She shook her head. “No one else got as much sleep as I did.”
“You’re an omega close to her heat. Keep your body well-rested, and go have a nap.”
Her lips turned out into a pout, but she slid from the bar stool. “I just woke up,” she muttered under her breath.
I didn’t comment as she wandered back into the bedroom, but when I turned to face the others they were all smiling. Little grins quirked their lips, even Mercury.
If this didn’t all fall apart… we might have a really good thing going here.
FORTY
DASH
I crossed my arms over my chest, staring at the sewing supplies that sat on the unused dining room table.
This was what Kiara had done as a hobby, and I’d spared no expense. The sewing machine was the best on the market, every fabric was high quality, and she had every item she could need to pick up the hobby once again.
Maybe it was stupid, but I wanted to test everything out before we showed it to her. It had been sitting in plain boxes on the table when we’d had our kitchen conversation, but with the heavy subject matter, she hadn’t noticed before she went back to sleep again.
Except, I didn’t know a damn thing about sewing.
Yet.
“I would advise against it,” Mercury said.
I swung my gaze to him. He was leaning against the door frame, avoiding eye contact with his hands shoved into his pockets.
“It’s better if we make sure she really does have everything. Sewing articles can only tell you so much.”
“You shouldn’t jump down a sewing rabbit hole right now, though. There are going to be more things we need you to hack, eventually, and I don’t want to have to pull you out of a new hyperfixation. It’s not pleasant.”
“I’ll pull myself out,” I said.
Mercury sighed, pushing off the frame and strolling over to the table. He pulled out a chair, picking up a large hand sewing kit. “I can check this, if you’re so insistent.”
I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth, trying to place the feeling bubbling up in my chest. It was a little bit of annoyance, mixed with a lot of regret. My packmate didn’t trust me, and maybe he shouldn’t. But I wanted him to. I could be responsible.
Pulling out a chair beside him, I started fiddling with the sewing machine. The intrigue of dials and needles and thread did threaten to drag me under and make me forget about the world.
Kiara’s need for me would be enough to pull me back.
“Dash…”
“I’ve got it,” I bit out. “You don’t need to baby me, Merc. She’s my omega. The way I take care of her has nothing to do with you.”
He didn’t say anything. We worked side by side in tense silence for a long while. Ambrose and Leighton’s voices came faintly from the office—they were trying to work out a plan. I needed some time doing mindless activities in order to think.
Then I could try to plan again.
“Do you wish I’d let you crash and burn?” Mercury asked.
I pricked my finger with a needle at the sudden question, cursing.
I turned to him. He’d put down all the sewing supplies, watching me intently.
Did I?
It was a difficult question.
