26. Oliver

Chapter 26

Oliver

I can't believe the gall of those two, spending the night with Mila without informing me.

Bastards.

Meanwhile, I was trying to be a gentleman and give her the space and time she needed to adjust. We hurt her badly, and yet she is still giving us a second chance, and it is more than we all deserve.

We cannot mess this up. We have one chance to make this right, and that means we can't do something stupid, like creeping into her bedroom at night and watching her sleep.

Lachlan is a fucking moron.

We should really consider getting him a new cage. His chains just aren't quite up to the task lately, because I bet he would still find a way to Mila.

I wouldn't put it past him to chew his own hand off at this point.

And Barret is no better.

He was there to keep an eye on Lachlan, hey?

But in all honesty, I'm just mad that I didn't think to do the same thing, but I have boundaries.

I do remember how sweet and peaceful Mila looked when she spent time with me in the nest during my heat, and it's time I stepped up my game.

Today is the day I am about to give her the best damn gift anyone has ever given her.

I'm an Omega myself, and I know what Omegas love most in this world.

It's an advantage I have over the others.

Sure, they have big, bulging knots, but I have my instincts.

Mila is my scent match too, so there is no reason why I shouldn't be in tune with her needs.

Still. Lachlan needs to give some of the rest of us a chance.

It's bad enough he was the last to arrive for breakfast. The moment he appeared at the table, he pulled Mila onto his lap, then started hand-feeding her my pancakes.

Not that it's a competition or anything, but if it were… Lachlan would be winning.

Barret scowls at the blond too, and we both need to try harder…

Lachlan is just too good. The way he handed her those snowdrops yesterday… He even dropped down to his knees in the headmistress's office, and the Alpha has no shame.

Gryphon is the only one of us who doesn't seem to care, but I spy the gleam in his eyes whenever he so much as glances at her.

He wants her too, and he is sorry for how things turned out between us all.

I try to get a general sense of his thoughts through the bond, but he's gotten pretty good at shutting me out, only letting me in when he wants to.

He must sense me nudging on the bond, and he lets me in for just a moment.

I don't say anything. I just meet his eyes, and he raises a brow.

His red-brown gaze falls on Mila, and his eyes soften.

He knows I'm writhing in jealousy at Lachlan's overt display, and now he extends a warm tendril through the bond, wrapping it around me like a gentle caress.

Things are still pretty tense between us. His behavior these last few weeks has been beyond forgivable, but he is trying to make it up to me and the pack.

He really came around last night, getting Mila out of her room, and if it weren't for him, then she would probably still be in there.

It's just proof of how much we must have really hurt her if she was that afraid to face us again, and shame spears my heart like a knight's lance again.

It's time we really made it up to her, and pancakes just aren't going to cut it.

I place my fork down, addressing the table.

They look up.

Lachlan pauses, a fork halfway to Mila's mouth, and I should make this quick.

"There's something I have to say… to Mila…"

I meet her eyes, and her cheeks burn bright pink when we all look her way.

She's so precious when she's shy.

"Mila… we're so happy that you have given us a second chance. It's the least we all deserve, and I know I can speak for all of us here…"

Again, she keeps her gaze on the wood grains of the table, and I clear my throat.

After all, it's only me who can make this call.

The Omega is the core of every pack; we always get the final say on any decision.

So, this gift has to come from me.

"So, to make your return official… I have decided to build you a nest of your own… right here, in the house… even bigger than mine…"

Silence ripples across the table, and it takes a while for my words to register.

When they do, I find Mila's wide, forest-green eyes, getting lost inside them for a second, and I know at that moment that this was the right call.

Time to make it up to her, Omega style.