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Nicky wasn’t feeling up to much eating, but I did coax a slice of toast with peanut butter and strawberry jam into her alongside a glass of milk.
I hadn’t anticipated the entire pack going on this shopping trip, but I think we all felt better keeping Nicky in eyesight.
We did our best to make the shopping as smooth as possible, picking out items in the sizes she had given us so all she had to do was try things on and pass us the rejects. I found her the coziest sweaters and pajama sets. She let me tug the cashmere over her head, taking little breaks to snuggle into my arms that had my heart pounding and my purr kicking into gear to soothe her. I couldn’t quite describe what it did to me—knowing that she found comfort in me, that I could help her the way I helped the rest of the pack. The others let me take the lead in that regard, ushering Nicky about and letting her cuddle against me with my arm over her shoulder as we walked between stores.
Hana picked out her shoes, and the other alphas got her snacks and drinks, held the bags, and kept anyone from crowding our group. Billie was a ninja with paying, leaping up to the cash register with anything Nicky had agreed to buy and having it bagged up and ready to go by the time Nicky emerged from a changing room. She had exhibited mild distress after finding out Billie had bought everything for her, but our beta could be persuasive, and Billie had worked Nicky around to accepting all of the clothing purchases in exchange for a cup of frozen yogurt.
With all her clothes picked out, we made a couple stops to pick up all of her toiletries she’d need before swinging by the pet store where we got some extra toys, two new cat beds, a new carrier, and a half dozen packages of Spud's favourite treats. If Nicky had been in a better state of mind, she probably would’ve put up a lot more fuss over everything we convinced her to buy, but the stress made her malleable, and we were able to successfully get her everything she needed without too much trouble.
“Nicky,” I said as we stood in line to get some crêpes. “Would you like to invite your family over for dinner? It doesn’t have to be today. That would be cutting it a little bit close, but maybe tomorrow? I bet they would feel better seeing you.”
She looked up at me, her big brown eyes slightly red rimmed. “I’d love that, thank you.”
“Good. We’ll handle everything. You’re just in charge of passing along the information.”
We spent the rest of the evening making sure that Nicky was as comfortable as possible. Prior to her abrupt arrival, we had been discussing potentially converting the playroom upstairs into another bedroom rather than have her options be sleeping with one of us or staying all the way in the basement by herself. That was still in the works, but it would take some time to transition all of the equipment to downstairs and get it set up as a real bedroom. And also, no one wanted her to feel pressured over the fact that we were putting in a bedroom with her in mind.
I had always been the sort of person where I liked someone or I didn’t. First impressions went a long way with me, and no one had ever recovered from a terrible first one in the same way that no one had ever really managed to pull the wool over my eyes since I had grown into an adult. Maybe it was naïve of me to assume that my feelings for Nicky would never change for the worst, but planning to have her included in my future made me feel better.
When Tony had asked if I wanted her to be part of my heat, that had only cemented it for me. I could’ve easily gone through a heat without her, with the support of my existing pack, but my instincts had chimed up at the question.
I wanted her to be there.
I wanted her to be part of us.
Hana flipping her switch the way she had was a relief. I couldn’t argue with omega instincts in much the same way you couldn’t argue with a heart. Both wanted Nicky, and with Hana slipping down that slope with the rest of us, I could let both imagine what the future might hold.
I couldn’t wait for Nicky to feel safe enough that she would be able to imagine it, too.
36
NICKY
Theoneplusaboutstress was that it tended to override my self-consciousness.
My parents were going to meet the pack.
Last week that might’ve sent me into a tizzy, but today I couldn’t be bothered with what they might think.
Sidney and Allie were the first to arrive. My sister-in-law tackled me into a hug, my brother following closely. He wrapped us both in his arms. I wasn’t quite as weepy as yesterday, and when I pushed down the swell of tears, they actually cooperated and stayed down.
My brother moved along the line of the pack, shaking hands with everyone and getting introduced to the three he hadn’t yet met. Allie followed suit, and by the time she had made it down the line herself, my parents and youngest brother had arrived.
Mom squeezed me so tightly my back popped and I wheezed at the squish of air from my lungs. Dad hugged me too, equally as tight, and kissed my cheek.
Luca weaselled his way in for his own hug. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he whispered in my ear. “This place is crazy fancy. What if I break something?”
That drew a laugh out of me. “You’ll be fine.”
I turned to my parents. “Mom, Dad, this is the pack that I’m dating. You already know Jasper and Gabe. I gestured to them and then to the rest of the line. “This is Tony, Hana, and Billie.”
Mom's gaze flickered over them and back to me with wide eyes. “Allof them? Nicola, that's so many.”
“What she means,” said Dad, lightly elbowing Mom, “is that she's very pleased so many people have taken an interest in making our daughter happy.”
Oh, thank god.
At least one of them was going to be cool about this.
