The weight of his words settled over me. My instincts, my inner omega, had accepted them. Had claimed their scents, woven them into a place of safety and comfort. Had done something I hadn't consciously decided to do. Sitting here, surrounded by pieces of them, I couldn't say my omega was wrong.
"I didn't plan it," I said, my voice small. "I just... I couldn't sleep. Trinity's words kept playing over and over, and I felt so unsafe, and then my omega just... took over. I didn't even realize what I was doing until I was already stealing your clothes."
"That's exactly how it's supposed to work," Oliver said gently, pushing off from the doorframe and moving closer. "Nesting isn't a logical decision. It's your omega's way of creating security when you need it most. The fact that your instincts led you to us..." He smiled, soft and warm. "That means something, Daphne. Something important."
"I was so scared you'd think I was crazy," I admitted, looking down at my hands. "That you'd be weirded out or angry that I went through your things."
"Angry?" Levi looked genuinely baffled. "Daphne, I'm pretty sure this is the happiest I've ever been. My scent is in your nest.Ourscents are in your nest. This is literally the dream."
"He's not exaggerating," Garrett said, his voice still rough. "We've been hoping... waiting... trying not to push too hard." He shook his head. "And then you go and do this."
"Is it... is it okay if we stay?" Levi asked, practically vibrating with the effort of holding himself back. "We don't have to get in the nest or anything. I just... I don't want to leave. Not yet." I looked at him, at all of them. Four alphas crowded into this small room, looking at me like I'd given them the greatest gift in the world. Like my chaotic pile of blankets and stolen clothing was something precious and sacred.
"You can stay," I said. "But..." I hesitated, my omega stirring with a want I barely knew how to articulate. "The floor must be uncomfortable. You could... if you wanted..."
Levi's eyes went wide. "Are you saying we can join you?"
"Only if you want to." My face was burning. "And only if you're careful. Don't mess up the structure."
"We wouldn't dream of it," Micah said, and there was something almost reverent in his tone. "A nest is sacred. We know that."
"How do we..." Garrett gestured awkwardly. "What's the protocol here?"
I found myself smiling despite the lingering embarrassment. "I don't think there's a protocol. Just... come here. Carefully." Levi moved first, of course. He climbed onto the bed with exaggerated caution, treating every pillow and blanket like it might shatter if he touched it wrong. He settled against the headboard on my left, close but not quite touching, his whole body angled toward me like I was a sun he couldn't look away from.
Garrett came next, taking the spot at the foot of the bed. He sat with his back against the footboard, his long legs stretched out, one hand resting near, but not on, my ankle. Micah surprised me by being the third to join. He positioned himself on my right, sitting with perfect posture even in the middle of a nest, his shoulder a warm presence just inches from mine.
Oliver took the last available space, settling against the headboard on the far side of Levi. The bed wasn't really big enough for all five of us, but somehow we made it work, a tangle of limbs and bodies and warmth.
For a long moment, nobody spoke. We just existed together in the morning light, surrounded by the nest I'd built.
Then Levi let out a long, contented sigh. "This is the best morning ever."
"You said that about the morning after we went hiking," Garrett pointed out, a grin on his face.
"That was the best morning ever at the time. This is the new best morning ever. They can coexist." Levi snapped back, but there was no heat to his words.
"That's not how 'best' works," Micah said, but there was no heat in it. He was too busy looking at the way his sweater was woven into the nest near my feet, a small smile playing at his usually serious mouth.
"How are you feeling?" Oliver asked, his green eyes finding mine across the pile of bodies. "After yesterday. After... this." I took a moment to actually check in with myself. The hollow feeling from last night was still there, lurking in the background, but it felt more distant now. Muffled. Like the nest, likethey, had created a buffer between me and the hurt.
"Better," I said honestly. "Not great. But better."
"That's enough for now," Garrett said. "Better is good. Better is progress."
"We should talk about what happened," Micah said, ever practical. "Not necessarily right now, but soon. There may be legal options to consider, given the public nature of her threats."
"Micah," Oliver warned, giving him a long look.
"I'm not saying we need to discuss right this instant, I'm merely noting that it should be addressed at some point." Micah continued, giving me a look before his gaze settled back on Oliver who just gave a shake of his head.
"He's right," I said quietly. "We can't just ignore it. Trinity's not going to stop. She said as much."
"She can say whatever she wants," Levi growled, and for a moment, his playful energy shifted into something fiercer. "She's already destroyed her own reputation. Half the town watched her lose it. She has no credibility left."
"Credibility and capability are two different things," Micah pointed out, running a hand through his hair with a sigh. "She's proven she's willing to dig into Daphne's past, to use personal information as a weapon. We should be prepared for escalation."
"Can we not?" I pulled one of the pillows closer to my chest. "Just... not right now. I know we need to deal with it. I know we need a plan. But can we just have this morning first? Can we just... be?"
