Ryker and Cade dragged mattresses free from their bedframes, coughing as debris puffed into the air. They flipped them, filthy side down, and arranged them in room seven, laying six side by side on the floor to form one large surface. It was not pretty, but it was solid and far softer than the cold tile.
Killian stayed with me the entire time, standing just outside the room with his arms wrapped around me. His chest vibrated with a low, steady purr. The noise helped comfort me a little, but pain still rolled through my body in waves, dulling and then sharpening again.
By the time they brought everything in, dormitory seven had become a makeshift nesting room built from scraps of the long-abandoned base. A small camping lamp cast a warm glow over the space. It was freezing cold, but the chill felt relieving against my overheated skin.
It was a far cry from the nesting room Cade had shown me before.
Killian set me down on the mattresses gently. The moment my knees hit the nest, instinct took over. I scrambled for the pillows and blankets, hating how most of the fabrics felt against my sensitive skin, and shoved them aside. The men had done their best finding available materials, but most of the blankets were old, brittle, and smelled musty.
Only a few softer blankets passed inspection. I spread one across the mattresses and bunched the others near the edges. I tore the pillows from their plastic, fluffing them vigorously.
I had no conscious plan in arranging the nest. Instead, I moved on instinct alone, doing what felt right. As I worked, the heat contractions eased. My body seemed to sense that I was preparing and allowed me relief.
The alphas paced just outside the door, watching me. Ryker tried to step inside, but I hissed, warning him to leave immediately. It was not ready yet. They couldn't enter untilinvited.
After a few more adjustments, I looked around. Instinct told me it was complete, despite the limited resources. It was not pretty or perfect, but it would do.
I rolled across the blankets, coating the fabric in my scent, chasing away the lingering, stale smell. When I glanced up, Cade stood in the doorway, watching me. His eyes tracked my movements with a focus that felt almost reverent, his gaze heavy and warm.
“Can I enter your nest, Rowan?” he asked with a rough voice he gentled only for me.
I fluffed one last pillow for good measure and nodded.
The moment Cade stepped inside, his whiskey scent enveloped me. My body responded immediately to his proximity. The contractions returned, this time deeper, pulsing and painful.
I moaned, my control slipping as my omega instincts overrode rational thought. Cade stalked closer, eyes locked intensely on me as he pulled his shirt over his head. Dog tags clattered together, glinting in the low light.
“Your nest is beautiful, Rowan.”
For a moment, shame crept in. I knew other omegas would have mocked this nest. Part of me had wanted to make it nicer, to do better, but I only had limited resources. I wanted to please Cade, to create a nest worthy of his pride.
“Don’t lie,” I choked out between rolling contractions.
Cade didn’t hesitate. “I’m not.”
I searched his eyes and found nothing but sincerity. Relief coursed through me.
“You’re beautiful too,” he said, voice low andcommanding. “This nest is perfect.” His gaze moved slowly over the space, taking it in, before settling back on me. “I loved watching you build it. You did well, the way an omega should. I told you that you’d know what to do when the time came.”
His thumb brushed my jaw, firm and reverent all at once. “You made this for me. For us. And I’m proud of you.”
He hovered over me, eyes dark and intent, tracking every breath I took.
“I just followed my instincts,” I said in barely a whisper.
“What are your instincts telling you now?”
“That I… I need to be touched. I need to be filled, marked, and mated. Over and over. I know the second your skin touches mine, my control will slip, and I'll have to…”
“Have to what?”
“Trust you,” my words faltered as a particularly strong contraction rolled through me, right between my legs, sending slick rushing between them. I moaned, then took a deep breath, trying to finish the thought. “I have to trust you all to know what I need. To care for me.”
He didn't respond with words, but with a low, deep sound that was half purr, half growl, and sent more slick rushing from my core.
"I promise we'll take care of you, baby. All I want you to focus on is letting go," Cade murmured as his lips met mine. The contact felt like electricity, shooting straight to my belly, which flipped with nerves and lust.
"I'm going to knot and stretch you first. Then we'll take turns until your heat ends. Are you ready for us?"
