Page 75 of Shattered Trinket
After the tour downstairs, we make our way up. Zeke points out their rooms to me, his being the last before he shows us the three rooms that me, Micah, and Jeremiah can choose from. Jeremiah and Micah look at me, waiting, and I sigh with a shake of my head before checking out each room, ultimately choosing the first one because of the alcove nestled into the wall next to the bed that’s like a mini nest for one.
Zeke grins down at me when I glance at him after telling them my choice, and my cheeks warm when I realize choosing this room also puts me right next to his. Jeremiah and Micah each claim a room, with Jeremiah choosing the one on the opposite side of me, while Micah settles into the room next to him.
“I hoped ye would pick that one.”
I snort, biting my lip.
“Why’s that? Because now I’m right next door to you?” I tease, tilting my head as I try to contain my smile.
“Ah, well, I canae sit here an’ tell ye that’s no part o’ the reason. But na, that’s no why. It’s because we designed it for… well, ye, Ducky. Everything about it was made wi’ an omega in mind,” he tells me earnestly, reaching out and tucking a pesky curl behind my ear.
As I steal a quick glance back at Manny and Ridge, their smiles light up their faces, and their eyes sparkle with a sense of accomplishment. They’re clearly proud that I chose the room they all worked so hard on with the hope that one day the omega meant for them would inhabit it.
Gazing back up at Zeke, my smile turns gentle, but tears begin to well up in my eyes as a flood of emotions threatens to overwhelm me. From the glossy wooden floors to the soft, well-worn couches, this home exudes a homey and lived-in vibe that instantly put me at ease from the moment I stepped inside. Knowing that they’ve wanted this long enough that they builttheir home with their future omega in mind does something to me, and I’m trying to picture myself as just that.
Theirs.
There’s that pesky hope again.
“You’ve all built a really beautiful home. This place is like a dream, but it also feels like a home, and I like that,” I tell the three of them softly, and they each gift me with a beaming smile.
“This is your home now, too, Cozy. All of you.Nuestra casa es tu casa,” Manny says, stepping forward and cupping my cheek before looking over at Jeremiah and Micah.
Our house is your house.
I can feel it. That this is our home, and all I can hope for is that they’ll continue to still want me no matter what they learn in the future.
Because I’m starting to see them as mine just as much as Jeremiah and Micah, and I don’t know if I could handle the heartbreak if they change their minds about me.
An hour later, all of our things have been brought inside, and all five men are helping me put my things away. What seemed like a daunting task once they brought the last of my things to my room ended up being a quick task, with six people getting things done. While I put my clothes away, Zeke makes my bed, and the others put the rest of my things away, only asking about placement for a few things, but for the most part taking charge. It’s something I find I like a lot.
I look around my new room with a smile, loving it even more now that my things are in it. My colorful bedding is neatly made on the four-poster bed, the plushies they all slept with last night lined up neatly against my pillows, which makes me grin. A few more have been put inside of the little alcove in the wall, thenew purple minky blanket that Ridge gave me when we started putting my things away folded neatly on the cushion.
He looked so afraid to give it to me, like he thought I’d hate it, so when I threw myself at him and wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug while thanking him, I could tell he was surprised.
“Ready to see the nest,Sirenita?” Manny asks, getting my attention easily at the mention of the nest they built.
I try not to seem overly excited, but I realize I’m failing when I catch all of their smiles and the way their eyes sparkle as they stare at me, so I give up. I bounce on my toes, clasping my hands together.
“Yes, please,” I eventually squeak out with a giddy smile.
Jeremiah chuckles and the rest follow suit, but my excitement doesn’t waver. Manny grabs my hand and leads me back downstairs and outside. We walk across the porch until we reach another set of steps I hadn’t noticed earlier. Stepping down, we end up on the walkway I saw in the pictures that Ridge showed me.
The walk over to the building housing the nest isn’t but maybe fifteen or so feet from the house, and when we reach the door, I can barely contain myself. I can’t remember the last time I felt this giddy or just… truly excited about something, and that makes my heart warm.
The moment we step inside, my anticipation gets the better of me and I dash up the stairs. The alphas’ laughter fills the air as they trail behind me, their footsteps resonating up the wooden stairs. As I reach the top of the stairs, a smile spreads across my face and I kick off my shoes before stepping out onto the foam floor currently littered with boxes of my things. When I reach the middle of the floor, my eyes are drawn upwards, and I am left breathless as I take in the vivid colors of the sky—a mesmerizingblend of pink, purple, and orange—clearly visible through the massive skylight that stretches across the entire vaulted ceiling.
In an instant, I’m transported back to my carefree childhood as I twirl around, my head thrown back and giggling like a schoolgirl, until dizziness overtakes me and I collapse onto the soft, cushioned surface below. Lying there, gazing at the vast expanse of the open sky, I feel an extreme sense of tranquility as I notice the five men’s unwavering gaze upon me. Deep in my heart, I’m certain that this place is where I truly belong, and somehow, I just know that this nest is…mine.
With that thought, I immediately sit up and start ripping into the boxes, pulling out all of my nesting materials and reassembling my nest with complete peace and joy in my heart. I can’t wipe the smile from my lips as I work, and even though I know the guys are just standing by watching me, I don’t feel self-conscious or the need to stop.
Once all the boxes are finally sorted through, I sit back on my knees and gaze around the area, a satisfied smile spreading across my face. While I diligently reassembled my nest, the alphas swiftly cleared away the empty boxes, leaving only my plushies nestled inside the fort-like structure made of my blankets and pillows on the foam floor.
A yawn escapes me, and as I look back up at the glass ceiling, I’m mesmerized by the brilliant glow of the stars and moon in the sky. The urge to curl up in my new nest and fall asleep stargazing is strong, but before I can give in to that urge, my stomach growls loudly.
I glance over at the alphas sitting on the stairs and along the railing, patiently watching me with various degrees of smiles on their lips. Ridge, Manny, and Zeke look over my nest, their smiles growing as they take in what I’ve done to the area, and all three look at me with eyes full of emotion that makes my throat feel tight.
“How about we go eat and then get you in bed, Smalls?” Ridge asks me, a lopsided smile on his lips.