In Mari’s Room

Hutch

D assy’s big body consumes Mari's armchair. His thick thighs and fat ass push at the armrests, making the damn thing groan every time he shifts. I want to make fun of him for it, but then he’d move onto the couch with me, and I don’t want to share. Not to mention that this thing would probably buckle under the weight of the two of us.

“Oh no!” Everly’s panicked voice hits the air once again. The beta has been on edge the whole time she’s been in Mari’s nest. “Did I move that pillow? Is that where it was?”

Mari chuckles under her breath and I look up from my phone.

“It’s okay, Everly.” Mari pushes up onto her knees, reaching past a very flustered Everly. She shoves a pillow in place, not really giving it the care omegas usually do. It’s obvious Mari is being extra kind to our frazzled beta. “Parts of a nest are meant to move a bit,” Mari says, patting Everly’s hand softly. “Just don’t pull at the edges of the blankets.”

“Okay.” Everly’s eyes go wide, scanning the fabric all around her. The poor girl looks like she’s calculating how badly she can fuck this up.

Dassy lets out a deep groan as he stretches out his legs. The chair creaks once again, and I stare intensely, waiting for the damn thing to snap in two. “We need to bring some real furniture in here,” Dassy says, dropping his phone onto his chest. He tucks his hands behind his head and arches his back, stretching a little deeper this time.

“Agreed,” I say, eyeing the coffee table in front of us. It barely looks big enough to hold my dinner plate. I glance back at the nest, making sure the pair aren’t listening. “You good?”

“About what?” Dassy sits up, resting his elbows on his knees so we can talk a little more privately.

“All the ‘ I love you ’ stuff. The way Mari reacted didn’t seem…great.” I grimace at my description, but Dassy only smiles. Nothing gets him down.

“I’m all good, brother.” He slaps the top of my thigh. “I don’t mind it when people struggle to share their feelings. It makes it that much sweeter when they finally do.”

I can’t help but smile at that. It’s a nice way to think about rejection. Maybe a little foolish, but still nice. “I’m glad it’s not getting you down.”

“Nah,” Dassy says as he looks over at our girls. “I expected Mari to be a little guarded.”

I nod, understanding what he means. “Because of her past.”

“No.” He laughs. “Because she's just like you .”

“Me?” I frown. “I’m not guarded.”

Dassy makes an exasperated sound, speaking at full volume as he leans back in his chair. “You barely talk about your day, let alone your damn feelings. You are the very definition of guarded.”

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are,” Everly’s quiet opinion pops up from somewhere within the nest. “You suck at sharing your feelings.”

I grind my teeth, hating it when they gang up on me. They don’t do it often, but Izan and Dassy love to drink on the back porch and see who can piss me off first. Everly never joins in, but today seems to be an exception.

A breathy yawn drifts from the nest, and Dassy and I instantly turn to the noise. Mari seems oblivious as we all watch her rub her eyes. Even though no one says a word, there’s an obvious excitement in the air as Everly gives me, then Dassy, a knowing look.

Those heat-suppressors are working through Mari’s body a little faster than expected. The omega’s skin has been running hot lately, and her scent has been noticeably sweeter. And now she looks like she wants nothing more than a good nap—something she hasn’t done once since she arrived. Omegas in pre-heat are known to nap a lot leading up to their cycle…at least that’s what the paperwork from Havenfield said.

I wish I could scent her nest, but the air purifier overhead is working overtime, sucking up all of Mari’s vanilla peppermint aroma in the main part of the room, and pumping out crisp, clean air. I want to turn it off, but Izan wants it running at all times until after we mate with Mari. He thinks it’ll help keep our desires under control around the omega. I’m sure he’s right, but it’s still so hard to think with our gorgeous omega less than ten feet from us.

“You look tense.” Everly reaches for Mari’s shoulders, rubbing them in small, focused circles. Mari hums and her eyes float closed. Slowly, the omega’s head falls forward, making her golden tresses shift into her face. “Do you want Dassy to braid your hair?” Everly whispers, trying not to disturb the tranquil mood too much.

Mari lets out a quiet breath, and the softest “yes” drifts from her lips.

