49. Oliver

49

OLIVER

I feel bad watching Emmett and Sam walk down the sidewalk. They should be here too. We should be a united pack for our omega. It's our own fault though and now it's time to show Amaya we can be men she can trust and rely on.

Surrounded by bags and bags of groceries tucked between at least ten large boxes of nesting supplies, I knock on Amaya's door. While I wait and hope they answer the door, I admire the handiwork of my pack mates.

I'm surprised Sam was able to fit all the groceries in his car. It was a good thing Emmett took his truck to get the nest stuff, because damn .

I bet if I were an alpha, I would hear Vincent approach the door, but alas, I have no warning before the door is yanked open. The alpha looks tense as fuck, immediately setting me on edge, but his shoulders loosen when he sees me.

"Oliver, what are you doing here?" Vincent's voice gets quieter when he notices all the goodies surrounding me.

I gulp. The guys are relying on me to start the process of making amends. "We want... Well, Amaya... Kate said?—"

Then Amaya's there, peeking around Vincent with a hard look and shutting me up completely. Confusion fills her pretty gold eyes when she sees me, but when her gaze flicks down, her pupils sharpen to pinpricks and her scent sparks.

Omega .

I barely register Vincent's purr in response to her visceral reaction. "Maya," I choke, trying to gulp down as much of her beautiful spring scent as I can before it's inevitably taken away from me again. "We?—"

I'm cut off from explaining when she practically dives headfirst into the nearest box of fuzzy blankets. Vincent and I watch wide eyed as she scoops the bundle out of the box and darts back inside.

"Um," I mumble, not sure what to do now.

Vincent watches our omega fly up the staircase with a small crease between his brows. But when a few doors slam shut upstairs, a smile curves his lips and his arms relax.

"Help me get these inside?" he asks.

I swear I about die of happiness when the alpha grabs two of the boxes. Our offering has been accepted, quite literally, with open arms.

"I'll bring the nesting supplies upstairs for her to pick through. You bring the food to the kitchen," Vincent directs, which I have zero problem with. This is going better than I expected .

The wide grin on my face doesn't fade, it only grows as I take my first step into her home. The scent of her space can only be described as floral lemon, and I can't help but yearn for my subtle summer scent to intertwine with theirs. I hope she uses the bag of our clothes I tossed into one of the boxes.

We work in silence; me piling the groceries on the counters while Vincent makes a few trips upstairs with stacks of boxes. God, he's strong .

Shaking the thought of his bulging biceps out of my head, I start organizing all the food to make it easier to put away. I won’t assume I should go snooping in their cupboards even if it's just to put stuff away. I may have been let inside, but that doesn't mean I get any more privileges.

I'm standing in the middle of the kitchen, taking in the few personal touches of their main level, when Vincent joins me. He answers my unspoken question. "Amaya's been struggling to feel comfortable here, and it's not my place to make changes to her home."

"But don't you live here too?" I ask, even though it's probably none of my business.

His lips twist as he reaches for a carton of milk to put away. "I don't know. I stay here, but we haven't actually discussed me living with her."

I hand him a bottle of orange juice while thinking through what he's shared. I want to know more, like what their dynamic really is, but I think I would be crossing a boundary.

With the final item tucked into the pantry, Vincent leans against the counter with his arms crossed. "What's the plan here, Oliver?"

Fair question .

"The plan is to help you, help her. We aren't so bad that we would assume we would be allowed anywhere near Amaya, but let us be your shadows, please."

His eyes narrow. "And what does that mean?"

I wave my arms around. "You'll need help to keep both of you fed and alive without neglecting her other needs. Plus, it will make you feel more secure to have us watching the house. Keeping you both safe."

"What makes you think I trust you, and the other two, enough to be in my omega's space during this vulnerable time?"

I square my shoulders. "You trust us because we'll do anything for Amaya and because you know we love her. We hurt our omega. Yes, we are terrible mates, but you also know we didn't do anything intentionally."

"Except Samuel."

I hate it, but I nod. "Let us show you we can be better."

Vincent shrugs. "It's not up to me. If she doesn't want you here, you won't be. So what's your plan to convince her to let you stay?"

I grin. "Dinner."