Page 7 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

“Go on inside, Mi. Head up to the second floor, all the way to the end of the hall. There’s a suite there with its own bath. It’s the quietest spot in the house. Why don’t you go get settled? I’ll grab your bags and bring them up.”

She bit her lip, looking back at her car, and her shoulders rounded. “I can help. Really. There’s… there’s not much.”

The way she said it—so quiet, so resigned—hit me like a punch to the gut. I looked through her car window at three modest boxes and two battered suitcases.

That was it.

Her entire life packed into the back of her rundown sedan.

She’d lost her parents, her home, and she was standing there telling me all her belongings fit in a few small boxes.

My alpha paced, baring its teeth.

“I’ve got it, Mi,” I said, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.

My features relaxed, and I tucked a stray curl behind her ear. My heart hammered against my ribs as I leaned down.

I meant to offer a comforting gesture, but as I got close to her, waves of vanilla bean consumed me. I couldn’t help myself. I cupped her cheek, pressing a lingering kiss to the corner of her lips. It took all my strength not to claim her mouth, to see if she tasted as sweet as I envisioned.

“Welcome home, Mi,” I murmured against her skin.

I pulled back, grinning. Her breath hitched as a beautiful flush spread from her neck to her face. Before I could do something truly stupid, I turned, grinding my teeth together until my jaw throbbed.

My nails dug into my palm. Pale crescent marks bloomed on the tanned skin. My heart slowed, returning to its normal rhythm. Finally under control again, I faced her.

“Go on, Mi. I’ve got this. Go rest.”

A small, tired smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes graced her lips. She nodded, tossing another glance at me before I motioned for her to go.

I waited until the door clicked before reaching for the first box in the back of her car.

It weighed nothing.

She had nothing.

No heirlooms, no heavy furniture, no clutter of a life well-lived.

Barely the essentials.

My neck cracked as I rolled my shoulders. An omega deserved to be spoiled. It was essential to their well-being. My skin prickled. Mia deserved endless piles of plush blankets and anything her heart desired.

If she’d allow me, I’d pamper her like the princess she was.

Red and orange leaves fell around me as I stared at those boxes. After a wet spring and summer, the fall colors were brilliant, already starting to turn and paint the landscape.

My Mia deserved all we could give her. I didn’t care what it cost, or how much timber I had to haul, or how much sap I had to boil.

My sweet little omega would never want for anything.

I’d fill that empty suite with silk and velvet. I’d stock her shelves with all the books she ever mentioned and keep an endless supply of baked goods and coffee.

If she wanted the moon, I’d find a way to tap the stars and boil them down into syrup just to give her a taste of it.

THREE

MIA

Fluffy blankets slid under my fingers, and the carpet felt plush under my bare feet as I stood. Bright pinks and purples painted the floor as the sun started to set, spilling light in from the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the farm.