Page 62 of Written in Scent

After a moment I relax and snuggle deeper into his chest, letting the heat of his body and the low murmur of their voices lulling me.

Jamie reaches for the remote on the coffee table and changes the channel. A rerun of a lacrosse game fills the room with low sounds, the thwack of sticks and the distant cheer of the crowd turned down.

The even rise and fall of Chase’s chest beneath my cheek, the rhythm of his breathing, and the heat of his body wrapped all the way around me pull me under, like warm water closing over my head. A gruff rumble starts up and I realize that he is purring for me.

I fall asleep right there in his lap, completely relaxed for the first time all night.

A gentle hand shakes my shoulder, pulling me gently up from the fog of sleep. I blink my eyes open and find Alex crouched in front of us, his pale gray eyes reflecting the low light of the television.

“Would you like to sleep somewhere more comfortable?” he whispers.

I mumble something wordless and burrow back into Chase’s chest, pressing my face into the solid warmth of him.

“This is plenty comfortable,” I tell him, the words thick and sleepy.

Chase chuckles beneath me, the sound rumbling low through his body and into mine. “You’ll probably wake up with a crick in your neck for your nerdy study date with Adrian tomorrow.”

Adrian makes a half-amused protesting noise from his armchair. Alex holds out his hand, patient as he always seems to be. I sigh, reluctant, but slip my fingers into his and let him help me slide from Chase’s lap.

My legs feel slightly wobbly as I stand, the room tilting for a moment before it rights itself again.

Alex leads me upstairs, his hand firm and constant on the small of my back. We pass several closed doors, their surfaces smooth and silent in the dim hallway light, until we reach the one at the very end of the hall.

He steps back and gestures for me to open it first, respecting nest rules even though this is his house. The small gesture makes something tender twist in my chest.

I push the door open and reach for the light switch. Hundreds of tiny fairy lights glow to life all at once, bathing the room in a gentle, magical haze.

The room is breathtaking.

A massive sunken bed is built into a raised platform, making it look like it is nestled into the floor itself. Soft chiffon and gauze drape from a canopy overhead, creating an intimate cocoon.

Everything is decorated in the gentlest neutrals, earthy greens, warm browns, and glowing golds that feel like they were chosen just for me. Brass butterfly knobs gleam on the closet doors, catching the fairy lights with every small movement. An ornate mirror with a pretty frame sits above a delicate dressing table, and huge windows are covered by blackout blinds pulled down tight. One entire wall is lined with empty bookshelves, waiting patiently to be filled.

I perfume without meaning to, the sweet burst of strawberry and peach filling the air the moment the thought flashes through my mind — how easily the whole pack could fit in that enormous bed with me.

I spin to Alex, stunned, the words already forming on my lips. “Did you—”

He cuts in gently before I can finish, his voice careful. “After the last time you were here we started making some improvements to the nest. We hoped you would like them.”

My jaw drops. They barely knew me then. Yet somehow, in only a day, they have made this space feel perfectly mine.

Alex watches me for a moment, eyes warm. “The nest is yours,” he says with an almost reverent tone. “Even if you only want it for tonight. But there is no other omega for my pack.”

He leans in and scent marks me softly on the temple, the touch of his jaw against my skin sending a shiver through me. Then he steps back and leaves me to settle, closing the door behind him with a quiet click.

I stand there alone, heart racing so hard I can feel it in my throat. The fairy lights blur for a second as I stare around the room again. I grab my phone with shaky fingers and dial Sophie, hoping I’m not waking her or interrupting anything.

She picks up instantly. “Elodie? Are you OK?”

“Yes,” I say quickly, then correct myself. “Maybe? I don’t know.”

The words tumble out in a rush as I tell her everything, the nest, the fairy lights, the butterfly knobs, the way the colors feel like they were pulled straight from my own head.

“They’ve already started decorating their nest for you?” Sophie exclaims, her voice breathy with disbelief. She launches into an explanation of the Whitmore family, how Alex’s dad is the CEO of Whitmore Enterprises, how Alex and the pack are going to inherit the whole company and already have more wealth than most people can imagine. Not to mention how attractive they all are.

I swallow hard. “I even liked Chase tonight,” I admit, the words surprising me as they leave my mouth.

Sophie sighs wistfully on the other end of the line. “It’s super unusual for alphas to decorate a nest for an omega before they have even properly decided to court her. Did you agree to a courtship the other day and not realize it?”