Then Logan steps into the doorway, Griff and Xavier close behind like the world's most attractive and intimidating security detail. Relief hits me so hard I want to cry, which would be embarrassing but I'm way past caring about my dignity at this point. Their scents wash over me in waves: pine and leather, sharp steel and rain, fresh mint. There's an ache buried deepbetween my thighs that suddenly pulses like a second heartbeat, and yeah, I know exactly what that means because we've been down this road before.
"I feel like I'm burning alive," I admit, voice raw and trembling because my filter has completely abandoned ship and left me to deal with this mess alone.
Logan and I have done this dance before. Multiple times. I know how he feels when he swells inside me, how it stretches and fills me until I can't think straight. I know the way he growls when he's buried deep inside me, the way his teeth feel when he bites down on my neck to claim me. We've got a history of fantastic, mind-blowing sex that leaves me stupid and satisfied for days. But this heat? This is a wildfire spreading under my skin, racing from my chest down to my core like someone lit a fuse and forgot to warn me about the explosion.
My breath catches, shallow and uneven, and I clutch the edge of the bed, trying to steady myself while my entire world tilts sideways. The scent of pine and leather floods my senses again, mixing with the heavier, darker undertones of Griff and Xavier. They're close, too close for comfort, but not close enough yet. Their presence both soothes and torments me, which is probably the most accurate summary of my entire complicated love life.
I'm on fire. I want all of them, and the scary part is I'm not scared anymore. The banging on the doors grows louder, more frantic, like every unattached alpha in a fifty-mile radius has suddenly decided my door is the most interesting thing they've ever encountered.
"I don't know why this is happening," I confess, voice low, barely audible over the growls and pounding outside. "I wasn’t supposed to be going into heat now."
"Shhh," Xavier soothes, brushing a finger gently over my lips with the kind of touch that makes my brain short-circuitcompletely. "Don't stress. Don't fight it. We're here to protect you."
Logan slides to my other side, his fingers warm and sure as they cup my jaw. His steady, patient eyes lock with mine, and despite the pounding in my chest, a sliver of calm cuts through the fire inside me. "We're here to take care of you," he says softly, and I know he means it because he's done it before.
I nod, unable to stop the wet ache pooling between my thighs. "It hit me fast. Nearly an hour ago? Maybe less."
"I want you," I whisper, looking between all three of them because subtlety has never been my strong suit anyway. "All of you. I want you to tie with me. I've tried not to think about it for months, but now I can't think about anything else. Every night I fight it. But now, I want it. I want it to happen."
"I know we haven't talked about all three of you," I add, words tumbling faster now, breath hitching. "But my body knows what it wants. And it won't stop until..."
Logan cuts in, voice calm but firm. "It's not crazy. And we're going to take care of you. Whatever you need."
Xavier's voice is softer, almost apologetic. "But we don't want you to feel obligated. We know we hurt you before. All we want now is to take care of you."
Griff lifts me in one smooth motion, and it feels like we're slipping through a secret passage. Logan wraps me in blankets and carries me through empty corridors to a basement room. The cold concrete walls smell of safety, far from the chaos upstairs and from the territorial alphas who might be overwhelmed by my scent.
Griff sets me down carefully on a worn couch in the corner. The room is small, bare concrete walls cold and stark, but it feels like the safest place in the world right now. The storm outside rages, thunder shaking the windows, but inside it's quiet except for our ragged breathing.
Logan drops the blankets around my shoulders and steps back, his eyes burning into mine. I'm soaked with sweat, flushed, trembling like a live wire. My body aches, desperate and wild for him, for the familiar weight of his knot, for the bite of his teeth.
Without hesitation, Logan closes the distance. His hands are big and strong as they cup my face. I close my eyes, as he gently peels the clothes from my body. Making sure to be gentle, and comfort me by blowing on my skin. His thumbs brush my cheekbones, steady and sure. His lips crash onto mine with fierce hunger. There is no slow build, no gentle warning. He claims me like he has before, like every inch of me belongs to him, because honestly? It does.
I open for him immediately. My hands claw into his shirt, dragging him closer. His tongue tastes of wine and heat, deep and demanding. His mouth moves over mine with rough skill, and I melt against him. My core throbs hot and slick, soaked already and aching for the stretch and pressure that I know is coming.
Behind me, Griff's hands rest firm on my hips, holding me steady. Xavier watches with dark eyes full of need and hunger. Theirs is a different kind of wanting, patient and restrained, but the way they watch us makes my skin prickle with anticipation.
When Logan finally pulls away, my lips are swollen and wet. I whimper, lost in sensation and craving.
"Logan," I breathe, voice cracked and desperate.
He lifts me up into his arms without breaking eye contact. My thighs clamp instinctively around his waist. I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on like I never want to let go.
He lowers me gently onto the couch like I'm something sacred. Then his mouth presses a single kiss to my sternum. My chest rises hard beneath his lips as I pant, shaking with need.
Griff settles into a chair nearby, his eyes never leaving us. Xavier stands close by, ready to step in if needed. They are givingLogan this moment, letting him have the first claim of this heat. I can see the restraint it costs them, but they hold back.
I yank Logan's shirt up and over his head, tossing it carelessly aside. Bare skin glistens under the dim light. My nipples harden, prickling in the cool air. I spread my legs, inviting him without words because we've done this dance before and I know exactly what I want.
Logan kneels between my thighs like he owns every inch of the space he takes up, which honestly, he does. His hands grip my legs firmly, warm and steady. The weight of his body presses into me, grounding me in familiar territory.
His mouth lowers to my breast. His tongue flicks across my nipple, gentle at first, then firmer. I arch my back, hips shifting without thought, craving every touch because I know what's coming and I want it so damn badly.
Griff's voice cuts through the thick tension in the room. "Look at her, Logan. She's perfect for you."
Xavier's low growl follows right after. "Take care of her."
Logan's mouth trails down my ribs, over the soft skin of my stomach. His hands move to my waistband, and my breath catches. He peels my panties down like he's claiming territory, thumbs dragging over my wetness. I can't stop the small whimper that slips out.
