Birds of a Feather

Chapter 16

Youngjae had gotten Cas to continually giggle for the last 10 minutes or so. Mark took that as a sign that he could try to join them in the nest and have the rough conversation they all knew needed to happen. JB was asking for more details before he started grilling the bangtan pack, and Mark was not going to disappoint their own pack alpha on a night that had already proved tiring for all involved.

He moved to the edge of the nest, clearing his throat and waiting while the two omegas shushed each other's giggles. A soft smile quickly finds its way to Mark's face as the two pop their heads out of the giant blanket nest they've made. Cas's arms are just slightly visible from where they're wrapped around Youngjae's neck. Youngjae smiles at Mark, looking the picture of content. Cas's smile, however, quickly drops from her face as she looks around at the nest, then glances back at Youngjae. He quickly nuzzles her head to calm down the beginnings of another spike, something that really isn't healthy for a recently presented omega to be doing to often. "Don't worry," He whispers to her, loud enough that Mark can also hear what's being said, "Mark just wants to see if we'll let him in our nest."

Cas flinches over the word "our" and grips onto Youngjae tighter. Mark uses all of his willpower to keep the unconcerned smile on his face. He reaches both hands out, palms up to show he's not a threat. None of their pack has had to do this since Youngjae's third heat, when he yelled at all of them to stop asking for permission every time and to just get in so he can get his damn cuddles already. Still, Mark's going to do this right because he'll be damned if he violates Cas's trust by just assuming he's welcome. "Cas. Sweetness. Am I allowed to enter?" He asks in a low soothing tone.

Her eyes widen as they watch his movements, turning back to look at Youngjae. He brushes their noses against each other, trying to prompt her to ask the million questions he can see swimming behind those eyes. She takes a deep breathe, "What's he doing, Jae?"

Youngjae glances over his head at Mark, giving him a frosty stare to communicate that the Alpha should not move or talk while this is happening. Mark nods once slowly, so Youngjae turns back to the younger omega, smoothing her hair down in a comforting gesture, "Marks asking you if it's okay for him to enter our nest, lovely."

She glances back at the alpha, brows furrowed, but he doesn't move and inch, "Why?"

Youngjae turns her around so that he back is pressed against his front, allowing both of them to indulge in their instincts of watching the possible threat on the edge of their nest, "Because a nest is solely the space of the omega who made it until they give permission for others to enter."

She leans back and glances at him, "So I should've done this before I came into the nest you built?"

"You could have, and for anyone else you should do something similar. However, I welcomed you in without it. It's up to the omega themselves how they want to handle this kind of thing. Mark is being more traditional for you right now, Cas, because he wants to show that he respects your position of power over the nest."

"Why isn't he asking you then? You built the nest after all." Her brows continue to furrow.

"Because all of my pack mates have a standing agreement that they do not ask me to enter any more, they just do so." Cas opens her mouth to ask another question, but Youngjae continues, "But this is different because you're also in the nest and I gave you partial ownership of it. He has to have permission form every omega that has a claim over a nest before entering, otherwise we have the right to treat it as an assault and defend ourselves."

"Oh." She says in a very soft voice, her eyes making their way back to Mark and bore into him. He can see her mind racing, and god if that doesn't make him want to just wrap them both up in his arms to hide them from the world.