Dassy’s whole body goes tight with excitement. His hands shake as he forces himself to slowly stand. The fool has been dying to get into Mari’s nest for weeks, but I have a feeling our determined little omega won’t let him yet. She seems to hold on to certain things, controlling who gets to do what with her. With Izan it’s licking her pussy, with Dassy it’s stepping into her nest, with Everly it’s touching her hair, and with me, it seems to be any kind of tender affection. The omega doesn’t smile at me, or even flirt. Hell, maybe she hates me, but I can live with that. After all, this is a waiting game. We’re all gaining the omega’s trust in the hopes of building a bond that will last a lifetime.

“Omega?” Dassy comes to a stop at the edge of Mari’s little alcove. “May I enter your nest?” He gives a little bow.

Mari raises her head, looking right at Dassy with sleepy half-hooded eyes. “No,” she whispers, then scoots to the ledge where he’s standing. Mari sits with her back to Dassy, waiting quietly. My brother literally deflates, but he doesn’t say a word as he grabs Mari’s tiny desk chair.

The phone in my pocket buzzes, but I ignore it, too wrapped up in watching the people I love. Everly looks like she’s in heaven, sitting in the middle of Mari’s nest, while our omega gets her hair braided. And while Dassy wasn’t pleased with being denied entry into Mari’s sacred place, he is beyond happy with being allowed to touch her in any way he can. It’s all so…sweet? Relaxing? I’m not sure. But it feels good.

Is this happiness?

It’s been so long since our pack has been truly happy—not fighting death or sickness—that I can’t remember what it feels like to just be.

“Where’s Izan?” Mari asks, her voice dreamy and soft.

“He’s working,” Everly says, glancing over at me. There’s a lot of excitement in the beta’s gray eyes. “Do you want me to go get him?”

“No,” Mari hums, tipping her head back as Dassy continues to braid her hair. “I was just curious.”

“Hutch?” My brother glances at me over his shoulder. “Will you get me a hair tie? There should be one on the white tray on the dresser.” He shifts to one side, showing me his fingers already twisted in Mari's golden tresses.

I nod and stand.

The dresser is covered in all kinds of shit. There are a few folded pairs of panties and socks, a notepad and a pen that no doubt belongs to our beta, and a large porcelain tray that’s covered in tubes of lip gloss, necklaces, and tiny white cards with earrings hanging from them. It looks like Everly went a little overboard with the shopping.

“Can you find one?” Dassy asks, still working on Mari’s hair.

I grab the tray and carry it to him. “Here.”

He leans over, examining the cluttered mess. “Shit, Mari. How do you find anything?”

The omega lets out a soft giggle before turning to look at the tray. “It’s right here.” She plucks a thin black hair tie from the center.

A dangling gold earring hangs from it, refusing to let go. I reach for it, grabbing the piece of jewelry at the same time as Mari. Our fingers brush together, and something electric moves between us. For a second, I fear I’m the only one who felt it until…until Mari lifts her lashes to look at me. Her brown eyes travel from the earrings over my fingers and up my arm, not stopping until she reaches my face.

I’m stunned, immobile as this tiny omega holds me in place with nothing but a look.

Mari’s pink little tongue pushes out, swiping over her bottom lip. Her chest rises as she pulls in a deep breath, no doubt sensing my heightened scent, and I swear her pupils dilate. I don’t know how this girl does it, but she has a grip on me like no other.

She’s like the ocean, an impressive force that has the power to easily destroy me, and I am nothing but a helpless leaf, desperate to be sucked under and consumed.

I wish I could tell her that.

“Uh,” Dassy’s deep voice cuts through the heated haze. “You two okay?”

Mari’s lashes flutter and she’s the first to look away. But I can smell her blush in the air. Is she embarrassed? Aroused? Angry?

Fuck, I hate not being mated to her.

“Alpha?” Everly holds out her hand, pointing to the hair tie. I didn’t even realize I was holding it.

“Sorry.” I hand it over, then turn on my heel, quickly returning to the dresser. But before I can put the tray back, I notice a folded piece of paper right where the tray had been sitting. I pick it up and put the tray back where it belongs. The paper looks fairly new, crisp and white. I shouldn’t open it—this isn’t my room—but my curiosity gets the better of me.

