That Weekend
Isaac
I t’s been the best week ever. Judson has been over multiple times, sitting and chatting until the sun goes down. I’ve cooked every night, making the alpha a few of my best dishes. I once read that as long as you can appeal to an alpha’s cock or his stomach they’ll keep coming back for more, and I don’t want to give Judson any reason to change his mind.
“Whatcha doing?” I sidle up next to Carys at the kitchen table.
“Nothing.” She looks up at me and my concern rises.
“You look a little off. Are you okay?” I resist the urge to touch her forehead.
“I’m fine.” She gives a lazy wave of her hand. “I’ve just been so hot lately.”
“Want me to turn up the air?” I ask, pulling three glasses out of the cupboard.
Carys presses her lips together to hide her smile, then she points to the thermostat on the wall. “I already did.”
I glance at the number, then shiver. “You turned it all the way down to sixty-two?” I might have to get a sweater.
“Is that too low?” Carys fans herself with a tea towel, and I notice for the first time how flushed her face and chest is.
“It’s fine.” I lean against the counter, hoping she’s not coming down with something. “How’s the nest coming along?”
“It’s finally done.” Carys’s whole demeanor shifts as she stands, moving to me. She looks so happy to talk about her nest. “The shape and feel have been perfect for a little while now, but I couldn't get the smell right.” She winces, before adding, “I hope you don't mind, but I took the throws off of the couch. They had the perfect mix of all my boy’s aroma.”
“Of course, I don’t mind.” Pride bursts in my chest. I put those blankets there on purpose. My hope was to get Carys acclimated to our scents when she napped with them, and it seems to have worked. “I’m glad your cove is done.” I want to ask to see it, but that would be very rude. When it comes to nesting, betas never ask for an invitation. We always wait to be invited.
“I honestly thought it would never be ready.” Carys grabs the pitcher of purified water out of the fridge. “I cried when it was done, though.” She snorts, pouring water into the glasses. “It’s such a stupid thing to cry over.” She laughs, fidgeting with the hem of her flowy blue sundress. She looks so unsure of herself, almost like admitting that she cried is a sin or something. “Those shorts look really good on you,” she suddenly says, admiring my chinos.
“Thank you.” I smile at her quick shift in conversation.
In the short time that I’ve known Carys, I’ve noticed that the omega struggles to share emotional or personal things. I want her to have the freedom to talk about whatever she wants, and not feel any pressure to say any more than she wants to. So if she wants to change the topic, then that’s what we’ll do.
“Do you want to help me carry these out to the boys?” I pick up all three glasses, jerking my head toward the backyard.
“You go ahead. I need to use the restroom real quick.” She follows me into the living room. “I’ll be there in two shakes!”
I stand by the patio door, watching my flustered little omega trot off. The second she disappears, my heart begins to pound. I try not to panic as all of her symptoms flip through my mind one by one. She’s flushed, hot, more emotional, and nesting. That could mean a few different things, but the two that jump out at me are that she’s either about to start her heat or she’s pregnant. But I’m not fool enough to actually think she’s pregnant.
She can’t be. Right ?
I’ve read the books, and know the odds are against an omega conceiving without experiencing a heat. But it has happened before.
No . I shake my head, awkwardly opening the patio door while juggling the drinks. She’s not pregnant. It has to be her heat. That makes more sense.
I walk through the yard, thinking about the thousands of things I need to do to prepare. If Carys's heat is about to start, I need to stock up on bottled water, fresh fruit, some light snacks, and something with electrolytes. I should probably also buy more sheets. Omegas go through a lot of sheets during their heat.
Walking past my rose bushes and all the way around the shed, I stop when Kofi, Swanley, and Judson come into view. All three alphas are shirtless, showing off their sweaty chests and cut abs. Kofi is dark and sexy, Swanley is pale with dark freckles covering his shoulders, and Jud is deliciously tan.
“That’s what I like to see.” Swanley smiles widely as I approach, dropping his pickaxe. It lands with a thud, some of the caked-on dirt falling off. “I love it when sexy men bring me ice-cold drinks.”
