“Hmm...” She stretches slightly, careful not to jostle the others too much, and I hear the soft pop of joints settling. “Happy.”
Happy.
Not good. Not fine. Not recovered.
Happy.
I watch Cole’s eyes snap open at the word. See Malik’s arm tighten incrementally around her waist. Feel Jalen go very still beside her.
We’re all holding our breath, I realize. All of us caught on that one simple word and what it might mean.
“Yeah?” I manage, because someone needs to say something and the others seem temporarily incapable.
“Yeah.” Sierra’s smile widens slightly, and there’s color rising in her cheeks now. Like she’s realizing what she said, how it sounded, but she’s not taking it back. “Is that weird? That I’m happy?”
“No,” Cole says immediately, pushing himself up on oneelbow. His hair is sticking up in every direction, and there’s a crease from the pillow on his cheek, but his eyes are intense. “Not weird at all.”
“Good weird,” Malik adds from behind me, his voice still rough with sleep. “The best kind of weird.”
“We’re happy too,” Jalen says softly. “Happy you’re here. Happy you’re... happy.”
The slight stumble over the word makes Sierra laugh. This breathy, genuine sound that does something dangerous to my heart.
“You’re all being weird,” she says, but she’s still smiling.
“You said you were happy while lying in a nest with four alphas after a heat,” Cole points out. “We’re allowed to be a little weird about it.”
Fair point.
I shift slightly, careful not to jostle her too much. She’s still weak. I can tell by the way she’s holding herself, the slight tremble in her arms when she moved to stretch. Post-heat fatigue that will take at least another day to fully fade.
“Do you need anything?” I ask. “Water? Food?”
“Bathroom,” she admits, and I can see her cheeks flush darker. “But I’m not... I don’t think my legs are quite ready to support me yet.”
The admission costs her something. Sierra doesn’t like showing weakness, doesn’t like needing help. I’ve learned that about her over the past few days. But she’s learning to let us help anyway.
That’s progress.
“I can carry you,” I offer.
“I can walk,” she protests automatically, then seems to catch herself. Her lips twist in a rueful smile. “Probably. Maybe.”
“Let us help,” Jalen says gently. “Please?”
Something in his tone makes Sierra’s expression soften.
“Okay,” she whispers.
I move carefully, extracting myself from the nest withoutdisturbing it too much. My muscles protest the movement after hours of staying still, but it’s a good ache. The kind that reminds me I’m alive and healthy and here.
When I turn back to help Sierra, she’s already trying to sit up on her own. Her arms shake with the effort, and I can see frustration flash across her face.
“Easy,” I say, sliding my arms under her knees and behind her back. “Let me do the hard parts.”
She goes still as I lift her, her hands automatically coming up to grip my shoulders. Even through my shirt, I can feel how warm she is. Not fever-hot like during heat, but just naturally warm.
“This is embarrassing,” she mutters against my chest.
