“Here,” Luke said. At the entrance to the room, there was a panel of buttons. He touched one, and there was a soft whirring sound, a wall curving around into sight and blocking off the windows. It was covered in padded cushions as well. As soon as it settled into place, he flicked the lights on. They were dim and warm, and I immediately felt something click.

“The idea here,” Luke said, “was to be able to decorate it the way you wanted as well. Colors. Fabrics. Whatever.”

“This is amazing,” my voice was quiet. “It’s really beautiful. And you did it without knowing if you’d have an Omega.”

Avery stepped closer. “We’ve wanted one. Not just any Omega, but the right one, and we would always rather be prepared than scrambling.”

“Yeah.” It was an inadequate word, but it was all I had. Because I couldn’t stop staring at this soft, comfortable room and decorating it in my mind. It wouldn’t stay white, that was for sure.

“Why don’t you try it?” Rylan’s voice was soft.

My heart ached, and I took a step back. “Thank you, and I want to. But it’s not mine yet, and while I’m perfuming I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

They’d have to rip out the cushions to get the scent out.

“Esme, may I touch you?” The question came from my left, where Avery stood.

I nodded before he reached out and tugged me closer, arranging my back against his chest as he held me so I could still see the nest. Warm spices wrapped around me with traces of warm comfort. Like apple cider and hot chocolate in the fall. “There’s no right answer to this question, so you can’t get it wrong. But what does courting look like for you?”

Opening my mouth to answer, I realized I didn’t have one. When Eva’s guys courted her, it was fast and mostly private. I’d never gotten far enough to know what I liked or what I wanted when it came to it. “I don’t know. I’ve never had anyone interested enough to try.”

A growl came from my left, and I looked over to see Kade’s eyes on me, dark and direct.

“He’s fine,” Avery said. “Annoyed by the idea no one’s seen you for what you are.”

I didn’t know what to do with that. It was something so deep and so painful I didn’t want to think about it right now.

“Let me tell you what courting looks like for us.”

“You talked about it?”

“Not just when I met you,” Bennett grinned. “Long before that and after I met you. We have plenty of ideas.”