“I don’t want you three to pass out.” I hand Kofi his glass first, ducking my head when he kisses my cheek.
“Thank you,” he purrs in my ear, making goosebumps flash. Then Swanley takes his glass, making a big show out of kissing my other cheek.
“You’re both very sweaty.” I laugh, wanting nothing more than to strip down and have each one press his glistening, glorious body to mine.
“Thank you so much.” Judson’s fingers wrap around mine as I hand him his glass. It only adds to my flustered state.
I nod, mumble, “You too.” I immediately wince, but Judson doesn’t seem to notice my ridiculous answer. Or maybe he’s just being a gentleman and ignoring it.
All three alphas drink deeply. Their throats work, and their Adam’s apples bob. A trickle of water runs over the side of Kofi’s mouth, down his sweat-slicked throat, and down between his pecs.
“You’re making a lot of progress here.” I clasp my hands in front of me, trying to hide my growing erection. I’ve been extra flustered lately. It has to be the addition of Jud to the house. All the extra alpha pheromones are hard to ignore.
“The base is almost ready to be pieced together,” Judson says, planting his hand on his hip. I can’t help but stare at the trail of dark hair that runs from his belly button down the waistband of his pants. “We need to section this off.” He points to the stump Swanley is pulling up. “Fill the whole thing with cement to level it off.”
“Nah,” Swanley finishes his drink. “Only posts need to be cemented. Doing the whole base is pointless.”
“Pointless?” Jud scoffs. “A cement foundation will add?—”
“Add what?” Swan cuts in. “Add two days’ worth of work for something that posts and a solid base will already do?”
Jud’s mouth pulls into a tight smile. “It’s your gazebo,” he relents.
Swanley narrows his eyes and I can tell he’s going to say something snippy, but before he can get it out, he looks past me, and his whole demeanor instantly changes. He straightens his back, fixing his expression from annoyed to relaxed and happy. In fact, all three alphas seem to shift, growing alert as Carys steps up next to me. I love how tuned into her they all are.
“Wow,” Carys gasps, but all of my attention is on Swanley. He’s done a decent job of being somewhat friendly to Jud when I’m around, but I notice he’s less patient with the young alpha when Carys is nearby.
“You guys make a great team.” Carys beams, taking in the mess of wood and power tools.
“I think once we’re done, we might have enough wood left over to make you that garden box you mentioned yesterday,” Judson says to me. His friendly energy is just as bright as his smile. How can Swan not like him?
“That would be amazing.” I twist, looking over the whole yard. “I’m sure we can find a good place to put one.” I turn back around, surprised to find Judson checking out my ass. But he doesn’t startle or look away, instead, he gives me a sexy smirk, then downs the last of his water.
“How about a few beers next time?” Swanley hands Carys his empty glass.
“Is there anything you guys would prefer for dinner?” I ask, torn between wanting to make something easy so I can spend more time out here with them and wanting to impress.
“Everything you make is delicious,” Judson says, patting his cut abs. “I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this well in my life.” He leans in, his dark eyes filled with something so mischievous. “I can see why Kofi and Swan snatched you up.”
Swanley speaks up, talking way too loudly, “How about we get back to work so these two can get out of the hot sun.” He gives a fairly convincing smile, but I know him too well. He’s annoyed right now, and it makes me want to hug the ridiculous alpha. He’s so guarded, unable to accept that someone as lovely as Jud might just want to get to know us, without any ulterior motives or desire to abandon us the second things get real.
I love Swanley so damn much, but—just like with Carys—there are some things that even time struggles to heal.
Maybe later, I’ll corner Jud and let him know that Swanley’s love language is acts of service. All it takes is a bit of commitment and a show of good faith to really win my red-haired alpha over. That’s not to say that Swan will instantly fall in love, but it might give Jud a fighting chance.
“Don’t work too hard,” I say, turning away from the sexy alphas.
“We’ll come and get you when dinner is ready.” Carys slips her hand around my arm, tugging me back toward the house. Once we’re out of earshot, she leans in and whispers, “I can see why you keep finding things for them to build.”