Jin-ho appeared beside me, silent as always, moving with that quiet grace that still caught me off guard sometimes. He slid onto the stool next to mine, his shoulder brushing against me. His silver-grey hair was still damp from the shower, curling slightly at the ends, and he smelled like cedar and something uniquely him. Without a word, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to my temple, his lips soft and warm, lingering there for a moment longer than necessary.
"Morning." He murmured against my skin, his voice low and rough with sleep, his amber eyes soft when they met mine. His hand found my knee under the counter, his fingers warm through the thin fabric of my sleep shorts.
"Morning." I turned to brush a kiss against his jaw, feeling the slight rasp of stubble against my lips, and felt his violet thread pulse with warmth in my chest. "Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in years." He admitted, his thumb drawing lazy circles on my knee, his gaze never leaving my face. "Having you in the nest helps."
The nest had become our anchor point — the place where all six of us converged at the end of every day, tangled together in a pile of limbs and blankets and mingled scents. I'd never slept better in my life than I had this past week, surrounded by the steady heartbeats of my pack. Even on the nights when someone had schedules that ran late, when we couldn't all be together, the bonds hummed with reassurance — a constant reminder that they were there, that they were mine, that I was theirs.
Tae-min came storming into the kitchen, his bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor, wearing a shirt that was definitely not his — it hung off his shoulders, too big, clearly belonging to one of the older alphas. His cherry-red hair was a mess, sticking up in every direction like he'd been struck by lightning, and his dark chocolate eyes were narrowed with irritation. Pillow creases still marked his left cheek, and there was a petulant set to his mouth that made him look even younger than his twenty years.
"He took my favorite shirt." He announced to no one in particular, his voice pitched somewhere between whining and genuine frustration. He dropped onto the stool on my other side and immediately leaned into my space, his body gravitating toward mine like I was magnetic. His head found my shoulder,nuzzling against me like an oversized cat seeking attention, his cherry-red hair tickling my neck. "Make him give it back."
"I'm not getting involved in your fashion disputes." I said, keeping my voice deliberately neutral even as affection bloomed warm in my chest. I reached up to run my fingers through his hair anyway, smoothing down the wild strands, feeling him practically melt against me at the touch. His bond purred with contentment, vibrating warm and happy in my chest.
"You're supposed to be on my side." Tae-min grumbled against my shoulder, his breath warm through my thin t-shirt, but I could feel his smile through the bond — that bright, eager happiness that was so uniquely him. "Pack omega solidarity."
"That's not a thing." I tugged gently at a strand of his hair, earning a soft sound of protest.
"It should be." He pressed closer, his arm snaking around my waist, holding on like he was afraid I'd disappear if he let go.
Hwan appeared in the doorway, striking a pose against the frame, wearing Tae-min's shirt — a fitted black tee that was slightly too small on him, stretched across his broader shoulders and pulling tight across his chest. His platinum blonde hair was artfully tousled, catching the morning light streaming through the windows, and his warm brown eyes danced with amusement as he surveyed the kitchen.
"See? Looks better on me." He declared, gesturing at himself with a theatrical flourish, his sunshine smile firmly in place and bright enough to light up the room. He did a little spin, showing off the way the shirt hugged his frame.
"It really doesn't." Tae-min muttered against my shoulder, but there was no real heat behind it, his crimson thread flickering with reluctant amusement despite his words.
"Children." Min-jun's voice was fond but exasperated as he turned from the stove, spatula in hand, his soft brown eyes crinkling at the corners. He set plates of food in front of us —perfectly scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, toast cut into triangles the way he'd learned I liked. His movements were efficient and caring, the way he did everything. "Give Tae-min his shirt back after breakfast."
"But—" Hwan started to protest, his lower lip pushing out in an exaggerated pout.
"After breakfast." Min-jun repeated, his tone gentle but firm, leaving no room for argument. It was the voice he used when he'd made a decision and wouldn't be swayed — soft as always, but with steel underneath. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head as he passed behind me, his lips lingering against my hair, and his rose-pink thread radiated tender affection that made my chest ache with its sweetness. "Eat. You're still recovering."
"I'm fine." I protested, even as I picked up my fork. Arguing with Min-jun about my health was a losing battle, and I'd learned that the hard way over the past week. He had a way of wearing down resistance with gentle persistence and worried looks that made me feel guilty for even trying to argue.
"You lost a lot of fluids during your heat." Min-jun said, returning to the stove to plate up more food, his back to me but his voice carrying that familiar note of concern. "And you haven't been eating enough. Your body needs time to recover."
"I eat plenty." I mumbled around a bite of eggs, which were — of course — perfectly seasoned.
"You eat like a bird." Hwan countered, sliding onto a stool at the end of the island and reaching over to steal a piece of bacon from my plate. His warm brown eyes sparkled with mischief when I swatted at his hand. "A very small, very stubborn bird."
"That doesn't even make sense." I protested, but I was smiling. Jae-won was the last to appear, emerging from the hallway with the quiet authority that seemed to follow him everywhere. He was dressed simply — gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips and a white t-shirt that did nothing tohide the breadth of his shoulders or the defined muscles of his arms. His dark hair was slightly damp from his shower, pushed back from his forehead, and his jaw was freshly shaved, smooth and sharp. His dark eyes swept over the kitchen with quiet satisfaction, cataloging each of us in turn, before landing on me and staying there.
Pack alpha checking on his pack,my omega noted with warm approval.Making sure everyone's here. Everyone's safe. Everyone's fed.
He crossed to where I sat, his footsteps nearly silent on the hardwood floor, and leaned down to press a lingering kiss to my lips. It was slow and thorough, his hand coming up to cup my jaw, tilting my face to the angle he wanted. The kiss was claiming in a way that made my toes curl and my breath catch, his cedar-and-thunder scent wrapping around me like a blanket. When he pulled back, his dark eyes were soft with an emotion that still made my heart stutter, his thumb brushing over my cheekbone with infinite gentleness.
"Good morning." His voice was a low rumble, rough and warm, his breath ghosting over my lips.
"Good morning." I managed, slightly breathless, my cheeks flushing under the intensity of his gaze.
"Get a room." Hwan called out from his end of the island, his voice bright with teasing, his sunshine smile firmly in place.
"We have a room." Jae-won replied without looking away from me, his lips twitching with amusement even as his dark eyes stayed locked on mine. "Several, in fact. Though not enough."
The comment hung in the air, and I felt a shift in the atmosphere — something more serious beneath the morning banter. Jae-won straightened, his hand sliding from my face to rest on my shoulder, his expression turning thoughtful as helooked around the kitchen. The playful energy dimmed slightly, replaced by something more intentional.
"Actually, that's something we should discuss." He said, his pack alpha tone sliding into place like a well-worn coat. The others stilled, attention focusing on him with an immediacy that spoke to years of following his lead. Even Hwan's sunshine smile faded into something more attentive. "This apartment isn't big enough anymore. Not with six of us."
