I wrap him in my arms, hugging him tight. “She’s ours, and I think she was finally accepting that before this all happened. We’ll get her through her heat if that’s what’s happening, and then we’ll just have to prove to her all over again that we’re all in.”
He relaxes against my hold, his big hand cradling the back of my head as I pull back and press my lips against his.
“Just wait out here. I’ll go make sure she’s okay,” I assure him with one more squeeze as I walk to her nest.
Her cherry scent is already wafting from the nest as I tap on the door.
“Hailey?” I call out her name softly, and she doesn’t answer.
The door isn’t locked, and I let myself in. Blankets and pillows are piled into what looks like a mountain on the bed and it’s clear that she’s burrowed deep into her nest.
I take a deep breath, which was a bad fucking idea, because her scent is making my mind hazy, but eventually I find a small opening in the blankets and crawl inside.
It’s not completely dark, her face glowing from the screen of her phone.
“Hailey?” I say her name again and she whimpers as I move closer to her.
I plop my head down on the pillow next to her and she doesn’t look at me. I glance over at her phone and my brows furrow.
“Are you watching black head removal videos?” I ask.
“It soothes me,” she replies, her voice soft and sad.
“I’m so sorry about what happened tonight, sweetheart. I’m sorry we lost control, but for you, we’d do anything to keep you safe.”
“Why bother?” she asks, with a sniffle.
“Because we care about you, because we’re courting you as our Omega. You’re the most important piece of this pack,” I tell her.
“I shouldn’t be. I’m not worth it, Nate. You’ve seen who I was raised by, you’ve seen what a disaster I am. Why would you want anything to do with me?”
I don’t take her phone away, noting that it’s comforting her, even if her choice of videos is unique. Plus, it’s the only way I can see her face under these covers. Instead, I push her soft, dark red hair out of her face.
“You’re worth everything. You’re far from a disaster. And I think I know a thing or two about being a disaster.”
She licks her lips and I try to not track the motion.
“The men who have known me all my life don’t think I’m worth anything. Why would you?”
“Because I see you, Hailey. And what I see is a brave person who hasn’t experienced love before, who doesn’t know her worth. Even if you don’t want to believe you’re worth it, believe me. You’re priceless, and all we want to do is take care of you.”
Her eyes well with tears as she puts the phone down, resting her head against my chest.
“I don’t like feeling like this. Everything hurts.”
“Let me take care of you. Let us take care of you, okay?”
“It’s happening isn’t it?” she asks, tears in her eyes.
“You’re going into heat, sweetheart, and the three of us are going to help you get through it, because you’re ours. This is your nest, we’re yours. You can let go and know that we’ll keep you safe and take care of you, we’ll always take care of you, because you’re precious to us.”
It’s hard to see her under the blankets, but as her lips touch mine, I take it as her consent for her heat, that she realizes what’s about to happen. Her skin is feverish as I cradle her face, kissing her hard. Hoping that she realizes that this is real, that we’re not going anywhere.
I was never a part of Erin’s heat, thank fuck, but I know how debilitating and confusing that time can be. She’s trusting me to take care of her and it means everything to me.
I take a moment to push some blankets off us, worried she’s too hot. She apparently doesn’t like that, as she glares at me and pushes them back over our heads.
“Sorry,” I whisper.
