Page 33 of Shattered Trinket
I absentmindedly run my fingers through my hair and steal a quick glance out the window, then redirect my attention back to her. Her deep green eyes are soft on my face, seeing so much more than I want her to, but that’s how it’s always been. For all of us.
Mother’s intuition, she always called it.
“I’m pissed at myself that I hid in here instead of going out there to talk to her like they did. If I had, I’d be on that walk with them all right now, getting to know her myself.”
She smiles at me and sighs, taking a sip of her tea.
“I’ve always told you that you miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take,” she says with atskand shake of her head. “And this shot is one I hope you don’t miss, baby boy. So, stop hiding from your omega and put in the work.”
I huff out an incredulous laugh.
“I’m not… Fuck, I’m not hiding from her, Ma. I’m just…” I trail off, staring down at the colorful counter as I try to figure out how to explain my thoughts to her.
“You’re scared.Aht!”
She holds her hand up, going to smack me in the forehead when I open my mouth to correct her, and I promptly zip my lips as I dodge her hand.
“You’re scared. Scared of these intense feelings that are so sudden when you barely know the person you have those feelings for. Scared of her past and how it’s going to affect yourfuture together. Scared of the possibility of more change in your pack than you’d planned. But mostly, you’re scared that you’re not enough and that she won’t want you.”
My throat feels tight as I try to swallow and I have to look away from her. I clear my throat, my jaw clenched as her words echo in my ears.
She’s right, though. About all of it, but definitely about me being scared that she won’t want me.
“It’s okay to be afraid of taking such a big risk. We’ve all been there at some point. Shall we call your sister so she can tell you all about how afraid she was initially about exploring her feelings for River and the rest of their pack last year?”
I snort and shake my head.
“Gods, no. Please, do not call Ripley. I’ve heard about enough of their beginning to scar me for life,” I say with a shudder, making Ma laugh.
“Yes, well. I can only imagine what she told you, and I’d rather not,” she say with a chuckle. “As I was saying, you’ll never know unless you try, sweetheart. Cozy is still learning a lot about herself, on top of working through her trauma, but she’s tougher than you all think. That girl is a fighter, and right now she’s fighting to get her own happily ever after. All you need to do is be there for her, encouraging her every step of the way. Walk by her side or behind her protectively, but never in front of her. Guide her, but also let her find her own way when she needs to. Nurture her soul and watch it bloom again under your love and care. That’s what she needs most of all. Love.”
I let her words sink in, absorbing them and committing them to memory. Before I can respond, her phone rings, and she gets up, walking out of the kitchen as she answers. I’m still at the island when she comes back several minutes later, clapping her hands with an excited smile.
“Time to take your first step towards getting your omega! Go help your dads unload that truck out there and bring everything up to Cozy’s room. We redid Ripley’s old room for her, and your sister and I took her to pick out things for her nest today.”
My breath catches in my throat at the mention of Cozy having a nest, my stomach clenching as I try to imagine how she’ll decorate it and what it’ll look like. Will she fill it to the brim with a million blankets and pillows, or is she more minimalistic? Does she prefer only soft fabrics, or does she like a variety? What does her perfect nest look like for her?
Not knowing her preferences only fuels my curiosity, and I’m even more eager to glimpse into who she is. I spring to my feet, briskly walking past Ma while she chuckles softly to herself, following behind me.
Time to put in the work.
Fourteen
Cozette
Do something that scares you.
That’s all I can think about.
I’ve made one step towards this, but why not kill two birds with one stone? I can’t avoid these alphas forever. At some point, I need to get to know them, and when the big one asked me to go on a walk, this seemed like a good opportunity. Despite how nervous they make me, I crave being near them. To be surrounded by their scents, especially now that I’ve met Emmanuel.
Gods, he smells so good. Like mangos and something spicy. Next to Zeke, I’m trying my hardest to keep from completely flooding the trail we’re on with my perfume. To distract myself, I decide to break the silence and be the first to speak since neither of them have done so yet and it’s making me antsy.
“So. Um, h-how long have you guys known each other?” I ask lamely, biting my lip.
I have no idea what I’m doing. I was never a great flirter back home, and being with Victor left no room for practice, for obvious reasons. I know I should bring up the topic of this whole scent match thing, but it makes me nervous. Nervous because I don’t know them, even if I somehow know that I’m safe with them. Maybe it’s because they have Mama Valley’s stamp of approval, because I know she’d never leave me alone with them if she thought I was in danger. Or maybe it’s those pesky instincts of mine that I’m finally listening to.
All I know is that I want to keep making strides in my recovery. I might not have been expecting to find scent matches, but they exist. Physically, my body is terrified of them, and yeah, mentally my brain is screeching, but not entirely. The most basic part of me does recognize what these men are, whothey are, and I think that helps.