Page 41 of For All My Effort

Rather than agree, I watched my mate stiffen slightly. “What happened to spending the day in the nest together?”

“We’ll come right back up after we eat. Maybe drag one of the others up too.” I knew that one-on-one time with each alpha was important, but I didn’t think Seb would be opposed to the pack bonding in here.

“I can have them bring up food and stay if you want.”

He was acting weird. I knew it. I took a deep inhalation, focusing on my mate’s scent. His guava scent still smelled perfectly ripe, not hinting at any dark emotions, but—I inhaled again, just to be sure. His scent was almost too perfectly calm.

My suspicion must have been reaching him because he sighed like he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep holding out on me.

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Then just stay in here today. With me. Or the four of us can switch out.”

“What’s going on?”

“We aren’t trying to keep things from you. Okay, so let me reword that. Just for today. Shit is going down outside this house and we want to give you one more day before you’re forced to face it.”

“I won’t hide away forever. My head is healed. My life has to get back to some semblance of normal.”

“I agree. Tomorrow.”

I had no clue what mattered between today or tomorrow, so I agreed. Jackson brought up breakfast and I spent time with him, learning all about him. His love for working out, needing to protect me. At some point, he even chased me around the nest for a bit before gently tackling me and fucking me from behind.

After that, Jackson got into the lighter stuff, telling me about how he enjoyed the season right before winter, when it was crisp and chilly just not quite cold. He told me that he was an organized male, liking order and discipline in his work and yet he’d fallen for me—apparently an omega who never does what she’s told. Near the end of our time, he drew an imaginary family tree, explaining that his family was on-their-own-business rich, not own-a-corporation rich, but he still got along decently well with Seb and Han’s family because they ‘admired his effort’.

That comment had me snorting at the ridiculousness, even teasing him with the sassy words, “I also admired your effort earlier,” which let to him spanking my ass before taking me again.

Han and Zeke brought up dinner later, the two telling me about how they bonded with each other after already being a part of Jackson’s pack. They told me all about the difficulties they had learning to be two alphas with each other. How to be okay letting one be more dominant, how they had to look at designations differently because of it.

After that heavy discussion, we moved on to them telling me some funny stories about their times together. Learning how to use lube, the different positions they could fuck each other in, and then learning how to add an omega to the mix. Between them. In a row. Countless options which just worked to turn me on and then they were demonstrating all the possibilities.

Between them. Han thrusting into Zeke who was pushed into me. Both inside me, at the same time, in the same opening, stretching me even more than a knot.

By the end of the day, when all of my mates joined me in my nest to go to sleep, I was exhausted.

Still, as I was drifting off, my thoughts wondered to what I could expect the next day. Nothing I came up with was good.

Chapter Twelve

There was no waiting or wondering. I woke up the next day and my mates were full of melancholy as they turned the living room TV on. It wasn’t lost on me that they weren’t getting themselves ready for work today.

The first news channel was talking about my ‘attack’. Apparently, it was big news since more information had finally been released—specifically my name. My mates. My face from the photo taken for my OC residency card.

It was obviously me, a few years younger, which was truly freaky since that was the age my brain kept saying I was.

Someone changed the channel to another news station and this time a group of people were sitting on some uncomfortable looking couches, discussing how dangerous this beta revolution was. They were badmouthing the betas, calling them traitors and liars to their own cause since they’d ‘hurt’ an omega.

Another channel change, this one with a beta guest, explaining why he believed betas should get blocked out sections of civilization just for themselves. How alphas and omegas were too emotional and how the laws that affected everyone were unjust toward betas.

More flipping through the TV channels and it was like everyone was talking about me. Not specifically me, just using me in their argument like I was a prop to toss around, a weapon to wield in whatever cause they believed in.

“I have to do something. Say something.” It felt impossible to tear my gaze away from the screen. “They don’t understand what actually happened.”

“We know,” Seb said. “That’s what everyone was trying to work out yesterday. What to say. Who to reach out to. But, Hannah, it’s more than just the news.”

“What do you mean?”