Through the Woods

Mari

T hings feel weird.

No one has mentioned what Dassy said this morning, but it’s all I can think about.

Everly and the twins chat next to me, acting like nothing happened as we talk toward the treeline, but Dassy’s words keep bouncing around in my head: He loves me.

That can’t be true. Why would anyone love me? I’m too guarded. Too… I don’t know . Bitchy?

Dassy is a fool for saying something so stupid, especially since I could never feel the same about him.

Could I?

No!

I definitely do not love an alpha that I have only known for a few months. Although, that is a standard amount of time for an omega to form an attachment. And Dassy is a wonderful alpha. Very free-spirited, and patient. But I can’t love him. I’m going to leave him soon, and loving him would only break my heart. But what if he came with me?

It takes everything in me not to scream out loud as my mind bounces between desire and rejection, over and over again.

Everly slips her hand into mine as we cross the edge of the yard and into the forest. Dassy and Hutch walk at our backs, both moving silently. It’s amazing how quiet an alpha can be when they want to be.

“Was the cemetery here when you bought the house?” I ask, then immediately wince at my stupidity. Of course, it was here. They didn’t bring the fucking thing with them. “I mean, how long after you moved in did you find it?”

Everly smiles sweetly, walking a little closer so our shoulders bump gently. I inhale her slight lavender aroma, trying to settle my damn nerves. “Izan and Hutch lived here long before I came along,” she says. “Then Dassy moved in…what?” She glances over her shoulder at the alpha. “Five years ago?”

“Yup,” Dassy says with a cheerful lift to his voice. He seems to be completely unfazed by what happened in the game room, but I don’t really know. I can’t bring myself to look at him…or Hutch.

“I only moved in three years ago,” Everly says. “I found it when I was exploring the grounds. The boys had no idea it was here.”

I nod like that’s the most interesting thing I’ve ever heard, but in reality, I’m spending all of my energy trying not to imagine what it would be like to abandon my plan for revenge and spend the rest of my life being adored by Dassy and cared for by Everly. I guess Izan and Hutch would be there too.

“Did Izan give you a tour of the offices?” Everly asks, making small talk.

I shake my head. “Just his office.”

“Oh.” She frowns. “I thought for sure he’d show you the Display Room.”

“What’s that?” I ask as she climbs over a downed tree. Before I can follow her, Hutch grabs me around the waist and lifts me easily, placing me carefully on the other side. I nod, struggling to make eye contact with either twin.

“It’s a room with demos of all the best games in the casino.” Everly takes my hand again as we continue down the path. “They light up, and pretend to pay out on every spin so investors can see how they work.”

“He didn’t show me that,” I say, kind of wishing he had. It definitely would have been more interesting than his office. “Tonia showed up right after we arrived, and he had to leave me to meet with some guy named Bear.”

Everly nods like she’s not surprised. “I’m sure he would have, but unfortunately, our alphas are very busy men.” She bumps her shoulder into mine. I duck my head, pretending to hide a bashful smile, but in reality, I feel like shit.

“Watch your step.” Hutch is suddenly beside me, holding out his hand. “Be careful.” He looks a few feet down the path. There’s a small cut in the land—maybe a foot wide—with the slowest trickle of water I’ve ever seen. For a second, I think about refusing his help and stepping over the damn thing on my own, but I’m too tired to be bratty right now.

“Thanks.” I place my hand in his as he guides me forward. Hutch looks all business, almost as if he’s navigating a minefield. I take one step, clearing the “obstacle” easily. Hutch nods as if relieved, then releases me.

Alphas are so weird.

We walk in silence the rest of the way there. Hutch overreacts to every bump and branch we pass as the scent of pine grows thicker. We’re getting closer to the mountain. Dassy stays at my back, his big body looming closer and closer. The heat from his chest makes the hairs on the back of my neck raise with awareness.

“Here we are.” Everly pulls me to a stop, admiring the forest in front of us.

Dassy was right. It is quite literally an overgrown patch of land with two collapsing structures. Broken bits of rock stick out of the moss-covered ground, and heavy vines of ivy hang from the trees, puddling on the forest floor. It’s obvious that no one has mourned the dead that lie here in decades. Maybe even longer. It’s weirdly beautiful. Maybe not somewhere I’d ask to visit again, but it’s still something interesting to see.

“What do you think?” Everly turns to me, and I can’t help but smile.

“It’s so sad, I can’t help but love it,” I say, exaggerating a little.

