Page 79 of Packing for Vacation

“Packed up,” Matiu murmurs.

“Packed up with the men of my dreams.” I kiss Scott’s cheek, and then Matiu’s.

“Ten! Nine! Eight!” someone somewhere in the dark begins to count down.

“Seven!” Scott joins in.

“Six!” I yell. “Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!”

The fireworks start in a blaze of multicoloured light, exploding over the lake. My alphas kiss my cheeks, then my lips, each taking turns, and I just know this new year will be the best one yet.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Lizzie

A few weeks later

Iplace my thrifted cushion with the three flying ducks at the back of my nest, the other cushions and pillows framing it like a centrepiece.

Perfect.

I roll my eyes at myself—omega instincts are certainly weird and over the top at times—but as I crawl backwards out of my nest, I’m mostly relieved that it’s done. I’m here, and I’m officially moved in to what was Matiu’s home. Now it’s a place for our pack—all three of us plus Barry and Coco, once Coco meets all her immigration requirements.

As much as I want her with me right now, I have to respect the rules that Aotearoa has in place to protect the very unique, rabies-free wildlife here.

I turn at the sound of a knock. Matiu stands in the open doorway, leaning against the frame. “Done?”

“Done,” I say, resisting the urge to flop back down on the huge floor bed. If I do that, I don’t think I’ll be getting back up again today, and we’ve got too much shit to do. I follow Matiu down the hall and out to the lounge, which is currently a mess of Scott’s half-emptied moving boxes, with Scott in the centre of it all.

“Maybe we should wait another day before I start the meds,” I suggest, looking at everything. Scott shakes his head, crossing the room towards me and placing the back of his hand on my forehead.

“Are you feeling okay? Because that is way too practical and boring for you to suggest.”

I pout at him. “Mess overwhelms me too, I’m just usually the cause of it.”

“I’m just teasing ya.” He kisses me briefly, hums to himself, and then kisses me again, his tongue slipping between my lips and his erection pressing hard against my hip. “Sorry,” he apologises when we break for air. “I’ve been thinking about this heat you’re gonna have all morning and it’s got me worked up, but if you want to wait, of course we’ll wait.”

“No, I don’t. We have a timeframe to stick to.”

His hand is once more pressed to my forehead. “Yeah, you’re not convincing me. Some alien didn’t body-swap with you in the night, did he?”

I poke him in the chest. “You’re so mean to me sometimes,” I tell him with a grin on my face.

“You love it.”

“I love it, and I love you.”

“Okay lovebirds,” Matiu begins, and when I glance at him over my shoulder he’s already tossing something in our direction. Scott catches the small cardboard box with ease and hands it to me. I turn it over, reading the label, no longer hearing what Matiu is saying.

FOR OMEGAS ONLY. DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE A BETA OR AN ALPHA. Contains omesterone in soft capsule form.

DOSAGE: Take TWO (2) orally and TWO (2) inserted into the vagina every six (6) hours until heat symptoms appear. Maximum 24 pills in a 24-hour period.

I scoff. It’s so excessive. I’m going to be pumped full of hormones at this rate.

“Did they get it wrong?” Matiu asks.

“No, it’s fine. It’s just ironic. When I lost my suppressants I was so pissed off at myself because I thought I’d fucked up my vacation. Now look at me, inducing a second heat months earlier than usual.”