6. Max

6

MAX

E li doesn't come home until after midnight. He has that sweet, dazed expression he gets after a job. He smells like slick, sweat, and cum. Normally, I orgasm all over him the second he gets home to claim him with my own scent, but we're in a crisis here.

"Our home is now a life-sized Clue board," I say.

Eli's lips quirk up. "What?"

"That's Toby and Felix's nest. They have decided to turn our entire house into a Clue board, including our bathroom. It is now the Conservatory. They stole my houseplants and most of my herb garden."

Eli laughs, which is not the reaction I was hoping for.

"This isn't funny!"

He manages to control himself. "Sorry, but that's adorable. I thought they'd already finished with their nest, but it sounds like they were just getting started. I need to see this."

Eli doesn't have to walk far into the kitchen before the linoleum tiles that are now carefully placed in all the hallways between rooms come into view.

I point to a black piece of paper with white letters that says "Kitchen" on our countertop. "One of these is labeling each of the rooms."

There's another on our dining table that says "Dining Room," along with fancy place settings at each seat and a paper fireplace they taped to the wall, because apparently the Dining Room in the new Clue board had one.

He smiles indulgently, which I try to not be annoyed by. He thinks penguin shifter nests are charming. That's part of the reason he loves his job.

I follow him to the Conservatory, where every plant I potted or planted in the backyard is now rapidly dying.

Eli covers his mouth—probably to hide his amusement. "Oh, Max. I'm so sorry."

"I can hear your smile, you know."

He lowers his hand. "I can't help it. They're so damn cute. Look at this! They even put a sign that says ‘Secret passageway to the Lounge.' Awww."

"I'm glad you find the death of all my plants so adorable."

He leans in and kisses me. "I will buy you new plants. Better plants."

If he wasn't so goddamn attractive, he couldn't make my anger melt that easily. But he is, and he does. I suppose Felix and Toby found the perfect home to expand their nest into, because no one could be more understanding than Eli.

"The Ballroom is kind of cute," I admit.

Eli threads his fingers through mine. "Show me."

I take him to my office with the telltale "Ballroom" sign on the door. At the center of the room is a large blow-up kiddie pool full of ball-pit balls.

"Get it? The Ballroom?" I ask, finally allowing myself to enjoy the silliness of it all.

Eli laughs again, and this time, I laugh with him.

"Our laundry room somehow ended up as the Hall," I tell him, taking him across two linoleum tiles to show him. "There's nothing indicating it's the Hall, except for the sign. They seemed unbothered by this."

Eli nods. "Yep. Welcome to the glorious logic of nesting."

"They left Lark's room alone entirely, which was a relief. Our bedroom is the Study." I point to our bedroom door, which has the telltale label.

He steps inside.

We bought this house partially because of this room. It's almost obscenely spacious, which Eli liked because it's the opposite of the tiny barracks he grew up in on the Slope. On one side of the room, Toby and Felix have set up two recliners from our living room along with an end table and a pair of lamps.

"The Study," Eli says, pointing to that side of the room.

On the other side is our bed, and all the rest of the furniture crammed together.

"The living room is covered in tiles and empty except for a pair of huge dice," I explain.

"I'm guessing all of Felix's books turned into the Library?"

"Yeah. And their living room is the Lounge."

Eli thinks for a moment. "What about the Billiard Room?"

I tug his hand toward the door and lead him back out into the hallway. Further down the hall is a room we were hesitant to leave empty at first. We thought about turning it into Lark's playroom. But that room is empty for a reason.

Since the polar bear shifter Guild accepted our bond as legitimate, we can be foster parents. Once Lark is a year old, we'll start preparing our home for another child.

I open the door. The room had nothing but a few boxes in the closet before today, but now there's a billiard table at the center with a set of balls and two cues stretched across it. According to Felix, that's how it is on the board. They've taped another paper fireplace to the wall, stuck one of our loveseats in the corner and added a few lamps.

"How did they get a billiard table?" Eli asks.

"Francis. One of his friends is letting them borrow it."

"I've never seen a penguin shifter build their nest with help from so many other people like this. They might ask someone else for pillows, but they get the nest itself on their own or from one trusted person. It's almost like… their new community is a part of their nest. That's beautiful."

I didn't think about it that way.

"Is that why their nest is bigger?"

"Probably. They're letting us be a part of it. We're playing the game with them. That level of trust is unheard of for most nesting omegas. I can't believe Felix is doing this after what happened to him."

It's hard to be annoyed now that I know why Felix and Toby have expanded their nest into the rest of our home. When they first came here months ago, I was so worried for them.

"Fine. We can replace all the plants after Toby and Felix lay their eggs," I say.

Eli kisses my cheek. "Thank you, baby."

He kneels in front of me and reaches for the button of my jeans. His wicked grin makes me forget all about nesting omegas and my dying collection of houseplants.

"You haven't claimed me yet." He slides my zipper down and nuzzles my cock over my underwear. God, that feels good.

"Fuck my mouth, Max. Make me choke on your cock, then come all over my hair."

I love this man more each passing day. That's the thing about penguin shifters. Once you've fallen for one, they'll hold onto your heart forever. Kind of like Toby and that potted fern.

I pull out my cock and give Eli exactly what he asked for.