Page 128 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

We did nothing of the sort, but seeing Sage so off balance is adorable.

“You were…what?” Sage splutters. “Since when?”

“Well, I mean, you walk around in singlets and those tight pants that hug your ass, what else am I to think but that it’s an invitation. And the way you tell me off, mm, it’s so…fucking…hot.”

Sage narrows his eyes. “Do you really mean this?”

“Yes.”

“So, you’d take my bond?”

“Yes,” Rolly says without hesitation.

I glance at him. Would we? Rolly nods. I shrug. Okay. We would.

“While I would love to continue this conversation, I need to talk to you about Merle and Jay. They had a bad night last night, went wandering, got really sad and low. So, Merle is feeling a bit brittle this morning.”

“How do you know that?”

“Her scent, the nightmares she had, the way she is currently curled around Roseland like he is the only safe rock in the entire ocean for her to hold on to.”

My heart clenches. Well, at least that’s proof I have one.

I move away from Sage and glance at Rolly. “Plan 3B?”

He considers it. “Not 4A?”

I shake my head. “Too aggressive.”

He nods. “You might be right. I’ll cook. You go get everything ready.”

“What is happening here?” Sage says in exasperation.

“We need all the shiny things you can find.” I turn away and pause, turning back. “And a space that is safe and feels good but doesn’t have memories yet. Do we have one of those?”

Sage licks his lips and then nods. “Follow me.”

He unlocks the locked door and pushes it open. The room is an octagonal shape and set slightly lower than the rest of the house, but it’s got higher ceilings.

“The nest?” I ask.

Sage nods. “This is the nest for our omegas.”

It’s a good space. I glance at Rolly and smile. This will work perfectly.

Roseland and Rolly bullied Merle into eating, though she fought them on every mouthful. She is flat and tired, and her scent feels heavy and dark.

When she walks too slowly towards the surprise I have for her, I pick her up and carry her into the room, then I toss her onto the bed.

She lies there, staring up at the room, only her eyes moving. She rolls over onto her hands and knees, then up to her knees, twisting so she can take it all in.

Her scent explodes, rich and deep. Tonka beans and iris that is warm and sweet and so pleased.

From the high ceiling, Sage, Blaze, Roseland, Rolly, and I have hung the entire set of cutlery, ladles, CDs, bits of tinfoil, chip and chocolate wrappers that have been cleaned and shaped into stars. One of the best parts is a revolving light thatshines out undulating waves of light that bounce off everything shiny, spreading so it looks like the whole room is slowly moving. Beside the bed is a box with nesting materials. She ignores it, standing up and reaching for a star.

“Pretty,” she murmurs.

Rolly comes in and drops a heavy box on the bed beside her. “This was everything I could find.”