It’s a map of Cresthill with directions at the bottom.

My face scrunches with confusion as I glance around the room. Is this Mari’s map? Surely it didn’t belong to Brea. We cleared all of our departed omega’s belongings out of the room before bringing Mari home. But either way, it makes no sense for either omega to have a map of the nearby city.

“What do you have there, alpha?” Everly whispers as she tip-toes toward me. I glance back at Dassy, noticing that Mari has slumped up against my brother’s legs, dead asleep.

“Is this yours?” I ask, mimicking the beta’s hushed tones. “I found it near your notepad.”

Everly frowns as she examines the paper. “No.” Twin lines etch between her brows. “You found it on the dresser?”

Dread settles in my gut at what it could mean, but I force a smile, not wanting to worry Everly. “Izan probably accidentally dropped it.” I refold it, pushing the paper into my back pocket. “He’s been working with a pack that lives out there.”

Everly smiles, pleased with my shitty explanation, but then her whole demeanor changes as she inches a little closer. “Hutch?” she whispers even softer, cutting a worried look back at Mari. The omega is still sound asleep as Dassy finishes her hair.

“What is it?” I lean down, making it easier for her to speak as quietly as she wants.

“I think,” she licks her lips, finally tearing her gaze off of Mari, “I think she’s starting to remember.”

My body freezes up momentarily, and I blink repeatedly. “Mari? You think Mari is remembering what happened to her?”

“Yes.” Everly mouths the word, almost as if terrified someone might overhear. But it’s only us and Dassy in here, and he would never say a word unless Everly asked him to.

“What did Mari say?” I ask, curious.

But this time, my sweet beta presses her lips together. It’s a clear sign that she’s not comfortable sharing whatever Mari said. I get it. Everly was a counselor for several years. She respects and protects other people’s secrets fiercely. It’s an admirable quality.

“Is Mari okay?” I ask the most important question, and Everly quickly nods.

“I think she is.” Everly glances back at the small alcove, letting out a longing sigh. “She’s got a long way to go, but I think she’ll be okay.”

Holding out my arms, I pull Everly to me, wrapping her up in a warm hug. A rumbling snore cuts from across the room and Everly goes stiff in my arms. Then a stifled giggle pushes from the beta’s chest into mine.

“She snores so damn loud for someone so small,” Dassy whispers harshly. And I can’t help but agree.

“Okay,” Everly says as she leans away from me. She looks like she feels a bit better. “I’m going to change. I’m worried this is going to bug Mari.” She touches the waistband of her pajama pants, showing me a small black button.

“Really?” I stare at the tiny thing, not sure how something that innocuous could upset anyone.

“Yes,” Everly says as if I'm being ridiculous. “Omegas are very sensitive.” She gives me a pointed look. “I’ll be right back.” She points at my brother. “Don’t let him into her nest.”

Dassy’s mouth falls open. Offended.

“Yes, ma’am.” I quickly agree, choosing not to point out that Dassy would never enter Mari’s nest without permission. But the last thing I need is for Everly to think I won’t take her request seriously.

The second Everly disappears out the door, my mind returns to the map in my back pocket. I hate the suspicious thoughts swirling around in my head, but I can’t help it.

Why does Mari have this map? Why was she pretending to sleepwalk? Was her comment about getting hiking boots really an offhanded suggestion?

Not sure what to do, I pull out my phone and text Izan:

You busy? I need to talk.

The three seconds it takes for him to respond feels like a lifetime.

Not a good time. Can it wait?

Fuck .

I need to talk to Izan about this. Right?

I clench my jaw, thinking that through.

Izan isn’t likely to believe that Mari has something deceitful planned. Both he and Dassy dismissed me when I pointed out how bizarre her behavior was during the sleepwalking incident. And they’re likely to do it again with this map. After all, it’s just a piece of paper, and we have no proof it’s hers.

“Hutch?” Dassy whispers my name and I look up at him. My brother sits at the edge of the alcove, rubbing Mari’s back while she sleeps. Not a single part of his body touches her nest. “You good?” he asks.

I push my eyebrows up, not realizing that I was scowling. “Yeah,” I say, deciding that there’s no point in telling anyone. At least not just yet . “I’m good.”