“What do you mean it’s sad ?” Everly motions around as if showing me great riches. “There’s so much history here!” She points to a large, cracked slab. “There’s even a mausoleum.” She looks at me as if I couldn't possibly believe it’s anything other than amazing.

I shrug, eyeing the crumbling pile of rocks. “Are you sure that was a mausoleum? Because it kind of looks like a bear shit concrete.”

Dassy lets out a booming laugh and Everly gasps with fake offense. I like that she can take teasing in stride. “You are just as horrible as the rest of them, Marigold.” She plants her hands on her narrow hips. “I had high hopes for you, but you’ve let me down.” She tsks, and I can’t help but laugh too. Even Hutch is smiling.

“There is a decent-looking funeral pyre over there.” Hutch points over his shoulder, toward a small pine tree.

“Thank you, alpha!” Everly says, giving me and Dassy a very pointed look. “Come.” She reaches for my hand. “You have to see it.” She tugs me forward. “It’s steeped in history.”

Dassy leans down, and whispers loudly, “That means it’s covered in dirt.” I laugh again and Everly pulls me along even faster. I let her, giggling the whole way.

I’m thankful that Dassy isn’t upset with me. I know I didn’t have the best reaction to his confession, but he’s being very kind. It’s helping me relax.

“Watch your step,” Everly says as we approach a massive old oak tree. I size it up, taking in the massive branches that cascade over the whole cemetery, as well as the roots that erupt from the ground. They twist and turn, making the ground wildly uneven.

“I think we should look into a good pair of hiking boots,” I say when the soles of my sneakers slip across the smooth roots.

“Hiking boots?” Dassy snorts. “Are you planning on scaling the mountains in the distance?”

I turn and give him a flirty smirk. “Maybe.”

“Here we are!” Everly pulls me around the tree, then comes to an abrupt stop.

I stare at the mass of rock before me. It’s not concrete like the rest of the cemetery, but it’s clearly stone that had been shaped so it was flat on top, or at least it once was flat. Now it has a deep crack through the middle, making one side slope.

“What do you think?” Everly asks.

“What is it?” I ask.

“It’s for funeral rites,” she says simply. I'm thankful she doesn't tease me for not knowing. “It was used for burning the bodies of honorable alphas that died in battle.”

“Oh.” I turn back to it, trying to imagine what it might have looked like all those years ago.

Big bodies, probably wrapped in linen and placed on stacks of wood and straw. Did they place flowers on their eyes? Omegas did that back in ancient times, but it’s hard to imagine an alpha would.

My eyes drift over the rock, taking in the soft moss crawling up the side and the grass swaying in the breeze. This really is a very lovely space. Very relaxing. And the wildflowers are cheerful. I turn, looking at the tiny yellow buds nestled in the grass, until I see them. Clusters of tiny pink flowers with feathery petals. Stefan’s favorite flower.

My feet move toward them, the urge to pluck one too overpowering to ignore. The stem snaps between my fingers, and the petals tickle my nose as I inhale deeply. The sickly sweet, almond-scented flower fills my nose and a wash of memories fall over me.

Stefan laughing in a field. Playing in the mud. Crying as I fell over that cliff.

He was so young.

“Mari?” Everly’s fingertips brush my arm. “Are you okay?” she whispers.

“My brother loved these flowers,” I say, still staring at the buds.

Everly’s feet shift before she whispers, “Brother?”

My whole body locks up, as bitter realization spreads across my tongue. Why did I say that? Fuck!

“I’m ready to go home.” I drop the flower, then snarl at my choice of words. “To the house. I want to go back to the house.”

“Okay.” Everly’s fingers caress the side of my hand, but I snatch it away, rushing back around the tree. The twins stand on the other side, deep in their own conversation as we appear.

“You okay?” Dassy asks, noticing my tight expression.

“I’m fine,” I say, praying he doesn’t read too much into my high-pitched voice. Thankfully, before he can press me anymore, Everly lets out a sharp yip, and I spin around at the sound. Everly’s foot catches in the tree’s roots and she pitches forward, smacking her hands into the tree trunk.

“Oh my god!” I rush to the beta, but the alphas are much faster. Hutch tenderly pulls her away from the tree, helping her steady her feet. “Are you okay?” I lift my hands, wanting so badly to touch her, but the twins are practically on top of her, staring intensely at one of her hands.

“It’s just a splinter.” Everly’s face is flush with embarrassment. “I’m fine.” Her gray eyes meet mine, and I inch a little closer, trying to get a look at her hand. A sizable sliver of wood sticks out of the center of Everly’s palm. I wince, imagining how much it must hurt.

