago, I would have been appalled at this version of me, an Omega trusting her mates, and feeling comfortable in a nest of her own. Now, I can’t imagine a life that doesn’t include these four gathered around me.

The evening settles around us, bringing with it a calm that feels like a quiet promise. We’ve spent hours sharing stories, laughter, and memories, and now the room is filled with a comfortable silence again, each of us lost in our own thoughts, content in the warmth of each other’s presence. I glance at Zahria, noticing the way her gaze drifts over us, a quiet pride in her eyes.

It’s a look I’m coming to recognize, a gentle assurance that reminds me how far we’ve all come together. She catches my eye, her lips curving into a small, reassuring smile that fills me with a warmth I hadn’t known I needed. Each of my mates are touching me in some way, the brothers on either side of me, wrapped around me as we sit up against the wall. Zahria has one of my feet in her hands and Montgomery is scooted close enough to Bear that my entire leg is draped over his lap.

I catch the way Montgomery's fingers lightly brush against Bear's neck, the Zeta shuddering beneath the Alpha's touch.

This feels right, perfect even, if I’m so bold.

“I was thinking,” Montgomery begins. “It might be nice to have nights like these occasionally. A night where we just share things. Stories, memories, whatever comes to mind.” None of them asked me to share anything, waiting for me to offer it up naturally but I never did. I can’t get past all the awful memories to get to the good ones—the few that I had are buried deep beneath everything else.

Xylo readily agrees, placing a soft hand on my stomach, his fingers splaying out beneath my shirt. “I love that. Like our own family ritual.”

Family. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that word and other than Joel and his pack, it’s not a word I ever liked. With these four, though, I’d be more than happy to be family. My heart swells at the idea. This is my family, I realize—a truth that feels both surreal and deeply comforting.

I nod, a soft smile tugging at my lips. “I’d like that too,” I say quietly. The temperature in the room seems to change as they focus on me, a silent question for me to share as well. “I don’t want to ruin the mood.” I push out. In response, their touches become softer, but that doesn’t make it any easier to gloss over what happened at the academy. “I already suspected that what happened there was connected to POCA in some roundabout way. It’s the only explanation for why Michael found me.” My breath becomes erratic as I try to pull away, each of them offering gentle reassurance.

“Princess, what are you talking about?”

Xylo and Bear are starting to growl, terror flitting through my face until Zahria’s growl carries through the room. Everyone freezes and looks at my small Alpha, the woman’s fierce expression glaring back at us. “Quit it. Quit whatever you are thinking. Let Nala explain before you terrify her. Nala, sweetie, you don’t have to say anything.”

“No, I owe you all an explanation. The academy was just a way for my parents to get rid of me while I got my education. A way to keep me contained but it was just a hell away from home. My scent attracted everyone and everything. It was a lot of false promises to make me happy and keep me safe but I could see in their eyes that they just wanted a submissive Omega that they could fill as they pleased.”

There are more rumbling growls but Zahria’s glare keeps the brothers in check. I would find it hilarious if it wasn’t for the current conversation. Montgomery hasn’t said a word but it's the dark expression and the worry that tells me he’s a few steps from bursting out the door and burning down my former home for the last couple of years.

“I got into the wrong crowd, thought they’d protect me but it just threw me into another pit. There were these games every Saturday night, I guess. They’d round a few of us up and stick us…” My breath catches in my throat, tears gathering in my eyes at the haunting memories of those metal bars. “There were cages. We were stuffed inside and they… Promise you won’t leave.” Aside from my scent, this is the last thing I’ve been holding to myself—the last reason I think I’ll never be happy.

I should know by now that these four are different. The warmth of Xylo’s hand heats up, his fingers moving around in little circles across my belly as he draws my attention to him. “Did they touch you?” I shake my head. “Did they hurt you?”

That’s a loaded question I don’t know how to answer. Physically? No. Mentally? I’m not sure I’ll ever be rid of the nightmares.