“Drink,” Lucian's voice would cut through the fog, and cool glass would press against my lips. Water, blessed water, sliding down my parched throat. I'd gulp it gratefully, my hands coming up to hold the glass steady, and feel Lucian's hand at the back of my head, supporting me.
“Just a few bites,” Kade would coax, holding something that tasted sweet... fruit maybe, or protein bars designed for situations like this. I'd eat because they asked me to, because some part of me understood my body needed more than just their touch to survive this.
“That's perfect,” Theo would murmur, wiping my face with a cool cloth, cleaning away the sweat and cum. His hands were gentle, treating my overheated skin like something precious despite how I'd been clawing and begging moments before.
They brought more pillows when my nest had been destroyed by our movements, helping me rebuild it during a longer respite. They took turns sleeping in shifts, always making sure someone was alert and ready when the next wave hit.
The second day was harder. My heat reached its peak somewhere around what I thought was afternoon, the waves hitting faster and lasting longer. My voice went hoarse from crying out, my body aching in places I'd never thoughtabout. But they didn't falter, didn't complain about their own exhaustion even though I could see it in the lines around their eyes.
“I've got you,” Theo promised as he pushed inside me for what must have been the umpteenth time. “We've all got you, honey. You're doing so well.”
“So beautiful like this,” Kade murmured, his mouth trailing down my neck while Lucian worked between my legs, preparing me for another round. “Absolutely perfect.”
“Let go,” Lucian encouraged as I balanced on the edge, my body wound tight with enjoyment that bordered on pain. “We're here. You can let go.”
And I did, over and over, trusting them to catch me when I shattered. Trusting them to put me back together and help me through the next wave. Trusting them in ways I'd trusted no one, my body surrendering completely to their care.
The evening of the second day brought a subtle shift. The waves were still intense but came with more space between them. Ten minutes, then fifteen, then twenty. Enough time to drink an entire glass of water without rushing. Enough time to eat something more substantial than a few bites. Enough time to see the concern in their eyes, the exhaustion they'd been hiding, the way they'd pushed their own bodies to their limits for my sake.
“Thank you,” I whispered during one of the longer respites, my voice barely functional. “Thank you for helping me.”
“Always,” they answered in variations, their voices rough with their own exhaustion.
The final night brought one last intense wave, different from the others. Less desperate somehow. More intimate. When Theo moved inside me this time, his dark eyes holding mine, it felt less like a biological necessity and more like a choice. Likeconnection. Like maybe this was what it was supposed to feel like when it wasn't born from pain and desperation.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, his forehead pressing against mine. “So damn beautiful.”
I came apart in his arms one last time, feeling the heat finally start to break. The wave crested and fell, and in its wake, I felt something that might have been peace.
I’d slept for hours after that, stirring slowly in my nest, stretching my arms, and looking at the snoring Alphas wrapped around me. My body ached everywhere, muscles sore from exertion, skin tender where teeth and hands had played with me, a deep exhaustion that went all the way to my bones. But my mind was clear. Blessedly, wonderfully clear. The fog of heat had lifted, leaving me myself again, and I nearly cried from the relief of it.
Sunlight filtered through my curtains, painting golden stripes across the tangled sheets. I was in my nest, or what remained of it. The carefully arranged walls had been destroyed, blankets and pillows scattered and bunched, bearing evidence of the past two days. But it still smelled like them, like us, and I pulled the gray fleece closer around my naked body.
Movement beside me made me smile. They were waking up. Kade sat up, stretched, and smiled at me. Lucian rolled over, yawned loudly, and tried to pull the covers back over himself to go back to sleep. I laughed. Theo stretched out his neck muscles, moved over to me, and kissed me on the forehead. “Hi, honey,” he said. “Did you sleep well?”
I smirked and nodded.
I took inventory. Exhausted, sore, probably dehydrated despite all the water they'd made me drink. But whole. Safe. Myself again. “Tired,” I said. “But okay. Better than okay.” My voice was still hoarse from all the screams of ecstasy.
Lucian rolled over to face me, his eyes finally open. “Jasmine,” he said, then grinned.
I grinned back. “Thank you,” I said, and the words felt inadequate for what they'd done. “For helping me. For taking care of me. For—” My throat closed up, emotion making it hard to speak. “For not taking advantage, and marking me.”
“We would never,” Kade said, his voice firm. “Not like that. Not when you couldn't choose freely.”
Theo moved then, sitting upright, and I felt the warmth of his skin beside me. His hand found mine, fingers interlacing with careful gentleness.
“I want you to know something,” he said. “That promise I made about marking you... I meant it. I'll mark you when you ask me to, and not before. When you're ready. When you're sure. Not because your heat demands it or biology drives you, but because you choose it. Choose us.”
My eyes burned with tears that had nothing to do with pain. His words settled over me. This was what I'd needed to hear. They wanted me. All three of them wanted me as theirs. And if I’m honest, I knew I was starting to want them too. I just wasn’t ready to share that yet.
“When I'm ready,” I repeated, my voice breaking. “You promise?”
“I promise,” Theo said, bringing our joined hands to his lips and pressing a kiss to my knuckles. “All of us promise. We want you, Jasmine. Want you to be ours, want to be yours. But only when you're ready to accept that fully.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, and squeezed his hand hard.
The following days developed a rhythm that felt almost normal. Mornings were for practicing in the studio with Kade, working on the songs for the gala that was now only weeks away. My voice had gone rough after all the screaming, but it cameback with care and rest. We'd stand in the studio, and he'd watch me with pride in his eyes as I hit notes I'd been struggling with before.
