Page 114 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

The air in the dilapidated barn smelled of spiced cider, woodsmoke, and pumpkin coated in chocolate. A happy sigh made my shoulders sag as my lips rested on the rim of my hot cocoa.

For the first time in the week since my heat, a cloudy mist didn’t fog my mind. When I’d still been out of it after my fever broke, Ty frantically called their doctor. She confirmed that all my symptoms were normal for an omega after their first heat.

That didn’t stop him and my alphas from fussing. I not so secretly loved it—their fussing, their attention. Ty made all our meals, Shane brushed my hair before bed, and Jason went full daddy mode, carrying me from room to room while keeping me swaddled in blankets.

And instead of making uneasy emotions twist in the pit of my stomach, it made heat slither through my limbs. I embraced my pack, and all that came with it. Letting them spoil and care for me didn’t make me weak; it made me strong.

It turned me into someone confident enough to rely on others when she needed it. This new version of me seemed to please my omega. Or perhaps it was a combination of that and finally having a heat.

The constant pacing and itching in the background vanished. My sated omega curled up like a contented kitten, stretching out in the afternoon sun.

I adjusted the silk ribbon of my red velvet hood, my cape settling over my shoulders. Beside me, the boys were a goddamn menace to my sanity. Jason, Shane, and Ty were all decked out in matching red-and-black checkered flannel, sleeves rolled up to reveal corded forearms.

The only thing that kept me from jumping into their arms and pushing them to the ground was the ridiculous ears and tails they sported.

I’d been shocked when they agreed to wear the wolf ears and clip-on tails. Ty found it fun. Shane shrugged and gave in quickly. Jason grumbled, only relenting to wear the tail when I pouted at him with big, sad eyes.

Now, they mingled about Hazel’s Halloween party, ignoring the barbs from Sienna when Jason’s sister nearly lost it at the sight of them.

As if I had summoned him with a mere thought, Jason appeared at my side, pulling me into a sidelong hug.

“You are in so much trouble for this, baby girl,” he whispered.

“What? What did I do? It’s not like I tied you down and forced you to wear the costumes.”

“You know what you did, Little Red Riding Hood. And it will be you tied to the bed begging your daddy for mercy later.”

I sucked in a sharp breath, my fingers aching from how hard I clutched my cocoa.

“You’re perfuming, love,” Shane murmured, leaning down to nuzzle the sensitive spot behind my ear.

My fingers traced the blush stinging my cheeks.

“You can blame Daddy.”

“I should thank him. You smell as sweet as sin. And if he’s making you perfume like that, I cannot wait to see what he has planned.”

“You and Ty can watch later,” Jason chuckled, his grip on my hip bruising.

My knees buckled, and my men laughed at my expense. I tried to glower at them, but the heat in my abdomen turned into more of a lackluster half-frown, half-smile.

Sienna giggled, dancing in the center of her pack, long black hair flowing behind her as she twirled. Ty curled his fingers around Shane’s wrist, pulling the begrudged alpha onto the dance floor.

Despite Shane’s grumbling, his eyes lit up once Ty started grinding against him. Jason got distracted by Fern, who made him bob for apples. I shooed him along when he sent me a look that said, “Please save me.”

Unfortunately for him, I was in no position to rescue cruel alphas who planned to torture me later. Lily danced with Hazel, the two of them spinning around, their eyes hazy with a mixture of liquor and chocolate.

I smirked, pulling my phone out, intending to take a video of all my favorite people in the world. A notification from my banking app flashed on the screen, alerting me to a new deposit.

My brow pinched. I didn’t get paid from the bookshop until next week.

I tapped the screen, logging in to check my account.

Spit caught in my throat, and I choked, smacking my sternum. My eyes watered, and I zoomed in on the number, certain it had been a trick of the light.

When I got a closer look, it didn’t change.

My pulse whooshed in my ears, muddling the sound of the party.