“I’m sure we’ll figure it out, but I’m equally sure the nest will miss you.”
She blinked at me, clearly surprised. “It sure doesn’t feel like it sometimes.”
“We don’t have to be besties for me to know you helped this place thrive.”
“Focus,” she said, ignoring my words and turning the computer screen toward me. She took me through the nest finances in the program they used. We had updated to a different one at my job a couple of years ago, but I still remembered how the old one worked. Shakti was a wiz with numbers and retained a brain-numbing amount of information. No matter what question I had, she had the answer tucked away in there.
“I’m surprised you haven’t taken the world by storm as the CFO of a Fortune 500 somewhere.”
Shakti laughed. “I have more modest ambitions than that.”
“You shouldn’t. If it’s something you want, I have no doubt you would succeed.”
“No need to try buttering me up.”
“I’m not. I’m pretty sure you’re the smartest person I’ve ever worked with. The head of accounting at my job would crumple at your feet.”
She stared at me for a long moment, as if trying to discern how truthful I was being with her. “Really?”
“One hundred percent. It’s one thing to know how to work the programs to your advantage, but another thing entirely to know the sources of those numbers so intimately. You should be really proud.”
I caught a brief second of her preening before she schooled her features. “Thank you.”
We’re ready for you, precious.
“Yelena is asking for me,” I told Shakti.
“Go.” She waved her hand dismissively.
“Do you want to come with me? I can charge your artifact.”
“Later. I need to speak with Kendrick.”
I frowned but didn’t say anything more. Yelena had given me the code to get all the way down to the basement where she, Caden, Seth, Haru, and Velda waited. The tent they’d set up for me in Yelena’s suite had been moved down here. I hadn’t had a chance to use it yet.
“Come on in, precious. See if this is comfortable for you.”
I crawled inside, noting the plush mattresses, and a few of Yelena’s dresses draped from the ceiling so it didn’t look so utilitarian. Sprawling out in the blankets was cozy, scratching an itch deep in my soul I hadn’t even noticed was bothering me until it was satisfied. The nest was too empty. “I need more people in here.”
Seth and Haru were first, the others following more carefully so no one got stepped on.
They filled the space, the air practically dripping with affection. “Much better.”
“Can I be part of your heat, little witch?” Velda asked.
Warmth zipped through me. “I don’t see why not.”
“Is five people enough for an omega’s first heat?” she asked.
“I suppose we’ll find out,” replied Yelena.
Velda beamed. “You’ll have to come by and pick your favorite strap. I have ones to match any shifter peen you want.”
Embarrassment flooded me. “Oh gods.”
“I think we still have some stock to do cloning of specific individuals if you would prefer that.”
I squeaked, burying my face in the blankets. “Can it be a discussion for when not everyone is staring at me?”
