Page 92 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

The temperature fell now that the sun had set. I stepped into the wagon first, helping Ty and then Mia inside. The four of us nestled together in the corner.

Ty and Mia curled up in the center, their hands intertwined as they whispered back and forth. Jason and I acted as the bookends, our large bodies shielding them from the wind, our arms snugly tucked beside them.

Moonlight hit Mia’s profile, the gold of her necklace shimmering against her skin. She looked so beautiful. So peaceful. The sliver of self-doubt that had haunted me for years vanished now with how she gazed at me—all soft smiles and kind eyes.

It was like none of my mistakes mattered anymore. Her presence absolved me of every terrible thing I’d done.

“Jason? Shane? Ty?” Her voice was small, barely audible over the crunch of the wagon wheels.

“Yeah, love?” I asked, my face resting on her shoulder.

She took a shaky breath, her fingers tightening around Ty’s hand. “I’ve been thinking.”

The air in our little corner grew still. Jason’s hand, which had been stroking Ty’s hair, stopped mid-motion.

“I want to stop taking my suppressants,” Mia whispered, her gaze fixed on the passing trees. “They’re not working now, anyways.” A nervous laugh rolled over her lips. “What I’m trying to say is that I want to have a heat. With you all. My pack. If you want to. That is.”

A deep, resonant purr started in Jason’s chest, the sound spurring on my own. How could she ever doubt that we wanted that? My alpha surged to the forefront, hating how uncertain our omega felt.

Ty tugged Mia into a tight hug, while Jason and I purred, causing her eyes to darken.

Jason cupped her face, his thumb tracing the line of her lower lip. “We’re going to take such good care of you, Mi. I promise. Your pack will always be there for you. And we would be honored to spend your heat with you.”

THIRTY-FOUR

MIA

Last night had been fun. I didn’t worry about money, my future, or how my life crumbled from under me. I’d been completely lost in the moment with my pack. Cuddled up with Ty during the hayride, sharing hot cider with Jason, and growling at some omega who dared to touch Shane, my alpha.

My fingers tingled at the memory. I’d read about the possessive flare omegas got with bonded mates. While we weren’t mated yet, the scent match expedited things on all fronts.

I tried not to dwell on it. Especially when my boys appeared to enjoy my jealous outburst.

Ty had called me a little lioness, and I really liked that.

Clutching my book in one hand, I shimmied upright, careful not to disturb the warm mountain of muscle surrounding me. They never slept in, and I couldn’t find it in my heart to wake them. Not even when I’d been awake for the past hour.

My free hand rubbed over Ty’s brow, tousling his curls. A soft snore puffed past his cheeks as he burrowed his face into my side. Jason’s thick forearm lay draped over Ty’s waist, his fingertips lightly skimming the exposed skin of my waist below my tank top.

Shane sprawled out like a starfish on my other side. I wasn’t sure what I believed in. But if there were any kind of sparkly white afterlife, I imagined it’d be something like this.

Part of me lamented that I’d fought my omega for so long. I grieved the past version of myself, the one who struggled alone.

I took control of the one thing I could at the time—myself. When I presented, I didn’t believe it. Was in denial. Whatever you wanted to call it. As far as I knew, there had been no omegas in my family history on either side. A couple of alphas, but mostly betas.

Tears ran down my cheeks as I sat in a cold, sterile room—all alone—at an emergency clinic. All I wanted was my mom.

They gave me three options: have my first heat alone with toys, share with vetted alphas through the heat clinic, or get an emergency injection to stave off my heat and go on suppressants.

I chose the latter. And never revisited the options. I had no idea how to be Mia Birch, let alone Mia Birch, an omega. I didn’t have my mom, but I had my pack, my family. And the idea of going through my first heat wasn’t nearly as terrifying as it had once been.

Now, it mostly excited me. I didn’t take my suppressants when I woke up. Instead, I stayed nuzzled in our bed, soothed by our scents while I read my well-loved copy of Little Women.

My thumb stroked the maple leaf pendant resting at the base of my clavicle. A restless energy electrified my skin. My omega stretched out, gently nudging me. Part of it felt like a warning of what was to come, while a larger part was an embrace—me embracing that piece of me I’d shied away from for so long.

“Good morning, baby girl.”

Jason’s sleep-roughened voice vibrated my spine. Blue eyes glinted with uninhibited desire, making my stomach flip. Careful not to jostle Ty, he leaned over our beta, dragging his nose along my jaw.