River's watching us. Eyes dark with want, scent thick with arousal. But he's patient. Waiting his turn. Seth looks nervous but determined. Hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.
"Heat's going to come back," I tell them quietly. My hand stroking soothingly over Bea's back. "Maybe an hour. Maybe less. She'll need all of us before this is over."
"We're ready," River says.
Seth nods. "Whatever she needs."
Bea makes a soft sound. Nuzzles into my neck. "Thank you," she whispers. "For taking care of me."
"Always." I tighten my arms around her. Mindful of our connection. "That's what pack does."
My knot finally deflates enough to slip free. She whimpers at the loss. I can feel my release starting to leak out of her.
River moves in with a warm cloth. Cleans her gently while I settle beside her in the nest. She's drowsy now, immediate need satisfied, but I can already smell her heat building again beneath the temporary contentment.
"Sleep," I murmur. Pull her against my chest. "We'll be here when you wake up."
She's out in seconds. Breathing evening out as exhaustion takes over. Seth and River settle on either side of us. Their scents mixing with mine and hers until the whole nest smells like pack.
Like home.
"She okay?" Seth asks quietly.
"She will be." I look down at Bea's sleeping face. Peaceful now instead of pain-twisted. "We're going to make sure of it."
That's what pack does. We take care of each other. Through everything. Heat and cold, pain and pleasure, all of it.
And Bea? She's ours now. We're going to take care of her for the rest of our lives.
Chapter 22
Bea
Iwake up drowning in sensation.
Heat everywhere. My skin feels like it's burning from the inside out, and the emptiness—god, the emptiness is back and it'sworsethis time. Like my body remembers being filled, being knotted, and now it's demanding more with a desperation that steals my breath.
I'm whimpering before I'm fully awake. Hands fisting in blankets that smell like pack. Like Grayson's leather and ink, Seth's rain and cedar, River's pine and sawdust.
"Hey there, beautiful."
River's voice. Warm and gentle, with that hint of amusement he always has. Like even now, with me falling apart, he's not worried. He knows how to fix this.
I roll toward him, and he catches me easily. Pulls me against his chest so I'm half-draped over him. The contact helps—his warmth, his solid presence—but it's not enough.
"River—" His name comes out as a broken sob. "Please, I need?—"
"I know what you need." His hand runs through my hair, soothing. "But first, how are you feeling? Besides the obvious."
Is he seriously asking me questions right now? "Empty. So empty. Please?—"
"Okay, okay." There's laughter in his voice, but it's not mean. Just... River. "Just wanted to make sure you're still with me. Heat brain hasn't completely taken over yet."
"It has," I whimper, pressing closer. "Can't think. Just need."
"Then let's take care of that." He shifts, rolling so I'm on top of him, straddling his hips. The change in position makes me gasp—I can feel his cock hard beneath me through his sweatpants, and I instinctively grind down against it.
"Fuck," he breathes. "Yeah, like that. Take what you need, Bea."
