"And if it's too much? If I need to stop?" I asked, the old fear surfacing despite everything, my grey eyes searching their faces.
"Then we stop. Immediately. No questions. Your word is law, Keira. Even in heat." Jae-won's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument, his dark eyes holding mine, his jaw set with conviction.
Even in heat. The words settled something in my chest, loosened a knot I hadn't realized I was still carrying.
"Okay. I'm ready." I breathed, and felt the truth of it in my bones, my shoulders relaxing.
"Not yet. You're warm, but not burning. The full heat hasn't hit. You should rest, eat, prepare." Min-jun said gently, rising from his perch, his hand finding my forehead, his touch cool against my heated skin.
"We should too. Mentally. Physically." Jae-won added, his voice rough with something I couldn't quite name, his nearly-black eyes dark with anticipation.
The evening passed in a blur of preparations and tender moments.
Hwan braided my hair so it wouldn't tangle during the heat, his fingers gentle against my scalp, his sunshine scent surrounding me. Jin-ho read to me from a poetry collection, his voice low and soothing, his amber eyes soft when they met mine between stanzas. Tae-min made me laugh with terrible jokes until my sides ached, his energy infectious even as my body temperature climbed. Min-jun fed me dinner bite by bite, making sure I ate enough to sustain me through what wascoming, his hazel eyes warm with care. Jae-won held me, steady and present, his heartbeat a constant rhythm against my back.
By the time we settled into the nest for the night, all six of us tangled together, the pre-heat had become something more. Something building. Something inevitable.
"I'm not brave. I just finally stopped running." I murmured into the darkness, surrounded by their scents, their warmth, their love, my voice barely above a whisper.
"No. You're the bravest person I've ever met." Jae-won's voice came soft against my hair, his arms tightening around me, his cedar scent grounding and sure.
I fell asleep with five heartbeats surrounding me, the bonds humming in my chest, my body preparing for what came next.
Chapter Thirty-Six
KEIRA
I woke to the sound of voices in the hallway, low and urgent. The nest was warm around me, layered with the scents of all five alphas, but only Min-jun remained beside me. He was propped up on one elbow, watching the door with a slight furrow between his brows, his warm hazel eyes alert despite the early hour.
"What's going on?" I asked, my voice rough with sleep, my body already registering the change — hotter than yesterday, skin more sensitive, a low ache settling into my bones.
"Doctor's here. Jae-won called her first thing this morning. Your temperature spiked overnight." Min-jun said softly, his hand finding my forehead, his touch cool against my heated skin, his expression shifting to concern, his dimples nowhere to be seen. Before I could respond, the door opened and Jae-won stepped in, followed by a familiar face — Dr. Yoon. She carried a small medical bag and moved with the same quiet confidence I remembered, her grey-streaked hair pulled back in a neat bun.
"Miss Park. Good to see you again." Dr. Yoon said, approaching the nest with calm efficiency, her voice warm but businesslike, her kind eyes crinkling slightly at the corners.
"Dr. Yoon. Is something wrong?" I sat up, suddenly nervous, the blankets pooling around my waist, my grey eyes searching her face for any sign of bad news.
"Not at all. This is routine. I just need to assess where you are in your cycle. May I?" Dr. Yoon smiled reassuringly, already pulling out a small device that looked like a thermometer, her movements practiced and gentle. I nodded, and she pressed the device to my wrist. It beeped after a few seconds, and she studied the readout with practiced eyes.
"Your heat will hit fully within twelve to twenty-four hours. You're progressing normally. Strong hormone levels, healthy vitals. The pre-heat symptoms will intensify over the next several hours — increased temperature, heightened sensitivity, stronger scent production." Dr. Yoon said, tucking the device away, her expression professional but not unkind, her tone matter-of-fact.
"Is there anything she should do to prepare?" Jae-won asked from the doorway, his nearly-black eyes fixed on me, his jaw tight with concern, his tall frame tense with barely contained protectiveness, one hand gripping the doorframe.
"Rest. Hydrate. Eat while you can — appetite often disappears once heat fully hits. The nest looks well-prepared. Make sure there's water and easy food within reach. She'll need calories between waves." Dr. Yoon turned to address him, her tone shifting to something more clinical, her hands clasped in front of her.
"We've got it covered." Min-jun said, his hand finding mine under the blankets, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my palm, his hazel eyes warm with quiet confidence, his shoulder pressing reassuringly against mine.
"I'm sure you do." Dr. Yoon's expression softened slightly as she looked between us, something knowing in her gaze. "Miss Park, your body knows what it's doing. Trust your instincts. These alphas — they'll take good care of you."
"Thank you." I said, my voice steadier than I felt, my fingers tightening around Min-jun's hand, my grey eyes meeting hers with gratitude. Dr. Yoon nodded, gathered her bag, and let Jae-won escort her out. The door clicked shut behind them, and the room fell quiet.
"Twelve to twenty-four hours." I repeated, the words settling into my chest like stones, my heart beating faster, my free hand pressing against my sternum.
"We're ready. The nest is ready. We're all ready. You just need to focus on yourself." Min-jun shifted closer, his vanilla-and-fresh-bread scent wrapping around me, his hazel eyes soft with reassurance, his body warm and solid against my side.
The morning passed in a haze of preparations and hovering alphas. Jae-won had cleared all schedules — not just SIREN's, but everything. The dorm was quiet, sealed off from the outside world. No managers, no staff, no interruptions. Just the six of us and the growing anticipation that hummed through every room.
I tried to help with the nest preparations, but the others kept gently steering me back to the couch, pressing water into my hands, feeding me bites of fruit and protein.
