31. Vincent

31

VINCENT

I s this how I imagined I would be moving in with my mate? No. Am I mad about it? Also no.

Am I pissed the fuck off that after everything my omega has been through, three pencil-dicks have made her cry and doubt herself? Fuck yes I'm pissed. Am I also a little angry that Amaya made me promise not to go over there and murder them? Yep.

I've never killed someone before, even if I look like it, and I never planned to, but that all went out the window when I caught my mate's scent. I would do anything for the woman currently sitting in her window seat, staring out across the houses. Or more specifically, staring at the house where her other three mates live.

Maybe I should be jealous she's giving them so much headspace, but there's no room for that when I'm constantly fighting the urge to scoop her up and hide her from the world, while also refraining from busting their damn door down.

It's been almost two weeks since she moved in and it doesn't look like it. Shit, this place only looks lived in wherever she goes since she drags her pillow and sheet with her from the couch to the window seat. Other than her meager nesting materials being drug from place to place, there is no omega touch in the house.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I may have had some cute dishtowels delivered along with a few extra blankets to cozy up the space and try to make Amaya feel more comfortable. It hasn't helped, nor is it appropriate for me to continue decorating her home when she never actually asked me to move in.

It's been a week since Paul dropped that bomb on her, and the same amount of time since I started crashing on the living room floor. Once it was clear that Amaya was spiraling away from me while sitting on her kitchen counter, I knew I couldn't, wouldn't leave her.

With Amaya fading into the recesses of her mind, I had to yank my alpha hotheadedness back to my mate in time for me to catch her when she passed out. Thankfully, Kate called Amaya to check in the next day, which I had to answer because all she's been able to do is stare off into space. Kate and Beckett managed to get my small amount of possessions from the hotel I'd barely been staying at and bring them here.

When Kate kneeled in front of my little mate, I watched her shatter all over again. Her friend’s shirt was soaked with tears once Amaya cried herself to sleep.

Just thinking about it now while staring at her pale face in the evening light makes fighting my instincts even harder. Everything in me is screaming to go to her, make her eat something, run her a bath, snuggle her, and, of course, shoot the bastards who broke her heart.

"Amaya," I murmur softly as I sit on the edge of the window seat. "Would you like to take a bath before bed?"

She blinks, still staring out the window.

"Little mate?" I touch her thigh gently, making her flinch, but in the next breath she relaxes and looks at me. I ask again, "Bath?"

She shakes her head no.

"How 'bout we get you set up in your room tonight?"

Panic flits across her face before she whines, "No."

"Can you tell me why not?" It takes a lot of effort not to react to her omega whine. That sound is meant to warn an alpha that something is distressing their mate, but fuck me, I have no idea what to do to help her.

Flicking from me to the couch, her golden gaze flares with something I'm not sure I recognize. "I-I don't want to," she stammers.

Could it be as simple as that? It's moments like this I wish her other mates weren't pieces of shit, because I could really use another perspective. All I see is my omega not getting enough sleep and her bed upstairs untouched. She's been sleeping on that damn couch for too long, and I can guarantee it's not helping anything.

I look over my shoulder at the rumpled cushions and the few other pillows she uses. Frowning, I try to imagine what someone else would see, maybe someone who is more emotionally adjusted.

What would another mate see?

Cushions saturated in her scent, articles of my clothing tucked into a few divots, warm lighting, and a corner to keep her surrounded on two sides. "It's your nest," I whisper, mostly to myself.

Amaya sniffles and burrows a little deeper into her sheet. "Do you not like it?"

Snapping my head back to her, I realize my mistake; I was trying to take her away from the one spot she has made herself at home in. An omega's nest is their pride and joy, yet I dismissed it like she shouldn't want it.

Fuck, I'm an idiot . This is what I get for attending a corrupt school that refuses to teach anything about omegas except how to keep them in line.

Except, I can't really use that as an excuse, because the rehabilitation center retaught us everything we were supposed to know about being good alphas to society and omegas.

"I love it, Omega," I say sincerely because now that I see the spot in a new light, I'm grateful for it. "You did so well with your first nest, little mate."

She perks up. “Really?”

"Really," I coo. "Why don't we go snuggle in it and get some sleep? Maybe Kate and Beckett can bring us some yummy coffees in the morning, huh?"

Behind her, I see a car pull up to the assholes’ house, making my heart pound. She can't see them before bed, it will fuck up her sleep .

"What?" Amaya's head begins to turn, noticing I'm looking over her shoulder

"Nothing." I divert quickly and snatch her up into my arms. "Let's cuddle."

She goes lax in my arms, her breath puffing across my collarbone with a sigh. "It's okay, Vince. I already saw the car leave earlier."

Okay, so it sounds like we need to move . A state change preferably.

Tucking her head beneath my chin, I settle myself in the corner of what I now know to be her nest. "Time to sleep, Omega."

No response greets me except for a little wiggle to get comfortable. Offering the only comfort I know right now, I purr and relax when her body goes boneless against mine.

With the lights on to keep the spookies away, I shut my eyes and drift off, knowing my mate is safe in my arms.

Except, I will never be able to keep her completely safe, will I? Her scream of terror hours later proves I have no control over the nightmares her mind can conjure.