“I think I can get it.” Hutch lifts Everly’s hand a little higher to his face, pushing the flesh around the tiny piece of wood. Dassy is just as close, the pair crowding her as they squeeze and pinch her.

It makes me anxious. Everly needs a gentle hand and a breath of fresh air, not two alphas pawing at her damn wound.

“Just pluck it out.” Dassy tries to pinch it, pushing Hutch out of the way.

“I think we should wait until we get home,” Everly says, but neither alpha moves. They’re ignoring her, and it’s pissing me the fuck off. Then Everly winces and Dassy curses, and I lose it.

“Let her go!” I grab Everly’s wrist and pull her away from the twins. She stumbles as I tug her away from the big oak tree. We march under a few low-hanging branches, and I snap off a budding leaf. It’s early spring, so they’re still small. “Come here,” I say, much the same way Izan does with me. Everly obeys, following me to the nearest pine tree. “May I see your hand?”

The beta doesn't even think about it. She lifts it, showing me her wound. The splinter is set deep, and her palm is red and puffy from Hutch and Dassy’s clumsy pawing. I cut the pair a glare, happy to see them still waiting by the old oak.

“I promise this won’t hurt,” I say, pressing the leaf to the pine tree’s trunk. I work the delicate greenery into a crack in the bark, collecting as much sap as I can. Then I lay it gently against Everly’s palm. “Hold your hands together like you’re praying.” I show her. Ideally, I should press the leaf down, but I want her to control the pressure applied.

“Now what?” Everly asks, holding her pressed palms out in front of her.

“Now we wait,” I say. “We have to let it sit for a second, so the sap soaks into the wood.”

“Oh, okay.” Everly nods eagerly, looking at me like I’m some kind of expert in shitty nature hacks. The wind shifts, catching Everly’s long brown hair. It twists, flying into her face. She jerks her head, keeping her hands firmly together.

“Let me help.” I gather her tresses, twisting them behind the back of her neck. Smooth lavender and soft baby powder tickle my nose, and all my agitation melts away. I’ve always heard about betas being the truly calming presence within a pack, but the only betas I ever knew were doctors, and there was nothing gentle about those assholes.

“Will you push my glasses up?” Everly asks, giving me the sweetest smile. They sit on the tip of her nose, on the verge of slipping off. I slowly push them back up, admiring her pretty face. Everly is a beautiful woman. Tall with delicate features and a lean build—even though she’s as graceful as a newborn giraffe. “Do you think it's ready?” Everly holds up her hands.

“Oh, yeah.” I scrunch up my nose, having already forgotten about the splinter.

Awareness prickles my skin as two large figures move in the corner of my eyes. Dassy and Hutch watch silently from a respectable distance as I push my nail under the edge of the leaf. I lift it up, then slowly peel it away, revealing Everly’s red palm and no splinter.

I can’t help the beat of pride in my chest. I’ve never had a use for the crap I learned out in the woods. Havenfield wanted to therapize all of that out of me, but they couldn't. I held onto it and now it’s helped someone I like.

“Oh, Mari!” Everly gasps my name as she stares at her hand in disbelief. “Thank you!” She leaps forward, wrapping her long arms around my shoulders and snuggling me close. I hesitate at first, but then I relent, slipping my hands around her back.

Everly leans back, pushing her glasses back up her nose. “Where did you learn that?”

“I don’t know,” I lie, my hands resting on her hips. The air around us seems to flash hot, and I push my hair out of my face, begging for a breeze.

The alphas murmur to themselves, but we completely ignore them, only looking at each other.

“I think I’d like to go back to the house,” I say, suddenly unusually tired. “Do you want to hang out with me in my nest?”

“Your nest?” Everly’s mouth falls open and I nod. “I’ve never been in an omega’s nest before.” Her breath picks up, possibly with excitement, but I have a feeling it’s nerves. “I don’t really know the etiquette.” She grimaces and I smile. “What if I put my feet in the wrong place? Or if I?—”

“It’s okay, Everly.” I laugh, reaching for her hands. “You aren’t going to burn the damn thing down. If you mess it up, I can fix it.”

“Okay.” Everly’s voice is filled with apprehension as we turn back toward the house. Her fear of doing something wrong is very sweet, but betas rarely have the ability to ruin nests. It’s alphas that you have to watch out for. “I definitely need to change. Jeans are not appropriate nesting wear.”

I quickly nod, agreeing. “We’ll both change into jammies.”

“Mari?” Dassy takes several big steps to catch up to us. “Can I come into your nest too?”

“No,” I snip, and Hutch snorts.